What is distance education? What types of support are critical to the success of distance education? Why?

Distance education has come to mean more than just a transmission mechanism of education. Moore and Kearsley (2005) defined distance education as, “planned learning that occurs in a different place from teaching, requiring special course design and instruction techniques and communication through various technologies” (p. 2). Howell, et al. (2003) defines distance education as the use of network-based technologies, as well as Internet-based delivery. In order to have a successful distance education program in a university there must be a willingness to interact with your instructor/classmates by computer, an interest in developing a virtual partnership with faculty members and class members at a distance (maybe even with others in another country), and the initiative to instigate the interactions.
A willingness to dedicate the same amount of time and effort to a distance education course that

What is visual literacy? Where and when is it learned? Why is it important?

Visual literacy is the ability to interpret, use, appreciate, and create images and video using both conventional and 21st century media in ways that advance thinking, decision making, communication, and learning.
For the most part some people are born with the ability to decipher and interpret using imagery. Others can be trained in this area to be able to have visual literacy skills. Students need good visualization skills to be able to decipher, interpret, detect patterns, and communicate using imagery—especially given the ease with which digitized visuals can be manipulated.
Visualization tools enable students to make their thinking visible in all academic areas. Students are able to build interactive models to test theories in real time and use graphics to display results. Graphic organizers and visual mapping tools enable students to make sense of complex subjects by exploring linkages, relationships, similarities, and differences between phenomena, and visually representing interplay among system components.