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Learner-content interaction is the most basic form of interactivity in distance education. In learner-content interaction the student interacts with the course materials. The learner gains and constructs knowledge by working with the subject matter.
Correspondence study, the earliest form of distance education (dating back to the 1800s), used a learner-content interaction model. In written correspondence the student learned mainly through working with course study guides and texts. There was minimal learner-instructor interaction, if any, and virtually no learner-learner interaction.
Learner-content interaction is still the most common form of interaction in distance education. Careful selection of materials and activities for online instruction can increase the likelihood that learner-content interaction will help learners achieve course objectives.
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Learner-instructor interaction involves direct communication between the learner and the instructor. In this process, the instructor assists students as they come to understand the course content, or helps them apply their knowledge. The instructor assesses students’ comprehension or progress with the content. The instructor offers the learner counseling, encouragement, and motivational support. |
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Michael Moore describes learner-learner interaction as " inter-learner interaction, interaction between one learner and other learners, alone or in group settings, with or without the realtime presence of an instructor" (Distance Education: A Systems View, p. 131). Learner-learner interaction depends on dialogue between two or more participants. In this process knowledge is socially constructed (see “social learning theory” in Destination 2: Adult Learning). Meaning and understanding are created through interaction with each other and through negotiation of ideas. The instructor may or may not be a participant in the dialogue. |
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Now, let's piece together the types of interaction.
