Reflections on student support in open and distance learning

This is a very interesting moment to reflect on Student Support in Open and Distance Learning (ODL). After some 10 years of the radical intrusion of a range of technologies, principally those grouped around what has been broadly termed ICT, we have the chance to see if and how the world of ODL has qualitatively changed. To begin with a historical perspective on the European context, as is well known correspondence education is said to have begun in England in 1844 with Isaac Pitman's shorthand course delivered by correspondence, using the new postal system, enabled in its turn by the rail system that was beginning to make travel and communication across England quicker than ever before (Shrestha, 1997). The crucial dimension of Pitman's system was that he corrected students' work and sent it back to them. Thus although separated from the teacher, students received feedback, together we can at least imagine with encouragement from their tutor

A personal journey of discoveries through a DIY open course development for professional development of teachers in Higher Education

This paper is the author's exploration into the story behind the development of the pedagogical ideas for the open course around Flexible, Distance and Online Learning (FDOL), its design and implementation, and the opportunities and challenges this presented to the author through three iterations, FDOL131, FDOL132 and FDOL141 during 2013 and 2014. Flexible, Distance and Online Learning is an open course developed by educational developers in the UK and Sweden for teachers in Higher Education (HE). Formal and informal continuing professional development opportunities are blended to bring higher education teachers from different disciplines, institutions and countries together into a community to learn autonomously or in groups supported by facilitators from different institutions. Personal discoveries and learning points are shared, based on reflections, observations and related research activities carried out as part of a PhD research project by the author together with a description of the pedagogical design developed for and used in FDOL. Findings shared might be useful for other open course designers who are interested in providing extended, and extending, collaborative learning opportunities for their students through opening-up and joining-up educational provision and practices

Investigating heuristic evaluation as a methodology for evaluating pedagogical software: An analysis employing three case studies

This paper looks specifically at how to develop light weight methods of evaluating pedagogically motivated software. Whilst we value traditional usability testing methods this paper will look at how Heuristic Evaluation can be used as both a driving force of Software Engineering Iterative Refinement and end of project Evaluation. We present three case studies in the area of Pedagogical Software and show how we have used this technique in a variety of ways. The paper presents results and reflections on what we have learned. We conclude with a discussion on how this technique might inform on the latest developments on delivery of distance learning. © 2014 Springer International Publishing

Using audio feedback with distance learning students to enhance their learning on a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education programme

Our aim is to investigate the use of audio feedback for formative assessment on a Postgraduate Certificate Higher Education in Teaching and Supporting Learning (PG Cert HE) programme. The case study draws on the experience of the participants who undertook this programme at a distance, as well as the reflections of the teaching team. Our study aims to address some of these issues and provide educators with an account of how audio feedback might be successfully integrated into distance learning programmes

Using audio feedback with distance learning students to enhance their learning on a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education programme

Our aim is to investigate the use of audio feedback for formative assessment on a Postgraduate Certificate Higher Education in Teaching and Supporting Learning (PG Cert HE) programme. The case study draws on the experience of the participants who undertook this programme at a distance, as well as the reflections of the teaching team. Our study aims to address some of these issues and provide educators with an account of how audio feedback might be successfully integrated into distance learning programmes

OPINIONS OF TEACHER CANDIDATES ON DISTANCE EDUCATION IMPLEMENTED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC PERIOD

The learning environment, learning process and the opinions and suggestions for the problems concerning the process of students participating in distance education is thought to contribute to better planning and conducting distance education lessons. With this respect, the purpose of this study is to detect the reflections of the COVID-19 pandemic period on undergraduate education through opinions of teacher candidates. The qualitative internet research, which is one of the qualitative research models, was preferred for the study. The participant group was identified through the maximum sampling method. The participant group consisted of 27 teacher candidates studying in year 3. and year 4. The semi-structured interview form developed by the instructors was used as the data collection instrument. Content analysis was conducted through the Nvivo 11 software when analyzing the data. Positive-negative opinions of teacher candidates concerning distance education and the announcements made throughout the distance education process were collected for the study. In addition, the negative outcomes it caused on the participants, its reflections on the educational process, opinions-suggestions concerning assessment and evaluation and solution advices for the process were also identified. Article visualizations

Reflections on distance learning in mathematics education

O trabalho pretende possibilitar a reflexão sobre a questão da educação a distância em matemática, não como uma novidade inovadora, mas como uma modalidade que integra o ensino presencial e a distância, e que viabiliza neste momento uma reflexão - critica sobre a prática docente de muitos professores. Este trabalho é consequência parcial de uma pesquisa-ação denominada Portfólios de Matemática, realizada numa escola pública estadual de Porto Alegre em 2009 e 2010, onde os estudantes apontam que as tecnologias digitais são contextos interdisciplinares para a matemática. Ainda, apontam-se as tecnologias digitais como a internet um meio ótimo para a disseminação da educação a distância e as dificuldades de conceituação desta modalidade segundo a legislação brasileira, assim como a permanente problemática da avaliação do processo de aprendizagem dos estudantes. A metodologia deste trabalho é uma pesquisa bibliográfica alicerçada numa prática docente incorporando a utilização de portfólio de matemática, e que tem a finalidade de construir ideias para o referencial teórico da pesquisa em desenvolvimento do doutorado denominada: Interfaces digitais: um espaço para compreender o processo de aprendizagem de matemática.This paper is intended to allow reflection on the issue of distance education in mathematics, not as a new innovative, but as a mode that integrates classroom and distance learning, and this time one that allows reflection - complains about the practice of teaching many teachers. This work is partially a result of an action research called Portfolio Mathematics, held at a public school in Porto Alegre in 2009 and 2010, where students indicate that digital technologies are interdisciplinary contexts for mathematics. Still, they point to digital technologies like the Internet a great way to spread the distance and difficulties of conceptualization of this mode according to Brazilian legislation and the ongoing problem of evaluation of the learning process of students. The methodology of this study is a literature rooted in a practice of teaching mathematics incorporated in the portfolio, which aims to build ideas for the theoretical development of research in the doctoral program, in part, titled: Digital interfaces: a space for understanding process of learning mathematics

ツウシンカテイトスクーリングノジュウヨウセイ：ショキダンカイノガクシュウ（ナゴヤガクインダイガクダイガクインエイゴカツウシンカテイ）

　 This paper is the second part of an on-going study exploring the significance of “schoolings” (Japanese term) or “residencies” (US term) in two low-residency distance learning graduate programs, Nagoya Gakuin’s (NGU’s) English Studies program in Japan, and the Goddard Graduate Institute’s (GGI’s) Individualized MA programs in the US. We offer the results of a survey conducted with Nagoya Gakuin students and graduates on the value of schoolings, how/if they create community through attending schoolings, and place the findings in the context of other studies on various distance learning structures. We suggest foci for further purposive study in our institutions. (Some reflections on GGI students’ perspectives are also presented.

Blended Tutorials: Blended Synchronous Learning in Mathematics

A blended tutorial is a single learning event which gives students the opportunity of attending face-to-face or online. This article reports the findings of a scholarship of teaching and learning project conducted at The Open University, and considers the barriers and opportunities to using blended tutorials to support distance learning. Two pilot blended tutorials were carried out on the honours mathematics module M337 Complex Analysis, and the results of the evaluation are presented. Using qualitative data from practitioner reflections, lesson observations and semi-structured student interviews, this project uses thematic analysis to identify barriers and opportunities to using blended tutorials. Particular emphasis is given to the unique challenges in learning mathematics, and in the distance learning context of The Open University. The report concludes with recommendations for the design of blended tutorials, and recommendations for future research.