by Melissa Doak

REMEMBER THOSE OLD t.v. commercials for correspondence courses? I do. At eleven years old, I was fascinated with all the things I could choose to learn by mail. Why did anyone go to college when they could call a toll-free number for information about how to earn more money and respect than they had ever imagined? Incredible professional opportunities awaited me—medical transcriptionist, veterinary technician, refrigeration specialist…. Distance education has come a long way from those correspondence courses advertised after dinner on Saturday night to poor unemployed souls. Then, as now, instructors were separated from students by time and distance, but now, high tech resources dominate distance education. The new technologies can enhance the learning experience of traditional students, connect people not enrolled in courses to educational resources, and offer an entirely new way to communicate with and teach students, replacing face-to-face interaction altogether. Why should adjuncts put in all the effort to get up to speed on distance education? The answer is simple. More and more universities are looking for adjunct faculty to teach distance education courses; you, as the instructor, can potentially work for institutions around the country without leaving the home office in the corner of your bedroom. It makes sense to take the plunge, learn about distance education, and seek out these new opportunities. What follows is a tour of some of the best resources for beginning and experienced distance educators.

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