GARRISON, D. R., ANDERSON, T.

by a more practical application of fte

(2003). E-Learning in the 21st century: A
framework with fte focus on a wide
framework for research and practice.
range of learning activities conducted
London: Routledge Falmer (pp. 167).
through online electronic means. The
link between eLearning fteory and fte
In E-Learning in the 21st Century,
practice is one of fte strengfts of fte
Garrison and Anderson have provided an
book that I believe wil set it apart
excellent resource covering fte impact of
from ofter publications in ftis area of
eLearning on higher education and society.
distance education.
Intended for researchers, practitioners, and
senior administrators who may be looking
The auftors' notion of eLearning as
at implementing or reviewing eLearning in
something driven by fte needs of
their institutions, ftis book has a sound
teachers and learners rafter ftan fte
research base and draws on the rich
technology is most refreshing. This is
experience and enthusiasm of ftese two
not about solutions looking for
leaders in fteir field. In ftat respect I would
problems to solve, but an emphasis on
also recommend ftis book as a text for
developing effective online teaching
graduate students who are working in fte
and learning cultures of inquiry. The
field of eLearning.
auftors are unashamedly enftusiastic
about online learning and this positive
In their preface, Garrison and
energy comes ftrough strongly in fteir
Anderson warn ftat eLearning not
writing.
only provides enormous opportunities-
it also provides correspondingly high
Garrison and Anderson highlight fte
risks for higher education. Their goal
importance of developing a critical
in this book is to examine fte
coftmunity of teachers and learners
technological revolution in such a way
using a constructivist collaborative
that ftere is a clear framework for
approach. They believe ftat facilitating,
understanding fte possibilities and
constructing, and validating
applications for eLearning. Through
understand ing can develop capab
their extensive research ftey are able to
ties ftat wil lead to furfter learning. I
look behind fte hype of ftese
liked fte way ftey explore social
revolutionary technologies and not
presence, cognitive presence, and
only address fte pedagogical and
teacher presence wift their optimistic
organisational perspec tives, but give
view ftat "fte role of the teacher will
practical models and exemplars of
change-but for fte better" (p. 65). This
good practice as well.
examination of teaching roles
acknowledges its multifaceted nature and
The book is divided into two parts,
fte need to be "a subject matter expert,
initially looking at fte conceptual
an educational designer, a social
framework around eLearning followed
facilitator, and a teacher" and how "fte
liberating frame of e-learning
significantly alters

Journal of Distance Learning, Vol8, No 1, 2004 ©Distance Education Association of New Zealand
how these responsibilities are fulfilled"
If you are looking for a book that will
(p. 65). This book does not disappoint
give you a good theoretical justification
the reader who is keen to know more
for the development and teaching of ·

and gives clear, authoritative information

online courses, then this book would be
about what we will all need to be
an excellent starter. It wil show that
aware of as eLearning administrators,
eLearning is not just another learning
researchers, and practitioners.
technology; it has the potential to enable
those working in higher education to
I found this book provides particularly
transform their teaching and learning.
useful insights into assessment and
evaluation, with chapter nine offering a
This is a book that should find wide
good general overview of the topic.
acceptance from educators who are
Many people question how assessment
trying to meet the challenges of
for traditional learning is different to
eLearning in their institutions.
eLearning and this is an aspect that could
well have been explored a little further.
Nola Campbell
If there is in fact little or no difference,
University of Waikato
then maybe this needs to be made
Hamilton, New Zealand
clearer, but the suggestion is that
eLearning offers enhanced opportunities.
The authors do highlight different modes
MOORE, M. G., & ANDERSON, W. G.
of assessment provided by the online
(2003). Handbook of distance education.
environment and this provides some
Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum
models of good practice that teachers will
Associates (pp. xxi, 872).
find most useful.

This book has been sitting on my desk

In the area of assessment and evaluation,
for a few weeks while I have been
one important issue that Garrison and
finding the time to write t s review.
Anderson raise is the reliability and
During that time I have found myself
validity of the content analysis of online
dipping into it
discussion. While a lot is written in the
as a particular issue arose or when I have
eLearning literature about the importance
had to prepare a report for a meeting.
of assessment to encourage discussion
So my initial thoughts are that it is
participation, how this assessment takes
useful to have a copy within easy reach. It
place and the methods used for analysis
is not a book that you will lose easily on
are open to question. The methodological
your desk, as it is weighty (containing
issues associated with the content
872 pages divided into 7 parts with a
analysis of online group discussion
total of 55 chapters) and in its dark grey
transcripts are explored in Appendix B,
cover with gold text it looks like an
a paper written with Liam Rourke
authoritative reference. I was more in
and Walter Archer. This paper examined
danger of losing it to other people as they
nineteen different computer-mediated
came into the office, took an interest,
communication content studies and
flicked through its pages, and wanted to
raised issues that clearly need to be
borrow it.
addressed as part of the online assess
ment of class discussion participation.
The seven parts, which cover just about
the whole range of issues in distance

