The Current and Future Perceptions of Distance Learning in Our Society

 

 

 

End of Course Reflection:

The Current and Future Perceptions

of Distance Learning in Our Society

Winfred K. Ridley

Walden University

Dr. Ronald Paige, Ph.D.

EDUC – 6135 Distance Learning

June 29, 2014

 

 

 

As I consider the subject matter, ideas, and purpose of EDUC-6135, Distance Learning discovered in reflection, clearly, online learning is a leading component driving dynamic changes in education and training through K-12, higher education, and business. There no doubt of the continuing growth and acceptance of distance education courses by society, especially in the online community, yet much work remains for instructional designers. This reflection discusses the future of distance learning, the acceptance by society of online courses, and the impact of globalization on distance learning course design.

             Grounded in my perception of the future of distance learning is an optimistic view of society’s intertwined acceptance, necessity, and level of comfort that distance learning will continue to develop, grow and advance. Past performance is often an indicator of future behavior, as Allen & Seaman, (2005) shared in its Third Annual Sloan Consortium report. That report confidently stated that “40% to 60% of schools with traditional courses also offered online courses and programs.” This perception is further enhanced by statistics that state the more recent impact of distance education (Allen, I., & Seaman, J. 2010):

·         The popularity of students learning online (at least one course) topped 4.6 million during the fall 2008 term (seventeen percent more than in 2007).

·         At least one course online now appeals to more than one in four college students.

·         Fluctuating economic influences also traditionally draw students to distance education.

o   Rising unemployment emboldens more people to seek education, improving their chances of obtaining a job or advancement their careers.

o   Demand for face-to-face and online courses is steadily increasing as reported by academic leaders at all types of institutions (Allen, I., & Seaman, J. 2010). Tempering the prior statistic whether by the necessity of politics or maintaining traditional integrity, only eleven percent of institutions make mention of the dual role of faculty teaching face-to-face and online courses. Still, students are demanding new online courses and continuing to enroll in existing courses as reported by 66% and 73% of institutions respectively (Gambescia, & Paolucci, 2009).

            The varied and challenging lessons covered in our Distance Learning course includes several strategies for promoting and improving society’s acceptance of online learning. Instructional design, with attention to both face-to-face and online education and training environments, presents many opportunities for improving societal perceptions toward the online learning component. My role in this continuing paradigm shift is to first recognize the public’s right to receive forms of pedagogy (teaching) in an environment comfortable for their learning style. As George Siemens, discusses in The Future of Distance Education, (Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.), the key for instructional design is bridging our learners’ comfort level. Fortunately, many of these learners are already embracing online resources, such as learning management systems (BlackBoard, and Desire2Learn), and learning repositories including MERLOT, Wisconline, and wikis (Smith Nash, 2005). Of course these resources are only online facsimiles of learning conditions in face-to-face classrooms unless combined with interactive strategies to enhance students’ online learning experiences. Whether students are gravitating toward online experiences due to the academic atmosphere, for convenience, or out of necessity, interactive strategies such as timely feedback from instructors and fellow students, supportive respectful engagement, and mediated instruction can only contribute to positive successful learning experiences (Durrington, Berryhill, & Swafford, 2006). These strategies work best when designed around a solid instructional theory such as Holmberg’s Theory of Interaction and Communication, based on the exchange of questions and responses leading to feelings of belonging, cooperation, and inclusiveness (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012).

            Being a positive force for continuous improvement in the field of distance learning takes understanding the impact of the unremitting globalization on distance learning and distance learning course design. The popularity of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has played no small role in globalizing online learning. These courses, offered at little to no cost to masses of self-motivated learners by universities, non-profits and school consortiums have served as a disruptive innovation in educational discourse (Flynn, (2013). “Disruptive technology or disruptive innovation is a technological innovation, product, or service that eventually overturns the existing dominant technology in the market and alters realities, world views, thought processes, and interactions with others” (Flynn, 2013). The disruption here is in the realm of higher education, removing barriers that precluded millions from seeking extended learning opportunities. In “Critical minds for a change” Michael Grahame Moore touted that the most significant aspect of this evolution is that these global learners can now say that [given the opportunities], they are entitled and able to learn (Burge, (Ed.). 2007). An adequately trained workforce requires distance learning platform designs that address multiculturality and interculturality (diverse multicultural dimensions) (Rutherford, & Kerr, 2008).

Tied to an increased level of globalized thinking is a “coherent connection of differences” that may be ascribed to one culture and absent or insulting to another. For example, in the Aboriginal culture, elders do not automatically share knowledge with younger generations because of Western cultural influences. As a result, academically, the requirement to cite resources in academic work is not culturally grounded in Aboriginal culture.  Instructional designers would do well to recognize these differences even as they apply familiar learning theories in instructional design. Moore’s Independent Theory of Transactional Distance takes into account “dialog (two-way communication and responsiveness (structure)” and would likely work well in multicultural societies, however, only certain features of Otto Peters Theory of Industrialization, patterned after the “industrial revolution,” may dovetail seamlessly Simonson, et al, 2012). For example, standardization, that is, one format for communication, may manifest anxiety in Arab students when they are faced with unfamiliar situations or vague directions (uncertainty and avoidance). Or generate fear in Arab women students, “held responsible for upholding morality and family honor to make a mistake during interactions in an electronic discussion group” (Rutherford, & Kerr, 2008). These authors have put forth alternative instructional models such McLoughlin’s Inclusive Pedagogical Model or Henderson’s Multiple Cultures Model (Rutherford, & Kerr, 2008) that could be useful for instructional designers who are involved in multicultural design situations.

