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 * Faculty Commitment **

Without the support and commitment of the faculty, the distance education program will not be successful. Faculty and staff must possess specific skills to develop curriculum and apply appropriate teaching methods and strategies in the delivery of distance education courses. School administrators must seek to encourage and assist faculty who are willing to take the time in developing a distance education course.

Increased training for teachers and others to use the technology must be implemented for distance education

to be successful. Hands-on training in which teachers learn about and experiment with the instructional technologies used in distance education should be provided regularly. This training cannot be a one-time affair but continuous for the distance education program to be effective. Continuing support for the instructors and students is necessary for the growth and effective use of distance learning.

Additional preparation time is required for instructors in the distance education and learning must be coordinated between the instructor, facilitator, and student as well as others involved such as media specialists. The best way to ensure the continuing enthusiasm of the “innovative” faculty members is by providing appropriate support and

incentives to encourage their ongoing participation (Willis, 1998). These instructors are usually the ones to whom other teachers look to for advice and mentoring. A mentoring program should be developed matching veteran and first time distance education teachers. It provides an opportunity for veteran teachers to show their expertise, and newcomers benefit from their more experienced peers.

The critical element for success in any teaching/learning environment is the effectiveness of the instruction. To maximize the learning in a distance education environment requires a shift in pedagogy. Emphasis is shifting from the teacher as the exclusive source of information to one as a facilitator of learning. Courses must be carefully planned and designed to engage the student in interactive learning activities (Miller, 2000). The instructional design process should include analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. It is important in the design stage to be aware of the characteristics and needs of the students and establishes goals and priorities. This process does not guarantee an effective distance education course, but having sound principle and policies will help in the development of courses that students will benefit from and be less likely to drop out.
 * Instructional Design **

Distance Learning Technologies Although technology plays a key role in the delivery of distance education, teachers must remain focused on instructional outcomes, not the technology of delivery. Technology should be viewed as a means to an end, not an end to itself (Willis, 1998). The strength and weaknesses of the different technological delivery systems should be assessed and used according to student preferences and available technologies. The appropriate mix of technology based on the requirements of the content, the needs of the learner, and the delivery limitations faced by the institution should be examined. Nonetheless, the technology for the delivery of distance education must be easy to use and reliable for the learners to accept distance education programs.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Learner Characteristics <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Students in distance education must have a strong commitment to their education (Walling, 1996). Reasons students study at a distance are constraints of time, distance, and finances, the opportunity to take courses otherwise unavailable, and the opportunity to learn with students from various backgrounds. Certain student characteristics have been identified as contributing to success in distance education. These students have testwiseness, the ability to concentrate, good time management, the ability to actively listen, and to work independently (Sherry, 1996). If not, students will likely fail or become discouraged.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Evaluation <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Distance learning is only effective with careful planning and program evaluation (Weinstein, 1997). Evaluation should be comprehensive for distance education courses. Every element of a distance education course should be evaluated. The content, presentation, facilities, transmission quality and effectiveness, feedback methods, and interaction should be evaluated. Immediate, mid-course, and end-of-term evaluations are needed. Each distance learning course should be evaluated, not only to find if the course content is being delivered and meets desired objectives, but also to see if the technology is performing in the manner intended (Denton, 1994).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Conclusions <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">From its humble beginnings of sending correspondence courses through the mail, distance education has evolved to the point of any subject, anytime, to anyone, anywhere in the world. Although it seems certain distance education has found a place in public and higher education, there are no guarantees of success. A successful distance education program must be carefully planned with a focused understanding of student needs and course requirements. While technology plays an important role in the delivery of distance education, instructors must remain focused on instructional outcomes, and not the technology of delivery (Tarver & Pollacia, 1999). A successful distance education program must have a strong leadership with vision to systematically plan and implement this new form of education. The program must have the full support and commitment from the institution, faculty, staff, and students. Courses must be carefully designed and should be focused on the needs of the students, the requirements of the content, and the constraints faced by the teacher before selecting appropriate distance education technologies. In addition, there must be dedicated, hard working individuals including administrators, faculty, staff, and students (Tarver & Pollacia, 1999). (作者現任職 The University of Southern Mississippi)