ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN DISTANCE EDUCATION

Technology is providing a positive impact on delivery mechanisms employed in distance education at the university level. Some institutions are incorporating distance education as a way to extend the classroom. Other institutions are investigating new delivery mechanisms, which support a revised perspective on education. This article discusses the impact of technology on the delivery mechanisms employed in distance education. It is suggested that those institutions, that adopt a delivery mechanism employing an asynchronous mode, can gain the most benefit from technology. This approach seems to represent the only truly innovative use of technology in education. The approach creates a student-driven environment while maintaining high levels of interaction, both of which are factors that contribute to student satisfaction with their educational experience. Students in distance programs typically have access to tools that allow them to repeat lecturers and interact with their fellow students and faculty. Students in all classes, including face-to-face and blended courses, benefit from having similar tools and technologies available.