Distance Education Learners’ Perceptions In Learning Computer Technology: Implications For Practice

Abstract

Distance education demand explosion since the 1990s is expected to continue over the next ten years. As technology gets better, distance education courses will increase both quantitatively and qualitatively and will eventually compete with the largely text- and instructor-based courses taught in all institutions. Using online questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and lab and class observations to explore the perceptions of twelve K-12 teachers and administrators as they learned computer technology (QuizEditor JS, and WebQuest Generator) taught in two ways: Audio-video conferencing and online, four categories of learners emerged: (1) the mentor,(2) the mentee, (3) the illiterate, and (4) the “context bound (Atchade, 2002).” This study suggests alternative ways learner-learner interaction could be organized to maximize student learning and minimize teacher’s work.