Tele-Learning in a Digital World: The Future of Distance Learning

The technology that allows the communication of ideas and information through an electronic medium (such as a computer or a television) has transformed when, where and how we learn. This book shows that tele-learning - making connections between people and resources by sending and receiving signals through carriers such as wire, cables and air, for learning-related purposes - is a multi-faceted phenomenon, using and affecting many different types of people, and offering us a special opportunity to develop new pedagogies and improve old ways of learning.
Tele-learning in a Digital World takes a thematic approach: It examines the many scenarios where tele-learning occurs, such as distance education, online situations (the Internet and the World Wide Web), professional development via application sharing, and more, than discusses those involved in tele-learning - from parents and teachers to professionals in education and telecommunications - and their major roles. It then reviews current pedagogical practice and identifies the new opportunities for improved learning brought by 'tele-technology'.

Betty Collis is a member of the Faculty of Educational Science and Technology at Twente University in the Netherlands.