Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Ever Confusing World of Terminology
There are a great many terms in use to describe distance education and its components and the list appears to be growing. It is important, therefore to understand the user’s meaning when encountering distance education terms (Moore & Kearsley, 2005, p. 3). I actually do not have a preference concerning which term best describes distance education. Prior to researching the MDE program, when I heard the term “distance education” I thought about correspondence courses. When I heard the term “online education” or some variation of the term “online” as it pertains to learning, I thought of course offerings from an Academic institution. I realize now, that these thoughts were spur-of-the-moment interpretation with no deep evaluations involved. The solution I intend to practice for the terminology dilemma is to follow Moore & Kearsley’s recommendation.
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Yes, there are so many names/terms used to describe the concept of distance education. Although they may each have its nuances, the concepts, as a whole, seem to be the same. I guess it really come down to personal preference. I personally like "distance learning" because I like to learn. I agree with your solution according to Moore, which is to understand the user's meaning.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to your future post.
Vetta Cash