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

The Impact of Open Source Courses: Harvard Open Courses: Open Learning Initiative www.extension.harvard.edu/open-learning/initiative This site is an example of a well-planned open course. The website gives assignment details and expectations. The site gives users access to course websites and the syllabus for the course. The course also gives many options for learning in the form of Web Conference for Synchronous learners and Video Conferencing for Asynchronous learning. These courses are definitely designed for a distance learning environment. The learner is given several choices for distance learning, Online-Only courses and Online Option in on-campus. The Online Only option consists of video-taped lectures online that the student can watch at any time. The Online Option in on campus courses features the option to watch the lecture in person at any time or attend the lecture on campus during the class time. In the on-line course demo, pictured below, you can see the professor lecturing to the left and the instructors power point presentation was to the right of the screen. This approach gives the learner a visual and a audio to help in their understanding of the content. Image This approach also gives the learner the chance to stop and start at a particular point. The sections of the lecture are synchronized with the slides and can be accessed easily. The courses on this site, I believe are following the recommendations of for online instruction as listed in the course textbook. The course does follow the recommendations of the textbook that highlight the important aspects of the planning process for distance learning. In the textbook, these aspects are highlighted by Dick, Carey & Carey, 2009 as the learners, the content, methods and materials used, as well as the technology (Simonson, 2012). The learners, who are clearly students at Harvard are given opportunities to access the course and opportunities to access help from the instructor. The learners are given access to the content of the course through the syllabus as well as access to course evaluations from past students. The methods for accessing the course lectures are through Online only course or Online option in on-campus, everything else is accessible on the web site. Other materials are easily accessible on the site as well. As far as the course designer, I believe that they did not implement course activities that maximize active learning for the students. The courses that I saw consisted of activities such as papers, no activities that are interactive were listed. There should be an honorable mention for the MIT Open Course Site page. There are clear expectations presented for paper requirements along with examples of acceptable forms in pdf. downloads.The course website presents the learner with access to readings in the form of a link to Amazon.com to purchase the textbooks. The learner is given links to resources Writing services and examples of acceptable submissions. A scoring rubric is also given to the learner as well for guidelines. The topics for the course are given in table format with readings and assignments.

Asynchronous Safety Training

Example #3 Asynchronous Safety Training 

The learning objective for this module is to train the employees on how to safely operate the pieces of heavy machinery on the plant floor. Since the training has to be accessible to the entire staff, regardless of their shift, asynchronous training with the use of an Web 2.0 tool like Matrix, formerly edu2.0.org from this weeks resources. The Matrix (LMS) will serve as a way to receive presentations, resources, assessments, and scores. Once the learner is given the username and passcodes they are free to move about the training course on safety.  

The beginning for the model would be titled The Introduction: Safety, what does it look like when operating the pieces of heavy machinery.The introduction would inform and question the learner during instruction whether or not if their current technique was safe. I would also include the information on what the state standards for safety were. There would be a link under the web resources, on the Matrix (LMS) that sends the employee to the states website on safety guidelines. It would also have a link for the Poison and Control Centers. On the Survey section under Assessments I would give the employees a quick 3 question survey. This would be another way to understand the barriers from safety in the plant and allow guidance for future instruction or evaluation. I would ask is my current procedure safe enough, what concerns are there currently about safety conditions, and what would they like to improve on for their safety techniques they currently practice. 

The next module would be titled Module #2: The Safety Zones. The goal of this module is to inform the learner of the areas that are assigned in the plant and can find safety supplies.There will be pictures and maps showing the Safety zone areas mentioned with the use of  media graphics. In the resources area of the module, there will also be quick 4-5 minute movie content on the Safety Process showing employees practicing these techniques. The movie will consist with the Segmenting Principle instruction that shows employees displaying the safety precautions, then pauses with audio that verbalizes and highlights what was seen in the movie. In the Matrix (LMS), the employees also have a choice in whether to use the course wiki, blog, discussion board or chat to discuss and get feedback from their coworkers on their thoughts of the areas that they considered to be safety zones or what areas they think should not be considered as safety zones 

Then the third module would be titled Displaying Safety Procedures. This module would include the present actual workers practicing the safety procedures that were displayed in the module #2 short film. As a way to keep employees engaged in the training process, per the management, and demonstrating the safety techniques that were covered in this training. This module would include information on how to obtain  free giftcards for practicing safety in a "Show Safety" campaign at the plant. The winner of the $50 giftcards show level one safety practices, then level 2 practices get $100 gift cards and so on. The winners would be awarded at the once a month Shift meetings held in the break room, with the winners picture on the employee info wall. Also for each module that is taken and completed by an employee by the due date will be entered in the drawing for a $500 giftcard. Hopefully this works!  

Defining Distance Learning

                      The advancements in technology are the main factor for driving changes to the definition of Distance Learning. In the beginning, Correspondence Study was the term being used to describe methods for learning from afar, which were also based on the technology available for delivering instruction. Another factor that drives the change of the definition for distance learning are the same in any industry which is time. Time drives development of new technology and the need to disperse information quickly. My personal definition for distance learning before reviewing the resources for this week was "learning that can take place from any location through correspondence of a teacher and a student".

