Travelers Journal :: ßry™

Eversince I started blogging, I decided that the concept for this blog would be a compilation of my past and recent actual travel experiences. Thrilled I was for the recent increase in traffic for my blog, I decided to also feature someone else's travel experiences which I will be doing soon after collecting pictures and information from my friends and fellow bloggers.

Last weekend, I got a mail from a fellow blogger (an inspirational blogger to be precise) from the U.S. asking me "what's in a life of travel writer?". I never thought that I projected myself in this blog as a travel writer. For the benefit of those who are interested to know (if there are many), this blog is my latest prized hobby. I may have travelled a lot but I am not a travel writer. But if given the chance, why not?! I think it's a good and fun profession. Right now, I'm happy with my job and on top of blogging and working hard, I still go to school through distance education. Even my former boss thought that I doubled as a travel writer! hahahaha! But thanks though, it's a compliment I guess. Atleast my posts impress a bit on my readers.

Just so to keep this post as relevant to travelling as possible. I thought of seriously answering the question "what's in a life of a travel writer?" And based on my own situation at the moment, I thought of using the concept of distance education in a life of a travel writer. The main idea is that IF I were a real travel writer by profession, I would choose to subscribe to distance education at the same time. After all it pays a lot to earn another degree, Masters or a diploma while travelling and writing - a highly dignified traveller I will be. hahaha. Now what's the relationship between distance education and the life of a travel writer? It's the portability and flexibility of learning. Let me share with you my reply to the discussion forum for my Master's elective course on Foundations of Distance Education. WARNING: It's a bit long but I hope you'll find it useful and informative.

MY ANSWER:

Prior to my enrollment to this course, I have been made aware of the concept of distance education (DE) – what is it about and how is it carried out. Thanks to my work places at [....] which has the Distance Learning Centre and the [....] which emphasizes strongly on staff development and learning. In addition, the [....] has projects both completed and in-progress focusing on the importance of education and learning that includes the concept of distance education.


One of the positive impacts of rapid technology development in the society is the emergence of a “space” not just to share information but also to achieve fundamental results like what a traditional classroom-based learning environment could offer. Distance education is an opportunity to balance the needs of people in their quest for continuous learning while maintaining their personal and professional commitments. It is a concept where learning does not need to take place inside a classroom but through the use of various multimedia technologies.

My above definition of DE is fortunately supported by definitions given by various resources as follows:

• Wikipedia defines distance education as “ a field of education that focuses on the pedagogy and andragogy , technology, and instructional systems design that aim to deliver education to students who are not physically "on site". Rather than attending courses in person, teachers and students may communicate at times of their own choosing by exchanging printed or electronic media, or through technology that allows them to communicate in real time. Distance education courses that require a physical on-site presence for any reason including the taking of examinations is considered to be a hybrid or blended course or program”;
  


• The Philippine Daily Inquirer in its news article dated November 11, 2007, reports distance education as “ Distance education is unlike the usual classroom setup where students and teachers are supposed to be present regularly for education to take place. Distance education still follows a certain curriculum. While students are usually left to study at their own pace, learning materials have deadlines.”;
  


• The Sustainable Development Department of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) summarizes the concept of distance education as “intentional processes of teaching and learning in which physical space separates instructors and learners. Learners and instructors communicate through various media, and an educational organisation exists to design, facilitate and evaluate the educational process.”

• The formal process of distance learning. This term has traditionally implied the higher education level. www.directdegree.com/s/DistanceEducationGlossary.shtml
  
  
• means an educational process in which persons removed in space or time from the learners conduct a significant proportion of the teaching through one medium or a combination of media. www.thepubliclibrary.edu.ag/pubEduGlossary.htm
  


• a form of learning in which the instructor and student are in different locations and communicate through traditional and non-traditional means. www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/admin/1994/glossary.html
  


• A planned teaching/learning experience that uses a wide spectrum of technologies to reach learners at a distance and is designed to encourage learner interaction and certification of learning. www.uwex.edu/ics/design/glossary.htm
  
  
• Education program whereby students may complete all or part of an educational program in a geographical location apart from the institution hosting the program; the final award given is equivalent in standard and content to an award program completed on campus. www.newsweekshowcase.com/distance-learning/glossary.php
  
  
• The process by which students and teachers can communicate through information technology. It allows courses to take place without the necessity for the students and teachers to be physically in same location. alt.uno.edu/glossary.html
  
  

The major difference of distance education from conventional classroom-based instruction is the fact that learning does not have to take place inside a classroom. Geographically speaking, the learner and the instructor communicate from two distant points taking away the concept of a daily/regular face-to-face interaction. While distance education uses a self-paced approach, like conventional classroom-based instruction, distance education uses an established curriculum which will be carried out during the entire course.

Finally, in distance education, an instructor or facilitator portrays a key role in ensuring that the established curriculum and set of modules are utilized effectively and in a timely fashion. The instructor uses a defined institutional standard in evaluating the participation of a DE student all throughout the course through web discussions, examinations and special projects. Unlike in special study which is mainly carried out by fulfilling the requirements as set out in a study guide, the instructor and evaluation elements of distance education are not present.