Bibliographic Details
| Title: |
Crossing Boundaries: Making Global Distance Education a Reality. |
| Authors: |
Bates, A. W.1 tony.bates@ubc.ca, de los Santos, José Gpe. Escamilla2 jescamil@campus.ruv.itesm.mx |
| Source: |
Journal of Distance Education. 1997, Vol. 12 Issue 1/2, p49-66. 18p. |
| Subject Terms: |
*Distance education, *Distance education students, *Distance education teachers, *Internet in education, *Interactive multimedia, *Educational technology, *Curriculum, *Continuing education, Multiculturalism |
| Abstract (English): |
New computer and telecommunications technologies offer the possibility of global access to education. In theory, these new technologies should allow potential learners to access any course they want, at any time, from anywhere in the world. Perhaps most important of all, through widening choice, the new interactive technologies could empower individual learners on a global basis by making education more focused on their needs rather than those of the local providers of education. That is the promise. But what is the reality? The reality is that international information-technology based distance education depends on developing curriculum that is relevant to learners wherever they happen to reside. It depends on well-developed information technology infrastructures whatever the location of the students. It depends on developing curricula that transcend local cultural and language barriers. And it depends on providing high quality learner support services wherever the learner happens to be. These are challenging requirements, and there are few, if any, guidelines or precedents to follow. It is a challenge that the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the Monterrey Institute of Technology set out to meet in 1997 when they signed a collaborative agreement to develop a set of five courses in the area of technology-based distributed learning. This is an account of how this challenge has been met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Abstract (French): |
Les nouvelles technologies d'informatique et de télécommunications offrent la possibilité d'un accës global à I'éducation. En théorie, ces technologies devraient faciliter aux apprenants potentiels l'accës aux cours de leur choix à tout moment, à partir de n'importe quel endroit au monde. Plus important encore, Ia variété sans cesse croissante de contenus offerts par les technologies interactives pourrait avoir un effet d'empourvoiement sur les apprenants à l'échelle globale: l'éducation serait ainsi mieux adaptée aux besoins de ces derniers, plutôt qu'aux besoins des établissements locaux d'éducation. Telle est Ia promesse. Qu'en est-il de la réalité? À ce jour, les programmes internationaux d'éducation à distance fondés sur les technologies de l'information, reposent largement sur I'élaboration de cursus qui soient pertinents aux apprenants, peu importe oü ils habitent. Une infrastructure technologique bien développée et accessible aux étudiants de même que le développement de cursus qui transcendent les barriëres culturelles et linguistiques apparaissent également comme des impératifs. Enfin, cette forme d'éducation nécessite que l'apprenant ait accës à des services de soutien de haute qualité, peu importe où il se trouve. Ces conditions sont exigeantes et il n'y a que trës peu d'exemples à partir desquels s'inspirer en cette matiëre. Il s'agit d'un défi que I'University of British Columbia (UBC) et le Monterrey Institute of Technology ont entrepris de relever en 1997, en signant une entente de collaboration portant sur Ie développement d'une série de cinq cours dans le domaine de l'éducation à distance basée sur les technologies. Le défi a été relevé. En voici Ie compte-rendu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: |
Education Research Complete |
