If I were to create a Wordle to describe distance learning, adjectives like transformative, evolving, equivalent, scalable, effective, innovative, engaging, interactive, supportive, and collaborative would be used.  Distance learning will be perceived as a viable option to training and educating learners in the next 5 – 10 years.  As I reflect on distance learning, I choose to look at the dominate sectors in the field. Corporating E-learning Solutions Corporate training solutions will continue to grow over the next 5 – 10 years.  E-learning solutions are cost effective and although the motivation for e-learning is economic, the increase in productivity and the transfer of knowledge is highly valued.  Moller, Foshay, & Huett (2008, p. 74) state, “While traditional instruction supports individual pursuit of objective and well-defined learning, it appears to be incompatible with the more social collaborative and dialogue-based learning models.  Web-based instruction thus holds the promise of increasing communication among learners, including reconceptualizing learning from a one-shot fixed term to an on-going event that is intermingled with the actual work process.”  In the next 10 – 20 years, the perception of distance learning will be an essential method of training which is transparent and widely accepted.  George Siemens (n.d.) states, “the notion of distance or geographical separation, isn’t as significant a factor as we might have thought it was even five years ago.”  As corporations seek to increase market share and expand globally, the ability to connect and train globally becomes transparent.  E-learning is instantly available, providing timely and on-demand learning access impossible in a traditional training center.  “Letting the electrons do the traveling” offsets the costs of travel to the training center, the overhead of the classroom, and much of the loss of trainee productivity. (Moller, et al., 2008, p. 70). Higher Education Environment Secondary and post-secondary education continues to see explosive growth in distance education as an alternative to face-to-face instruction.  In the July/August issue of TechTrends, Moller, Foshay, and Huett state, “The Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) calls distance education a “mainstream” educational delivery method and predict more than a 300% increase in students served in the next five years.” (Moller, et al., 2008, p. 67).  This statistic supports the expected growth of distance education in the next 5 – 10 year.  The perception is that distance learning is a requirement for future growth and relevancy.  Colleges and universities see distance education as a way of sustaining growth. According to George Siemens (n.d.), the increase in online communication and practical experience with new tools are fueling the growing acceptance of distance learning.  Mobile devices provide more flexibility for the distance learner. As new technologies continue to emerge, distance learning will continue to increase in support and use over the next 10 – 20 years.  K-12 Education Environment Overcrowded schools, teacher shortages, rural areas, and alternative options for schools that don’t make adequate yearly progress are all reasons for the steady growth of distance education in this sector. Distance education in the K-12 arena is often referred to as “virtual schooling” and learning through virtual schooling is one of the fastest growing ares for K-12 schools (Moller, Foshay, & Huett, 2008, p. 63). Most of the emphasis on virtual schools is at the high school level.  Trends over the next 10 – 20 years in this sector are inconclusive.  Unfortunately, little research currently exists to inform decisions about online learning in K-12 schools.  Few high-quality, evidence-based research studies have examined the effectiveness of online learning at the high school level compared to face-to-face instruction, with even fewer studies examining curriculum-specific intervertions. (Moller, Foshay, & Huett, 2008, p. 64). According to Dede, “If distributed learning is not incorporated into public schools’ classrooms, teachers may find a decade from now that they have a smaller fraction of students enrolled and fewer taxpayers willing to provide funding.” (Dede, 2005, p. 22). This statement suggests that there will be some growth over the next 5 – 10 years. Skepticism Many students have expectations that distance learning will mimic face-to-face instruction.  Negative experiences are directly tied to this perception and the need for more structure.  According to Howland & Moore (2002), “There were expectations for instructors to provide packaged material similar to lectures and to take responsibility for student learning by supplying all necessary information. These students expressed the need for more structure and feedback from the instructor.” Many educators are skeptics of the quality of distance learning.  The Equivalency Theory acknowledges that distance education is not identical to face-to-face education, but it is equivalent.  This theory requires that distance and face-to-face education should have the same learning outcomes and provide equivalent learning experiences to meet those outcomes. (Simonson & Saba, 2012). E-learning courses can carry a certain “stigma” which, in some places, reduces the credit given to professors for the work put into the classes (Moller, Foshay, & Huett, 2008, p. 68). Most traditional colleges and universities do not promote the online courses they offer.  Many times the learner has to search their sites to find out information regarding distance learning courses. My Role as an Instructional Designer As an instructional designer, I can be a proponent for improving societal perceptions of distance learning by improving the assessments which measure the effectiveness of the training.  I have to create assessments which take into account the learning style of the learner.  The authentic assessments can offer choices which go beyond smile sheets and knowledge tests, but refers to tasks that simulate real-world challenges.  Mueller described an effective authentic activity as one in which students “perform real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills.” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek, 2012, p. 270 – 271). Corporations look at the return on investment or ROI to measure effectiveness initially.  If the trainee cannot implement the knowledge transferred after the completion of the training module, the instruction was a waste of time and money.  My job is to correct this by incorporating tasks which are aligned to learning styles before instruction is designed and to match the activities or tasks to the learning outcomes desired. Pre-assessments is a great gauge to measure what the learner knows prior to instruction and then reassess the learner using the same tool after the training has been completed.  Authentic assessments can be administered between the pre and post training assessments.  It is the summative assessments that provide ‘worth’ to the client. Summative evaluations determine if the products, programs, and learning activities, usually in the aggregate, worked in terms of the need addressed or system goal. (Lockee, Moore, and Burton, 2002, p. 21).  These assessments must be interactive, promote critical-thinking skills. A major concern for students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees is the interaction between instructors and their peers.  Meeting the needs of the 21st-century learner may require a multi-theory approach, integrating best practices from different theories. (Beldarrain, 2006, p. 148).  Issues of communication  and student interaction continue to be addressed by emerging technologies such as Skype™, Imeem™, Blackboard™, and WebCT™ to name a few.  The medium of instruction or use of technology should be transparent to the educational process.  Effective formative assessments must be created which provide immediate feedback measuring the desired outcome.  Student engagement has to remain a central focus when planning and developing learning modules. P12 Learners or Millennials require engagement. Mediated immersion, multiple media learning experiences, collaboration and social grouping all appeal and are the needs of this generation (Dede, 2005).  Careful analysis of the learning objective and learner is the initial start to improving the perception of distance education.  As students have a more rewarding experience through improved activities, engagement with peers and the instructor, I can become a positive force for continuous improvement in the field of distance education.   Implementing emerging technologies which bridge perceived and real gaps in communications will eliminate many of the negative misconceptions.

