To use DE or not to use DE? That is the question.

From what we have read and talked about so far, I think Distance Education has huge advantages over traditional education. (On a side note, for the purpose of this article Distance Education will include anything that is education outside the traditional classroom that involves geographical distance between teacher and learner.) Distance Ed allows for a great deal of time and space flexibility in the classroom. Instead of class being 3pm-4pm Mon and Wed, it is anytime anywhere. Or perhaps better it is all the time everywhere. Class in some ways can seem to never end as opposed to being strictly limited.

But I suppose this depends on how a class is managed by the teacher. For instance, some teachers just lecture, while others are interactive to the point that lecturing is eliminated. Some classes I've had could be done by watching a video tape of the teacher and mailing in your answers to questions. That would be Distance Ed, and the Internet just allows the video to be online along with the questions. Both are poor uses of Distance Ed and should be avoided.

Almost anything you can do in a classroom you can do with Distance Education. And sometimes many more things can be accomplished with a Distance Education class. DE often has advantages such as having digital copies of lectures, work, discussions, and the like to refer back to if needed.

The major downfall of Distance Education is the lack of personal face to face time. I don't care what anyone says, but you need the time together in order to properly build a relationship. For instance you shouldn't raise your teenager via text messages. You need face to face time with them. If nothing else, it shows that you care enough to show up and be with them. Humans were never meant to be isolated and alone in our lives and this includes education I think. Sure, at some point in learning DE becomes much more viable as an option. Someone pursuing a PHD could easily take courses online and get what they need from it. But to consider using DE for 2nd graders without any human contact is crazy. I think the biggest disadvantage of DE is truly that people make think it is the end all be all answer to education.

I would love to use some DE in my class. Being that I am in a prison, I don't really have that option. But one day I hope to be teaching in a regular school. I think as technology becomes cheaper and more available to everyone, then DE should be used more and more. I would love to have webquests, online chats, discussions, and the like with my classes. I can only dream for that day when I am allowed to actually teach someone.