How Much Does the Distance in Distance Education Matter? Our Students Speak

Distance learning programs in social work education have been growing exponentially throughout the United States. This study interviewed Master of Social Work (MSW) students enrolled in two synchronous distance-learning courses that employed a blended pedagogy, and evaluates their insights about the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Social work education 2012-06, Vol.31 (4), p.406-421
Main Authors: Pardasani, Manoj, Goldkind, Lauri, Heyman, Janna C., Cross-Denny, Bronwyn
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Autonomy
Distance Education
Distance Learning
Graduate Students
Internet
Knowledge
Learning
Professional training
Social Programs
Social work
Social Work Education
Students
Teaching
Video Conferencing
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Summary:Distance learning programs in social work education have been growing exponentially throughout the United States. This study interviewed Master of Social Work (MSW) students enrolled in two synchronous distance-learning courses that employed a blended pedagogy, and evaluates their insights about the learning experience. For these two courses, material was presented via video conferencing and supplemented with online media at two campuses at a large school of social work. In order to give students a voice about their experiences, data were collected using semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Common themes included: autonomy, emotional connectedness, technological challenges, and knowledge acquisition. Both the strengths and challenges related to distance learning are discussed.
ISSN:0261-5479
1470-1227
DOI:10.1080/02615479.2011.573547