Abstract
This paper provides readers with an observation of an adult distance education programme, which took place in Malaysia. These observations are presented in terms of: study mode, course design, and interaction between three distinct student groups, and their teachers. Other factors that influence adult distance learning melded with traditional classroom settings were also observed. These factors included the demographics of distance learning students, type and nature of studentto-student and teacher-to-student interaction, students’ employment, prior employment, and the subject studied. Our observation suggest that appropriate distance education design, coupled with hybrid opportunities for interaction among students engaged in distance and traditional oncampus modalities, optimise the learning experience of students engaged in both types of learning. Our observations also indicate that factors such as Web-based course design, students’ previous technical competencies and employment history, must also be taken into consideration, when designing and delivering distance education programmes of study. The authors conclude from their observations that further research is needed in terms of proper distance education course design that address environmental factors such as students’ employment history, previous educational experiences, and comfort levels using information and communications technology.
Highlights
Distance education, a pedagogical process that involves imparting knowledge beyond the traditional borders of students’ physical attendance in a classroom, has been in existence for centuries
Recent advancements in Internet and communication technology have fuelled the growth of flexible course design and online delivery, giving new impetus to advance distance learning pedagogy
Students were encouraged to interact with peers within their group, we discovered that one adult distance education student, was in constant touch with a traditional oncampus student
Summary
A pedagogical process that involves imparting knowledge beyond the traditional borders of students’ physical attendance in a classroom, has been in existence for centuries. In spite of the growth of technologies that offers increased support for effective distance learning, ad hoc training and education remains the most common application in many countries such as China, where the number of adult distance education learners is estimated to be between two and four million people (Zhang, 2001) Other such examples include the Open University in UK, and extensive programmes in countries such as Norway to South Africa (Wilkes and Burnham, 1991). Undertake sequential and organized activities with the conscious intention of bringing about changes in information, knowledge, understanding, or skill, appreciation and attitudes; or for the purpose of identifying or solving personal or community problems.” It is our experience, that adults with diverse interests and differentiated backgrounds such as programme developers, teachers, advisors, administrators, educational administrators, frequently undertake educational upgrading using the distance mode. Fulton, (1992) cites five fundamentals necessary for an effective distance education programme: 1. Contact between the student and the instructor
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