distance education

Distance education is a method of teaching in which the students are not required to be physically present at a specific location during the term. Instead, teachers and students communicate by exchanging printed or electronic media, or through technology that allows them to communicate in real time.Most often, regular mail is used to send written material, videos, audiotapes, and CD-ROMs to the student and to turn in the exercises. E-mail, the World Wide WebWeb, and video conferencing over broadband network connections are used as well. With advances in technology and online distribution, it is even possible to provide distance education students with powerful forms of learning support such as educational animation. Full time or part-time study is possible, but most students choose part-time study. Research study is possible as well. Often students are required to come to meetings at regional offices on specific weekends, for example to take exams. Distance education is offered at all levels, but is most frequently an option for university-level studies. A form of educational program which is similar to this but which requires some amount of presence during the year is a low-residency program.Distance education programs are sometimes called correspondence courses, an older term that originated in nineteenth-century vocational education programs that were conducted through postal mail. This term has been largely replaced by ''distance education'', and expanded to encompass more sophisticated technologies. The first subject taught by correspondence was the Pitman Shorthand, a tool of stenography. Primary educationPrimary and secondary education programs were also widely available by correspondence, usually for children living in remote areas.One of the oldest distance education universities is the University of South Africa, which has been offering DE courses since 1946. The largest distance education university in the United Kingdom UK is the ''Open University'' founded 1969. In Germany the FernUniversität in Hagen was founded 1974. All three are now mega universitymega universities. In 1999 the European Graduate School went online from both Switzerland and the United States.There are many private and public, non-profit and for-profit institutions offering courses and degree programs through distance education. Levels of school accreditationaccreditation vary; some institutions offering distance education have received little outside oversight, and some may be fraudulent diploma mills.

Major institutions offering distance learning programs -

Australia -

Correspondence schools are run by state education departments for students in remote areas, where they are too far away to attend any school. Students and teachers use the postal system to communicate.

* Queensland - Department of Distance Education

School of the Air is a system similar to Correspondence schools but use radios developed in the 1920s for the RFDS to link students and teachers.

Canada -

Athabasca University

Royal Roads University

Simon Fraser University

Télé-Université

Thompson Rivers University

University of Waterloo

Ryerson University

Alberta Distance Learning Centre

Germany -

FernUniversität in Hagen

AKAD Privathochschulen

Diploma Europäische Hochschulen

Europäische Fernhochschule Hamburg

Fernfachhochschule Riedlingen

Hamburger Fernhochschule

Private Fernfachhochschule Darmstadt

China - expand list

Open University of Hong KongThe Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK)

School of Professional and Continuing Education, The University of Hong Kong (HKU SPACE)

India -

IGNOUIndira Gandhi National Open University

Iran -

Payame Noor University

The Netherlands -

Open University (Netherlands)

Philippines -

University of the Philippines Open University

Portugal -

Universidade Aberta

Russia -

MIM LINK (The Open University (UK) partner in CIS)

Singapore -

Singapore Institute of Management-Open University Centre (to be accorded university status as SIM University in 2006)

South Africa -

University of South Africa

Spain -

uned.es - Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia

Universitat Oberta de Catalunya

Switzerland -

AKAD Hochschule für Berufstätige

Fernfachhochschule Schweiz

Thailand -

Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University

United Kingdom -

Heriot-Watt University

Open College of the Arts

The Open University

University of London

University of Wales, Lampeter

International Correspondence Schools

The International Extension College

The National Extension College

Napier University

The University of Glamorgan

United States -

California State University, Dominguez Hills

Charter Oak State College

City College of San Francisco

Empire State College

Excelsior College

Goddard College

Heritage College & Heritage Institute

Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Thomas Edison State College

Union Institute & University

University of Phoenix

University of Maryland University College

University of North Dakota

Utah State University

Norwich University

International -

European Graduate School

Universitas 21 Global, an online university affiliated to the Universitas 21 alliance

See also -

Efficient learning method

European Association of Distance Teaching Universities

''Caution Some organisations decribing themselves as Distance Education institutions are nothing of the sort and their actions may bring the sector into disrepute.'' Refer to Diploma mills and List of unaccredited institutions of higher learning.

Educational technology

External links -

degree.com Selection of distance learning courses

edpath.com - Educational Pathways: Paid-subscription Newsletter Covering Distance Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

distancelearningnet.com - Distance Learning: The Distance Learning Network

detc.org - The Distance Education and Training Council

eadtu.nl - European Association of Distance Teaching Universities

athabascau.ca - Athabasca University

stou.ac.th - Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University

open.ac.uk - Open University (United Kingdom)

uni-hagen.de - Fernuniversitaet in Hagen - University in Hagen (Germany)

ou.nl - Open University (Netherlands)

italicon.it - Italian Culture on the Net A consortium of Italian Universities funded by the Italian Government which grants academic degrees

pfpconsortium.org - PfPConsortium.org - PfP Learning Management System powered by ILIAS - pfp.ethz.ch This new Learning Management System features more than 30 self-paced courses. The service is free and there is no obligation. You may register and start today!Category:Educational technologyCategory:School typesCorrespondence !schoolde:Fernunterrichtes:Educ ación? a !distanciahe:אוניברסיט ה? !פתוחהja:遠隔教育pt:Ed ucação? à !distânciaru:Дистанци� �нное? обучение

The National Education Directory of Australia PTY LTD
The largest education portal in Australia
http://education.net.au/

Online career training - aromatherapy, herbal medicine and natural healing
Australasian College of Health Sciences (ACHS), based in Portland, Oregon, is a leader in natural health education. We are accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council and state licensed by the Oregon Department of Education. ACHS, founded in 1978, is one of the oldest and most respected distance education natural health colleges, offering flexible programs, a highly qualified faculty, and a diverse student body.
http://www.achs.edu

Al-Quds Open University
Al-Quds Open University is the first open & distance education university in the Arab World. It is established to overcome the Israeli closure of Palestinian territories by reading it is student at their places
http://www.qudsopenu.edu/

Ethical and Legal Issues in Adult Learning
From the study of ethics we know that within society today professionals who follow and demonstrate ethical codes of behaviour are perceived more favourably on their administrative reviews than those who do not. This course considers ethical and legal issues, personal and social values within the context of adult education. Explore and apply principles to solve ethical and law related problems that may affect your procedures and practices as a learning designer or facilitator.
http://www.cted.ucalgary.ca/cal/legal

Find Language Schools, Teachers, Tutors, Lesons
Find Language Schools, Teachers, Tutors, Lesons where you live or online.
http://www.language-school-teachers.com

Post Graduate Foundation in Veterinary Science
The Post Graduate Foundation is an unbiased provider of continuing veterinary education. Workshops, seminars, major courses, 10 month distance education programs and online courses are provided, as well as veterinary publications.
http://www.vetbookshop.com/

http://www.iaci-canada.com
Accredited Unisa University offers internationally recognized higher education for a Certificate,Diploma or Degree programmes up to a doctoral level
http://www.iaci-canada.com/

University of Wisconsin - Extension
Offers distance learning courses.
http://www.uwex.edu/

The Distance and Education Training Council
A non-profit educational association which serves as a clearinghouse of information about the distance study/correspondence field.
http://www.detc.org/

ADEC Distance Education Consortium
An international consortium of state universities and land grant institutions providing high quality and economic distance education programs and services via the latest and most appropriate information technologies.
http://www.adec.edu/