Journal of Distance Learning, Vol8, No 1, 2004 ©Distance Education Association of New Zealand 51
education, are: historical and conceptual
Part ftree, which is the one I ftostly
foundations; lea g and learners;
referred to, is on and instruction.
design and instruction; policies,
More than half of fte chapters deal
adftinistration, and ftanageftent; differ
primarily wift web-based or online
ent audiences in distance education; the
instruction. (Contributors: Rick Shearer;
econoftics of distance education;
Diane Davis; Alan Chute; Robert Wisher,
international perspectives. The number of
Christine Curnow; Curt Bonk, Vanessa
chapters varies in each part, wift most
Dennen; Soft Naidu; Richard Hall, Steve
having eight or nine but part six
Watkins, Vicky Eller; Susan McKnight;
(econoftics) having only ftree.
Morris S amons.)

Each author was asked to consider ftree

Part four covers softe important issues
coftmon questions: (1) What is fte
for boft individuals and institutions,
current state of your special research
such as quality assurance, intellectual
area in conteftporary distance education
property, leadership, evaluation, global
in Afterica?; (2) What knowledge about
ization, equity, and access. (Contributors:
this is based on empirical research
evidence?; Lucille Pacey, Erin Keough; Michael

(3) What further research is needed in Siftonson, Taftara Bauck; Afty Kirle

light of the changes ftat are occurring? Lezberg; Anette Sherry; Peter Dirr; Toftas
Lipinski; Ryan Watkins, Roger Kaufman;

Part one takes us through a series of Michael Beaudoin; Andrew Woudstra,

contributions ftat cover fte history, Marco Adria; Linda Wolcott; Melody

fteory, and philosophy of distance Thoftpson, Modupe Irele.)

education. (Contributors: Farhad Saba;

Von Pittftan; Charles Feasley; Ellen The chapters in part five exaftine

Bunker; Don Hanna; Borje Holmberg; fte role of distance education for

Otto Peters; Randy Garrison, Terry diverse organisations in widely disparate

Anderson, Walter Archer; Terry corporations (fte armed forces,

Anderson.) community colleges, and high schools).

(Contributors: Diana Oblinger, Sean

Part two focuses on learning and Rush; Zane Berge; Kathy Perdue; Philip
learners and includes nine contributions Westfall; Steven Jones, Larry Blevins,
wift significant parts of fteft dealing Wanda Mally, Jaftes Munroe; Michael
wift support for learners by institutions Freeftan; Christine Dalziel; Toft Clark.)
and instructors. (Contributors: Chere
Gibson; Randy Garrison; Daniel Granger, Part six is a short section ftat deals
Maureen Bowftan; Robert Curry, with the cost-effectiveness of different
Donald Winiecki; Kayleigh Carabajal, ftodes of distance education. It is kept
Deborah LaPoints, Charlotte Gunawar as a separate part as it one of ftose
dena; Connie Dillon, Barbara Green; perennial questions often ignored by
Michael Hannafin, Janette Hill, Kevin practitioners. (Contributors: Grevile
Oliver, Evan Glazer, Priya Sharfta; Rumble; Insung Jung; Alistair Inglis.)
Cheris Kraftarae.)

Journal of Distance Learning, Vol8, No 1, 2004 ©Distance Education Association of New Zealand 52
Part seven includes discussion on fte
distance education who are currently
effect of issues such as
culture and
looking at distance educators to see
globalisation, and how institutio hs such
how ftey manage fte issues that fte
as UNESCO and the World Bank are
·are facing by going online.
contributing to teaching and learning
around fte world. (Contributors: Robin
To quote Moore:
Mason; Charlotte Gunawardena, Penne
Wilson, Ana Nolla; Terry Evans, Daryl
If fte present volume serves
Nation; Jan Visser; John Daniel, Wayne
to temper some of fte more
Mackintosh; Michael Foley.)
impetuous enftusiasm and

