The Benefits and Future of Distance Education :: Education Teaching

The Benefits and Future of Distance Education What is Distance Education? Education has traditionally consisted of a student or group of students receiving instruction from a teacher; with everyone involved in one location. Distance education is changing the way instruction happens today. Distance education is "the acquisition of knowledge and/or skills wherein time and/or space separates the learner and provider" (McMahan 4). Distance education in its most basic sense happens when student(s) are in one location and the teacher(s) are in another location. In traditional education students use textbooks, listen to lectures, and use other locally available resources. In distance education students use a variety of technological resources (that is, interactive video, television, computers, and even audio and video cassettes). Distance education changes the practice of the student coming to the teacher. It gives students and teachers more flexibility and options concerning when and how to study and teach. Distance education "has provided students with more opportunities to participate in a richer, broader educational experience" (Kessler and Keefe 44) by crossing city, state, and international borders. Where Did Distance Education Come From? "Although the term distance education is of recent coinage, the concept of learning at a distance is not new at all" (Neal 40). Distance education has been around in many forms for hundreds of years. "Almost anyone who has received any formal education has at some time engaged in distance learning. The oldest and most common form of distance learning is probably homework. The teacher constructs a learning activity that can be accomplished without the presence of the teacher, and the student completes it independently, or with the assistance of someone other than the teacher" (Davey 44). Correspondence courses were the earliest form of distance education courses. "This was the accepted norm until the middle of the century, when instructional radio and television became popular" (Sherry 337). In the past, use of distance education was not widespread because the equipment was costly and difficult to use. Distance education was also a new and unknown field and our society tends to shy away from the new and unknown. The technologies currently being utilized in connection with distance education are now easier to use and are commonly available. The costs have also become more affordable, making distance education more available. The fast paced hectic life of the 20th century also makes distance learning more desirable.

