Alone But Together: Adult Distance Study Through Computer Conferencing

Electronic distance study represents a novel and growing instructional environment for adult students. ""Alone But Together"" centres on the student experience with distance courses offered through electronic communications. After introducing conceptually the online mode of distance study in higher education, it describes a range of adult distance students, the context at home or at work in which they study, and their perceptions of the various aspects of the ""electronic seminar"" such as interactivity, textual ambiguity, pacing, asynchronicity, and collaboration. Additional chapters examine learning approaches, the dynamics and functions of online relationships, and the role of computer communication technologies. Finally, the book presents a model for understanding distance students' experiences with computer conferencing and discusses how this can improve course design, facilitation and administration. The model it presents of how students engage in online distance study should be valuable for educators, administrators and instructional designers who wish to implement this type of instructional technology.