Distance Learning and the Future

As this course comes to a close, my perception of distance learning and the detailed planning involved in creating an effective course has changed significantly.  In a previous post titled ‘Mind Map’ I shared the definition of distance learning as learning that was institutionally based and involved separation of teacher and student, sharing of data video and voice and used interactive telecommunications (Simonson et al, 2012).

There are several disputing views about distance learning.  Although distance learning is becoming more popular and online professional development courses are becoming common in the workplace, there is still a slight stigma attached to online degree programs for some people.  Many still feel that a degree obtained from an online program is not as valid as a degree obtained in the face-to-face environment and concerns related to these degree programs stem from questions about accreditation and the fact that pretty much anyone is able to study online once they have access to the internet.

As distance learning becomes more common and more students choose to learn using this method, society will likely change its perception.  As I interviewed several people on their views of distance learning, many felt they would take a degree course online and all had taken some kind of course online.  The Horizon Report of 2013 lists Massively Open Online Courses as a technology to watch in the ‘near-term horizon’.  It is predicted that online learning courses will become very common and at this point it will be crucial for accreditation to be fully understood by students and the workforce. It will be imperative that management in the workforce and learners know of appropriate accreditation boards. Universities that offer courses online will compelled to design well-structured and effective courses in order to gain this accreditation. 

As an instructional designer, it will be essential to design these well-structured courses using an instructional design method such as the ADDIE model that fosters effective learning.  With the continuing growth in technology and the common use of technology tools such as wikis and blogs, instructional designers will need to ensure that courses incorporate these tools and create a student-centered learning environment.  Simonson et al (2012) encourage courses to be designed that promote ‘active learning, collaboration, mastery of course material and student control of the learning process’ (p. 123).  Well-designed courses and well-rounded degree holders entering the workforce should eventually change society’s perception. 

As a student using distance learning to obtain a masters degree through Walden University, I can say that I believe these courses to be fully effective and personally prefer this method of learning to that of a wall-to-wall classroom.  It has been exciting learning this course content as it has allowed me to become more knowledgeable of the features of distance learning. I believe I now have more understanding of the responsibilities of deigning an online course.

References:

Johnson, L., Adams, S., Cummins, M., Estrada, V., Freeman, A. & Ludgate, H. 2013. The NMC Horizon Report: 2013 Higher Education Edition. Retrieved October 27, 2013 from http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2013-horizon-report-HE.pdf

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson   

Converting A Classroom-Based Training Course Into a Blended Format

 

Many courses are shifting from a classroom-based approach to a blended-learning format, teaching both online and in the classroom.  There are several requirements that need to be met to make this learning approach effective.

Consider this scenario:  A training manager has been frustrated with the quality of communication among trainees in his face-to-face training sessions and wants to try something new. With his supervisor’s permission, the trainer plans to convert all current training modules to a blended learning format, which would provide trainees and trainers the opportunity to interact with each other and learn the material in both a face-to-face and online environment. In addition, he is considering putting all of his training materials on a server so that the trainees have access to resources and assignments at all times.

Although moving to the blended classroom may seem like a simple task, a lot of planning is required to help the transition move smoothly.  Smith (2000) tells us ‘what has given online learning the perception of difficulty, however, are those issues that were unforeseen, or, more precisely, unplanned’.  An instructor must be prepared for these issues and have plans in place, should they occur.  Some foreseen issues, as stated by Smith (2000), include increased instructional planning, lack of technology training by learners and instructors, the need for continuous evaluation of the program and the cost of the moving the course online.

In this scenario, one of the instructor’s main goals is to enhance discussion amongst learners.  The threaded discussion is an ideal learning tool that can be used by students to share their knowledge of a given topic and students are required to ‘discuss’ the topic with their classmates, giving feedback and offering supportive or opposing comments as necessary.  If participation is a requirement of the course, then each student is provided with the opportunity to contribute his or her views.  This is not always possible in a classroom-based discussion forum, as quieter, less vocal students are not always heard.

Both the student and instructor play a role in how smoothly a threaded discussion runs and how effective the learning can be.  Simonson et al (2012) tell us ‘everyone must take an active role in the development of a collegial learning situation’ (p. 200).  It is suggested that the students be trained in communication protocols and that icebreakers are used to help students get to know each other prior to discussions.  The instructor should offer written guidance for these prior to the course and should also become involved in discussions and model his expectations.  To further help the discussions run smoothly and create a positive experience for the learners, the instructor should share further expectations of the course.  These expectations include the course outline, timelines, and assessment tools and guidance.  Providing technical support is also essential and students should know whom to contact for this.  Bouchat (2012) tells us ‘organization of the area where students conduct their discussions is also important. A well-organized threaded discussion allows the students to focus on course content instead of the administrative mechanics of the dialogue’. 

