Bobby And The Bee

INTRODUCTION

Background

Distance education is not a new phenomenon in higher education (National Education Association, 2002). Historically, distance education meant written correspondence using the U.S. Post Office as the carrier (Emmons, 1999). Correspondence courses have been offered by colleges since the late 1800's. Traditional distance learning has tended to be correspondence-based and individually oriented. Print-based and delivered through the mail, correspondence was the first medium through which colleges in the United States could provide distance education, or what is now usually called independent study. Correspondence or independent study in the United States dates back to 1892, when the University of Chicago was established. During the following three decades a number of post secondary institutions, mainly state universities, opened correspondence study offices. These offices used videotapes, slides, and other ancillary materials (Pittman, 1987; Moore, 1973).

According to Peters (1983), correspondence study offices depended upon an efficient mail service. During the 1920's and 1930's, several dozen U.S. colleges and universities tried to implement courses via radio. Thirteen colleges offered academic credit via radio. These schools failed totally. By 1940, all had discontinued their radio courses (Atkinson, 1941). Although some successful programs have been developed, radio today still has not become an important factor in distance education because the

level of interactivity practiced with this type of delivery is very slow (Chute, Thompson, & Hancock, 1999).

Another medium in distance education is television. It was predicted in 1934 that television would be an effective instrument in the educational system (Kurtz, 1934). But fifty years later television did not deliver what it had promised (Coffman, 2001).

While distance learning through the mail, radio and television has an extensive history, newer technologies such as digital communications and networking have begun to emerge to make it much easier for educators to provide some form of distance learning for their students (Picciano, 2001). Technology in the form of satellites and the Internet is a major contributor to the dramatic transformation of distance learning. Potashnik and Capper (1998) added that although the use of technology for distance learning is not new, satellites and the Internet are transforming the world into a borderless educational arena, benefiting both previously underserved citizens and education entrepreneurs. Although many developing countries still have limited access to these new technologies, major new investments in telecommunications and information systems are dramatically improving their access.

These distance education approaches extend beyond the limits of correspondence study. With telecommunications-based distance education, the teaching/learning experience for both instructor and students occur simultaneously (Barker, Frisbie, & Patrick, 1989).

During the 1980's there was an explosion of alternative instructional delivery systems for American public education. Distance learning projects utilizing telecommunications technologies such as cable television, fiber optics, microwave, slow scan television, satellites, and microcomputer networking opened up opportunities for school districts to coordinate schedules and share resources, thereby providing an expansion of curricular offerings and educational opportunities for students (Barker, 1987; Kitchen & Russell, 1987).

Educators have always been drawn to technology because of its promise and potential, thus during the 1980's, students, faculty, and institutions embraced the use of computers for writing across the disciplines, financial analysis in business, and statistical analysis in the social sciences. Midway through the 1990's, there was a shift in emphasis from the computer as a desktop tool to the computer as a communications gateway to colleagues and information. Databases, libraries, and other information sources are now accessible via computer network for both faculty and students (National Education Association, 2002).

Today, the explosion in audio, video and computer technologies has provided instant delivery modes, leading to a sudden proliferation in distance education (Emmons, 1999). Increasing numbers of faculty are utilizing these new technologies. Easy access to the Internet, web sites and the availability of different computer applications and software programs has contributed to the increased utilization of this distance education delivery mode (National Education Association, 2002).

Institutions or universities have joined the electronic age bandwagon, and this development has resulted in a demand for software that is designed especially for education. Software is a series of instructions for the computer that performs a particular task that is also called a program. The two major categories of software are "system software" and "application software". System software is made up of control programs such the operating system and database management system (DBMS). Application software is any program that processes data for the user such as inventory, spreadsheet, and word processing (TechWeb, 2002). The software programs used in education are called courseware and provide interactive training sessions for all disciplines. Courseware was originally introduced on LaserDiscs, then CD-ROMs and later, online or through the Internet. It was typically developed with authoring languages designed to create interactive question/answer sessions. Furthermore, it helps create test materials, tracks the results and monitors student progress (CPM, 2002; Hughes, 2001).

Distance learning has opened up a new realm of possibilities for learners and institutions. Hoping to present a united front against the onslaught of different educational software/courseware in distance education, many universities or institutions formed alliances to share information (Young, 2001; Poley 2001). One example is the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (Great Plains IDEA) (Carnevale, 2001). Ten universities in ten different states have found a way to collaborate and to share ideas on distance education (Laughlin, 2001). Membership in the Great Plains IDEA is held by Human Sciences Colleges in ten Midwest universities. Member universities are: Colorado State University, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, Michigan State University, Montana State University, North Dakota State University, Oklahoma State University, South Dakota State University, Texas Tech University, and University of Nebraska. The alliance serves member institutions