One of my great frustrations is the lack of connection between online learning and the gigantic body of research and experience we have with distance education. Distance education is characterized by the learner’s separation from the institution. While online learning technologies can help us overcome some of these separation issues, the learner is often isolated.
Addressing this separation and isolation has long gnawed at distance educators. In a blog post titled, “The great support mystery” Martin Weller, Professor of Educational Technology at the Open University, shares his perspective on why human support in online education is undervalued and deemed replaceable. I agree with each of these four well-articulated reasons:
- It’s costly.
- It’s messy.
- It’s undervalued.
- It’s not technological.
If you’re embedded in the messiness of distance and/or online learning, or you’re intrigued by the disruptor hype of ed tech evangelists, Weller’s post is pure gold. Enjoy!
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