In today's world, everything happens quickly. Often people have to do housework, raise children, and work at the same time. It is difficult in such a frantic rhythm to allocate free time to receive a quality education, without which it is impossible to move up the career ladder. An excellent way out of this situation is distance education. With the help of this form of training, you can get the necessary knowledge without leaving homework and workplace.
Advantages and disadvantages of distance education
This option for obtaining a diploma has its pros and cons. The term "distance education" implies the organization of the educational process, in which the teacher develops a special program based on self-learning of the material. Such a learning environment involves the separation of the student from the teacher in time and space. At the same time, modern forms of distance learning leave a chance for a full-fledged dialogue through the use of modern technical means. Thanks to this format, it becomes possible to train residents of those regions in which there are no qualified teachers, high-qualityhigher education, required skill level.
History Pages
In European countries in the second half of the last century, the so-called distance universities, virtual colleges, began to appear. The forms of distance learning used were distinguished by a variety of pedagogical techniques and economic mechanisms.
Interactive activities of students and teachers
This term is used not only in domestic, but also in foreign pedagogy. In a narrow sense, the concept of "interactive" is considered as a dialogue between the program and the user, the exchange of requests (text commands) and invitations (answers). The emergence of the opportunity to ask questions in an arbitrary form, to give detailed answers to them, became the impetus for the fact that universities with distance learning appeared in large numbers. User activity and the chances of interactivity directly depend on the technical capabilities of the program. In a broader sense, we are talking about a dialogue between subjects through all available methods and means.
A priori interactive communication is the telecommunications environment. Full-time distance learning considers the student and the teacher as subjects, communicating through a real-time dialogue via e-mail, during teleconferences.
Organizational and methodological options for distance learning
Such forms of distance learning as external studies are focused onthose students who, for various reasons, cannot study in the traditional (classroom) form. In 1836, the University of London appeared, whose main task was to organize examinations, issue degrees, certificates to students who were not studying in ordinary educational institutions. And at present, the relevance of this option of education has not been lost.
There are also such forms of distance learning that involve studying on the basis of a particular university. We are talking about a whole system of education for students who prefer distance learning, organized with the help of modern information technologies, including computer telecommunications (off-campus). Many of the world's leading universities have developed programs for issuing certificates in various areas of study. At the Australian University (South Wales), 5,000 students have chosen distance learning. Considering that only 3,000 students study full-time, the scale of remote work is impressive.
Some educational institutions enter into a cooperation agreement. In this case, the use of distance learning contributes to improving the quality of education.
Organization of distance learning
In modern Russia, there are special autonomous educational institutions that are created for talented and gifted children. Of the major centers, we single out the Open University of London, on the basis of which a variety of courses for schoolchildren have recently been organized. ATColorado Technological University trains engineers using distance learning.
Training autonomous systems imply the acquisition of knowledge with the help of radio or television programs, special printed manuals and methodological recommendations. Basically, this form is used for an adult audience who failed to complete school education on time. Special programs are being developed to improve computer literacy and he alth training.
Distance learning models
The single model involves the use of one information channel or a single learning tool. For example, the educational process is carried out with the help of a television program, through correspondence. This model considers printed materials as the main means of obtaining knowledge. There is no two-way communication here - traditional distance learning is assumed.
Multimedia is associated with the use of various means of education: printed manuals, computer programs on removable media, video, audio recordings. Leading positions belong to the one-way transmission of information. If necessary, they additionally conduct consultations, face-to-face meetings, exams, training seminars.
Hypermedia is considered a new generation of distance learning. The model involves the use of the latest information technologies, where the leading role is given to computer telecommunications. The simplest option is to use electronicmail and conferences.
Highlights of distance learning at OU
Organization of a full-fledged distance learning is impossible without the use of information technology. There are two main points to highlight:
- Distance education does not mean abandoning the classical (traditional) version of education. No matter how advanced the technical capabilities may be, learning through ICT is a necessity, but not a panacea. Of course, such opportunities cannot be neglected, because with the help of technical means it is possible to improve the quality of education.
- The main technologies used in distance learning: videoconferencing, computer testing, electronic textbooks.
Working with children as part of the implementation of priority national projects
In modern Russia, not only higher education is rapidly developing in the direction of distance learning. At the initiative of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, a special project on inclusive education for schoolchildren was developed. Children with problems with vision, musculoskeletal system, hearing have the opportunity to study without leaving the walls of their homes. The state took care of equipping such schoolchildren with a complete set of computer equipment. The first results of the program implementation confirm its timeliness and relevance.
Conclusion
Application of a variety ofmethods and forms of education allows you to get the desired result - to educate a harmoniously developed personality. In many situations, distance learning becomes the only option for higher education. Science does not lag behind those trends that occur in modern society. Each school, secondary and higher educational institution has its own information resources. The choice of the form of distance education remains with the student or the parents (legal representatives) of the student. This type of education is the future, with its help everyone has equal opportunities to get the desired education.
