Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education (4th Edition) (Paperback)

~ Michael Simonson (Author), Sharon E. Smaldino (Author), Michael Albright (Author), Susan Zvacek (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The field of distance learning is growing in importance and size. This introductory distance education textbook gives readers the basic information they need to be knowledgeable distance educators. Understanding that most students would prefer to sit in a classroom, the book offers practical solutions for providing equivalent opportunities for various ways of learning. Distance education requires considerable pre-planning in order to be effective, and yet when designed and delivered correctly, it allows the teacher to move beyond the simple delivery of content to the guiding of the learning process. This book is the most comprehensive and widely adopted for distance learning courses and also provides the most visuals. It fills the need for a research-based book about the best practices in distance education.

From the Back Cover

Are you prepared to teach at a distance or manage distance education systems? The fourth edition of Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education provides you with the basics you need to become a knowledgeable distance educator including:

• theory and research that inform distance learning (Part I),
• practical skills and knowledge needed to function immediately in a distance learning environment (Part II),
• and managerial and administrative issues that arise in the distance learning environment (Part III).  

Teaching and Learning at a Distance is unique in its broad coverage of the various technologies that can be used for the delivery of distance education from correspondence study to online, internet-based learning. Current users of this text will recognize the organization of the table of contents has not changed but will be pleased to see the information reflects current thought and accepted practices in distance education including an increased emphasis on internet-based distance education.

 

Features For Your Success:

• NEW! Increased coverage of Course Management Systems.
• NEW! Assessment for Distance Education (Chapter10) has been thoroughly revised.
• NEW! Copyright and Distance Education (Chapter 11) reflects major updates in the interpretation of copyright case law providing a more comprehensive and applied perspective.
• NEW! A Look at Best Practice Issues feature presents critical issues in the field of distance education.
• NEW! Stronger emphasis is placed on how to design, deliver, and evaluate online instruction as distance education has matured and the importance of online instruction has grown.
• NEW! Discussion Questions have been added to five chapters encouraging class disucssion on chapter-related key concepts and issues.
• Chapter Goals and Objectives provide you with an organizational plan and structure chapter information.
• Numerous visuals have been added to clarify concepts and explain procedures.
• Self-Test Questions and Answers to Self-Test Questions sections at end of key chapters help the reader review  the core ideas and issues of the chapter.
• References and Additional Readings are included at the end of select chapters for further exploration of chapter concepts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 4 edition (April 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0135137764
• ISBN-13: 978-0135137765
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #51,709 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Distance Education Fieldbook, May 19, 2003

By	Prof David T Wright (Vancouver, BC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

Of great value to students, educators, managers as well as developers of the technology and learning interaction channels.

Thorough, sparsely illustrated chapters span:
- foundations and history, including correspondence
- research & distance education
- technologies- taxonomy, live video, classrooms
- copyright
- instructional design- process, planning, issues, models
- student- leaner responsibilities
- teaching- role, policy
- handouts, study guides, visuals
- WWW
- assessment tools (of students)
- evaluating teaching success

Overall, a complete and vendor-neutral, balanced view of the field. Perhaps of greatest use to students contemplating signing up for a course and their future professors. Check analysts like Gartner, IDC and others for the business & market dynamic aspects surrounding the actual learning interaction.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good introduction, August 29, 2005

By	Rick Mathews "Iconware" (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

I use this book as my text in The Foundations of Distance Education and Training course I teach at the University of Phoenix. It has recently been updated and in the past 4 years of teaching this class, not a single student has complained about the book (somewhat unusual).

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid foundation in distance learning, July 9, 2007

By	Mark Twain "webful" (Adelphi, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

The book is very appropriate for a text in a distance learning class. It covers a wide range of topics - definitions, history, instructional design, student characteristics, student assessment, program evaluation, and copyright. Chapters include a summary and self-assessment questions. The book has an academic slant, which gives students a foundation in theory and research. This also means some do not find it an easy read. The book does not have much depth on the instructional technologies themselves.