CHALLENGES OF ONLINE EDUCATION
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To better understand the challenges distance educators face in instructional design and assessment, it is essential to define social responsibility. Thomas E. Cyrs (1997) identifies several key competencies necessary for effective distance teaching, focusing on areas such as course planning and organization, subject matter expertise, graphic design, and visual thinking. Egan and Gibb emphasize the need for student-centered instruction (Cyrs, 1997). Given that this discussion centers on instructional design and assessment, the responsibility falls on both institutions and instructors.
Having developed and taught online courses for several years, I, like many of my colleagues, have often felt isolated, receiving little to no support from either administration or peers who are resistant to distance education. While online teaching may appear as a logistical dream for college administrators, actual support for educators has been minimal, if present at all.
The belief that "there is no difference between traditional classroom teaching and distance education" is a recipe for failure. Unfortunately, such attitudes are not uncommon, raising several concerns and questions.
Q: How can we foster support from colleagues, especially those who still hold negative views of distance education?
Though significant progress has been made in educating faculty about the value and benefits of distance education, there remains much to be done.
Q: How can we encourage administrators to provide training and support for distance educators or prospective distance educators?
It’s perplexing that, despite being more cost-effective and logistically advantageous, distance education still lacks proper institutional support.
Q: How can we secure the necessary support for assessment research and the development of effective assessment methods for distance education?
One of the most common critiques of distance education revolves around the validity of its assessments, yet little effort is made to address these concerns.
While we face numerous unanswered questions daily, there is hope that, in time, we will find the answers we seek.
Intellectual Property, Free Speech, and Distance Education
In today’s digital age, the ease with which copyrighted material can be reproduced is staggering. As media law professor Dorothy Bowles noted in 1998, "With a few keystrokes, deft maneuvering of a mouse, or skilled use of computerized drawing tools, a copyrighted work can be reproduced or derivative works made and displayed to literally millions of people connected by computer networks around the globe." This raises a significant dilemma. On one hand, creative works deserve copyright protection; on the other, free expression is a fundamental right, and personal privacy must be safeguarded. These interests often collide in the vast landscape of the Internet, creating complex legal and ethical challenges.
For those of us involved in distance education, the balance between free speech and copyright law becomes particularly relevant. Spinello (2000) presents questions that resonate deeply with online educators and students. For instance, when we link to external sources from our course websites, are we infringing on someone’s copyright, or are we exercising our right to share information? What about copying portions of a work to post on a course site—does it matter if we give proper credit to the author?
The answer isn’t always clear. While some argue that publicly accessible websites are fair game for linking, it is generally wise to avoid linking to sites that explicitly request otherwise.
When it comes to incorporating copyrighted material into course content, the rules are more straightforward. Unless permission is granted, using someone else’s work in a curriculum is a violation of copyright law. As Education World points out, "nearly every original, tangible expression is copyrighted immediately upon creation." An author doesn’t need to register their work or display a copyright symbol to enjoy these protections.
These intellectual property issues pose significant challenges for the growth of distance education. Free speech, by comparison, is often easier to manage, as most institutions have established guidelines that both teachers and students must follow. However, addressing copyright concerns requires ongoing effort. Schools offering distance education need to provide thorough training for educators, students, and administrators to avoid potential legal issues. Some institutions may find the cost of such training prohibitive, potentially leading them to reconsider their involvement in online learning altogether.
References
Lipschultz, J. (2000). Free Expression in the Age of the Internet: Social and Legal Boundaries. Westview Press.
Fisch, L. (Ed.) (1996). Ethical Dimensions of College and University Teaching: Understanding and Honoring the Special Relationship Between Teachers and Students. Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Spinello, R. (2000). Cyberethics: Morality and Law in Cyberspace. Jones and Bartlett Publishers International.
sabri@sabri.org