References:

Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance Education Trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education. 27(2). pp. 139-153). Retrieved April 3, 2013 from: Google Scholar access via Walden University.

Dede, C. (2005). Planning for neomillennial learning styles. Educause Quarterly, 28(1), 7–12

Howland, J.L., and Moore, J.L. (2002). Student Perceptions as Distance Learners in Internet-Based Courses. Distance Education. 23(2).

Lockee, B., Moore, M., and Burton, J. (2002). Measuring Success: Evaluation Strategies for Distance Education. Educause Quarterly. 1.

Moller, L., Wellesley, R.F., and Huett, J. The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web. TechTrends, May/June, 2008. 52(3)

Moller, L., Wellesley, R.F., and Huett, J. The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web. TechTrends, July/August, 2008. 52(4)

Moller, L., Wellesley, R.F., and Huett, J. The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web. TechTrends, September/October, 2008. 52(5)

Rearview mirror image: http://turningplace.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/aaaa.jpg

Siemens, G. (Producer). (n.d.) The Future of Distance Education. Laureate Education, Inc. Retrieved April 24, 2013 from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2650920_1%26url%3D

Simonson, M., and Saba, F. (n.d.) Theory and Distance Learning [study video].  Retrieved March 12, 2013, from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_1341293_1%26url%3D

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 Face-to-Face to a Blended Learning format

Consider the following:

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.
Click Here to read the guidelines for converting this training.  Your feedback is welcomed.

The Impact of Open Course

Origins

OpenCourseWare, or OCW, is a free and open digital publication of high quality college and university‐level educational materials.  These materials are organized as courses, and often include course planning materials and evaluation tools as well as thematic content. OpenCourseWare are free and openly licensed, accessible to anyone, anytime via the internet. (OpenCourseWare Consortium)

 Massachusetts Institute of Technology was a pioneer in distributing private education course offerings online for free without credits earned.  The OCW movement only took off, however, with the launch of MIT OpenCourseWare at MIT in October 2002.

OpenCourseWare emerged from a cluster of strategic activities overseen by the

MIT Council on Educational Technology, a group whose charter is “to provide strategic guidance and oversight of MIT efforts to develop an infrastructure and initiatives for the application of technology to education.” (Abelson, 2007, p. 2). 

MIT believed that OCW would allow students to become better prepared for classes so that they may be more engaged during a class.  They further believed that OCW would provide a means for students to review previous course material, enhance the capabilities for faculty to use materials from courses they are not currently participating in, and it could work with faculty in using this to promote coherence across the curriculum. (Abelson, 2007). 

