This paper establishes a theoretical framework for online teaching
systems that identifies elements of importance to the online teaching
process and explains how they are related. The framework is founded
on Verner's (1964) definitions of methods, techniques, and devices
in the adult education process, Stubbs and Burnham's (1990) electronic
distance education system, Rapaport's (1991) CMC paradigms, and
Mason's (1991) moderator functions. Further, the framework maintains
that CMC-based teaching takes place in a system environment that
defines the program's constraints, demands, and administrative
choices.. Within this environment, teaching methods, teaching
devices, teaching techniques, and teacher functions are introduced
together with learners, teachers, course content, and learning
resources.
In an article on definition of terms in adult education, Verner
discussed three components constituting the process of adult education:
There are three basic components inherent in the
establishment of [a relationship for learning between an educational
agent and a learner]: organizing people for learning, helping
the participants to learn, and selecting from the multitude of
devices available ... to facilitate the operation of the first
two. These three components are identified as methods, techniques,
and devices. (Verner 1964, 35)
Building on Verner's components, Stubbs and Burnham define an
electronic distance education system as:
Any learning situation where methods and techniques
enabled by electronic devices combine with instructors and learners
who are physically separated and who use methods and techniques
enabled by electronic devices to transmit instructional messages
over the distance between them is an [electronic distance education]
system. (Stubbs and Burnham 1990, 27)
Applying Stubbs and Burnham's electronic distance education system
on online teaching systems, results in a system comprising learner,
teacher, content, methods, techniques, and devices as presented
in figure 1.
Figure 1. A CMC-based teaching system
adapted from Stubbs and Burnham (1990, 27)
Stubbs and Burnham's model has some weaknesses with regard to
online teaching. First, it does not illustrate that the teaching
takes place in a system environment. Second, CMC could facilitate
communication among learners, and finally, the evolvement of Internet
and world wide web has contributed to a huge increase in online
learning resources that are available in an online teaching system.
Since teacher workload is perceived as an important issue, teacher
functions are also discussed here These considerations lead to
the modified model of a online teaching system that is presented
in figure 2 and discussed in the rest of this paper.
Figure 2. Model of an online teaching system
The students are central in this model. At their disposal are
the learning resources, the course content, and the teachers.
To facilitate learning, the teachers have to their disposal teaching
methods, teaching techniques, and teaching devices. Among the
components presented in the model, the most pivotal for this article
are the teacher, the teacher functions, and the teacher application
of methods, techniques, and devices. Each of the components is,
however, discussed in the following paragraphs.