Some Final Thoughts on the Future of Distance Education

          As I sit here at my computer and contemplate my assignment to consider the future of distance education, I can't help but think of my grandmother.  My sister and I are the fourth generation of teachers in our family.  Our grandmother was a teacher for thirty years, and easily had the greatest influence on both of us deciding to become educators.  Truth be told as I would go to my grandma's classroom and help her decorate or clean, or whatever she needed, I really couldn't imagine myself being anything else.  I loved her classroom, and I wanted one just like hers.  My grandmother's very first teaching job was in a one-room schoolhouse that served the farm kids of southern Michigan.  She was teacher, custodian, woodchopper, school nurse, and principal.  For her, distance education meant the number of miles students would walk in order to get to school.  I often wonder what she would think of education today.  What would her thoughts be on the subject of distance education and its future? 

            I had an excellent opportunity this week to explore the question of the future of distance education with some of my fellow teachers, and when I reflect on that conversation, I realize though distance education has a bright future, there is much that will need to change in terms of perceptions as to its validity, improvement in design, and implementation that can reach into every level of education. 

            Distance education is not a new concept.  There has been some form of distance education for well over a century (Tracey, & Richey, 2005).  However, distance education has seen incredible growth over the past several years due to advances in technology (Tracey, & Richey, 2005).  These advances in technology have led to greater awareness and acceptance of degrees and achievements gained because of distance learning.  Reasons beyond awareness for this greater acceptance include, a greater number of people having experiences with distance education (Siemens, n.d.), greater practical experience with technology commonly used in the practice of distance education (Siemens, n.d.), expanded ideas of how people can interact and increase discourse using advanced technology (Siemens, n.d.), and a greater understanding in the private sector as to the cost benefits of increasing communication world-wide without having to increase travel budgets (Siemens, n.d.).  As technology continues to quickly advance, it would be practical to think distance education will gain even more acceptance in the very near future, and may one day be thought of with equal reverence as traditional face-to-face education. 

            There are those who feel distance education can never be as effective as a traditional face-to-face learning environment.  Opponents of distance education point to studies that show high incompletion rates in distance education (Larson, 2011).  Others point to qualitative data that documents student dissatisfaction with distance education due to a lack of interaction with instructors and fellow classmates (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012).  Granted, there is much in distance education that is still a work in progress.  For instance, distance education is seen by some as a cure all for every ill in education.  Unfortunately, those who make policy in education are implementing programs in distance education without really understanding the theory behind sound distance learning practice (Huett, Moller, Foshay, & Coleman, 2008). 

            With colleges and universities racing to become a part of the trend toward distance education, some have taken short cuts when it comes to developing their distance programs (Moller, Foshay, Huett, 2008).  They have relied on faculty and staff to use a craft approach to developing distance programs (Moller, et al, 2008).  Unfortunately, this craft approach lacks effective application of distance theory (Moller, et al, 2008).  If distance education is to reach its full potential, it must be designed by those with a strong knowledge base in distance learning theory and instructional design for distance education in combination with subject matter experts.  The role of the instructional designer in the acceptance of distance education cannot be overlooked.  Distance education that is created with the principles of systematic well planned design, implementation and evaluation will be the difference in the success of online education.  It will be instructional designers who help subject matter experts and instructors make better decisions about content and delivery methods (Simonson, et al, 2012).  With better practices in place, learner satisfaction and outcomes from distance education will improve.

            As distance education continues to grow, it would seem that its potential and impact on education will be immense (Beldarrain, 2006).  The emergence of new technologies coupled with growing positive perceptions will bring about disruptive change in education (Grush, 2012).  As an instructional designer in distance education, it will be my job to ensure the change is brought about in ways that will ensure best practices.  The result of this theory driven systematic approach to design will be positive, effective distance learning experiences for instructors and learners.  

           

References

Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster

            student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2) 139-153.

Grush, M. (2010, May 26). Josh Baron on education technology and disruptive change.

