Distance Education - Process or Product?

This morning I finished reading chapter three in Distance Education: A Systems View by Moore and Kearsley (2005). One of the points that struck me most was in the final section about course sharing initiatives. They mentioned how the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has recently made available to the public all its course materials. They continue by writing how this decision by MIT has caused much debate; the issue is that of product verses process (pp. 69-70). The product is the course material MIT has made available. The process includes the individual presenting the material, the way the material is presented, and the interaction between all parties involved.

As I compare the value of the product with the value of the process, it seems to me the process is far more important than the product. Naturally, using the best processes in the world with sub-standard product would be of little worth. However, using the best product with inferior processes will probably yield little better results, at least for most learners. If the process has little worth, any individual should be able to become expert in any field or discipline simply by referring to the multitude of information sources available in today’s world. I believe this is usually not possible for most people. Most people require at least some level of structure and guidance in their learning endeavors. This is where the process comes into play. And this is where the theory of transactional distance comes in.

Michael Moore (the same Moore that authored the texts I am reading this semester) developed the Transactional Distance Theory (TDT) to describe how “distance” in distance education is more related to the art or science of teaching than to physical distance between instructor and learner. According to the CMC Resource Site (http://cde.athabascau.ca/cmc/transactional.html), “There are three key variables to consider regarding transactional distance: structure, dialogue, and learner autonomy.” Each of these variables refers to the process mentioned in the above paragraphs.

TDT is something I am only beginning to learn about. Nevertheless, it seems at least one of the key issues to be dealt with regarding distance education in the near-term future. As technological delivery mechanisms continue to improve, we will need to pay less attention to the technology and more attention to pedagogy. TDT is one pedagogical area I look forward to studying more about.

Moore, M. G. & Kearsley, G. (2005). Distance education: a systems view (2nd Ed.). Belmont, CA: Thompson Wadsworth.