Χαρακτηριστικά εκπαιδευτικού υλικού για εξ αποστάσεως πρωτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση. Η περίπτωση του Κέντρου εξ Αποστάσεως Εκπαίδευσης της Βικτώρια στην Αυστραλία

Abstract

The present paper aims to explore the characteristics of distance education material provided by an Australian public school, the Distance Education Centre Victoria  (DECV), which is a very successful model of distance education provision. The research focused on three basic axes: on how much and in which ways this material supports the autonomy of the students, how much it makes interaction between the students and the material possible and finally on the investigation of its multi-dimensional role. A telephone interview that was given by a teacher of the school as well as the close examination of a representative sample of the teaching material that was sent from the school were used as data collection tools. The results showed that the educational material of DECV fulfils the three requirements mentioned above.  It is important the fact that, even though the school has incorporated new technologies in the planning of its material, the printed-based material remains the fundamental means of education. Moreover, the results showed the important role that the educational material and the home tutor/supervisor play to the provision of distance education to young students as well as the existence of flexibility in distance education programs of  DECV