            Retrieved from http://campustechnology.com/Articles/2010/05/26/Josh-Baron-on-

            Education-Technology-and-Disruptive-Change.aspx?Page=1.

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman. (2008).  The evolution of distance education:

            Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3:K12). Tech

            Trends, 52(5), 63-67.

Moller, L., Fshay, W., & Guett, J. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications

            for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 2: Higher Education). Tech

            Trends 52(4), 66-70.

Siemens, G. (Writer) (n.d.) The future of distance education [Web]. Retrieved from http://

          sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=6493362&Survey=1&47=

          8884161&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: 

          Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Tracey, M., Richey, R. (2005).  The evolution of distance education. Distance Learning 2(6),

          17-21

Hey all,
Well here is is at last my week seven application assignment.  It's been quite a day.  I'm pretty sure I am having my Friday the 13th on Sunday the 15th instead.  Anyway enough about me.  The assignment for this application is a best practice guide for an instructor who wants to convert a classroom course into a blended classroom/online course.  My focus for this assignment was to establish which theory to use as a foundation (Holberg's theory of Interaction and Communication, 1995), then move on to key considerations for pre-planning a move to a blended learnening environment.  The considerations included contextual, learner, and instructor considerations.  The guide concluded with a recommendation for the instructor of the course to work closely with an instructional designer to insure the best possible design result.

The link to the pdf can be found below

http://www.mediafire.com/view/?0ekr6u6ggxflx8h

Open for Business

While watching one of my programs the other night, a commercial came on touting the slogan that "free was better".  I think it was a commercial for some sort of tax software, or tax preparation service.  To be honest I am not entirely sure what the product was, because I was busy thinking, "yes, free is better".  So with this slogan in my head, I started thinking about this slogan and how it relates to instructional design and the concept of open source software and open courseware for distance learning.  I know that seems like a pretty big jump. Free tax software to open courseware for distance learning, but that is just the way my mind works these days.  So let's dig in to the impact of open courseware on distance learning. 

Let's start with a discussion of the differences between open source software, and open courseware.  Open source software is software that is freely shared (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012).  The code for the software is made available, and can be used by anyone.  There are some licensing restrictions, and some costs associated with open source software, but there are also ways in which the software is available for free (Simonson et al, 2012).   Some examples of open source software include Moodle™ which is an example of an open source learning management system (Simonson et al, 2012), OpenOffice™ which is an open source suite for word processing, presentations, graphing etc ("Why openoffice.org", n.d."), and Google Chrome© which is an open source web browser ("Why use google", n.d. ).  Open courseware is different from open source software.  The authors of "Open Courseware vs. Open Source Software-A Critical Comparison" (2002) define open source software as being "a computer program for a specific purpose" (Baldi, Heier, & Stanzick, 2002, pg. 1379).  They go on to define open courseware as "teaching knowledge both in content and structure" (Baldi, et al, 2002, pg. 1379).  Some examples of open courseware are the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Open Course, the Open Yale courses, and Open Culture© which is a web site that features collections of open courseware ("Open course websites", n.d. ). 

All right, now that we have a clearer picture of open courseware, let's look at a particular open course and look at the role instructional design has played in creating and implementing the course.  This will be done by answering a series of questions in relation to a course found on the Open Culture© web page.  The course in question is "Darwin's Legacy" which is a lecture series through Stanford University and can be found at http://youtu.be/fysSblKjjvA.  The course is a ten part lecture series that highlights Charles Darwin, his work, discoveries, writings, and the impact of his ideas on the evolution of the human brain ("Darwin's legacy," 2008). 

Does the course appear to be carefully pre-planned and designed for a distance learning environment? How so?
The course on "Darwin's Legacy" does not appear to be carefully pre-planned for the distance-learning environment.  The lecture series presents course goals, a syllabus, a schedule of extra events, and a list of speakers throughout the series.  Though these pieces show evidence of planning for the course (Morrison, Ross, Kalman, & Kemp 2011), they are only available to the learners who are present in the lecture hall for the series.  They are not available to the distance learner.  This is a sign the lecture series was not planned with the distance learner in mind. 

