Constructing an aid for evaluating teacher-learner interaction in distance learning

'Distance education' has become a major form of learning and teaching worldwide. It has opened a range of exciting new methods for transferring knowledge between teachers and learners who are separated by distance and sometimes by time. 'Distance education' differs from 'traditional education', where the teacher and learner meet at the same time and in the same place. It has been found that the 'interaction' between teachers and learners is an important factor affecting the efficiency of the learning process. Five different kinds of 'interactions' during the learning process have been recognized: social, procedural, expository, explanatory and cognitive. It was found that the teacher-learner interaction in distance education is not identical to the teacher-learner interaction that occurs during traditional education. A model for analysing messages in distance education has been constructed. The validity and reliability of our research tool for analysing interactions was developed as an integral part of operating our 'distance learning system'. This article presents an example of research in online education which is characterized by an exchange of knowledge between researchers and developers during the process of operating a distance education system