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Foundations
of Distance Education
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What is Distance Education? (continued)
Terms used
to describe third and fourth generation distance education include:
- Cyber Education, Online Education, Virtual Education
- Technology-supported Education, Hybrid Education, Distributed Learning
- E-learning, Web-based Education
Definition of Distance Education
Providing education at a distance is the simplest definition of distance education. Today, distance education, e-learning, virtual education, or whatever name you prefer is basically a method of teaching where the student and instructor are separated by time or space, or both. The US Department of Education defines distance education as:
"the delivery of instruction over a distance to individuals located in one or more venues." The National Education Association (NEA)defines distance learning as "courses where more than half of the instruction taking place is when students and faculty are in different locations."
The NCA Higher Learning Commission definition of distance education states:
"For the purposes of accreditation review, Distance Education is defined as a formal educational process in which the majority of the instruction occurs when student and instructor are not in the same place. Instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous. Distance education may employ correspondence study, audio, video, or computer technologies."