Moving the course to a blended-learning format, with threaded discussions used online, is an ideal way to create a more interactive learning environment with increased participation amongst all learners.  It is crucial that the instructor is fully involved and supportive of all learners.

References:

Bouchat, C. (October 30, 2012). Beyond Self-Teaching Online: Using the threaded discussion in distance learning. Retrieved from: http://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/202/beyond-self-teaching-online-using-the-threaded-discussion-in-distance-education-

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson

Smith, J. (2000). Converting Courses to Online. DETC Occasional Paper, 19. Retrieved from: http://www.detc.org/downloads/publications/No19ConvertingCoursetoOnline.pdf

Review of an Open Course: Developing Apps for iOS (Fall 2010)

This week in my course I have studied the process of designing an effective distance-learning course.  Many designers follow the ADDIE design process and with each stage critical, no stage of the design should have more weight than the other.

We have been asked to explore an Open Course this week and I have chosen to look at a course offered by Stanford through iTunes.  This course is completely free of charge and is available through the iTunes U app.  With this app there are many courses on a variety of topics, free of charge.  I began looking at one called ‘Developing Apps for iOS (Fall 2010).  This was previously a course offered by Stanford University to its students and is now offered by the university to the public for knowledge acquisition- not for any credit. 

By no means am I a technology genius as I’ve always assumed you would need to be to do such a thing as App design, and so I thought it might be interesting to see the course content and its layout.  After choosing the course from iTunes U, you are taken to one page that holds all of the information for the course.  There is a description of the course followed by a course outline and then a list of podcasts, which hold the lessons.  We are given many details about the course in the first podcast.  There is an explanation of the schedule for the course, the course content is briefly discussed, technology requirements are shared, and the prerequisites for the course are given, all within the first 10 minutes.  As there is no classroom as such to explore with different sections for this information, it was useful to have this concise introduction.  It was especially useful for me as the prerequisites required a background in programming, which I do not possess, signaling to me that this was not an appropriate course for myself.  

As a distance-learning course, many of the required resources were there. There was a video of the presenter with a PowerPoint slide alongside him.  Simonson et al (2012) list 12 “golden rules” for use of technology in education.  #5 tells us to ‘make all four media available to teachers and learners.  Print, audio, television, and computers should all be available’ (p. 172).   Students are also very involved in the learning as after every two presentations, you are expected to complete a practical activity and replicate what you have been taught and shown.

Simonson et al (2012) describe the expectations of a distance learner as having relevant content, clear directions throughout the course, control of the pace of learning, and materials that are useful and interactive.  This course meets these needs. However, as this is a free distance-learning course, there is not the support available that is needed.  One of the main components of distance learning is ‘connecting learners, resources and instructors (Simonson et al, 2012, p. 34) and this is not possible without the support from the university.  During the first podcast you are given a link to the Stanford course website and can receive transcripts of the slides and homework assignments.  However, the FAQ area on this site tells you that help is only available to enrolled Stanford students. Simonson et al (2012) list two more needs of the learner as requiring ‘a means of drawing attention to individual concerns’ and ‘a way of testing their progress and getting feedback from their instructors’ (p. 176).  With no contact with the university, there is no way to meet these critical needs.  This course also lacks support of peers. 

Overall this course, when enrolled as a student and using the iTunes U app to obtain your lessons and assignments, is an effective course and students can receive support as needed.  If taking this as a free course you will need a lot of self-discipline, as there are no deadlines for assignments.  It is very likely that if you are a learner doing such a course without receiving certification or credit, you already have that motivation that is needed.

I realized quickly that this is not my learning style.  I did not have the attention span to listen to my lectures in a hall while pursuing my bachelors degree and I believe I would struggle with these lengthy lessons on podcasts. For those who cannot afford a course or those who choose not to pay as they feel they do not need the support, this is a great option. 

References:

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson

 

Stanford University. (October 5, 2013). Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved from:     

            http://www.stanford.edu/class/cs193p/cgi-bin/drupal/faq

Web 2.0 Tools: Wikis

During this Distance Education course, I have reviewed several Web 2.0 tools that can be effective for use during distance education.  In this blog post, I will explore the Wiki. 

Scenario:  A new automated staff information system was recently purchased by a major corporation and needs to be implemented in six regional offices. Unfortunately, the staff is located throughout all the different offices and cannot meet at the same time or in the same location. As an instructional designer for the corporation, you have been charged with implementing a training workshop for these offices. As part of the training, you were advised how imperative it is that the staff members share information, in the form of screen captures and documents, and participate in ongoing collaboration.

