Broadly speaking, distance education generally refers to a learning experience in which the instructor and the student are separated by physical distance. Delivery type is often dictated by available resources, instructional content, and the comfort level of the faculty. Effective distance education requires the coordinated efforts of a diverse group of individuals and departments including students, fac ulty, administrators, library, and campus computing and technology support staff. Interactivity is an underlying assumption in the approach to distance education at the School of Nursing. This interact ivity not only facilitates meaningful learning but also assists in establishing a support network for students.
Recent research challenges the entrenched notion of traditional education supremacy.
Researchers concluded that distance technology forced students to a greater level of collabo ration than within the traditional classroom and this collaborative learning enhanced their performance outcomes. The aspect of distance education which espouses true self-directed and egalitarian learning necessitates an instructional environment that allows student access to course content and class communication that is not bound by time restrictions and physic al location. The Internet has emerged as the incarnation of this learning environment. Web-based technology takes distance education in an unprecedented direction. Both synchronous and asynchronous communication exist in tandem.