Team 3
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Summary of Correspondence Education
Correspondence Education is a constantly changing definition, which is currently referred to as Distance Education. Correspondence Education (or Distance Education) is completing course work in another location from the school/university a student is currently enrolled. This correspondence can be from post office mailings to, most recent, using a vitual world for class meetings.
History of Correspondence Education
By definition, the word correspondence means communication by the exchange of letters. Since mail was the original delivery method for correspondence education, the improvements made in postal service expanded ideas for transmitting information and delivering instruction. With the creation of the first adhesive postage stamp in 1840, international examples of correspondence education started to emerge. In the mid- 19th century, many countries began documenting the use of mail-delivered instruction. The earliest forms were for teaching shorthand, training miners, railroad and iron workers. Over the next 50 years, the individual courses evolved into valid academic programs. In 1883, the New York based Chautauqua Institute was recognized for educating Sunday school teachers. As a result of training miners, railroad and iron workers, the International Correspondence Schools (ICS) were established in 1891. During this time period the definition of ‘correspondence’ education, broadened to include other modes of delivery. Universities began the extension movement with the use of off-campus lecturing by Cambridge University and other schools soon followed. In the 1870’s, a home-study program was successfully established at Illinois Wesleyan University. A “Correspondence University” was developed in Ithaca, New York by William Rainey Harper. When he became the 1st president of University of Chicago in 1891, he continued to advocate the use of correspondence in education. Early in the 20th century, this method of education delivery took hold and met the needs of many different learners. Primarily, it was used to educate the physically handicapped, homebound, or students that lived in isolated areas. Canada’s Education Department sent 86 Elementary school children notes and textbooks in 1919. Students living in isolated areas more than three miles from the school district were eligible for these services. Later, the program expanded to meet the needs of disabled children, under-educated adults, and immigrants wanting to learn English. In the US, the Co-operative Agricultural Extension Act (Smith-Lever Act, 1914) advanced the use of distance education. Most of the courses offered were college level. The number of schools successfully increased and accreditation organizations emerged, like the National Home Study Council. High School courses soon followed. As new communication technology emerged, like radio and television, experimentation with these mediums increased. Researchers took an interest and began investigating the impact on learning. Finding that learning through different mediums ‘compared favorably’ to conventional instruction, correspondence education and instructional media were permanently linked together. With all of the technological changes, this form of education evolved throughout the remainder of the 20th century and by the 1980’s “correspondence education” became known as “distance education”.
Methods and Delivery
Methods: print, audio/video broadcasting, audio/video teleconferencing, computer aided instruction, e-learning/ online-learning, computer broadcasting/webcasting, radio, iPods, PocketPCs, SmartPhones, online streaming video, virtrual worlds
Delivery: Email, Web and video conferencing, sometimes assisted by television and radio programming, CD-ROM and/or DVD delivered
Testing/Assessment/Evaluation
A problem correspondence education has experienced since it’s conception has been with testing/evaluation. It has been difficult to control cheating in an online testing situation whereas with a classroom situation, a teacher is better able to monitor students.
Works Cited
A Brief History of Distance Education. (2007). SeniorNet Articles. Retrieved June 1, 2007, from http://www.seniornet.org/edu/art/history.html .
Correspondence Education. (2007). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved June 1, 2007, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9026409 .
CORRESPONDENCE EDUCATION,. (2007). The History Channel website. Retrieved 07:52, Jun 10, 2007, from http://www.history.com/encyclopedia.do?articleId=206557.
Correspondence Education. (2007). The Homeroom. Retrieved June 1, 2007, from http://www.mala.bc.ca/homeroom/content/Topics/Programs/corresp.htm .
The History of Distance Education,. (2007). Research in Distance Education. Retrieved 08:04, June 10, 2007, from http://www.digitalschool.net/edu/DL_history_mJeffries.html .
Paper 2: Future of Technology
HERE IS A FUNNY TECHNOLOGY VIDEO>>> [1]
The future of technology is constantly changing and building upon previous developed technologies. Improvements in data delivery, bypassing operating systems in new function-based computers, increasingly portable interfaces and limitless bandwidth will change the face of communication technology. Tools will be smaller, more mobile, and work much faster than their predecessors (Downes, 1998). Based on current trends, military and large businesses will utilize these technologies first. Then, these technologies will be sold to the consumers and education will buy in slightly before or after these assimilations. The future is best witnessed through observing the technology researchers and scientists, they are living in the future.
