Otto Peters (pedagogue)

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Otto Peters (born May 6, 1926 in Berlin ) is the founding rector and emeritus professor of the Distance University in Hagen , Germany.

He has made contributions to the conceptual development of distance learning and its theory formation. In the monograph Distance education and industrial production: a comparative interpretation in outline (1967) he described distance learning as the most industrialized form of teaching and learning. He took on terms from business administration, such as B. Division of labor, production line, mass production, planning and mechanization to illustrate the industrial structural elements of distance learning.

education

Peters completed his school days in Berlin from 1932 to 1940. Since he was interested in pedagogy, he then went through teacher training in Neustadt (West Prussia) from 1940 to 1944. From 1947 he studied history, English , philosophy , psychology and education at the Humboldt University in Berlin . After his relegation from this university, he continued his studies in 1955 at the Free University of Berlin , which had now been founded , and graduated with the first teacher examination for higher education in 1960. In 1972 he finished his academic studies at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen with a doctorate. phil. on the subject of distance learning - an industrialized form of teaching and learning .

academic career

year position Institution / place Academic work
1945 Teacher Berlin-Kreuzberg Teaching
1963 secretary Pedagogical Center Berlin research
1963 to 1969 Deputy Director of the Didactics Department Pedagogical Center Berlin Comparative distance learning research
1969 Specialist in comparative distance learning research German Institute for Distance Learning at the University of Tübingen Several publications
1974 Full professor for didactics Pedagogical University Berlin / Technical University Teaching and Research
1975 Founding rector Distance University of Hagen Studied distance learning in Japan, China, Australia, USA and Great Britain
since 1991 Professor emeritus Distance University of Hagen Distance learning research

research

Peters began and established distance learning research alone in 1964. Therefore, together with Börje Holmberg, he was called the "father of distance learning research". In order to emphasize the particular relevance of distance learning at universities, he changed the term "correspondence study", which was previously mostly used commercially in this area, to "distance education". This was very quickly accepted worldwide.

His fundamental contribution to the theory of distance learning is his dissertation in 1973: “The didactic structure of distance learning. Investigations into an industrialized form of teaching and learning ”. He translated the main parts of this book into English early on, which were then edited by Desmond Keegan. At first Peters wrote his works in German, but since the 1990s he has written his main works in English. From 1969 to 1974 he was engaged in comparative distance learning research at the German Institute for Distance Learning at the University of Tübingen. For more than 40 years, the focus of his research was on the development and conceptual changes of distance learning, in particular on the integration of online learning. The most important change he described was the establishment of over 80 open universities worldwide. He was of the opinion that not only industrialization but also culture, economy and politics are influential on the respective distance learning activities. His research is recognized all over the world. He has been awarded five honorary doctorates: From the Open University in England, Deakin University in Australia , New York University , USA, the Open University of Hong Kong and the Universidad de Guadalajara , Mexico. He also received the Award for Outstanding Achievement from the International Council for Open and Distance Education. He was also elected a member of the International Hall of Fame for Adult and Continuing Education.

Publications

Peters' first theoretical analysis of distance learning was published as a 45-page monograph in 1967 under the title “Distance education at universities and higher education institutions: didactic structure and comparative interpretation: a contribution to the theory of distance learning (Distance education at universities and higher education institutions: didactial structure and comparative analysis - a contribution to the theory of distance teaching) ". Parts of this monograph have been translated and published by the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg . They can also be looked up in D. Sewart, D. Keegan and B. Holmberg (Eds.). In addition to these early publications, Peters has written 24 books and countless articles on the challenges, conceptual developments, and perspectives of distance learning. Some of his important publications are:

  • The didactic structure of distance learning. Investigations into an industrialized form of teaching and learning. (The pedagogical structure of distance education. Analyzes of an industrialized form of teaching and learning). Weinheim: Beltz, 1973.
  • The distance university. The first year. Structure, tasks, outlook. (The Fernuniversität: the first year. Structure, tasks, prospects). Hagen: from the Linepe, 1976.
  • The distance university in the fifth year. Educational policy and distance learning didactic aspects (The Fernuniversität in its fifth year. Aspects of educational policy and methodology of distance education.) Cologne: Verlag Schulvernsehen, 1981.
  • Study alongside work. Results of a research project. Co-author Raimund Pfundtner. (Higher education besides working for a living. Results of a research project.). Weinheim: Beltz, 1986.
  • Otto Peters on Distance Education. Edited by Desmond Keegan. London: Kogan Page, 1994.
  • Learning and Teaching in Distance Education. Pedagogical Analyzes and Interpretations. London: Kogan Page, 2001.
  • Distance Education in Transition. Developments and Issues. 1st edition, April 2002, 2nd edition, May 2002, 3rd revised and extended edition, July 2003, 4th revised and extended edition, November 2004, Reprint June 2006, reprint November 2007, 5th revised, extended and updated edition, November 2010. Oldenburg : Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Center for Lifelong Learning. (i.e. online).
  • Against the tide. Critics of Digitalization. Warners, Skeptics, Scaremongers, Apocalypticists. Oldenburg: BIS University Oldenburg, 2012. (also online).

Additional research

In his latest book (2012), Peters draws attention to the lesser-known and hardly discussed consequences of digitization. In doing so, he brought together the views and convictions of twenty critics of digitization, namely lawyers, computer scientists, communication experts, educators and philosophers. One of the conclusions they came to was that digitization, in addition to great advantages, also has considerable disadvantages. He demands that both sides of this development are kept in mind in order to identify undesirable developments at an early stage. Among other things, Peters would like to maintain face-to-face interactions even in distance learning if possible. He also strives for a balance between the digital and the real world.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Otto Peters. In: Kürschner's German Scholars Calendar Online. De Gruyter.
  2. ^ Hickel, Melita: Educatio a Distancia: A realidade Brasileira e as contribuicces de Otto Peters. Novgas Editiones Academicas, 2015 (Portuguese)
  3. ^ A b c Peters, Otto: "Distance education and industrial production: a comparative interpretation in outline (1967)" printed in David Sewart, Desmond Keegan, Börje Holmberg (ed.) Distance Education. International Perspectives, pp. 68-94. London: Croom Helm, 1983.
  4. ^ Moore, Michael: The Book in Brief. Overview. In: Michael Graham. Moore & William G. Anderson (Eds.), Handbook of Distance Education, p. XV, Mahaw, New Jersey, 2003.
  5. ^ Weinheim: Beltz, 1973
  6. ^ Keegan, Desmond: "Otto Peters on Distance Education." The Industrialization of Teaching and Learning. London: Routledge, 1994
personal data
SURNAME Peters, Otto
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German university rector
DATE OF BIRTH May 6, 1926
PLACE OF BIRTH Berlin