EDUC-6135-3, Distance Learning.2013 Summer Sem 05/06-08/25-PT2

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DISTANCE LEARNING

So, what is Distance Learning all about?  We might start by trying to define it: 

·        “Distance education [is] institution-based, formal education where the learning group is separated, and where interactive telecommunications systems are used to connect learners, resources, and instructors" (Simonson, 2012, p. 32).

Or

·        “Distance education is a method of education in which the learner is physically separate from the teacher. It may be used on its own, or in conjunction with other forms of education, including face-to-face” (Simonson, 2012, p. 35).

Or

·        “Distance Learning is the adaptation of ubiquitous resources presented in numerous venues in which the student is not face-to-face with the instructor/teacher or other students in the course...  It most often incorporates the use of technology as a delivery method do to its economy of scale. Distance learning can be synchronous (at the same time) or asynchronous and usually incorporates interaction of students as well as instructors alike” (Rooks, 2013J).  

 

·        Why do you feel the definition of distance learning is always changing and what factors drive that change?

 

The definition of distance learning is always changing because it is an ever evolving subject.  The factors drive that change are the profit motive, technological advances, and our evolving understanding of how to effectively implement technology to enhance deeper learning.

 

“For many institutions, a principal motivator is the relatively unfamiliar force of competition.

For-pro­fit, private-sector competitors are breaking the monopoly of conventional institutions, provoking a fast-moving entrepreneurial response by some schools while leaving others at a standstill. Since distance education programs theoretically can serve remote learners as well as they serve local ones, even institutions with isolated service areas are in competition” (Moller, 2008, p. 66).

 

As we develop new applications of distance learning, the assessment of the marketability is driven by the profit motive.  Both internal and external distance learning applications are valuable instruments that corporations and institutions alike see as a way to increase their ROI (return on investment) with every new opportunity that evolves. “Educators in the distance medium are faced with new pedagogical issues surrounding student interactions, course content design and delivery, multiple levels of communication, defining new types of assignments and performance expectations, and different assessment and evaluation techniques (to name a few)” (Moller, 2008, p. 67).

 

·        Do you think these changes are based on a person’s profession or by how much technical knowledge he/she has?

One’s profession, experience, and technological know-how all influence how we interface with distance learning.  The driving factor behind this question is not a person per say, but a universal evolution somewhat like the Reissuance period in Medieval Europe.  The mere idea of instructional design is in a sense a systematic approach of how to harness technology and marry it to how humans’ learn best.   “Bringing instructional designers into “the fold” allows us to move away from individual initiatives and more toward a collaborative approach where instructional designers partner with teachers to create dynamic and engaging distance learning environments” (Huett, 2008, p. 65).

 

•A summary of my vision for the future of distance learning as it continues on a path of evolution and change.

 

            Think about it for yourself for a moment, technology is constantly changing and a person’s profession demands them to remain concurrent to adapt so that they can keep a competitive advantage not wanting to be left behind by competitors in any industry or institution.  “What we are witnessing with the current evolution of distance education and the technologies that support it is nothing less than the single most important reorganization of how we will engage learners since we started to gather students together in school buildings” (Huett, 2008, pp. 64-65).  My vision for the future of distance learning as it continues on a path of evolution and change is one of a revolution in how we attain knowledge. I keep thinking back to a time in which technology has impacted mankind in a similar manner. With the invention of the printing press, mankind transformed the way in which we learned in the Reissuance period in Medieval Europe.  This, to me, is like stage two of the thrusters of a spaceship.   Knowledge is doubling at shorter and shorter intervals. In the timeline of history, we were still riding horses not that long ago.  In perspective, technology has advanced the vehicle of distance learning to the masses of the world. “The growth of online distance learning (elearning) is explosive in almost all sectors, and in many developed and developing countries. We believe that the dominant approach now realizes very little, if any, of e-learning’s transformational potential, nor can we be assured that high instructional quality is recognized and valued” (Moller, The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 2: Higher education). , 2008, p. 70).

•What are the potential benefits/opportunities of distance learning in your current position in education, industry, or as an online student?

           Just to be clear about what Distance Learning is, let’s look at this quote from this week’s reading : “Distance education is a method of education in which the learner is physically separate from the teacher,. It may be used on its own, or in conjunction with other forms of education, including face-to-face” (Simonson, 2012, p. 35). I work in inside sales for an industrial fastener company. There are many opportunities for asynchronous distance learning training modules for all areas of operation. Some of these areas would include: ordering, invoicing, quoting, inventory control, and communication (internal/external).

       The benefits of the venue of distance learning would allow any employee to train at times between busy tasks without leaving the office. Another benefit would also be to be able to view the training more than once if needed for comprehension. Refreshing or even updating training procedures is made easy by the use of distance learning.
Of course, as an online student at Walden University, I am able to complete my coursework in my free time when it is convenient for me to complete it. “Distance learning is rapidly becoming a popular choice for continuing professional education, mid-career degree programs, and lifelong learning of all kinds. As so-called “non-traditional” students become an increasingly large segment of the student body at the post-secondary level, campus-based programs, residential or otherwise, may be leveling off in enrollment” (Moller, 2008, p. 66). It would be impossible or at least not practical for me to attend face-to-face classes.

•What are the potential challenges/impediments of distance learning in your current position in education, industry, or as an online student?

       The potential challenges/impediments of distance learning in my current position in industry and as an online student is not with its modality, but with individual discipline. Having the liberty to engage in online distance learning also demands the discipline to do so. I like this quote from this week’s reading: “However, Rice (2006) suggested that the effectiveness of distance education has more to do with who is teaching, who is learning, and how that learning is accomplished and less to do with the medium” (Huett, 2008, p. 63).

       I have enjoyed my online learning experience, yet I can see that this may not be well suited for everyone. At work, taking time to train can be a challenge. At home you have to focus on what is important and not all the distractions available to us all. “It also seems plausible that the type of learner who typically engages in web-based educational courses (adult, independent learners with higher internal loci of control) have goals and preferences when it comes to online learning that may not lend themselves well to learning communities (Navarro & Shoemaker, 2000; Reisetter & Boris, 2004)” (Moller, 2008, p. 52).

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), 63–6 7.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 1: Training and development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70–75.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). 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.