Interactive TV Use in Distance Education

Kerka (1996) notes that in any distance education process there must be a teacher, one or more students, and a course or curriculum that the teacher is capable of teaching and the student is trying to learn. The contract between teacher and learner, whether in a traditional classroom or distance education, requires that the student be taught, assessed, given guidance and, where appropriate, prepared for examinations that may or may not be conducted by the institution. These requirements must be accomplished by some form of two-way communication.

Kerka (1996) notes that in this the two-way communication that is part of all education, instruction can be accomplished by diverse methods of instruction delivery. Some examples of these alternative methods are: home-based study, telecommunications using the phone or fax, videotape, CD-ROM, and online instruction. However, one alternative method of delivering instruction, a method that is being used increasingly frequently, is interactive television. According to Ostendorf (1994), interactive television typically involves an instructor who meets with students (via the

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cannot simply be focused on how to use the technology, but rather upon how to use the technology for instructional purposes that facilitate learning. Instructional Support Johnson and DeSpain (2002) have noted that the effectiveness of distance learning cannot be achieved without providing instructional support for teachers in terms of utilizing the technology to attain all specified learning objectives. Instructors need help and knowledge regarding such matters as the integration of additional hardware, equality and quality of the hardware, accessibility to students, maintenance, and so forth. Johnson and DeSpain (2002) also note that if colleges and schools are to maximize their use of interactive television they must offer faculty strong instructional support, the type of support which provides both leadership and assistance to instructors as to the most effective and efficient means of accomplishing both institutional objectives and the shorter-term classroom objectives set for the course through the specific medium of interactive television. Instructors are also said to need an organized and readily accessible collection of materials and equipment that will help them better meet the goals and objectives set for the use
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Approximate Word count = 2209
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)

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