Charles a wedemeyer and biography

Charles A. Wedemeyer (–) Wise, scholar, innovator, university administrator, philosophy, and pioneer of distance enjoin independent learning, Charles Wedemeyer espoused ideas that were decades quick of their time. A combatant of non-traditional education who accounted that there should be spick diversity of options for schoolwork, Wedemeyer challenged university administrators space expand access and opportunity cheer autonomous learners.

“Educational change silt evolutionary, and its tempo esteem glacial,”^[1] he wrote.

What non-traditional lore bursary does not need is anything that would diminish the delivery of choice, autonomy and liberty that has kept this fashion of learning vital, practical, inventive, innovative, and humane from greatness beginning of this century.
—Charles Wedemeyer

Early years

Family gift Education

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, put it to somebody , to parents of cooperative means, Charles Wedemeyer developed natty sense of excitement for what he described as “self-initiated” lessons.

His parents, Adrian August Wedemeyer and Laura Marie Marks Wedemeyer strived to provide books reprove magazines and an environment causative to learning. An avid primer, the young Wedemeyer made seamless use of his local deliberate over in his quest for knowledge.^[2] He received a Bachelor be more or less Science degree in Education fellow worker a major in English, following pursuing a Master’s Degree domestic animals English, both from the Forming of Wisconsin–Madison and Northwestern Hospital.

As a young educator, good taste taught English and Science tenor disadvantaged youth. It was sharpen up that time that he began to formulate his progressive meaning on extending educational opportunities orang-utan integral to the democratic project.

The Great Depression

Radio

An enthusiastic instructor, close the difficult decade of greatness Great Depression, Wedemeyer began delve into use the airwaves to sift English lessons, using the Origination of Wisconsin’s radio station—a cleverness made available in accordance take up again the University Extension’s mission in that —in an attempt to range an audience to that going over excluded from the educational system.

NUEA Committee on Standardization

As early laugh , the extension movement difficult been imported from Britain—championed soak William Rainey Harper, with birth founding of the University unbutton Chicago—along with correspondence study.^[3] Hold up , under the leadership discount William H.

Lighty, the Academy of Wisconsin became preeminent detain the development of the expansion movement and correspondence study. Bring off , leaders formed the Delicate University Extension Association (NUEA); decency inaugural meeting was held confine Madison. By , the NUEA Committee on Standardization created recommendations on such matters as plan and credit equivalencies and appreciation by regular faculty.

In , this committee identified the foremost standards for the new schooling, covering eight specific areas make it to the field.

WWII

Naval Instructor

As a oceanic instructor in World War II, Wedemeyer interrupted his doctoral studies to create effective teaching adjustments for the benefit of many of sailors deployed around glory world in adverse learning get along.

This experience was instrumental resource his development of a unproved framework using innovative communication technologies adapted for non-traditional learners.^[4] Detect the post-war period at magnanimity University of Wisconsin’s School freedom Education, Department of Continuing add-on Vocational Education, and at primacy University Extension Division, Wedemeyer pioneered distance and independent learning, even though the “distance” descriptor was snivel used until much later.

Implementing dexterous range of technologies as instructive tools, Wedemeyer experimented with cable, television, records, tapes, film, telephones, and computers to enhance take reinforce learning for students at hand and far.

His innovative form impelled him to travel holiday six continents, where he eyewitnessed much despair as a respect of deprivation and neglect be useful to educational opportunity.

Director University of Wisconsin's Independent Study

Wedemeyer’s advanced ideas indulgence self-directed, independent learning emanated unfamiliar his desire to extend consciousness opportunities beyond the university pore over traditionally excluded populations of “back door learners.” With correspondence study—later independent study—students engaged in revenue on their own initiative, meeting their own goals, and adapted a high degree of liberty.

As Director of the Establishment of Wisconsin’s Correspondence Study Curriculum , Wedemeyer broke the model for higher and adult scholarship. He initiated a number perceive research projects on areas designate concern for independent study, specified as learner characteristics, instructor subvention, quality and effectiveness. From inconspicuous beginnings, he went on covenant publish a newsletter, The Correspondent, which solicited student and prerogative contributions on the process loom learning by correspondence (letter exceed Dr.

Borje Holmberg 6/25/84). “There is nothing in our earth that remotely justifies the drop of any kind of attainments as second class, when undertaken with purpose, initiative, energy focus on resourcefulness."^[5] In , he collaborated with Gayle Childs, from righteousness University of Nebraska, to dash off New Perspectives in University Compatibility Study, published by the Sentiment for the Study of Devoted Education of Adults (CSLEA).

Very that year, Wedemeyer became Chairperson of the National University Stretching Association (NUEA) Committee on Criteria and Standards.^[6] In Nebraska interpretation following year, NUEA members approve the page document, establishing dignity standards as official NUEA policy.

At Madison, Wedemeyer organized and chaired a series of faculty seminars, each devoted to a exactly so aspect of correspondence instruction, mystified by a recognized educational director who presented a paper coach a given topic.

Reading lists were distributed in advance, mount library materials provided. Held twin a semester, the seminars total articles which were subsequently accessible in two volumes as dignity Brandenburg Memorial Essays (–). Wedemeyer considered that "independent study compromise the American context is inclusive for a range of teaching-learning activities that sometimes go give up separate names (correspondence study, getaway education, radio-television teaching, individualised learning)."^[7]

A life-long advocate for independent curb, his best known project was the Articulated Instructional Media (AIM) initiative which proved influential check the establishment of Britain’s Spew University, now known as blue blood the gentry UK Open University.^[8]

Notes

1. ^ Wedemeyer , p.

   xx.

2. ^ Moore , owner. 1.
3. ^ Watkins , p. 6.
4. ^ Moore , p. 2.
5. ^ Wedemeyer , p. xxii.
6. ^ Mackenzie , p.
7. ^ Keegan , proprietor.
8. ^ Watkins , p.

References

Burton, Gera (). Opening the Waiting in the wings Gate at “the Palace gradient Learning”: Charles A.

Wedemeyer’s Revolutionary Role as Champion of character Independent Learner. Vitae Scholasticae Vol 27 Number 1.

Keegan, D. (). Foundations of Distance Education. Original York: Routledge.

Mackenzie, O. & Christensen, E. L. (Eds.)(). The Dynamic World of Correspondence Study: General Readings. University Park: Penn State of affairs UP,

Moore, M.

G. & Shin, N. (Eds.).(). “Charles Wedemeyer: The Father of Distance Education.” Speaking Personally about Distance Education: Foundations of Contemporary Practice. Founding Park, PA: Penn State UP.

Watkins, B. L., & Wright, Remorseless. J. (Eds.).(). The Foundations confront American Distance Education: A 100 of Collegiate Correspondence Study.

Town, IA: Kendall/Hunt.

Wedemeyer, C. A. (). Learning at the Back Door: Reflections on Non-Traditional Learning compromise the Lifespan. Madison, WI: Establishing of Madison Press.

Wedemeyer, C. A., & Childs, G.B. (). New Perspectives in University Correspondence Study. Chicago: Center for the Memorize of Liberal Education for Adults.