Nicron #74 05 февраля 1998

Education - The application of modern telecommunication technologies in distance education.

    The use of modern telecommunications technology

    in Distance Education

(C), DL Yakovlev,
director of marketing and sales of JSC "Infotel"

From the Editor NICRON-A: Of course, this article is mainly 
academic in nature and are interested first and foremost 
specialists is on distance education. However, in an article In 
our opinion, a lot of interesting and simple users of various 
networks. That's why we play it (with abbreviations) and with 
the obligatory reference to the source. 


   Distance education - is, by definition, a process
consisting of two parts: education, that is
learning, and remote access to that knowledge.

Causes of high level requirements
Education:


   With today's need for new
knowledge for work, daily life, or any special
cases can occur at any time and continue
indefinitely. For example, you are offered a transfer to
another, more interesting and lucrative work, but for
This requires further improve their knowledge in the relevant
area. Where to take the time to courses, lectures? Or you choose
route of summer travel. Yes, yes, it too refers to
education. After all, should all be planned, ordered and
pay only for what you want. And it takes time
obtain reliable data, the climate and the visa regime
selected country. And anyway, you never know what criteria you 
are use.


   In fact, the development of mankind at the same time goes on
many directions, and it is impossible to keep track of all, 
even in its area, and you never probably will not know what will

do tomorrow. Therefore, for the modern man process
education extends over the entire active life. However, the 
process gain knowledge in the breaking of the current realities 
can be viewed as a process access to the different sources

information. It is very important to learn how to use an 
arsenal of funds, which provide a modern information

technology, able to navigate the information space.

   Do not forget that almost every workplace
already installed a personal computer or local terminal
network. In the near future we should expect unification of the
computers in a corporate network, which
imply territorial distribution and integration into
national information resources. Therefore, the staff in any
case should be trained to use computers and computer
networks. And this, in terms of access to remote sources
information provides additional opportunities for
distance education.

    Access to international information resources


   Modern development of telecommunications allows a new
look at the issue of organization of remote
education. The rapid advancement of network operators
data on cities of Russia can hope that in the near
the future almost everyone will be available for connection to 
the or another network at an affordable price and with decent 
quality. 

   It should make a reservation and clarify what the world 
experience Telecommunications Development shared data network 
into two the most part, fundamentally different in ideology. 
The first and the best known is Internet meta-network, 
consisting of set of information servers, interconnected

heterogeneous communication channels. Basic protocols in the 
Internet protocol is TCP / IP. The focus initially on the 
Internet posed content servers. As a rule, one

organization has one server and supports only its
performance. As a result, no one ever will
guarantee full access to all available servers. Network
on the principle "as it is", ie "as is".
Do you want to - join and play, do not want - no one
upset. But precisely because of the failed democratic Internet
to gather under its banner a great variety of sources
diverse information. In terms of distance
Education Internet should be seen as the main carrier
knowledge and connection to the Internet - as a necessary 
requirement a kind of tool.


   The second part includes the data network, the main
whose task is to organize a proper quality
data, enabling users to not
information, and transportation services. Such networks are 
often based on their own channels have a single administration

uniform tariffs guarantee a certain level of reliability.
The basic protocols are X.25 and Frame relay. Access to
Internet resources available to users is optional, though,
of course, is announced. From the standpoint of distance 
education in Russia such networks can be regarded mainly as a 
way access to Internet resources. The point here is this. 
Services networks of the second group in Russia are those who 
need qualitative data transmission, and who, importantly, can 
for this money to pay. Cost of service networks of the second 
group above, but and the topology of their more developed. 
Therefore, if your city has not represented by your ISP, you 
may find provider X.25.


   The experience of foreign countries such as Norway, shows
the importance of dispersal of the workforce in
territory, but provide, nevertheless, operational and
good communication, coordination of workers. All this in full
measure to distance education. Indeed,
at high rates for tickets not everyone can afford
his trip, even for textbooks, not to mention the fact that for
Training is also usually have to pay.

        Additional features


   Consider other ways to organize the process
distance education offered by the Internet.
The only essential restriction here is the knowledge
English language, whose study is useful in itself, but
network is also fascinating. Although one can not ignore the 
expansion Content domestic network servers. Not

will be left out, and fans of other languages ​​of the world.
Through the Internet you can easily wander
Page servers located in virtually every corner
light. Almost all higher education institutions already have 
their own information servers, many libraries are shifting 
their funds to electronic form and open up to them to access 
remotely. In such conditions, the main requirement for the 
trainee becomes a skill deal with systems for searching and 
processing information. 

   At present, there are a myriad of information
sources to cope with the flow of information that are not in
able to no one. Therefore, the functioning of
of distance education today laid
following two conditions:
- Ensuring access to international information resources;
- The ability to navigate these resources and select the 
appropriate information in minimal time.


   Summarizing, I want to emphasize that modern
telecommunications facilities provide an excellent opportunity 
for implementation of any schemes for constructing the 
educational process. The case for small - a desire to learn.


By source: "Distance Education"; Number 4, 1997

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