Talk:Team 2
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Introduction
Distance education is being used more and more every day to help students receive an education without being “confined” by four classroom walls. Distance education involves using satellites, radio, telephone, television, computers, and/or mail to complete a course of instruction. Garrison and Shale (1987) defined distance education as “using technology to mediate two-way communication between teacher and student in a non-contiguous manner for the purpose of facilitating and supporting the educational process.”
The history of distance education can be traced back to the early 1700’s in the form of correspondence education, but technology-based education might be best limited to the introduction of audiovisual devices into the schools in the early 1900’s (Nasseh, 1997). However, distance education has changed a lot over the years. With the advancement in technology, distance education has been constantly evolving. It now involves the use of radios, satellites, television, and most importantly computers. In today’s society, when most people hear the words “distance education,” they automatically think of online classes and web-based instruction.
--Tkearley 23:02, 17 May 2006 (EDT)
Description
Instructional Television (ITV) is an effective distance education delivery system that can be integrated into education at three basic levels: single lesson, selected unit, and full course (Lochte, 1993). As a single lesson, ITV programs address one specific topic or concept, providing a lesson introduction, overview, or summary. As a selected unit, a series of programs provide the content foundation for a learning unit in the course curriculum. Finally, as a full course, ITV programs from one of more ITV series may be integrated into a full semester course typically in conjunction with instructional print materials.
Instructional television is used to enhance the learning the teacher provides. ITV can be either passive or interactive (Lochte, 1993). Passive ITV involves pre-produced programs which are distributed by video cassette or by video-based technologies such as broadcast, cable, or satellite. In contrast, interactive ITV provides opportunities for viewer interaction, either with a live instructor or a participating student site (Bacon & Jakovich, 2001). Two-way television and two-way audio can allow all students to view and interact with the distance education teacher.
Instructional television can be very beneficial to teachers and education. While teachers will continue to play the pivotal role in education, ITV will play a supporting role by catching student interest, focusing attention on specific subjects, and emphasizing key points. The next advancements of ITV must be guided by the necessity to harness new resources in the manner that best helps classroom teachers.
--Tkearley 23:03, 17 May 2006 (EDT)
Historical and/or Current Practices
Instructional television has been around for many years. In 1961, an airplane beamed programs to half a million students in 10,000 classrooms across six US states (Hendry, 2001). Following this remarkable feat, classroom television developed, involving public broadcasting stations, school based cable systems, educational media centers, and teachers. All of these mediums are being utilities for instruction still today. The introduction and depth of the Internet, the advancement of education television, and digital video transmission allow several avenues for Instructional Television (ITV) (Hendry, 2001).
Researchers have learned that when television is combined other learning environments and activities, the student’s attitudes change and the student’s performance is enhanced. Whether the ITV session lasts for 10 minutes or one hour, student’s attention and learning is affected. Today’s current uses of ITV include Eddie Files, Futures, virtual field trips to many places and areas, as well as many other mediums. The Internet has played a key role in ITV and the delivery of content. Teachers can incorporate short segments that enhance an objective they are covering or use virtual field trips to enhance their classroom learning all online. Through the use of the Internet, one in particular, The Futures Channel, and there are more channels,has worked hard to provide teachers with more than 1000 hours of footage that highlight real world applications of educational concepts (Hendry, 2001). These clips provide teachers easy access to material, student activities, and video in the areas of math, science, technology and the arts.
Whether using a delivery method of web cams with two-way audio or showing a short clip of a pre-recorded video, ITV has an important supporting role in today’s educational classroom. In the future, teachers will have a wealth of state aligned content available to enhance many curriculum areas.
--The4keiths 13:33, 10 May 2006 (EDT)
Positive Uses
Instructional television can be passive or interactive. One method of delivery is passive. This method is defined as a pre-produced program via video cassette, dvd, cable, or satellite. Schools may use this to offer courses to students that are not available at the school campus. Students do not have the opportunity for interactive group sessions. The students view the content by vcr, dvd, satellite or other means. Students can be exposed to a whole new environment such as a virtual field trip with this means. NASA, along with many others, provides such media to experience space and many other learning opportunities that students would otherwise not be able to enjoy.
