Trends and Issues in Distance Education: International Perspectives
Title:
Trends and Issues in Distance Education: International Perspectives
Author:
Erhan EROGLU
Appeared in:
The Turkish online journal of distance education
Paging:
Volume 7 (2006) nr. 2 pages 176-178
Year:
2006
Contents:
Trends and Issues in Distance Education: International Perspectives Edited by Yusra Laila Visser, Lya Visser, Michael Simonsın, & Ray Amirault, 2005, United States of America: Information Age Publishing, Inc. pp. 315. ISBN 1-59311-212-2 Reviewed by Dr. Erhan EROGLU Anadolu University Eskisehir, TURKEY In this book, the terms of “distance education” has been discussed from different perspectives. The term “distance education” conjures up in many minds the image of modern, computer-enabled technology that has blossomed in only the last twenty years. Many of the lessons learned over the last century of distance education research and practice have been implemented in a wide variety of distance education programs worldwide, from higher education online learning programs in the United States to rural, radio-based instructional programs in developing countries. Distance education is truly international discipline. While it is true that the term “distance education” has a universal definiton, local distance ducation experiences are often quite idiosyncratic. This idiosyncratic nature emerges from the need to integrate distance education within the constraints, oppurtunities, and realities of spesific cultural and geographic contexts. From these local distance education experiences, educators are developing new understandings of the broader field of distance education, including the trends and issues present in the field. ORGANIZATION OF THE SECTIONS This book has been organized by thematic content into four main sections. Each of these sections represents a unique level of analysis for trends and issues in distance education. Part I presents five distinct perspectives on the state of distance education and the trends and issues of the field. First perspective of five distinct perpectives is “a survey of progressive and conservative trends in education with implications for distance education practice.” Second perspective is “quality, accredition and recognition: issues in the delivery of transnational education.” Third perspective is “the long and short of distance education: trends and issues from a planetary human develeopment perspective.” Fourth perspective is “distance education reappraised: emerging trends in traditional universities and corporate training institutions.” And fifth one is “what the world needs now: international research on distance education.” Part II contains a series of interviews that that were conducted with international distance education leaders. This section has four chapters. The individuals interviewes in this section were selected because they have played a significant role in the development of distance education theory, research and practice. Part III of the book presents a fascinating array of case studies in distance education. This section has eight chapters. The chapters in Part III section of the book cover experiences with programs and initiatives in places as diverse as South Africa, Brazil, and Turkey. Some of these case studies report on experience with in a specific nation. Part IV, the last part of the book, focuses on practical issues in distance education. In tih section, there are three chapters. In this section, authors of the chapters discuss some of the key trends in the design and development of distance education for international audiences and settings. For example, “wide array of technologies and strategies that can be used for distance education, while giving special consideration to the impact of human and environmental differences on the selection of approaches”, “analysing of how mentoring roles evolve as the technologies enabling distance learning become increasingly interactive and accomodating of student-to-student and student-to-instructor interaction. CONTENTS OF THE BOOK Introduction Yusra Laila VISSER, Lya VISSER, Michael SIMONSON, and Ray Amirault PART I PERSPECTIVES ON GLOBAL TRENDS AND ISSUES IN DISTANCE EDUCATION A Survey of Progressive and Conservative Trends in Education with Implications for Distance Education Practice. Brent G. WILSON Quality, Accreditation and Recognition: Issues in the Delivery of Transnational Education. Andrea HOPE The Long and Short of Distance Education: Trends and Issues from a Planetary Human Development Perspective. Jan VISSER Distance Education Reappraised: Emerging Trends in Traditional Universities and Corporate Training Institutions. Francois MARCHESSOU What the World Needs Now: International Research on Distance Education. Deborah LAPOINTE PART II lNTERV1EWS WITH LEADERS IN INTERNATIONAL DISTANCE EDUCATlON Defining Trends and Issues in Distance Education: An Interview with Don Ely. Lya VISSER and Kristen GAGNORZ A Career in International Distance Education: An Interview with Barbara Spronk. Michael SIMONSON and Margaret CRAWFORD University-wide Distance Education Implementation: An Interview with Robert Morgan. Rqv J. AMIRAULT and Jeffery SIEVERT Personal Perspectives on Trends and lssues in Distance Education: An Interview with Otto Peters. Lya VISSER and Meira Van der SPA 178 PART III NATIONAL AND REGIONAL CASE STUDlES IN DlSTANCE EDUCATION Open and Distance Learning for Developing Countries: Is the Cup Half Full or is it Still Half Empty? Tony DODDS The Promise of M-learning for Distance Education in South Africa and Other DeveIoping Nations Lya VISSER and Paul WEST British Distance Education: A Proud Tradition. Steve WHEELER Distance Education in Turkey: Experiences and Issues. Ugur DEMIRAY Supporting Distance Learning in Brazil: Applications of a Multimedia Digital Library. Fredric Miclzael LITTO Open and Distance Learning Enhanced through 1CTs:A Toy for Africa's Elite or an Essential Tool for Sustainable Development? Bob DCY The Role of Distance Education in Turkish Women's Education Emine DEMIRAY and Senstl CURABAY "Thank You for (not) Forgetting Us": A Reflection on the Trials, Tribulations, and Take-off of Distance Education in Mozambique. Muriel VISSER - VALFREY, Jan VISSER, and Miguel BUENDIA PART IV DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT TRENDS FOR INTERNATIONAL DISTANCE EDUCATION Learning Management Systems (LMS) for Web-based Distance Education: An International Review. Wei-yuan ZHANG and Lixun WANG Trends in Distance Education Technologies from an International Vantage Point. Michael SIMONSON Dynamism and Evolution in Student Support and Instruction in Distance Education: Implications for International Distance Education. Yusra Laila VISSER About the Authors
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