Personal
As we become excited over the capabilities of the new I-Phone and its technological advances, the world’s technology researchers and experts are already developing the next generation of devices for our home or personal use. Bluetooth technology is opening the field of mobile devices allowing for a method of payment for goods and services, including buying tickets to a function, electronic payments, purchasing a soda, etc (Miller, 2002). Because Bluetooth technology is wireless it aids in home networking, causing the same devices to be used at home and in the workplace.
Some in the robotics field are currently working on the toughest problems, such as visual and voice recognition, navigation, and machine learning. They are working on a robot sensing its environment and able to react quickly and accurately. The future will also bring a group of robots that are able to work together to achieve a specific goal (Gates, 2006).
Today a quadriplegic can use his/her brain to control and interact with computers through a small implant located near the brain. In the future this will be possible for all populations through the use of a computer in a headband. Stu Wolf, a top scientist at Darpa (Pentagon’s scientific research agency) believes this is a possibility within the next 20 years. Imagine operating household appliances, driving a car, or flying a plane just thinking the process. Wolf also believes this may even develop into a “network-enabled telepathy” (Taylor, 2006) which would make it possible to have your thoughts flow from your brain over the network and into someone else’s brain. Instead of instant messaging, it would be instant thinking.
Education
Educational technology will continue to follow the trajectory pioneered by military and large businesses. Even though educators have a desire to be at the forefront, public education will continue to accept technology at a slower rate. Yet, the improvements made in technology will provide ample opportunity for faster assimilation. The degree of use in higher education and K-12 schools will still vary depending on the institution and their dedication to technology.
Advanced forms of education like colleges and universities will be more experimental with the use of new technologies. Presently,students participating in distance education has grown exponentially. This will continue but the distance will be re-defined. Growing from regional to global, students will find a wide variety of sources to obtain higher education(Downes, 1998). Already seen in universities, safety and security will continue to be a focus. New methods of monitoring students in distance situations has already begun and will be improved (Pope, 2007).
K-12 schools will make great strides with the use of technology but still continue to be on the back end of trends, due to continued high levels of beauracracy. Yet, distance education will become more widely used and will become more of a norm. Locust of control will remain within the state and LEA. But, teachers will utilize technology to create learning opportunities that promote communication and increased interaction with the outside world.
Business/Healthcare
The business world and healthcare industry are forever growing and changing in technology. Healthcare providers are experimenting with the possibilities of patients providing some health information online to their physicians such as blood pressure readings through wireless technology (Kowalczyk, 2007). Studies also include telemonitoring programs with patients who have chronic diseases such as diabeties, hypertension, pulmonary and cardiac disease. Patients in some ICU units in select hospitals are now able to have more in depth healthcare with the “eICU” which is a software monitoring system.
Companies are utilizing the virtual world as a place to collaborate and communicate. Virtual worlds will most likely be a place where businesses' employees meet using a “digital twin” or avatar to market and sell their products. Companies will meet in virtual rooms and conduct meetings as if the employees were in the same room holding a traditional type meeting. The staff will become smaller in number as the virtual corporation is formed.
Conclusion: The technology being developed now or has yet to be conceived, will intrigue us throughout the years to come.
References
Downes, S (1998). The future of online learning. Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 1(3), Retrieved June 15,2007, from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall13/downes13.pdf
Gates, Bill (2006). A robot in every home. Retrieved June 18, 2007, from Scientific American Web site: http://www.scientificamerican.com
Hof, R (2007 April 16). Business week. Retrieved June 21, 2007, from Business Week.com Web site: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2007/tc20070416_780263.htm?chan=technology_special+report+--+virtual+life_virtual+life
Kharif, O (2007 April 16). Business week. Retrieved June 21, 2007, from Business Week.com Web site: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2007/tc20070416_445840.htm
Kowalczyk, L Employees to get an online checkup. (2007, march 3). The Boston Globe
Miller, Brent A. (2002). Bluetooth revealed, Second edition. Indianapolis, IN: Prentice Hall.
Pope, J (2007). Savvy. Retrieved June 19, 2007, from Savvy.com Web site: http://www.savvy.com/gizmos/news,72/web-cam-to-eye-test-takers,150924.html
Taylor, Chris (2006). Surfing the web with nothing but brainwaves. Retrieved June 20, 2007,from Business 2.0 Magazine Web site:http://cnnmoney.com
Other Sites of Interest
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=7155
http://horizon.unc.edu/projects/issues/papers/Distance_Learning.html
http://www.lifescied.org/cgi/reprint/2/2/122