Possible Solution: The wiki.  Described by Simonson et al (2012) as a space online that can be created and then edited by a group of people, the wiki is an ideal solution.  Staff members would be able to log on to a specifically designed wiki and update required information.   Images and files can be uploaded on a wiki.  A useful feature is that all of the information that is edited is tracked and can be viewed by all members so each can know who updated what and who made what changes.  The administrator (in this case, this can be the instructional designer) will be able to view participation and guide and support the information that is uploaded if needed.

I have used a wiki myself in a previous online course and found it to be very useful for a group project.  Collaboration was fairly simple in this asynchronous learning environment.  We had group members in 3 different countries and were able to produce a full instructional design plan! 

http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/pages/Effective-Wiki-Uses.aspx

In this article, 5 Effective Wiki uses, Mader (2008) also gives great examples of how you might use a wiki in the corporate world.  I particularly liked the suggestion of a company using a wiki to hold their policies.  It’s all about going green nowadays and storing data online is becoming common practice.  Having these documents on a wiki allow for them to be updated and edited as needed, yet they are held in one central location for all to see, versus papers lost in an employee’s office somewhere.

As a future instructional designer, I appreciate the many uses of the wiki and if you haven’t used one yet, it is worth it to try!

References:

Mader, S. (2008). 5 Effective Wiki Uses. Retrieved from: http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/pages/Effective-Wiki-Uses.aspx

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson

MindMap

There are many different definitions for distance learning.  One of the best I have found is by Simonson et al (2012) who describe these four elements:

Reference: 

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Distance Learning: Past, Present & Future

 

Distance learning goes back to before the 1800s and includes learning via the post, the radio and the television. A great time-line that explores this can be found at http://www.edudemic.com/2013/09/the-evolution-of-distance-learning/.

As I began this course, I initially thought of distance learning as learning that occurred in an environment that does not involve your typical 4-wall classroom.  A colleague of mine had obtained her degree through a university in the US, whilst living in the Cayman Islands.  This was over a decade ago and her materials were sent to her via post.  Also living in the Cayman Islands, I am currently pursuing my master’s degree through a university in the US, Walden University.  This is online degree and most materials are available online, with text-books delivered through the post.  As a final example, a friend recently enrolled her high-school aged boys in a cyber-school.  They stay at home and take their classes online. 

Simonson et al (2012) tell us that distance learning should comprise of four main components: separation of teacher and student; sharing of data, voice, and video; interactive telecommunication; and being institutionally based.                  

They explain that with the separation of teacher and student, learning can be asynchronous (learning with peers/instructor occurring at separate times) or synchronous (learning with peers/instructor occurring at the same time).  Telecommunications simply means communicating at a distance and can range from use of a postal system, radio or Internet.  Interactive telecommunications explains that learners, instructors and resources must all be organized in a way that they are connected effectively. Finally, distance education is institutionally based.  This makes distance learning different than self-study.

There are exciting times ahead.  Heutt et al (2008) have a series of articles published where they discuss the trends in distance learning.  They describe the popularity as ‘explosive’ and tell us ‘distance learning is rapidly becoming a popular choice for continuing professional education, mid-career degree programs, and lifelong learning of all kinds’ (p. 66).   They also explore distance education within the K-12 setting, telling us it is more popular within the high school setting. 

As a student of a distance education program, I can see this style of learning becoming more and more popular. I have turned a handful of friends onto this style of learning, friends with families who are unable to attend a typical 4-wall classroom or are not able to relocate to the US for a university degree.   Career changes are now possible as well as career advances through various professional development courses, all through the comfort of your own home. 

As a classroom teacher of young 4 year olds, I look forward to what new technologies will emerge and how distance learning might be introduced into my classroom environment!

 

References:

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5). 63-67.

 

Lepi, K. (2013, Sep 1). The Evolution of Distance Learning. Retrieved from Hassing. (2013, Aug 30). Why (And How) Distance Learning Needs To Change. Retrieved from
http://www.edudemic.com/2013/08/why-and-how-distance-learning-needs-to-change/

 

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008b). The evolution of distance education:   Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 2: Higher education). TechTrends, 52(4), 66-70.

 

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston,      MA: Pearson.

 

Welcome

As I pursue my masters in Instructional Design and Technology, this blog follows me on my course 'Distance Learning: EDUC 6135' at Walden University.  During this course I will explore the continuing evolution of distance learning.

Thanks for following!

Layla