COMMUNICATION
Communication is one of the most important components to distance education, and education is dependent on two-way
communication (Simonson et al, 2009). There must be a line of communication from the instructor to the student and back, and a way for the students to interact with each other. Students must also be able to not only access information, but share analyze, and apply the content in order for it to become knowledge (Simonson et al, 2009). This requires active learners in every class. When designing
a course, the instructor must have clear expectations and must communicate with the students about everything. Every student in
the class should know where to find information, what the expectations are for assignments and class discussions, and how to contact the instructor if they have any problems. The instructor should also work to provide students with feedback in a timely manner. Students can become very frustrated if they are unable to get questions answered about assignments or expectations in the course.
The world of technology is changing every day, which allows instructors to be more flexible with the types of communication they
use in their classes. As mentioned previously and depending on the course, the types of communication may include mail, e-mail, discussion boards, webcams, instant messaging, podcast, etc. The instructor should be very clear about the expectations for the use
of technology and should make sure rules are set forth about respectful communication and participation in all areas. There should also
be guidelines about how the technology is used. Students may come into the course with many different backgrounds and should have access to instructions and support if they are unfamiliar with a piece of technology.
No matter the form of communication used in the classes, instructors and students must work together to create an open and positive environment so everyone in the class is successful and has a productive experience.