The Future of Distance Learning

My Reflection on the Future of Distance Learning

As a final blog post for EDUC 6135, I will reflect on the future of distance learning. What my perceptions are, how I may be a proponent of improving societal perceptions, and how I will be a positive force for continuous improvement in the field will be reflected upon.

My Perceptions of Distance Learning in the Future

As technology consumes our society presently, I see a major shift in the number of students acquiring online degrees vs. degrees from traditional schools. Right now there are many degrees offered through online institutions. As more and more technological tools are developed, the abilities of distance learning institutions to provide equivalent learning experiences for many more degrees will be a thing of the past. I perceive many degrees that are almost impossible to receive strictly online will be achievable in the future due to technological tools being developed that provide interactive and simulated experiences. Likewise, employers that may be hesitant to hire employees that hold online degrees today, will become more aware of the rigor and prestige of distance learning programs because of the extended experiences provided in these programs due to technology.

Improving Societal Perceptions of Distance Learning

As an instructional designer, I will work very hard to improve societal perceptions of distance learning. The biggest misconception about distance learning is that without actually sitting in a classroom with an instructor, effective learning will not take place. As a recipient of an online degree, I may improve society’s perceptions by proving that the skills I learned in a distance learning program are just as equivalent and valuable as those offered in traditional learning environments. When others see that I have acquired just as much knowledge through distance learning as I would have in a face-to-face learning environment their perceptions will change. My ability to apply theory in designing effective instructional solutions will prove that although the method of delivering and receiving content are different in an online learning environment, the specific knowledge and skills needed are effectively obtained.

Continuous Improvement in Distance Education

As an instructional designer, it will be important to stay abreast with the latest news and information about tools that may be used to enhance distance education. It will be pertinent to know what they are, how they work, and how they may be used in distance education. To see continuous improvement, it will also be critical to assess what knowledge concepts and skills are being taught in traditional learning environments. Knowing what is being taught is critical in order to provide equivalent learning experiences in distance learning environments. Likewise, to be a positive force in the improvement of distance education, I will have to design and push others to design distance education courses that not only teach the valuable content that is taught in traditional learning environments, but courses that are also interactive and engaging.

Final Thoughts

Distance learning is here to stay. As more people become comfortable with using technology, and desire to acquire higher educational degrees while maintaining jobs, family, and other obligations, distance learning institutions will take front stage, as more traditional learning institutions become obsolete. As an instructional designer, and former distance learner, I am excited about the possibilities of distance education.

A7 UsryR

A7 UsryR

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This presentation is a best practices guide written for a training manager that is in the process of converting face-to-face training sessions into a distance learning format. Questions and considerations pertaining to the Dick and Carey Instructional Design Model are addressed.

The Impact of Open Source

This blog is my review of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Open Course. I explored an MIT OpenCourseWare entitled “6.002 Circuits and Electronics. This course was offered in the spring of 2007. This site may be found at http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-002-circuits-and-electronics-spring-2007/index.htm. Although this course was originally planned and designed as a first course for undergraduate electrical engineering (EE) and electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) majors, its design and layout makes it easily adaptable to be offered in a distance learning environment.

When planning and designing for distance learning environments, structuring the course to be meaningful and goal oriented is very important. The course shell of this open course is very well laid out. The course home is very user friendly. Linked modules are included on the homepage that takes the learner to specific places which makes the site very intuitive to navigate. A thorough course description is noted on the course home page. The linked syllabus provides all of the pertinent information for a face-to-face classroom environment. For learners that partake in open courses, in my opinion, course objectives and learner outcomes are the most important pieces in the syllabus when making the decision to take the course. Also, course expectations are broken down into weekly readings, labs, exams, and assignments.

This open course also follows many of the recommendations for online learning listed in our textbook. One recommendation is that students have access to resources. This course provides the learners access to many resources used in this course to assist learning. The need for special software is very minimal in viewing links for this course. An e-book link is provided to allow student’s access to the course’s reading assignments referred to in the required textbook. PDF files are linked into the assignments, exams, and labs modules. Another recommendation for online learning is the use of different media. This course uses media such as e-books and video lectures. A third recommendation for online learning is a clear indication of equipment requirements. In this course, learners are made aware of the required textbook in the syllabus, and technical requirements are indicated on the course homepage.

The designer of this course implemented engaging, learning activities, whether in a face-to-face learning environment or in a distance learning environment. To explore circuits and electronics, the designer includes a link to a web-based laboratory. The laboratory, WebSim, is a very critical piece for an open course of this caliber. It allows the learners to experiment with circuits as explored in the course. These simulated lab experiences provide opportunities for learners to get as close to hands-on experiences, as possible, in a distance learning environment, while building intuition and having fun. Likewise, a link is provided for learners to join a study group to collaborate with other students around the world that are studying the course. Collaboration is a key component in distance learning because it provides extending learning experiences.

MIT OpenCourseWare, although not originally designed for distance learning environments, is planned and designed in a way that makes it easily adaptable for a distance learner. Its course layout is very user friendly. Navigation is very intuitive. Course objectives and learner outcomes are very clear. Expectations (readings, labs, assignments, exams) are broken down into sections, and each section is broken down into weekly expectations. Resources are linked into the assignments, which saves the learner’s time in locating specific resources. Finally, the designer has implemented some very engaging, learning activities in the labs, the web-based laboratory, and the link to a study group.