Does the course follow the recommendations for online instruction as listed in your course textbook?
If we look at the course text, and compare this lecture series with the recommendations for online instruction provided in the text, it is easy to see this course does not follow those recommendations.  The authors of Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education (2012), recommend that lecture courses be "re-tooled" (Simonson, et al, 2012 pg. 153) for online delivery.  This course is not re-tooled, it is simply recorded and uploaded to YouTube® and iTunes® in order to be viewed or heard by the public.  This brings us to another recommendation by the authors, which is to avoid the practice of "shovelware" (Simonson, et al, 2012, pg. 134) where classroom content is directly placed on the web.  This Darwin course is very much an example of this practice.  The Darwin course also does not follow recommendations for course organization in terms of requirements, assessments or outcomes for the distance learner (Simonson, et al, 2012).  The course does follow recommendations when it comes to using the power of the web (Simonson, et al, 2012).  Though the lecture series does not use web 2.0 technologies to its full potential, by posting the lecture series on YouTube®, thousands can access the content. 

Did the course designer implement course activities that maximize active learning for the students?
The answer to this question is straightforward.  The short answer is no, the designer did not implement course activities that maximize active learning for the students.  However, there is no evidence that any sort of design went into this course in terms of distance learning.  What we do have evidence of in the paragraphs above is a fascinating lecture series presented by Stanford University.  A lecture series about a topic that has fascinated and divided people for one hundred and fifty years.  This is a series Stanford wanted to share with the public and did so by making the series open and available using web 2.0 technologies.  It is a very interesting series, but for the distance learner, there is no evidence of active learning.  The learning is instructor directed lecture with no opportunity for the distance learner to interact with the students in the classroom or the instructors.  It is possible a distance learner could contact one of the presenters via email, but there is nothing in the lecture that specifies this option ("Darwin's legacy," 2008). 

In recent years, open courseware has taken distance learning by storm.  The open course on "Darwin's Legacy" is one type of open course.  In this case, the course content is made available, but little effort is made to make the distance learners more than viewers of the content.  In recent years, open courseware has shown a shift in this paradigm.  One of the most renown open courses, and one that is changing the face of open courseware was presented by Stanford professor Sebastian Thrun, and Google® executive Peter Norvig.  (Kolowich, 2011).  This course does show greater evidence of design intended to make distance learners active participants.  In their series of computer science open courses, students not only can see the lectures, but they can complete homework, take quizzes, and take part in virtual office hours (Kolowich, 2011).  In addition, they can receive credit (though not endorsed by Stanford) for the course without having to pay Stanford tuition.  It is difficult to know at this time what open courseware such as the type offered by Thrun and Norvig will have on higher education.  There are those who feel this could greatly affect how institutions of higher learning do business (Kolowich, 2011).  Others feel the impact on institutions will be minimal for the time being (Kolowich, 2011).  It would seem though that open courses that are designed to engage and connect distance learners stand to have significant impact for learners who previously might have been prohibited from these higher education classes.
References

Baldi, Stefan; Heier, Hauke; and Stanzick, Fabian, "Open Courseware vs. Open Source Software - A         Critical Comparison" (2002). ECIS 2002 Proceedings. Paper 1375- 1383http://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2002/146

Darwin's legacy [Web]. (2008). Retrieved from http://youtu.be/fysSblKjjvA

Kolowich, S. (2011, December 13). Open courseware 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/12/13/stanfords-open-courses-raise-questions-  about-true-value-elite-education

Morrison, G. R., Ross, S. M., Kalman, H. K., & Kemp, J. E. (2011). Designing effective instruction (6th ed.).
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Open course websites. (n.d.). Retrieved from     http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=6493362&Survey=1&47=888416           1&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.
Why openoffice.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.openoffice.org/why/

Why use google chrome?. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/more/index.html

I Might Be Having an Art Attack!

