Learning From Afar: Distance Learning Provides Opportunities And Challenges

By Sandra R. Brodnicki
Written for News & Views

Videos aren’t always just fun and games. Some-times they can be downright educational. That’s the case in many Wisconsin classrooms this fall as schools utilize an expanding technology called distance learning.

When used correctly, distance learning can be functional, effective and entertaining. Teachers at many schools are delivering their lessons via this complex and fascinating two-way interactive video system. The process is exciting and enticing, but it sometimes comes with a new set of issues and problems.

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Deerfield High School is part of the Jefferson-Eastern Dane Interactive network, or JEDI, a long-distance learning system that uses fiber optics and state-of-the-art audio and video technology to offer classes normally unavailable to students at smaller high schools. Now in its fourth year, JEDI is one example of distance learning opportunities available to Wisconsin students.

Jon Knutson teaches classical mythology to students in three schools from his Deerfield High School classroom. Above, he administers a test to seven students in Deerfield (one not pictured), two in Johnson Creek and three in Fort Atkinson. The off-site students do not have a teacher in their room. Knutson has a microphone attached to his shirt, so he communicates directly to the distant students, who have microphones in their classrooms. Using remote controls and other devices, Knutson operates cameras and microphones in his classroom and at the distant sites. He has eight television monitors in his classroom (four in front, four in back). He can zoom cameras in on any student at any time. At his “command post” in the front of his classroom (right), he operates cameras, microphones, television monitors, VCRs, a fax machine and projection equipment. Students fax assignments to him, and he can use the document camera (which looks like an overhead projector) to project paper onto a monitor.

Jon Knutson, an English teacher at Deerfield High School, is an experienced distance learning teacher. He has taught many classes from the Deerfield High School since the first year of the program in 1996. This year, he is teaching classical mythology to students in Deerfield, Fort Atkinson and Johnson Creek. Advanced Placement Physics and German are some of the other courses being taught via the JEDI system.

Much like a master control operator at a television news station, the distance learning teacher controls the “show” with an instructor console from the originating site with multiple TV monitors, microphones and fax machines for turning in homework.

“It can be absolutely wonderful and absolutely maddening simultaneously,” Knutson said.

The distance learning program used in Deerfield and other Jefferson and Eastern Dane County schools has experienced “a lot of growing pains” since its inception, Knutson said.

Teaching in the high-tech classroom requires a different teaching style. For example, teachers have to get over stage fright quickly since they must feel comfortable in front of the camera. Teachers must also master the high-tech equipment in order to teach effectively over video transmissions.

“It’s a lot more work requiring 25 to 30 percent more in preparation, planning and organization,” he said. “(As a distance learning teacher,) you can’t wing it. You just can’t do that if half of your class is 30 miles away.”

The issues get stickier when you consider the various academic calendars of the networked schools. Early release dates between high schools “sharing” teachers and classes over interactive video technologies don’t always coordinate, Knutson said.

Sometimes, communication and interaction with distant students is a problem. There’s always the issue of technological breakdowns. Other problems crop up as well. In one recent case, for example, Knutson sent a set of tests to another school for students to take in class, but when the cameras came on in his classroom on test day, the students informed him they did not have the tests.

“You have to be willing to adapt and roll with it a little bit,” said Knutson, who supports distance learning despite the inconveniences.

There are 55 “distance education networks” in Wisconsin, according to the Department of Public Instruction. A distance education network is characterized by educational and nonprofit institutions that share educational resources using interactive telecommunications technologies.

“Distance learning is a means for rural schools to have curriculum via telecommunications,” said Carol Nelson, director of Northern Tier UniServ-East in Crandon.

The system was basically set up to help rural students get the same educational offerings as their peers in schools in more populated areas and enhance curriculum, Nelson said. However, since programs like the Nicolet District Education Network, or NDEN, began in Northern Wisconsin, teachers are having less to say in how long distance teaching is handled, she said. And that’s causing problems for teachers.

“There are some safeguards our members would like to have in place, which would also help the districts,” Nelson said.

As originally conceived, the NDEN system was designed to use volunteer teachers given appropriate inservice in long-distance learning techniques and use of equipment. Teacher preparation and travel times were also part of the plan. In addition, teachers were not to be evaluated on the lack of discipline in remote classroom locations, Nelson said.

Nelson is concerned that the basic outline of NDEN and the teachers’ role within the distance learning system are being overlooked as districts look to cut costs and reduce staff. Teachers are being assigned long-distance classes and are not being offered adequate preparation time. In some instances, students in long-distance classrooms are left unsupervised, and teachers are being evaluated on lack of discipline in these rooms. And those issues are causing problems for the union.

All told, NTU-East has filed about a dozen grievances on behalf of teachers in Northern Wisconsin, Nelson said. In a newsletter last spring, NTU-East reported that four districts were in direct violation of the founding philosophies of NDEN.

For example, school officials in one district stated they have the right to assign staff to teach over NDEN without bargaining with the association. Another district subcontracting with NDEN refused to pay a teacher through the collective bargaining agreement for one hour of teaching time so it would not have to pay health benefits.

The situation has not gotten better since then, Nelson said. The UniServ has tried to negotiate with the NDEN board over issues such as these without much success during the past few months.

“Now we’re getting labeled that we don’t like NDEN, and that’s not true,” said Nelson, who advocates open dialogue between administration and teachers on distance learning. “Let’s just talk about it. We have wonderful educators. Use them to sit down and problem solve so it (long distance learning) can do what it is supposed to do – educate children.”

Revenue Controls

Are revenue controls making it difficult to implement distance learning? Nelson isn’t too sure that’s the case since distance learning is funded through restrictive grants and is outside revenue controls. The two may be intertwined, however. Revenue controls come in handy for districts to justify not hiring adequate support staff in distance learning.

“Revenue controls are killing some school districts, and some of those school districts have distance learning,” Nelson said. “They’re looking at laying off teachers.”

Having a distance learning program in place offers a school district bragging rights, she said. “In some ways for some schools, they can show off.”

However, some districts are choosing not to participate in such programs because of the costs involved.

Open dialogue between teachers and administrators could go a long way in resolving the issues “so distance learning can truly come to its full potential,” Nelson said. “By not talking, it’s going to be a wedge, but it doesn’t have to be.”

Resources

Following are some online resources involving distance learning:

• The Wisconsin Association of Distance Education Networks. This association is made up of the 55 operating distance education networks. This site contains information about each of these networks, including the technologies in use, contact information for network directors and coordinators, WADEN reports, minutes, network maps, and other resources.
  www.uwex.edu/disted/waden
• The Distance Education Clearinghouse. This site provides links to distance education information from each UW institution by campus as well as from the UW System, UW-Extension and other resources.
  www.uwex.edu/disted/uwinfo.htm
• TEACH (Technology for Educational Achievement in Wisconsin) provides support for investment in educational technology and telecommunications access for schools, libraries, and colleges.
  www.teachwi.state.wi.us
• The Wisconsin Educational Communications Board. The Technology area of this site includes sections on compressed digital videoconferencing, contractual engineering maintenance, satellite, tape dubbing, and digital television. The Classroom Resources area points you to videos and companion Web sites offering a variety of lessons, activities, and reference materials.
  www.ecb.org

Posted September 28, 1999