Interactive classrooms can be designed with web cams or other delivery methods to project/conduct class as if you were sitting in a classroom. A live instructor with an interactive student population allows this instruction delivery method to portray a classroom setting. The teacher can see the students and the students can interact with the teacher as if they were in a face to face meeting (Loche, 1993). It can take on a lecture-like atmosphere, but works best with activities and interaction. The key is keeping the session moving at a steady pace and incorporate a variety of teaching methods that include group activities, question/answer session, summary session, demonstration of equipment and class materials, and utilizing maps, graphs, tables, and pictures, and getting feedback from the students. By utilizing these important components, the instructional tv session is more likely to be a positive learning environment.
Since most people have watched television, this medium provides a familiar environment. Today’s society is tuned into television with all its variety of programming from documentaries to reality tv. Television has become a familiar environment for students and an avenue for teachers to provide a method of instruction.
--The4keiths 13:33, 10 May 2006 (EDT)
Abuses
In order for instructional television to be delivered in an appropriate manner, there must be some awareness of misuses to this educational aid. Many high schools and post secondary institutions use instructional television to offer courses that are not normally taught due to school size or the enrollment for a particular class. Many instructional television programs are delivered in a non-interactive format. This could cause a communication gap between the instructor and the student. However, interactive versions of instructional television offer a mode of communication either by a dial in POTS (plain old telephone system) line or via a full duplex two way video conference device. There are some downfalls to this technology. It is possible that someone could just let a program run without any preparation, follow-up or pointed discussions. This clearly would not be the most beneficial to the students. There is a need to guard against those that would use this method only for its high visibility, and forget to include substance that would meet curriculum standards.
Summary
Instructional television is an integral part of instructional technology. The ability to deliver courses via television and have students interact actively can be very beneficial to the education of any population. Students and teacher alike can benefit from this technology. If this technology is used correctly, students in settings that would not normally have means of receiving a quality education can have the same availability of courses of those students in a more institutionalized setting. With the advent of new technology, instructional television has the ability of being an integral part to an individual’s education whether it is delivered by cable, internet streaming video, closed circuit television, VHS/DVD, or satellite. With the appropriate interaction with an instructor, those that receive instruction via television will have significant gains in their educational experience.
Questions for Discussion
1. How can you apply Instructional Television technology in your classroom to benefit your students?
2. What impact has school funding had on the proliferation of access to instructional television?
3. What advantage does today's digital media (streaming video) provide that print media (textbooks) did not?
Area for Class Discussion
Resources
Bacon, S.F. & Jakovich, J.A. (2001). Instructional television versus traditional teaching of an introductory psychology course. Teaching of Psychology, 28 (2), 88-92. Retrieved May 10, 2006, from http://www.nclive.org
Blaszczak, Mike; Martin, Al; Pokras, Stan; Por, George; Rossing, Peg; Sherman, Tom; Siddons, Philip. NetWeaver - Vol. 4 - Number 2 (February 1988).
Garrison, D.R., & Shale, D. (1987). Mapping the boundaries of distance education: Problems in defining the field. The American Journal of Distance Education, 1(1), 7-13.
Hendry, Dave. (2001). "Instructional Television's Changing Role in the Classroom." The Technology Source. May/June 2001. http://technologysource.org/article/instructional_televisions_changing_role_in_the_classroom/
Lochte, R.H. (1993). Interactive television and instruction. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.
Nasseh, B. (1997). A brief history of distance education. Retrieved May 12, 2006, from http://www.seniornet.org/edu/art/history.html
Oliver, E.L. (1994). Video tools for distance education. In B. Willis (Ed), Distance education: Strategies and tools (pp.165-195. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications. DISTANCE EDUCATION AT A GLANCE GUIDE 5: Instructional Television
http://www.digitalschool.net/edu/DL_history_mJeffries.html
Get on Board
I do think that there are many new avenues of learning available. Technology is playing a bigger role than ever, and teachers need to get comfortable with these new methods. It is amazing to think that we go to the Zone or Skype and talk very easily to people all over the world. There are limitless possibilities for exchanges of learning and exposure with situations that are happening right now. We are global educators just as business are global. Becky Chappell