     For this week's post, we have been asked to choose one of three scenarios, and reflect how best to manage the design aspect of the scenario through the use of technology. The scenario I chose deals with creating a distance learning experience via an interactive art museum. The scenario is given below.

     A high school history 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 artwork 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 provide the best learning experience for her students?

     I chose this scenario from the three presented because it applies well to my background in K-12 education. I can also relate to the teacher who is still a novice with web 2.0 technologies, and to the designer who is being asked to supply a design plan that will be a dynamic engaging experience for the students as well as a valuable and manageable learning experience for the teacher.

     When I started this assignment, I was not entirely sure how to approach the methodology. In my research, I found some really interesting resources available online that would work great in a module suitable for this topic. For instance, the Museum of Fine art in Boston http://www.mfa.org/explore has a great interactive museum web site that allows the user to tour the museum and interact in limited fashion with the artwork (Museum of Fine Art Boston, n.d.). I also found Google's art Gallery http://www.googleartproject.com. The Google Art Gallery is an extremely impressive site. It features links to twenty museums from around the world. It is a virtual museum that allows the user to tour the museum by using Google's Street View (Art Project, n.d.). When one chooses a particular piece of art, they can click on information provided with the picture. It truly is an amazing site. My first thought was to reply to this scenario using the Google Art Gallery technology as my starting point. However as I thought about it, I decided to take a different approach. Here is a piece of my reasoning. Though I really love the Google Art Gallery, the scenario mentions an interactive piece with the curators. Though Art Gallery does offer videos with the curators, I thought it might be interesting to get a more personal view from them. I feel like the students being able to interact with the curators would give the students a more real world feel to the assignment. Though it will take more work on my part as the designer, it could be an experience the students can apply to other learning situations (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012).

     As the designer of this project, I would need to begin by sitting down with the teacher and getting to know her and her students. This is an instance where I as the designer can get a really good feel for the type of learners I will be working with. This is critical in forming a learner analysis for the module (Morrison, Ross, Kalman, & Kemp, 2011). The next step is going to be to assess the technology that is available to both teacher and students (Simonson, et al, 2012). Followed by a discussion of leaning outcomes and any information I can get from the teacher about both teacher and student experience with technology (Simonson, et al, 2012).

     Ideally (and this may be a stretch, obviously there would be a lot of homework to do regarding the cooperation of the curators and the museum), the design would look something like this. After the teacher and students contact the two museums for the focus of the assignment, and a few of the curators agree to take part in the activity. The curators would take raw video footage of the new exhibits. In these videos, the curators would narrate about their favorite parts of the exhibit, provide information on the artwork, and any tidbits of information not readily available to the public. The videos would be short, ten to fifteen minutes maximum. The raw footage would then come back to the designer, and using technology such as Movie Maker I would edit the videos so they could be posted to the teacher web page. Students could then choose which exhibits they would like to view. The reason I like this process better than using a tool like Art Gallery is that it gives the students a view of the exhibit through the eyes of the curator. The next piece of the assignment is the collaborative piece the teacher wanted. The teacher wanted the students to be able to critique pieces from the exhibits. I this case I would set up a wiki with those pictures as well as information on the picture, artist, museum, etc. The students could choose which pictures to critique and post those to the wikis. Students could then respond to those critiques via the wiki. A final piece that might be fun would be to have a web cast with one or more of the curators so students could interview the curators and get their thoughts on the pieces chosen for the wiki. This last piece would take some logistical work, but it could add some wonderful enrichment to the activity.

