Types of Distance Education (DE) Delivery

As previously mentioned, the predominant mode of DE delivery today is Web-based. Online courses far out-number any other distance education delivery method. Most online courses are conducted asynchronously, meaning that the content and communication are available over a span of time allowing the students to decide when they will participate within the parameters of course due dates. A synchronously delivered online course would be one in which the students and the instructor would be together at the same time but would be in different locations. Other methods include televised courses and courses conducted synchronously with a live class and instructor in one classroom and another classroom of students at a remote location seeing and speaking with each other through cameras, microphones, and large video monitors.

Distance education courses can include courses in which the mode is 100% distance education as well as courses in which a fraction of the course's typical classroom time is instead delivered in a distance education modality. Descriptions of the DE methodology are extremely important, so that students understand their time and place commitment when they enroll in the course. A detailed explanation of the types of distance education courses and what they entail should be included in the course schedule. Each course, no matter what the delivery mode, should be written with student outcomes in mind, and use the tools necessary to obtain those goals. The course must revisit the Curriculum Committee when the mode of delivery changes, but that is a great time to make sure the technologies are available to deliver the materials successfully.

Each college can label courses to the public in different ways, but typical labels for common types of a distance education courses are "online courses" and "hybrid courses" also sometimes labeled as "blended courses". There are also traditional courses that use online resources, and these are sometimes labeled or at least referred to as "web enhanced courses". The following is how one school defines these types of courses. Keep in mind that since the definitions are not official and thus may have slight variations in meaning, it is important for a college to define these terms for their own use, and make those definitions clear to the public.

Sample Definitions

  • Online - A course where the students and the instructor are separated by distance for the entire course and can interact exclusively (100%) through the assistance of communication technology. The course is conducted through a class website, which may include multimedia material and links to other online resources.  Students interact with the instructor and other students through posted class discussions, direct individual communication and assignments (which may include group work). Testing may be done online, via proctoring arrangements, or other means. Instructors require no mandatory on-campus meetings. If an instructor wishes to incorporate on-campus meetings into the course, the instructor must also provide for alternative distance education means of student participation.
  • Hybrid or Blended - A course that substitutes 51% to 99% of face-to-face instructional hours with online course work.  The course may have some regularly scheduled on-campus meetings without alternative distance education means of student participation.
  • Web-Enhanced - A web-enhanced course is designed to include a certain number of instructional contact hours (but less that 51%) through distance education, including TBA. This course must undergo a separate approval process by the curriculum committee, just as online and hybrid courses do.Spider web.