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| | Perspective |
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| | | | This section introduces you to the concept and definition of correspondence/ independent learning, provides an overview of Independent and Distance Learning Programs at Ohio University, and describes the students for whom you will develop your course. There is also a brief discussion of the role of the University Continuing Education Association, an international organization which supports the research and practice of university-based correspondence education. |
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| | What Is Correspondence Study? |
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Correspondence study is the oldest and most accessible form of distance education, providing educational opportunities in countries around the world for individuals who cannot avail themselves of the traditional classroom. Research has documented that, given high quality instructional materials and good interaction between instructor and learner, learning occurs in a correspondence course which is equivalent to classroom learning. |
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A correspondence, or independent learning course, has four primary elements: (1) a course study guide, (2) one or more textbooks, (3) supervised examinations, and (4) a tutorial relationship between a student and the course instructor which is established through written assignments which the student completes and submits to the instructor. These assignments are evaluated by the instructor, who provides written comments and guidance to the student on the returned assignment. This tutorial relationship is the key difference between correspondence learning and unsupervised self-study or contractual independent reading. |
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The course study guide, along with one or more textbooks, is the primary vehicle of instruction. (Some study guides are written to replace a textbook.) A study guide generally contains: |
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procedural directions for obtaining the textbook(s) and other materials, preparing and submitting lessons, arranging for examinations, meeting deadlines, etc.; |
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the course author's introduction to the objectives and content of the course, suggestions for study, and grading criteria; |
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individual lessons or learning units containing, in most cases, a reading assignment, notes or commentary on the lesson content, and an assignment to be submitted to the course instructor for evaluation and comments. |
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If the course is supplemented by nonprint materials such as audio cassettes, computer disks, or videotapes, students are given instructions in the study guide for obtaining/using them. |
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Prior to the universal availability of electronic technologies, course guides were created in print, and the tutorial correspondence between students and instructors was limited to postal mail. Today, courses may be delivered in print, on computer disk or CD-ROM, or on the World Wide Web. Correspondence between students and instructors may use fax or e-mail in addition to the postal service. Listservs and electronic bulletin boards expand the scope of communication, allowing students to interact with each other as well as with the instructor. |
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Credit earned for Ohio University Independent Learning courses is recorded on a student's records in exactly the same way as credit earned for classroom courses. If a student is not pursuing a degree at Ohio University, the credit so earned can be transferred in exactly the same way as credit earned in the classroom. |
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| | Ohio University Independent and Distance Learning |
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Ohio has played a vital role in the history of correspondence study (or distance education) in the United States. Dr. William Rainey Harper, an Ohioan and the first President of the University of Chicago, instituted the nation's first university correspondence study program at his institution in 1891. That was soon followed by correspondence study programs at other schools in the Midwest, among them Indiana University and the Universities of Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Michigan. There are now approximately seventy accredited universities in the United States which offer correspondence courses. |
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In 1924 Ohio University initiated its correspondence study program, which has grown in curriculum, students, and sophistication to its present level of operation. In 1975, the Ohio Board of Regents designated Ohio University the center for correspondence study in Ohio, and the University provides this educational mode to students in any of the state's institutions of higher education as well as to any adult resident. Independent and Distance Learning Programs (IDLP) currently enrolls approximately 4,000 students per year in correspondence courses, independent learning projects, media-assisted independent learning courses, and course credit by comprehensive examination. The majority of students are Ohioans; the remaining students come from every other state and from a number of foreign countries. |
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Our program maintains rigorous procedures for insuring quality. All independent learning courses, faculty, and instructional materials are approved by appropriate academic departments of the University. One indication of the quality of our program is the many awards for course materials received from the University Continuing Education Association.
As more adults become involved in higher education, university-based correspondence study, supplemented by newer electronic media, will probably assume a greater role, because it offers adults the flexibility of learning at the time and place best suited to their multiple responsibilities, while ensuring that learning is consistent in scope and quality with the learning available from classroom courses. |
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| | IDLP Students |
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The students for whom you are developing this course are generally adults who have achieved varying levels of formal higher education. (Approximately three-fourths of Ohio University IDLP students are between 24 and 49 years old.) Correspondence study is not a panacea; it is an educational method comfortable for highly-motivated students. Because the student does not have the benefit of the classroom interaction or discussion with you during office hours, the written word becomes the medium of communication–the student must have good reading and writing skills. Adults who are not highly motivated and who do not read and write well normally "weed" themselves out of the process. |
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Correspondence study is attractive to adults because it is self-paced and seldom requires on-campus visits. Adults in many situations find that it is the only possible way for them to participate in higher education. They enroll in our courses because of employment and family responsibilities, because of distance from an educational institution, or because of incarceration, military service, or physical handicaps which preclude campus attendance. |
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Some on-campus Ohio University students also enroll in our courses, often because of scheduling conflicts, but sometimes to fulfill a prerequisite, or explore a subject which does not fit into their program of study. We require these students to have the written approval of their college dean before enrolling. We feel that participation in our program can be beneficial to some students, since research suggests that student performance in classroom courses often improves after completion of some correspondence study, which requires a high degree of self-discipline. |
| | The University Continuing Education Association |
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Ohio University is an institutional member of the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA), which is a voluntary organization of more than 300 universities and colleges in the United States and Canada. Its members work together to expand learning opportunities for nontraditional students, including alternative delivery systems for regular college courses, workshops and seminars for professional education, community-wide learning and recreational activities, and much more. |
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Correspondence education programs were already in existence when the National University Extension Association (forerunner of UCEA) was founded in 1915. Over the years, the number of programs expanded, and when the NUEA restructured its programs in 1955, a separate Division of Correspondence Study was formed within the larger organization. In 1968, the Division changed its name to "Division of Independent Study," recognizing the role of various channels for teaching and learning in addition to the basic correspondence tutorial format. In 1998, the divisions within UCEA were reorganized into four broad “Commissions” and smaller “Communities of Practice” within those. Those concerned with Independent Study and distance education are part of the “Distributed Learning” community of practice within the Commission on Learning and Instructional Technologies. |
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In addition to providing guidelines and assistance in administrative structure, budgeting, staffing, etc., the community of practice also encourages research and development of effective instructional techniques for correspondence education. The Independent and Distance Learning program at Ohio University adheres to the guidelines of the UCEA. |
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| | Independent Learning Course Development Flow Chart |
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| | Haning Hall - Ohio University - Athens, Ohio 45701 - Tel: 1-800-444-2910 | | | | | |
