New Zealand Communication Association 2007 Conference Proceedings ____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Page 41 Looking At E-Learning Through The Lens Of A Communication Model Prof. Gary Mersham & Deirdre Viviers The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand Abstract As information technology‟s power and ubiquity have grown, its strategic importance for the education industry has similarly increased. Most institutions are now offer e-learning at least in some form within their contact, distance or blended learning formats.As Carr notes, „the very power and presence of information technologies have begun to transform them from potentially strategic resources into commodity factors of production in the teaching and learning environment. (2003,p.50) At the same time there has been a plethora of new jargon and terminological confusion around the „delivery‟ of learning to students according to these modes and technologies.Terms like open and flexible learning, computer-aided and online learning, and contact or centered learning have often been used interchangeably and differences in meaning, content and intent are sometimes blurred or unresolved. The authors contend that teaching and learning is at its core a process of communication, and therefore e-learning can be analyzed according to communication theory and models.This paper proposes an exploratory analysis using a communication model based approach, to draw certain conclusions about the meaning and appropriateness of the concepts and terminology related to contact learning, electronic learning and blended learning. Preliminary findings suggest that much can be learnt from clearly identifying the components and the implications of two-way communication in learning and teaching. As New Zealand‟s primary institution of distance learning, we are continually transforming our methods of teaching and learning. This paper forms the preliminary focus of a larger research project. Keywords: Blended distance e-learning communication model Introduction Historically, there have been clear differences between contact and distance institutions. Global trends suggest that increasingly organisations need to become equally proficient in both modes of delivery. The reality however, is that each type of institution has made piecemeal efforts to synthesise the two approaches -e.g. using electronic platforms to simulate contact. At the same time there is a lack of agreed meanings in the terminology used in e-learning and blended or contact delivery. Contact, for instance, is not useful as a definition for institution-based delivery. A more precise definition might include face to face/interpersonal/small or public group communication as constituents of „contact‟. Distance education practitioners could argue that they also provide „contact‟, albeit via electronic media. The terminology currently in use is often too amorphous, and lacking the accuracy required to make it useful. We suggest that teaching and learning is at its core a process of communication. We therefore propose that the application of a heuristic communication model, with more clear cut definitions, will be helpful in arriving at a better understanding and description of the activities involved in contact, distance, blended or e-learning. Distance education is variously defined, designed and delivered by some sort of communications or information technology. Distance educators claim to focus primarily on the pedagogy used in conjunction with these technologies, yet the impact of technology on the communication phenomenon is less considered. One of the key challenges for educators and researchers is to differentiate the effect of the media from that of the message (Anderson 2007, Kozma, 1994), a challenge that sits firmly within the communication discipline. Put another way, to this suggests the need to examine e-learning processes from the perspective of the communication science. As Anderson (2007) points out, the pedagogy or learning activities employed exist in direct and mutually dependent relationships with one or more technologies that support their effective use. This capacity for technologies to support and allow certain activities while preventing others, has been referred to as the affordance of that technology (Gibson, 1977). It is not solely the property of the technology but rather the way the application is used in real contexts by both experts and novices that define its affordance (Anderson 2007:2). Social, political, personal, economic and other factors constrain and define the ways in which the technology is actually used in everyday life. This study presents a heuristic communication model that raises questions about the way that educators and learners, appropriate, contextualize and modify new technologies to support their daily activities within a variety of well established communication contexts (interpersonal, small group, public, etc) within overarching organisational, national and global contexts.