q The course
selected for this distance learning experiment is a required survey type of course
that is designed to explore connections between science, technology, and
society (STS).
q Instead of
holding 15 classes at the university, it met four times on site and the
remainder, asynchronously, on the web.
q Only two of the
24 students who enrolled in the distance learning course took it because of a
scheduling conflict with the other section.
q Asynchronous
Learning Networks (ALNs) refer to regular communications on a shared web site
that do not happen simultaneously with students but that occur over different
times rather than at a fixed, pre-arranged time.
q The struggle for
many professors using ALNs has been creating a meaningful educational
experience, as opposed to merely meeting informational needs of distance
students.
q In the teacher
education community, that struggle is heightened as we seek to model best
practice since much of our content is our pedagogy.
Research Questions:
q What
is the experience of facilitating a survey course in science education without
being in direct contact with the students for seventy percent of the time?
q How
do students experience learning in this asynchronous environment?
q What
are the reported strengths and weaknesses of the distance learning course for
elementary teachers and for the course professor?