                      My personal observations of distance learning come from being a student and as an instructor. As a student first at Northcentral University and then here at Walden working towards a Master's Degree in Education I have experience the student side of distance learning. Then working as an online instructor for grades K-6, I have experienced the role of instructor in online learning as well. I have relied on the usage of web-based technology in both positions and I have realized that geography and time are surpassed by the advancements in technology. Throughout history, due to influences like industrialization and societal changes, the methods for delivering instruction have been evolving. I can attest that when teaching I use a different web 2.0 learning environment, which is considered "same time, different place education (ST-DP) (p.9,Simonson et. al., 2012).

                    The revised definition of distance learning that I have come up with has become " the process of teaching and learning through correspondence between the instructor and the learner in different times and places, through a combination of interactions". My previous definition doesn't acknowledge the many forms of distance learning environments that are possible to apply to the definition of distance learning. I can appreciate the many benefits of an asynchronous learning environment, such as that of Walden University, which may be considered "different-time, different -place education (DT-DP)",(p.9,Simonson et. al., 2012).

                    My previous thoughts were that only through the use of web-based learning was communication made, but it has been revealed that it comes in many forms. In the earliest history of distance learning the method for correspondence between the instructor and learner was mail. In recent times there are several methods such as the internet through web-based learning, satellite compressed video recorded in real time, and blended/hybrid classes that allow for a dual learning experience that mixes both distance and a face-face experience. Due to the innovations in distance learning there have been benefits in the field of training and development as well, "e-learning is instantly available, providing timely on-demand learning access impossible in a training center" (Moller et. al, 2008). So it appears as though the innovations of distance learning will flow over into the training and developmenSimonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson. Chapter 2, "Definitions, History, and Theories of Distance Education" (pp. 32–41 only)t arena as well.
                   
                    A vision for the future of distance learning that I would conceive would be centered around the possibilities for projections of 3-Dimensional visuals, like holograms, to accompany recording of the voice. I think that it would be another form of presenting information to help instructors to have more control of engaging students when presenting visual information from a distance. Holograms have been used in several theatrical performances. Frequently the importance has been placed on what's considered accessible to all learners and with the importance that has been placed on HD "High Definition" televisions tells us that people are interested in seeing the full picture. Learning has been attempted in many forms to achieve the goal of transferring information that needs to be distributed faster through paper correspondence, over radios, over televisions, through compressed satellite video and maybe through holograms next!

                   In the future, I hope that the challenge in defining distance learning is that it is an ongoing progression of technology that challenges a permanent definition. The It would be like trying to build a cage for a baby lion when you know that it will grow. All you can do is give it space to grow and hope for a positive outcome for the challenge. So giving a precise term for distance learning is ongoing and so is the process of learning.

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. 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.

Mindmap

http://prezi.com/s46pvgntcboo/present/?auth_key=gl5u7as&follow=7kn7s0kotpmb

Distance Learning Today

      I am amazed to find out about the history of Distance Learning and where it's headed to in the future. The reality is that distance learning has been around for more than a hundred years, even though it may seem new to many. The concept was first realized in Europe for the wealthy and later the concept was brought to the United States. The 1st school of distance learning, The Society to Encourage Studies at Home, was started in 1873 by Anna Ticknor for young women. The school was only in existence for 24 years, but " it served 7,086 students and had over 200 correspondent teachers" (Wikipedia, 2015) it was the first prototype for the future of Distance Learning. This serves as a model  for the future of education and technology would be successful in the future. I can't wait to see what other methods of learning  and instruction can be given to learners and teachers when there is distance and time zones! Please leave any thoughts that you may have about Distance Learning!!

Looking Back Over the Course

Now that I have a deeper understanding of the different learning theories and learning styles, MY view on how I learn has changed quite a bit. Before I thought that I was a traditional learner that could adapt to taking the notes and listening to the lecture, type of learner. I have realized that I am a visual learner that does better with seeing the vision of information that I am trying to retain. I also believe in the role of evoking my other interests such as Music, Media, and past experiences when learning. I also think that with today’s technology visual learners, such as myself have a better chance for learning more.

What I have learned about the various learning theories and learning styles over the past weeks that can further explain my own personal learning preferences is that I am a believer in the Constructivist theory about learning. I believe that my learning has come from the Social Culture that I have been introduced to since childhood, which consists also of a music influence. I also have come to believe that people can relate and react to situations that are relative to their experiences in life. I plan on drawing from peoples experiences in life to engage them in learning.

The role that technology plays in my learning is a big one. Anytime I search for information it is with the internet using the Google or Bing search engines as a way to search for the most current information. If I need to create a presentation it is done with a power point presentation using online visual resources. After learning about the Mobile, Geo, and personal web tools I see myself integrating them more into my present instruction and later into my instructional design career.