Distance Education: As A Challenging Concept In Sociology

Telematics is an additional medium for learning and communication . The inclusion of thenew media in the language learning process takes time. On the other hand, the learningprocess can be dealt with easily and more effectively. The information industry is becominga mega-industry which is evolving into the engine of growth in today's demands of rapidinternationalization and global economy. The internet is its most visible manifestation: it has become more than a medium forconnecting people and sharing and exchanging information. It is one of thosetransformational technologies that appear once in a lifetime. Since, it enables parties of anykind to conduct interactions of any type the internet is a very powerful agent to delivereducational content. The language demands of a language learning community can alterextremely rapidly over a period of time not only for relevant language learning material, butalso for intercultural training. Networks pull down barriers like time and distance that once limited market opportunitywhere interpersonal skills and technology increasingly play an important role. Internet userssurf the net, skipping unwanted exercises and carrying out only the preferred, relevantones. The system is supposed to think for them so that they can select the most suitablelearning option. The net is a very powerful tool for delivering and managing education andtraining, because in the field of education it enables students to learn or supplement formalcurricula at their own pace. Online learning offers the flexibility of learning at any time, anywhere, so that people canseize the best content whenever it suits them without suffering time constrains in theirprofessional or private lives. It also involves collaborative work between teachers andparents enhancing learning as a result of sharing information on assignments orperformance. Another feature is the possibility of delivering tailor-made programs, includingon-line tutoring and tutors via e-mail, producing segments to target specific educationalneeds. The most remarkable features in these conditions are: delivering courseware,providing tools for integrating information, tutor support, collaborative work with peers. We need the right pedagogic tools as well as a new pedagogic culture that must be nurturedby those who actively promote change and the use of technology to prepare learners forreality. Technology will neither replace competent teachers nor classroom education, but ifappropriately adapted and not adopted, will foster access to education, raise its quality andenable students to learn more comfortably. Also: A new pedagogic culture; Advantages of telematics and telelearning.; Open and distanceeducation; Teaching adults via e-mail; Developing a Virtual Community; Project work atschool: results; Research and facts (conducted in 1999); Emotion-motivation-feedback;Access-ExchangeCommunityDiscussion-Collaboration ICT and its most visible manifestation, the internet, is nothing to fear but to use and takeadvantage of.