MIT Open Course Ware

I selected to review the Inventions and Patents course at MIT Open Course.  The syllabus is found on the navigation bar on the left of the screen.  The instructor introduces himself via video, where he elaborates on what will be covered in his course.  The online syllabus provides the course meeting times and description, and information about the instructor.  The syllabus for this course was appropriate for this environment.  Information such as grading, assignment due dates, etc. have no relevance since this course does not render grades.  As an extension to the syllabus, the instructor of the first core course provided a separate page outlining the course pedagogy.  According to Simonson, the syllabus is the overall structure for content, delivery, and evaluation of the course. (Simonson, et. al., 2012). 

Pre-planning

This course appears to have been well-planned as it clearly was organized using the ADDIE Model.  The lectures, resources, videos, and calendar items all address the amount of time and effort that the designer utilized when building each course.  Site maps were possibly used to simulate navigation through the online environment. The course offerings are easy to locate, the navigation is consistent and resources are available to download. According to Developing Online Courses (multimedia program), when a designer has a clear map of how both the class and the course website will break down, its time to collect or create any of the assets that is needed for the course.

Course Activities

A calendar is available for each course which is used in various ways by the instructors.  Some calendars list all of the course lectures sequentially, others list specific activities and timeframes by day, and still others list the topic and a session overview of the topic.   All course readings are found on a separate webpage, which range from allowing you to download the entire book or individual chapters, to purchasing books online at Amazon.   Lecture notes are downloadable and assignments include assigned readings, class discussion topics, written assignments, and extra credit. Study questions are also available for some courses.  Each course provides its features, descriptions, and often the highlights of the course on the course homepage. Hosted videos are listed separately. 

Conclusion

The advantage of offering courses previously taught F2F include prior knowledge of the learner and the educational outcome or experience of the learner. The courses offered initially were five or six years old which allowed the instructor to tweak assignments based on objectives met and learner engagement.  OCW appears to be a great supplement to distance education.  Distance education classes in the future can include as additional resources, specific course lectures, sessions, and resources found in OCW environments.

References:

Abelson, H., (2007). The Creation of OpenCourseWare at MIT. Retrieved April 4, 2013 from http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/37585/ocw-creation-preprint.pdf

Developing Online Courses (n.d). [Multimedia Program]. Walden University. Laureate Education, Inc. Retrieved April 1, 2013 from

https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2650920_1%26url%3D

            What is OpenCourseWare. Retrieved April 4, 2013 from http://www.ocwconsortium.org/en/aboutus/whatisocw

MITOPENCOURSEWARE. http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-901-inventions-and-patents-fall-2005/index.htm

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

Interactive Tours

 Scenario:
A high school teacher, located on the west coast of the United States, wants to showcase to her students new exhibits being held at two prominent New York City museums.  The teacher wants her students to take a "tour" of the museums and be able to interact with the museum curators, as well as see the art work on display.  Afterward, the teacher would like to choose two pieces of artwork from each exhibit and have the students participate in a group critique of the individual work of art.  As a novice of distance learning and distance learning technologies, the teacher turned to the school district's instructional designer for assistance.  In the role of the instructional designer, what distance learning technologies would you suggest the teacher use to provde the best learning experience for her students?

Recommendations:
A virtual fieldtrip is a great way for our history teacher to expose her students to the exhibits in N.Y. museums.  Distance is no longer a factor to the west coast history teacher who wants her students to view new exhibits in N.Y.  As the instructional designer, I would suggest that our history teacher schedule a date and time in which each museum curator could
 Skype with her class.  During this virtual meeting, the curator could take the class on a virtual tour of their exhibits. Skype is a Web 2.0 technology that allows users to make voice and video calls over the internet.  Nate Hensley, author of  "The Skype Study Group," is a proponent of Skype as a distance learning tool.  According to Hensley, “This allows for real-time study groups. From the comfort of their own home, people can exchange ideas, pose questions about the material, and prepare for tests.” (Hensley, 2013) Let’s say that the curators have a limited amount of time to talk to the history students, so a virtual tour is not possible.  An alternative to Skype would be a Webcast. If the museum has already created a Webcast of their exhibits, the teacher can access the archived video from the curator. Most webcasts are archived and can be viewed at your convenience.  Webcast are audio and/or video web events broadcast LIVE and on demand; delivered right to your computer.  The use of technology is a great approach to make sure that the learning outcomes are equivalent to the student who resides in N.Y. and can physically attend the two exhibits in person.  Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek state, “…that the more equivalent the learning experiences of distant students are to that of local students, the more equivalent will be the outcomes of the learning experiences.”(2012)  

So the class has taken the tour and our history teacher wants the students to participate in a group critique of the individual works of art she has selected. Group collaboration can be facilitated by setting up an Edmodo site for the class.  Edmodo is a great tool designed for collaboration, engagement, and making resources available to students and parents when the brick and mortar building is closed.  Edmodo allows the teacher to divide her students into groups based on the paintings she wants them to critique.  Edmodo will allow her to customize settings for group participants to post their ideas, pose questions, and collaborate within their assigned group.  She can setup a survey where other groups can weigh-in and share their feedback.  Students find this tool both engaging and intuitive.