     Here is some of the rationale I used in deciding on these particular technologies. Like I said before, using video that is enhanced with the narration of the curators gives the students a bird's eye view from the lens of those closest to the exhibits. This type of authentic experience is very difficult to recreate (Simonson, et al, 2012) in an online virtual tour. The use of a wiki seemed like a great way to get students to collaborate (Simonson, et al, 2012), while addressing writing standards that are often required by school districts as well as state governments. I also like the wiki format because students who are often not comfortable speaking in class have a forum to express themselves in a way that feels safer for them. Another advantage to using the wiki is when having students use this technology, you are asking them to take some initiative in their learning experience. This initiative is a way to build autonomy in the learners, which will be necessary as the learners advance in their education (Simonson, & Saba, n.d.). I found  a short video that shows how wiki's can be used to augment classroom instruction.  Click the following link to view the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pR5yogCmkA (Richardson, n.d.). The final piece of technology, the web cast is a great way to get direct interaction between the students and the curators. This interaction allows the separation between the curator and the students to be greatly reduced by allowing two-way communication (Simonson, et al, 2012).  For an example of how a classroom teacher used this technology to connect his class with a nanotechnology expert, click on the following blog link.  http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2007/02/interview-with-nanotechnology-expert.html (Davis, 2007).

     Ultimately, there could be many ways to create a module based on the given scenario. I feel like the methods suggested here could create a great distance learning experience for the students while introducing the teacher to some of the technologies available that can narrow the distance in a learning community.

References

Art project by Google. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.googleartproject.com/

Davis, V. (2007), February 12). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2007/02/interview-with-nanotechnology-expert.html

Museum of fine arts Boston: Explore online. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mfa.org/explore

Morrison, G.R., Ros, S.M., Kalman, H.K., & Kemp, J.E. (20110.  Designing effective instruction. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley, & Sons, Inc.

Richardson, W. (Writer) (n.d.) Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for the classroom [DVD].  Available from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pR5yogCmkA

Simonson, M. (Writer), & Saba, F. (Writer) (n.d.). Theory and distance learning [Web]. Retrieved from          http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=6493362&Survey=1&47=888416 1&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

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

An Evolving Definition of Distance Learning

Distance Learning Mind Map

                

     When I was a little girl, I loved Saturday afternoons.  Saturday afternoons meant several things depending on the time of year.  In the spring, summer, and fall it meant endless hours (or what felt like endless hours) in the fields near my home, playing kickball, or hide and seek, or baseball, or football.  However, in the winter, it meant something else.  With the snow falling, the wind blowing, and the temperatures well below zero, Saturday afternoons meant indoor time.  Saturday afternoons meant my sister, mom, myself, and Julia Childs. 

      In this week's application prompt we have been asked to give our initial definition of distance education, and then create a new definition based on what we have learned about its evolution using this week's resources.  As this class began last week the only definition that came to mind concerning distance learning, was higher-level online education.  I suppose this is because I have been so deeply immersed in online education for the past year, that I could not expand my paradigm to include anything else.  However, when I took some time to reflect on my experiences with distance learning, I realized that my childhood was filled with distance learning experiences.  I did not realize it at the time, but my first distance learning experiences were those Saturday afternoons filled with the melodic voice of Julia Childs, my mom, her handy yellow legal pad and the PBS station out of Kalamazoo, Michigan.

     By definition, the education I was receiving on those Saturday afternoons cannot be considered distance learning.  Distance learning is defined as "institution-based, formal education where the learning group is separated and where interactive telecommunications systems are used to connect learners, resources and instructors."  (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012, p. 32).  This definition can be expanded to include that the separation of learner and instructor includes geography, time, and intellect.  (Simonson, n.d).  Though Ms. Childs was educating me on the finer points of cooking (and eating), nothing in that education could be considered institution-based or formal.

     What is interesting about the definition of distance learning is that it is continuously changing.  The definition given in the previous paragraph is well suited to today's education ideas and available technologies.  However, the definition of distance learning was very different in the past, and will evolve again in the future.  The history of distance learning stretches as far back as two centuries.  Early in its history, distance learning was defined by the written word and the ability to deliver that writing.  Correspondence courses in countries such as Sweden, England and France in the mid 19th century opened the doors of education for many who would otherwise not have educational opportunities (Tracey, & Richey, 2005). These correspondence type courses made their way to the United States in the later part of the 19th century at the University of Chicago, and gained acceptance throughout the country as a viable form of education (Tracey, & Richey, 2005).  This method of distance learning remained steady throughout the 20th century, but began to evolve with the advent of technologies such as the radio, and then again with the invention and wide distribution of television. 

