George Siemens in his discussion of distance education notes three elements of e-learning that have the potential to create both more effective learning experiences and create a unique flavor quite apart of F2F learning. Communication in the e-learning environment plays a key role in fulfilling that potential.

The anonymous and asynchronous nature of those communications has been highlighted as a distinguishing characteristic of distance education. Communications have evolved incredibly over the years. The first distance learning programs were correspondence courses. Classes have been broadcast over television. Much of this communication was either one-way or very slow. The advent of personal computers and the internet brought rapid and significant changes.

The basic discussion or bulletin board allows asynchronous communication. Chat rooms and instant messaging allow synchronous auditory communications. Technologies such as Skype now allow synchronous auditory and visual communications. Technologies such as podcasts and downloaded videos allow one-way communications which, unlike F2F lectures, can be reviewed time and time again.

These avenues of communication have completely reshaped distance learning. They can create rich and diverse collaborative communities of learners. No doubt these avenues of communicate will continue ro be developed or exploited in new ways. Cloud computing may be one major development in distance education. Organizations such as Global Classroom (http://www.globalclassroom.us/) are leading the way in this area. The increased use of PDAs and smart phones could bring the next wave of changes to communication in distance education.


Jeffries, M. The History of Distance Education Retrieved from http://www.digitalschool. net/edu/DL_history_mJeffries.html

Nasseh, B. (1997). A brief history of distance education. Retrieved from http://www.seniornet.org/edu/art/history.html

Oblinger, D. G., Barone, C. A., & Hawkins, B. L. (2001). Distributed education and its challenges: An overview. American Council on Education and Educause.

Siemens, G. (2005). Asynchronous. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/doing/asynchronous.htm

Siemens, G. (2005). Synchronous. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/doing/synchronous.htm

Taking my very limited experience, one and a half years as a doctoral student at Walden University, in distance education into consideration I would side with Moller, Huett, Foshay, and Coleman’s (2008) view that distance education is not fulfilling its potential. Of the 13 courses I have or am currently taking few have used some of the more interesting technologies the web affords. This is particularly surprising as Walden is a completely online university, unlike more traditional universities that may also offer online courses.

Most courses involve reading, watching videos or listening to podcasts, writing by oneself and being involved in a discussion board. This is essentially taking a traditional lecture-based class and putting it on the web. I have taken only two classes that have required the use of technologies outside the 'classroom' or university ‘walls.’ Those two classes required collaborative work through programs such as Google Docs, creating a blog, performance assessments using various technologies to demonstrate understanding, and creating a mind web using mapping software. We were also encouraged in those two classes to utilize a vast array of other technologies to help our studies. These classes clearly went beyond copying a lecture-format into an online environment.

These classes provide excellent examples of Simonson’s (2000) equivalency theory. Both classes matched desired learning outcomes and experiences and matched them with appropriate technologies.

To be fair to our species we do seem to be slow to catch on at times. I was recently reading an old Discover magazine (an article by Kaku, 2005 and a letter from Discover preceding his article) from our library’s discards. It was about the unfulfilled promise of ‘string theory’ to explain how the universe works. It is a very ‘sexy’ theory. It has hidden dimensions, parallel universes, and different forms of vibrating strings that make up everything in the universe. Many scientists have been toiling away for over 30 years proving the theory mathematically. Many thousands of hours and millions of dollars in resources have been spent studying string theory. It is, however, to date, and probably ever in the view of many respected physicists, untestable. Distance learning may be quite similar to string theory in that it’s new, shiny and attractive and fulfilling its potential.

I include this analogy with string theory only to illustrate the foibles of our brilliant, diverse and occasionally amusing race. I think it is important that we laugh a little at ourselves and relish in the wisdom of George Orwell who said, “On the whole human beings want to be good, but not too good, and not quite all the time.”

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W. & Coleman, C. (2008, September/October). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5), 63–67.

Kaku, M. (2005). Testing string theory. Discover, 26(8), 30-37.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008, May/June). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 1: Training and Development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70–75.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008, July/August). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 2: Higher Education). TechTrends, 52(4), 66–70.

Simonson, M. (2000). Making decisions: The use of electronic technology in online classes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 84, 29–34.

Stringing along a theory. (2005). Discover, 26(8), 29.