Reviews of the first edition: 'More and more people are likely to experience distance learning in the future either by correspondence or e-learning. This book is written by an author who clearly has immense experience and expertise in supporting distance learners. It cannot fail to be a most useful and comprehensive introduction to the challenges of distance education to such learners. It will also be a very helpful guide to people writing and managing distance courses.' Ormond Simpson, The Open University 'As a student with a professional background, rather than an academic one, this book provided all the basic information that my online course seemed to take for granted. The chapters dealing with research protocol, online resources and how to use the web efficiently were like a goldmine and saved hours.' Masters Level Distance Learning Student ‘Undergraduate and [post]graduate students would benefit from this practical guide. Distance program administrators should include this guide for students in the initial program package.’ Journal of Distance Education This essential guide provides practical help and encouragement for those who have not previously studied at a distance and is ideal for students returning to study after a break. This edition is significantly revised and has been updated to include comments from distance learning tutors as well as extracts from student handbooks from distance learning courses. It also covers fundamental issues such as: Motivation Goal setting Time management Coping strategies Study skills Conducting research Other features of this new edition are comments and advice from former distance learning students, a comprehensive exploration of developments in e-learning and self-study activities that introduce the crucial element of active learning that is typical of studying at a distance. Studying at a Distance is a key resource for undergraduates and postgraduates in all open and distance learning or e-learning courses.
Author(s): Christine J Talbot
Edition: 2
Year: 2007
Language: English
Pages: 184
Front Cover......Page 1
Half title page......Page 2
Title page......Page 4
Copyright page......Page 5
Contents......Page 6
List of figures......Page 13
Foreword......Page 14
Preface......Page 18
Acknowledgements......Page 21
Studying at a distance: what is it?......Page 24
Studying at a distance: who is it for?......Page 25
Purpose of the guide......Page 26
How to use the guide......Page 27
What’s included in the guide......Page 28
What’s not included......Page 29
A note on terminology......Page 30
Introduction......Page 31
1.1 Why are you studying?......Page 32
1.2 Motivation / goal-setting......Page 33
1.3 What qualities do you need to be an effective distance learner?......Page 34
1.4 Potential pitfalls and how to avoid them......Page 35
Demands on you......Page 37
Demands on others......Page 38
1.5 Experience counts......Page 39
Summary of Chapter 1......Page 40
Introduction......Page 41
2.2 What is learning?......Page 42
2.4 Levels of learning......Page 43
2.5 What will you learn? Learning outcomes / objectives......Page 44
What’s expected of you?......Page 45
The affective domain......Page 46
Learning by doing......Page 47
Learning by reading and responding to feedback......Page 48
Learning by reflection......Page 49
2.7 Sources of learning......Page 50
The Experiential Learning Cycle......Page 52
Surface and deep learning......Page 54
Learning Styles Questionnaire......Page 55
The VARK Questionnaire......Page 56
Summary of Chapter 2......Page 57
Introduction......Page 58
3.1 Place of study......Page 59
3.2 Getting organized......Page 60
3.3 Pace of study......Page 61
3.5 Periods of study......Page 62
3.6 Time management......Page 63
Study schedule......Page 65
Weekly planner......Page 68
Keeping the balance......Page 71
3.7 How will you use your time?......Page 72
3.8 Course-specific information......Page 73
Programme / course information......Page 74
Contacts for support......Page 75
Electronic learner support systems......Page 77
Assessment specifications......Page 78
Your feedback / module evaluation......Page 80
A note on rules, regulations and complaints procedures......Page 81
And finally......Page 82
Summary of Chapter 3......Page 83
Introduction......Page 84
4.1 Coping strategies......Page 85
4.2 Support from your tutor(s)......Page 86
Why do you need other students?......Page 88
How can you keep in touch?......Page 90
4.4 Support from the course administrator......Page 91
4.6 Support from those at work......Page 92
4.8 Taking a break......Page 94
Summary of Chapter 4......Page 95
Introduction......Page 96
5.1 What do we mean by e-learning?......Page 97
5.3 What skills are needed for e-learning?......Page 98
5.4 Glossary of terms......Page 99
5.6 Email and mailing lists......Page 102
5.8 Discussion rooms/conference boards / bulletin boards......Page 104
5.9 Self-assessment questions (SAQs)......Page 106
5.11 Video / teleconferencing......Page 107
5.12 Blogs......Page 108
5.13 Wikis......Page 109
5.15 Viruses and backing up work......Page 110
Summary of Chapter 5......Page 111
6.1 Course materials......Page 112
6.2 Library resources......Page 113
6.3 Library catalogues......Page 116
6.4 Bookshops......Page 117
6.7 Electronic resources......Page 118
Information literacy......Page 119
Databases-biblographic and full-text......Page 120
E-books......Page 122
Searchable lists of web resources......Page 123
Search engines......Page 124
Search strategies......Page 126
Current awarenes services for resources......Page 129
Electronic networking......Page 130
Evaluating websites for quality......Page 131
Keep a record......Page 132
Styles of references......Page 133
Computer services helpdesk......Page 134
Summary of Chapter 6......Page 135
Introduction to Chapters 7-10......Page 136
Relevance......Page 137
Index......Page 138
Take stock......Page 139
Order of reading......Page 140
Critical and analytical reading......Page 141
A note on academic criticism......Page 142
Physical means......Page 143
To use or not to use......Page 144
Cite your sources / plagiarism......Page 146
Summary of Chapter 7......Page 147
Introudction......Page 148
Assessment criteria......Page 149
Make a plan......Page 150
Use of first person......Page 151
Reviewers......Page 152
More help......Page 153
When to revise......Page 154
What to revise......Page 155
Making notes......Page 156
Planning for the exam......Page 157
Read the whole paper......Page 158
Planning each answer......Page 159
Writing your answer......Page 160
Summary of Chapter 8......Page 161
Introduction......Page 162
What skills do you need?......Page 163
Causes of concern, anxiety and frustration......Page 165
Group working strategies......Page 166
Multicultural group work......Page 168
Labs and workshops......Page 171
Virtual field work......Page 173
The future of distance learning......Page 174
Summary of Chapter 9......Page 175
Introduction......Page 176
What is research?......Page 177
Approaches to research......Page 178
Methodological approaches......Page 179
Choosing the topic......Page 180
10.2 Eathical issues......Page 181
10.3 Reasibility......Page 182
10.4 Literature searching and reviewing......Page 183
Current research......Page 184
Grey literature......Page 185
Theses and dissertations......Page 186
10.5 Evaluating other people's research projects......Page 187
Pland / do / review......Page 188
Research schedule......Page 189
Record-keeping......Page 191
10.7 Reporting your findings......Page 193
The content of the report......Page 194
Writing the report......Page 195
Getting published......Page 196
Summary of Chapter 10......Page 197
Guides to e-learning......Page 198
Guides to reading, writing and referencing......Page 199
Guides to doing research......Page 200
Study guides on the web......Page 201
Bibliography......Page 203
Index......Page 206
Back Cover......Page 215
