Reflection

Reflections

      As I reflect, considering my learning in this course and the presentation this week by Dr. Siemens, I think that the perceptions on distance learning are changing. In general, people fear they don't understand. The emergence of online learning has become a familiar presence for many due to the emergence of social media like Facebook , Instagram, and Twitter. As Dr. Siemens states "The increase in online communication" has become as advertisement for what online learning will become in the future. The emergence of using the internet to do shopping for clothes and now food via companies like Grub Hub, have made the concept of distance learning a familiar phenomenon. 

     Although distance learning may seem relatively new to many, the benefits of distance learning have appealed to many and will eventually win over the skeptics. The accessibility of distance learning for people who are raising young families and may not have time to have the face-to-face experiences, distance learning becomes the only alternative. For small businesses that don't have the resources for implementing training, distance learning alternatives via online learning modules, become the only alternative for distributing information to groups of employees. The growth of online education has impacted education in such a way that more institutions of higher education have even implemented blended course in the healthcare profession, “We are changing the way we offer this program to keep up with current trends in education for registered nurses and to make our course offerings more accessible to professionals in the field,” said (Dillard School of Nursing Chairperson Sharon) Hutchinson. “Blended delivery affords the professional RN both the flexibility of online learning and the personal interactions of face-to-face learning." (www.hbcudigest.com) Now with the emergence of distance learning in education, the perceptions of distance learning, the negative perception of distance education should be gone within the next 20 years.

     The perceptions of distance learning in the future will surely change the next 5–10 years. I predict that in the next 10–20 years that it will be the main way to offer courses to students in the future. With the emergence of blended programs in the medical profession, starting with nursing above, distance learning will surely be implemented into other academic programs as well. I'm not saying that there will be no need for college campuses or dorm rooms. I believe that young adults ages 18-24 still need the social interactions that make up the "college experience". But I do believe that the emergence of distance education will do away with the 300 plus students in a lecture hall listening to lectures twice a week. I believe that distance education will give more student to facilitator experiences rather than the traditional approach.

     I think that by creating learning experiences that make a learner feel more comfortable or at ease would be a proponent for improving societal perceptions of distance learning. As an Instructional Designer, I do think that there will be a responsibility for creating learning experiences that would make the learner feel more comfortable with an unfamiliar environment. The course should definitely give a similar experience that the classroom would give " This high level feature is realized when....... online degree program courses use “the same” curriculum and learner objectives as the “traditional” or onground courses" Gambescia, S., & Paolucci, R. (2009). In any situation, people will change their perception once they become comfortable in a situation. The more ease in which a learner navigates through a learning environment, the more likely they will succeed. In return, they will tell others and the stigma of distance learning should be diminished.

    I plan on being a positive force for continuous improvement in the field of distance education by doing just that. I plan on implementing into all of my future online modules, Orientation guides, such as the project that we worked on in this course. I also plan on making activities and scaffolding that will give the learners an opportunity to practice and apply the objectives that are outlined for the course content. I know that it wouldn't be possible without the resources that I have gained from taking part in this course. I thank you for your time and attention that has been shown in this course. 

References: Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). The future of distance education [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu http://www.hbcudigest.com/articles/0215/dillard-introduces-blended-degree-program-for-registerednurses.html 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