References:

Edmodo. (2013). Retrieved from http://edmodoteacherhub.wikispaces.com/The+edmodo+FAQ

Hensley, N. (2013). The Skype Study Group. Retrieved from http://www.distancelearning.com/the-skype-study-group/

 

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

TheTechDesigner. (2012). Skype Tutorial. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOf2mgSsXak&lc=qICqDT8mPOFB-bVpVMTbwYkD-AWr8G3KB_zljCdcgas

Wikipedia. (2013).  Webcast. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webcast

Distance Learning

I remember the concept of Distance Learning being introduced to me in the late 1990s.  As I recall, traditional colleges and universities under-graduate programs were the preferred route and distance learning programs were an alternative for graduate school.  I defined Distance learning as online courses which provided the learner with course materials and access to an instructor virtually.  The instructor and learner could be located anywhere in the nation, and the internet provided the medium for them to communicate.  I visualized isolated assignments and timelines with little to no interaction with classmates.

                The resources provided this week, has totally changed my personal definition before enrolling at Walden.  The video and vodcast provided by Dr. Simonson had me revisit my definition.  Simonson defined Distance learning as “as formal education in which the learning group (teachers, students, resources) are separated by geography, and sometimes, by time.”(Simonson, 2012)  As I read the vodcast I found out that Distance learning dates back to the early 1800s.  It might seem strange, but I never associated correspondence courses as distance learning.  As I read the information on the timeline, it occurred to me that decades ago, I use to see advertisements in magazines and on the back of match-books for correspondence courses.  Unconsciously, I had framed Distance learning into the specific period of computers, modems, and internet access. 

                In the vodcast I learned that Anna Eliot Ticknor and her organization, The Society to Encourage Studies at Home started in Boston, MA. encouraged women to pursue their educational passions through mail correspondence courses, many of whom having limited traditional education opportunities. I also learned that a number of telecommunication technologies emerged such as Marconi’s Black Box, courses offered through radio and standard television, satellite and cable television broadcasts, courses via video tapes, and lastly through the internet, Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 technology.

                In the three-part article, The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web, the authors point out that very little, if any potential of e-learning is recognized or valued.  Corporate motivating factors are economic and in many cases effectiveness is not valued or measured.  According to the article, “Evaluation of any kind beyond the “smile sheet” is not planned, and often, there is no provision for the measurement of learning outcomes or utilization.” (Moller et al., 2008, p.70) Following ID approved methodologies is recommended to make sure that our field is not diminished by disappointing results.  Although the business climate insists on speedy solutions, ID professionals must fully define the training need before design and implement quality solutions.

“The challenge for ID professionals is not only to evolve the field, but also to assure that the products of sound professional design practice lead the e-learning enterprise.” (Moller et. al, 2008, p.66)

 In the higher education environment, adoption of a “craft approach” is not an effective way to approach distance learning.  Taking the materials, strategies, and approaches from a traditional classroom environment and putting it on the web may offer limited positive results. ID faculty members should outline the standards, policies, and accreditation for distance learning.  In K-12 environment, research is ongoing to determine the effectiveness of distance learning for younger students.  Many age dependent characteristics have not developed in younger learners which are necessary for online learner’s success.

                Finally, after reading the material provided this week, I now define Distance learning as formal education, which achieves learning outcomes by utilizing research- based, clear, measurable modules in spite of learners and instructors being separated by time and location.  I envision that distance learning will continue to grow exponentially as new technologies continue to emerge, as businesses, colleges and universities become more competitive, and as additional research is conducted for the effectiveness of distance learning and younger students.

References:

Moller, L., Forshay, W.R., & Huett, J. (2008). Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning. TechTrends, 52(3) , p. 70-75.

Moller, L., Forshay, W.R., & Huett, J. (2008). Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning. TechTrends, 52(4), p. 66-70.

Moller, L., Forshay, W.R., & Huett, J. (2008). Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning. TechTrends, 52(5), p. 63-67.

Simonson, M. (n.d.) Distance Education: The Next Generation [study video].  Retrieved March 5, 2013, from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_1341293_1%26url%3D