Education plays a significant role in shaping a nation, and the proliferation of Internet-based educational opportunities has expanded distance learning modalities to all parts of the globe. However, though this mode of delivery is being capitalized upon as a result of the opportunities it offers, it is still new to many nations and institutions of learning. This article therefore reviews the best practices that make distance education works. This will better inform nations and their learning institutions as they capitalize on this mode for providing access to education.
KeywordsDistance EducationBest Practices
Adler, R. W., Milne, M. J., & Stablein, R. (2001). Situated motivation: An empirical test in an accounting class. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, 18, 101-116. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1936-4490.2001.tb00248.x
Anderson, T. (2004). Teaching in an online learning context. In T. Anderson, & F. Elloumi (Eds.), Theory and practice of online learning (pp. 273-294). Athabasca: Athabasca University.
Ashby, C. M. (2002). Distance education: Growth in distance education programs and implications for federal education policy. http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d021125t.pdf
Australian Flexible Learning Framework (2002). Effective online facilitation: Australian flexible learning quick guide series. http://pre2005.flexiblelearning.net.au/guides/facilitation.pdf
Bartley, S. J., & Golek, J. H. (2004). Evaluating the cost effectiveness of online and face-to-face instruction. Educational Journal and Technology, 7, 167-175.
Berge, Z. L., & Clark, T. (2005). Virtual schools: Planning for success. Columbia University, NY: Teachers College Press.
Berge, Z. L., & Mrozowski, S. (2001). Review of research in distance education, 1990 to 1999. The American Journal of Distance Education, 15, 5-19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08923640109527090
Brass, K. (2002). Pushing E-learning. Sales and Marketing Management, 154, 56.
Breen, P. (2006). Coming out of the darkness of the past. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 7, 1-8.
Burke, L. A., & Moore, J. E. (2003). A perennial dilemma in OB education: Engaging the traditional student. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 2, 37-53. http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/AMLE.2003.9324016
Butcher, N. (2000). Distance education in developing countries (knowledgebank paper 3). http://imfundo.digitalbrain.com/imfundo/web/teach/kb3/?verb=vie
Care, W. D., & Scanlan, J. M. (2001). Planning and managing the development of courses for distance delivery: Results from a qualitative study. The Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 4. http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/summer42/care42.html
Cavalluzzo, L. (2005). Cost, funding, and the provision of online education. In Z. L. Berge, & T. Clarke (Eds.). Virtual schools: Planning for success. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Conaway, R. N., Easton, S. S., & Schmidt, W. V. (2008). Strategies for enhancing student interaction and immediacy in online courses. Business Communication, 68, 23-35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1080569904273300
Dennen, V. P., Darabi, A. A., & Smith, L. J. (2007). Intructor-learner interaction in online courses: The relative perceived importance of particular instructor actions on performance and satisfaction. Distance Education, 28, 65-79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01587910701305319
DiPietro, M., Ferdig, R. E., Black, E. R., & Preston, M. (2008). Best practices in teaching K-12 online: Lessons learned from Michigan virtual school teachers. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 7, 16-19.
Dunigan, B., & Curry, K. J. (2006). Motivation and learning strategies of students in distance education. Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Motivation+and+learning+strategies+of+students+in+distance+ education.-a0148313528
Evans, S. R., Wang, R., Yeh, T., Anderson, J., Haija, R., McbratneyOwen, P. M., Peeples, L., Sinha, S., Xanthakis, V., Rajicic, N., & Zhang, J. (2007). Evaluation of district learning in an introduction to biostatistics class: A case study. Statistics Education Research Journal, 6, 59-77.
Fain, P. (2007). Vision for excellence. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 54, A26-A29.
