Technology, Teaching, and the Many Distances of Distance Learning
The “distance” in “distance learning”, however it is defined, normally refers to a gap between a learner and their teacher(s), typically in a formal context. In this paper I take a slightly different view. The paper begins with an argument that teaching is fundamentally a technological proces...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Flexible Learning Association of New Zealand
2023-02-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.jofdl.nz/index.php/JOFDL/article/view/557 |
| _version_ | 1797894614382804992 |
|---|---|
| author | Jon Dron |
| author_facet | Jon Dron |
| author_sort | Jon Dron |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
The “distance” in “distance learning”, however it is defined, normally refers to a gap between a learner and their teacher(s), typically in a formal context. In this paper I take a slightly different view. The paper begins with an argument that teaching is fundamentally a technological process. It is, though, a vastly complex, massively distributed technology in which the most important parts are enacted idiosyncratically by vast numbers of people, both present and distant in time and space, who not only use technologies but also participate creatively in their enactment. Through the techniques we use we are co-participants in not just technologies but the learning of ourselves and others, and hence in the collective intelligence of those around us and, ultimately, that of our species. We are all teachers. There is therefore not one distance between learner and teacher in any act of deliberate learning— but many. I go on to speculate on alternative ways of understanding distance in terms of the physical, temporal, structural, agency, social, emotional, cognitive, cultural, pedagogical, and technological gaps that may exist between learners and their many teachers. And I conclude with some broad suggestions about ways to reduce these many distances
|
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T07:12:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-adf95fb26d8745d8809c9b233c562a5d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1179-7665 1179-7673 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T07:12:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Flexible Learning Association of New Zealand |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning |
| spelling | doaj.art-adf95fb26d8745d8809c9b233c562a5d2023-02-26T08:25:37ZengFlexible Learning Association of New ZealandJournal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning1179-76651179-76732023-02-01262Technology, Teaching, and the Many Distances of Distance LearningJon Dron0Athabasca University The “distance” in “distance learning”, however it is defined, normally refers to a gap between a learner and their teacher(s), typically in a formal context. In this paper I take a slightly different view. The paper begins with an argument that teaching is fundamentally a technological process. It is, though, a vastly complex, massively distributed technology in which the most important parts are enacted idiosyncratically by vast numbers of people, both present and distant in time and space, who not only use technologies but also participate creatively in their enactment. Through the techniques we use we are co-participants in not just technologies but the learning of ourselves and others, and hence in the collective intelligence of those around us and, ultimately, that of our species. We are all teachers. There is therefore not one distance between learner and teacher in any act of deliberate learning— but many. I go on to speculate on alternative ways of understanding distance in terms of the physical, temporal, structural, agency, social, emotional, cognitive, cultural, pedagogical, and technological gaps that may exist between learners and their many teachers. And I conclude with some broad suggestions about ways to reduce these many distances http://www.jofdl.nz/index.php/JOFDL/article/view/557distance learningtechnologytechniqueteachingtechnological distancedistributed cognition |
| spellingShingle | Jon Dron Technology, Teaching, and the Many Distances of Distance Learning Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning distance learning technology technique teaching technological distance distributed cognition |
| title | Technology, Teaching, and the Many Distances of Distance Learning |
| title_full | Technology, Teaching, and the Many Distances of Distance Learning |
| title_fullStr | Technology, Teaching, and the Many Distances of Distance Learning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Technology, Teaching, and the Many Distances of Distance Learning |
| title_short | Technology, Teaching, and the Many Distances of Distance Learning |
| title_sort | technology teaching and the many distances of distance learning |
| topic | distance learning technology technique teaching technological distance distributed cognition |
| url | http://www.jofdl.nz/index.php/JOFDL/article/view/557 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jondron technologyteachingandthemanydistancesofdistancelearning |