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Distance Education in Teacher Education

Introduction Recently, the topic of how beginning teachers learn to teach has gained interest among researchers. In most institutions, learning to teach has been seen as a process of giving the beginning teacher knowledge about teaching through coursework; fieldwork provides the setting for the beginning teacher to apply the knowledge; and the beginning teacher's personal effort is to integrate this all (Wideen, Mayer-Smith &Moon). There have been many theories regarding how teachers learn to teach. The constructivist theory of learning more recently is associated with adult learning styles and teacher education. Constructivist theory suggests that learning is an active process where learners construct new ideas or concepts based upon their current and past knowledge. The learner selects and transforms information; create hypotheses, and makes decisions, relying on a cognitive structure to do so. Cognitive structure (i.e. mental models) provides meaning and association to experiences and allows the individual to "go beyond the information given. (Bruner,1966). Many believe that distance education is consistent with constructivist learning theory. Many educators believe that the design of distance education allows for self-directed learning, critical reflection and experiential learning. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of a hybrid course using distance education technology. A hybrid course is a course, which consists of different elements such as face-to-face meetings and online instruction. Specifically, I will examine issues of adult constructivist learning and teacher education within the context of a hybrid course using distance education technology. The following questions will be addressed: What are the positive and negative features of distance education as a vehicle of learning to teach? Can a distance education course be powerful enough to have any influence on preservice teachers' practices? Is there any evidence to suggest that distance education models and technology can effectively be used to prepare teachers?