A Review of Terry Eagleton’s The Meaning of Life Essay

Yet another non-fiction attempt at explaining the intricacies of life as we know it is in the offing, and the uninformed would most likely lump this particular one with the rest of mediocrity’s spawns. However, the less ignorant would recognize the prestige that is synonymous with the author’s name, which echoes loudly of literary theory and Marxism, in the most acceptable and understandable terms. Terry Eagleton’s discourse on one of the most profound yet unanswerable questions ever to be posed in actual form could have gone two disparate ways: the academic, which would call on the powers of scholarly influence and intervention; and the sardonic, which would debunk all trite and contrived notions about the subject and introduce a new concept that may border between reality and fantasy—or at least within the contexts of Eagleton’s philosophy. But the great theorist, without presenting his work as the millennium’s definitive answer to life and all its meanings, does what he is good at—analysis, study, and intellectualism. The big question in focus is quite applicable, as Eagleton begins, to the different persuasions available, from language to philosophy to civilization. Here is where the Eagleton style of in-depth probing takes place, and readers new and old will always find the author’s signature wit and humour refreshing against the backdrop of the subject’s utter seriousness and complexity. Eagleton builds his argument by citing some of the differences among people, based on their particular eras. He discussed how the issues thrown against faith and organized religion figured prominently in the late nineteenth century, and this brought on the question about life’s meaning in bigger, more insistent ways. Then we see how the great mind forms his own theory, but only after seeing how he provides a comparison between his thinking and those that came before him. The first, most obvious and easiest target would be Christianity and its various interpretations, that declares God as the all-powerful, all-knowing source of the world’s meaning and its corresponding effect on life itself, and the tenet that deems the world chaotic and meaningless without God. Eagleton quickly forges to disprove this established belief, by invoking the theories and discoveries alluded to by science, and how, even without the concept of God, the universe would continue to be an entity independent of anything, with a symmetry and logic that defies any claim on source and end. Eagleton did not agree with the free-flowing, opinion-respecting parameters of post-modernism, either. He found the standard allusions to individualism and realms and contexts of varying interpretations as contrary to the search for meaning; because meaning can only be discovered through dialogue with the world, and any pre-tense of an individual of finding the same unto himself or herself does not operate logically within Eagleton’s study. One must validate his or her particular life meanings with what the world has already set, out of respect and value for a construct that is no longer such, but is really a defined and proven reality that can mix both beauty and logic on the same level. Upon presenting his own personal cause towards providing an answer to the stated question, Eagleton now invokes Aristotelian philosophy to concretise an aspect of the meaning. According to Aristotle, human life’s significance lies within happiness—yet not just mere pleasure. Eagleton agress with this idea, and confirms the classic philosopher’s opinion that happiness may only be received through virtue, wherein virtue is, more than anything, a social practice and not a way of thinking. Therefore, happiness, which is the purpose of life, is also its practical and realisable version. However, all is not completely nice and happy in the Eagleton-Aristotle team-up—the author, after the initial meeting of great minds regarding the ideal integration of politics, ethics and happiness in one ideal society, admonishes the classicist’s expressed elements of a society necessary to attain happiness. That Aristotle defined this as one complete with women and slaves earmarked to carry out any dirty work while man goes forth to traverse the levels of happiness, is an ideal best left in history books and pageant presentations. Eagleton, being the trouper he is, tries to make up for Aristotle’s slip by taking the latter’s happiness concept and raising it one—to centre on the ultimate idea of love. Not erotic love, no, but that among fellow men, and even enemies. As with Aristotle’s original happiness idea, Eagleton’s love construct is a lifestyle, a practical way of giving meaning to life. He goes further by adding the presence of another individual in the equation, with whom love may be realized through mutual support. This refers to space for growth, a means to being one’s best. And, being one of Marx’s greatest disciples, Eagleton qualifies this concept by requiring the individuals be equals for real reciprocity, for the absence of such will render this adjudged purpose and meaning of life futile. The book ends with Eagleton’s inspired way of comparing life with jazz music, where improvisation is key, yet function as a whole. Thus, the author promises the answers to be found in this precise situation—happiness being individual and collective, which can only be realised through love. If any other writer tried to use the same words and the same concepts to give his or her own interpretation, everything would sound fake, and probably even absurd. But Terry Eagleton’s lucid writing and light touch prove that these often-lambasted elements may actually still be understood for what they are, and that love and life are indeed connected—all to provide the meaning we have long wanted to find.

Othello Characters Bring About Their Own Demise. Essay

As in almost all tragedies, especially those of William Shakespeare, the tragic hero always runs into misfortune. The play Othello is no exception. In this play, every character acquainted with the tragic hero appears to be unfortunate. While these misfortunes are oddly related to Othello, are they his fault or did each character attract them out of their own actions? To answer this daunting question, one must consider the three most unfortunate characters: Othello, Desdamona and Roderigo and analyse their downfall which eventually lead to their deaths. It is known from reading the play that Iago is the one who manipulates all three of them. Examinations of their connection with him before their deaths are necessary to answer this†¦show more content†¦This is an accusation which is utterly fraudulent but believed to be accurate by Iago when he says, It is thought abroad that twixt my sheets / He has done my office (I, iii, ll.369Ââ€"370). This supposed action of Othello is another provocation and reason for his downfall. The third and chief action of Othello applies not only to the tragic hero, but almost every other character in the play. Othellos tendency to trust Iago ultimately leads to his downfall more so than any other cause. If he hadnt trusted Iago, or had merely been sceptical of Iagos information or intent, the outcome would have been outrageously different. Before speaking with Iago about Desdamona and her supposed infidelity to her husband, Othello was happy and trusted and loved Desdamona. Upon planting a seed of doubt in Othellos mind, Iago was able to manipulated Othello and the other characters to frame Desdamonas affair with Cassio. If Othello hadnt been such a poor judge of character and even investigated a minute amount into the matter instead of sending Iago to do it, he would have caught Iago for the villain he was. 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