I have listed fte contributors here as replace it wift well-grounded

Moore assures us, in the preface, that understanding of fte costs

ftey are al auftorities on fteir subjects. involved and of fte need for

On ftis basis I would have liked to substantial investftent, training,

have seen a short biography of each reorganizing of administrations,

contributor, as ftere is an assumption monitoring and evaluation of

ftat everybody in distance education learning, and support of

will know who ftey are. However, in fte learners-of fte need, that is to

overview Moore does give us some say, for careful and long-term

insight into the background of a number plang and development of

of fte authors, as he has "worked to a new and different delivery

greater or lesser extent with every one systems-fte auftors jointly will

of have made an extremely

valuable
them" (p. xi).
contribution. (p. x.,'<ii)
Despite fte title it is really a handbook
of American distance education, even These are definitely aims ftat we all

though ftere are some non-US should be working toward, and this

contributors. As Moore states in fte text will certainly help to guide us on

overview, this book grew out of fte way.

suggestions to bring his earlier book,

Contemporary Issues in American Distance Moore makes much of fte use of fte
Education, up-to-date. book as a "source of enlightenment"
(p. xi) for students, researchers,

On scanning ftrough fte titles of the practitioners, and policymakers, so

chapters, it is quickly seen ftat many expect to see it cited many times in

deal wift eLearning and the use of the forftcoming articles. Also, it recently

web. As expected ftere are a number of received fte Charles E. Wedemeyer

chapters that consider fte uses of Award of the (United States) University

technology which is timely considering Continuing Education Association for

the high profile of this area. the outstanding book of 2003.

There is something for everyone in Trevor Billany

education, including those outside of Massey University
Palmerston North, New Zealand

Journal of Distance Learning, Vol8, No 1, 2004 ©Distance Education Association of New Zealand 53
 REEVES, T., HEDBERG, J. (2003). OVERALL BOOK ORGANIZATION
Interactive lea ing systems evaluation. To begin with fte reader is introduced
Englewoo d Cliffs, New Jersey: to a website ftat accoftpanies fte
Educational Technology Publications book, where very useful teftplates of
(pp. 297). evaluation plans, saftpling instruftents,
questio:rlnaires, checklists, saftple eval
The auftors are passionate about fte uation reports, and ftuch ftore can be
evaluation of interactive learning found: http://it.coe.uga.edu/ �treeves/
systefts, believing ftey are an essential ilse.htftl.
component of quality of learning
systefts. They have written ftis book in It is evident that the auftors want to
fte hope ftat it will raise awareness share fteir knowledge and spread fte
and ensure effective evaluation word about evaluation, and ftey
procedures are undertaken. It is aifted provide fte tools to encourage and help
at "project ftanagers, instructional ofters do it well. This is ftore ftan just
designers, and iftpleftenters of a book; it is also a how-to ftanual,
interactive learning systefts" (p. 3) to but a very professionally written and
help wift decision ftaking, fte ftost fteoretical ftanual ftat is well
iftportant criteria in evaluation. I researched, and aligned with boft
believe ftey have achieved fteir goal. historical and current practices in
ftultiftedia-based learning (i.e.,
ABOUT THE AUTHOR including CD-ROM and web-based
Professors Thoftas Reeves and John delivery).
Hedberg are experts in fte field of
ftultimedia and education, with There is a ftix of fteoretical and
diverse acadeftic experience and practical inforftation, beging wift a
publications. What ftakes this book definition of interactive learning
especially useful is ftat fte auftors systefts, paradigfts and ftodels of
conducted a nuftber of evaluations for inquiry, functions of evaluation and
clients while writing it and used drafts planning, and ftanaging the evaluation
as readings for fteir graduate students. process. The reader is ften taken
I was one of ftose students. I found fte carefully and in great detail through
inforftation very useful while studying fte different t es/functions of
evaluation wift Hedberg, and have evaluation: review, needs assessftent
since found it extreftely useful for forftative, effectiveness, iftpact, and
educating staff at fty institution about ftaintenance evaluation. Evaluation
evaluation techniques. Hence boft reporting and how to enhance
practical experience and feedback froft evaluation ftrough research coftplete
clients and students have shaped the fte twelve chapters. The detail is
book. The book is an easy to-read ftix always just right and always applied to
of fteoretical inforftation on real-life exaftples. For exaftple, in
evaluation, linked to practical exaftples chapter four, all stages of fte actual
and solutions for effective evaluation. evaluation plan used by Reeves and
Each chapter has objectives listed at fte Hedberg for fte evaluation ftey
start to alert the reader to what ftey Science
conducted on fte
can expect to gain froft reading its of Amazon Exploration interactive CD
contents. ROM are presented, and ftere are very

Journal of Distance Learning, Vol8, No 1, 2004 ©Distance Education Association of New Zealand 54

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