Gasaway, L. N. (2002). Drafting a faculty copyright ownership policy. The Technology Source, 2. http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=982
Hache, D. (2000). Strategic planning of distance education in the age of teleinformatics. The Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 1. http://www.westga.edu/~distance/Hache12.html
Hoostein, E. (2002). Wearing four pairs of shoes: The roles of e-learning facilitators. http://www.learningcircuits.org/2002/oct2002/elearn.html
Hughes, T. P. (2001). Through a glass darkly: Anticipating the future of technology-enabled education. Educause Review, 36. http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0140.pdf
Husmann, D. E., & Miller, M. T. (2001). Improving distance education: Perceptions of program administrators. The Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 4. http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring41/husmann41.html
Kriger, T. J. (2001). A virtual revolution: Trends in the expansion of distance education. Education at a Distance, 15. http://www.usdla.org/ED_magazine/illuminactive/NOV01_Issue/article02.html
Levy, S. (2003). Six factors to consider when planning online distance learning programs in higher education. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 6.
Lockard, L. A. (2001). Collaborative technology planning. Technical Horizons in Education. http://www.thejournal.com/magazine/vault/articleprintversion.cfm?aid=3660
MacGregor, S. K., & Atkinson, T. R. (2002-2003). Facilitating learning interactions in the two way video classroom. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 31, 45-62. http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/KH51-CDC6-ADBL-J969
McIsaac, M. S., & Gunawardena, C. N. (1996). Handbook of research for educational communications and technology: A project of the association for educational communications and technology. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Macmillan.
Monolescu, D., Schifter, C. C., & Greenwood, L. (2004). The distance education evolution: Issues and case studies. Hershey, PA: Information Science.
Moore, M. G., & Kearsley, G. (2005). Distance education: A systems view. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
Myers, P., & Ostash, H. (2001). Building a virtual campus. Journal of the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges, 7.
Ojo, O. D., Ogidan, R., & Olakulehin, F. K. (2006). Cost effectiveness of open and distance learning in Nigeria: Responses from focus group discussion. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 9.
Ormrod, J. E. (2006). Educational psychology: Developing learners. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.
Parker, A. (1999). Interaction in disatance edcuation: The critical conversation. Educational Technology Review, 13-17.
Pisel, K. P. (2008). A strategic planning process model for distance education. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, XI. http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/summer112/pisel112.html
Porter, L. R. (1997). Creating the virtual classroom: Distance learning with the Internet. New York, NY: Wiley Computer Publishing.
Russo, T. V., & Campbell, S. W. (2004). Perceptions of mediated presence in an asynchronous online course: Interplay of communication behaviors and medium. Distance Education, 25, 215-232. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0158791042000262139
Sankaran, S. R., & Bui, T. (2001). Impact of learning strategies and motivation on performance: A study in web-based instruction. Journal of Instructional Psychology. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCG/is_3_28/ai_79370574/
Schifter, C. C. (2000). Faculty motivators and inhibitors for participation in distance education. Educational Technology, 40, 43-46.
Schrum, L., & Hong, S. (2002). From the field: Characteristics of successful tertiary online students and strategies of experienced online educators. Education and Information Technology, 7, 5-11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1015354423055
Spencer, J. (2002). USU distance education site facilitator handbook. Logan: Utah State University. http://www.usu.edu/uenss/Handbook-Sep02.pdf
Stansfield, M., Connolly, T., Cartelli, A., Jimoyiannis, A., Magalhaes, H., & Maillet, K. (2009). The identification of key issues in the development of sustainable e-learning and virtual campus initiatives. Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 7, 155-164.
Wang, Q. (2008). Student-facilitator’s roles in moderating online discussion. British Journal of Educational Technology, 39, 2008. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2007.00781.x
Willis, B. (2000). Instructional development for distance education. Strategies for Learning at a Distance. http://www.uidaho.edu/evo/dist2003.html
Yi, H., & Majima, J. (1993). The teacher-learner relationship and classroom interaction in distance learning: A case study of the Japanese language classes at an American high school. Foreign Language Annals, 26, 21-30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.1993.tb01147.x