As addressed in the opening paragraph of this reflection, the accelerated pace of distance learning as a significant factor in the growth of post-secondary education, uniquely positions the field of instructional design in general, and instructional designers in particular to champion, advocate, and construct the meaningful and lasting transformation that is online learning. We are charged then with consistently networking, researching, advising, designing, and teaching our constituents; and learning from them about the growing acceptance of online distance education.

References

Allen, I., & Seaman, J. (2005). Growing by degrees: Online education in the United

States, 2005. Sloan Consortium, 1-24.

Allen, I., & Seaman, J. (2010) Learning on Demand: Online Education in the United

States, 2009. Newburyport, MA: Sloan Consortium.

Blackboard, (2014). Retrieved from http://www.blackboard.com/

Burge, E. (Ed.). (2007). Critical minds for a change. In Crafting the future: Flexible

Higher education. Open University Press/McGraw Hill Education.

Desire2Learn Incorporated, (2013). Retrieved from http://www.desire2learn.com/

Durrington, V., Berryhill, A., & Swafford, J. (2006). Strategies for enhancing student

interactivity in an online environment. College Teaching, 54(1), 190–193. Retrieved from http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/433631/

Flynn, J. (2013). MOOCS: Disruptive innovation and the future of higher education.

Series 3, 10, (1). Christian Education Journal. Retrieved from

http://content.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/pdf

Gambescia, S., & Paolucci, R. (2009). Academic fidelity and integrity as attributes of

University online degree program offerings. Online Journal of Distance Learning

Administration, 12(1). Retrieved from

http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring121/gambescia121.html

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). The future of distance education [Video file].

Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching (MERLOT), (2012).

Retrieved from http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm

Rutherford, A. G., & Kerr, B. (2008). An inclusive approach to online learning

environments: Models and resources.

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 Nash, S. (2005). Learning objects, learning object repositories, and learning

theory: preliminary best practices for online courses. Interdisciplinary Journal of

Knowledge and Learning Objects, 1. Retrieved from http://www.ijello.org/Volume1/v1p217-228Nash.pdf

Wisc-Online (2012). Retrieved from http://www.wisc-online.com/

Converting to a Distance Learning Format

Converting to a Distance Learning Format

 

Our assignment this week was to consider a scenario where a training manager intends to convert the face-to-face training sessions he holds for his employer to a blended training environment where some training will continue to occur on a face-to-face basic and much of the training will occur on line in an asynchronous manner. That is, employees will be access their training at various times and in various places. A PDF copy of the training considerations has been uploaded here.Converting to a Distance Learning Format

Workplace Safety

My current assignment in my Distance Learning course is to design a course on workplace safety using a course management system (CMS). As part of this assignment I have posted a link to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration blog. Please visit the site at:

https://www.osha.gov/youngworkers/blogs.html


Reference
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration  Safety, (n.d.) Rights for Young Workers. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/youngworkers/blogs.html

The Impact of Open Source

The Impact of Open Source

Winfred K. Ridley

Walden University

Dr. Ronald Paige, Ph.D.

EDUC – 6135 Distance Learning

June 12, 2014

As we have discussed the methods, strategies, and practices of distance education the focus has rightly been kept on the learner audience and the means by which they wish to access lifelong educational opportunities. Open Source courseware is one of the many avenues by which distance learners choose to further their education. This “disruptive innovation” in online learning has influenced the attitudes, perceptions and educational relationships of many learners not to mention society at large (Flynn, 2013).

Pre-planning:

Aside from my interest in education I also carry attentiveness toward entrepreneurship and as I read over the courses offered through MIT with this interest in mind, I decided to review a course titled “Special Seminar in Management: The Nuts and Bolts of Business Plans” (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, [MIT], 2014) http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/15-975-special-seminar-in-management-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-business-plans-january-iap-2005/. The thought of pre-planning as the course was designed appears to have stayed at the forefront. The Nuts and Bolts of Business Plans is designed from a synchronous standpoint, and emphasizes “starting each session promptly at 6:00 pm.” The syllabus also states “Please be on time or you may miss important information” (MIT, 2014). MIT students earn 3 units of pass/fail credit and attendance is required. I like the fact that the course calendar is laid out in plain language with topics, sub-topics, and speakers (including bios) openly identified on the same page.

Online instruction:

The opportunity to self-direct one’s own learning presents itself early in the course with the introduction of business planning, guidance on marketing and presentation basics to engage learners. The course appears to have incorporated the aspects of classroom retooling and group interactivity (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek, 2012 p. 153). “Part of this class will be an interactive session with students and others who are in the process of developing a business plan” (MIT, 2014).

Activities that maximize learning:

Asynchronous learning opportunities are also kept in mind as lessons are presented that work around presenters’ scheduling conflicts. Such opportunities include multiple play backs of video-casts, student participation in writing assignments, and networking opportunities (see the links below).

Writing assignment: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/15-975-special-seminar-in-management-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-business-plans-january-iap-2005/assignments/writing_requirem.pdf  

Networking assignment: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/15-975-special-seminar-in-management-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-business-plans-january-iap-2005/assignments/networking_assig.pdf    

Links to the syllabus, calendar, resources, and course materials are conveniently placed to the right. In my opinion, the designers put a lot of thought into coonsrtuctiing the course.

Win

References

Flynn, (2013) MOOCS: Disruptive innovation and the future of higher education Christian

Education Journal, 10(1).

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, [MIT], 2014). Retrieved from

http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/15-975-special-seminar-in-management-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-business-plans-january-iap-2005/

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning

at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA:

Pearson.