What is Distance Education?

Courses that are taught at a distance using educational technology are referred to as distance education classes.

Distance Education is characterized by:

• Physical and/or time separation of the student and the instructor during the majority of class
• The use of educational technology to bring together the student and instructor and to transmit course content
• Two-way communication between the instructor and student
  (Verduin and Clark, 1991)

What does that mean at Boise State University?

At Boise State, Distance Education refers to classes that use educational technology to deliver or convey the class content and communication between the instructor and students. The delivery methods used by Boise State include:

Site Based, Synchronous:

• Knowledge Network
• Videoconferencing
• Telecourses

Electronic Campus, Asynchronous:

• Internet/Online
• Teleweb
• Computer-Based Multimedia

Last reviewed: August 20, 2007