Media and methods are selected for their contribution to the achievement of the learning outcome in a given situation. A true learning community is interactive where participants have the opportunity to engage information, their teacher and their fellow students. All learning environments, traditional and virtual, are important to the university and will be cared for. A systems approach to instructional design will be modeled.
Technology is a tool that enables distance and distributed learning to occur.
Definition of Distance Learning Distance Education is a process that connects learners with a system of distributed learning resources designed to meet the educational needs of a learner. One or more media provides for interactions between these participants. Distance Learning can most easily be understood when the teaching and learning process is viewed from a time and place perspective. The following chart visually depicts this relationship. Most teaching at Virginia Tech occurs in Quadrant 1 where faculty and students meet face to face in traditional classroom settings at the same time and place.