ABSTRACT
Aston University is a relatively small institute in Birmingham, UK. It has been conducting distance-learning TESOL programs (often called online programs in other countries) since 1988, when materials were sent through the post and communication was by phone and fax. Today, the program, like most similar programs, is delivered online via a virtual learning environment, and communications are generally by email, Skype and Elluminate. During its existence, the program team has developed an ethos of distance-learning whereby Aston sees itself at a distance from the course participants rather than the other way around (see Garton & Edge, this volume and Garton & Richards, 2007). Tutors at Aston believe that course participants are at an advantage by being in their research sites (their classrooms/schools) and have developed the concept of “situated learning” to explain the relationship between participants, research site and tutors and the focus is on theorizing from practice. Although such an approach might be followed by other universities for similar reasons, there have been no attempts, as far as we are aware, to ascertain whether this belief that participants are advantaged by staying at their research sites is actually beneficial. In particular, there appears to be little information as to the long-term benefits of such programs after participants have left the course. In this chapter, we aim to address this gap by drawing on data from three questionnaires administered to distance-learning students in 2000 and 2010 and on-campus students in 2011. We aim to look at the skills that distant learning students acquire from the program and the long-term benefits to their careers and professional development. The data from the on-campus students' questionnaire will provide a point of comparison between “traditional” program delivery and online learning.