     When considering a definition of distance learning, one cannot omit the importance of technology in the evolution of the definition.  With the emergence of each new technology, there has been a corresponding change in the number of people who can access this learning, as well as changes in learning theory as it applies to distance teaching and learning (Simonson, et, al, 2012). Presently, computer-supported online learning is growing faster than any other type of distance learning (Tracey, & Richey, 2005).  This is not surprising when one considers the combination of Web 2.0 and a wide variety of high-powered portable devices available to run this technology.  However, it is not the technology alone that has changed the scope of distance learning.  A student population that needs a broader range of education options (Simonson, et al, 2012), is tech savvy and able to evolve with the technology has helped foster the current evolution in the definition of distance learning. 

     When I think about the future of distance learning, many visions of expansion come to mind.  The first is how current economic times will contribute to the increasing demand for online distance education.  In the past, many workers could depend on a single steady job they would keep until it came time to retire.  This option is quickly disappearing from the landscape.  As a result an increasing number of workers will need to re-train or re-educate themselves in a way that works with a busy schedule.  A second vision deals with the expansion of higher education institutions that will increase the scope and depth of distance learning because of the potential financial benefits that could come about by making their programming accessible to more students (Tracey, & Richey, 2005).   A third vision deals with the implementation of distance learning into K-12 education.  As more school districts struggle with increasing costs and decreasing budgets, many schools may start to turn to distance learning as a way to alleviate costs due to facilities and transportation.  The challenge for K-12 educators will be to find ways to offer distance learning that can foster important skills and relationships between learners, and educators that will offer meaningful collaboration,  as a way to keep novice learners motivated and interested (Huett, Moller, Foshay, & Coleman, 2008). 

     In the end, I started this class with one definition of distance learning.  My narrow view of distance learning based on my own experience.  I can now expand that definition to include the definition provided in this week's resources.  A definition that expands the scope to include formal, institution based, technology driven education where teachers and students are separated by time, space and knowledge (Simonton, et, al, 2012).  What will be fun to watch over the next years will be to see how this definition will evolve again.  What technologies will emerge, and which human needs and ideas will change this definition?  All I know are the chances of the definition of distance learning evolving again are excellent.  For me, I am really hoping that whoever creates the new definition of distance learning will find a way to include the excellent lessons of Julia Child.

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: Training and development). Tech Trends, 52(5), 63-67.

Simonson, M. (Writer) (n.d.) Distance Education: The next generation[Web] Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=6493362&Survey=1&478884161&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1.

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

Tracey, M., & Richey, R. (2005). The evolution of distance education. Distance Learning, 2(6), 17-21

It's Monday! Time for a Whole New Class!

Hello EDUC 6135 classmates!  Well here we go again.  Good luck everyone, and happy learning (Distance Learning that is.)  :)

Some Final Thoughts!

Course Reflection

Genise Brothers

EDUC 6115

            When one is young, it is easy to believe that adulthood is a destination in which the gates will fly wide open, and those who enter will no longer be subjected to the rituals and routines that take place in school.  However, as one reaches adulthood and the end of their formal education, what is realized is that education though no longer formal never really stops.  Learning is a lifelong endeavor.  What changes for the student as they grow older is their awareness of learning and what drives them to learn.

            For the author, this class has been a revelation.  Though familiar with learning theory, styles, and strategies, this class did bring some surprises.  What has been most surprising is the idea of connectivism, the learning theory in which knowledge is tied to the size and quality of the learner's network of information. (Davis, Edmunds, & Kelley-Bateman, 2008).  What is surprising is with technology and social networking how large one's personal network can become.  Even those who do not consider themselves technologically savvy still have a vaster network than they realize.  It has the potential to revolutionize learning.

            The learning process is different for every person.  For the author, this class has deepened knowledge of the learning process by breaking down the specifics of brain function, learning theory, multiple intelligences, learning styles, strategies and motivation.  There has been an awareness of learning created that was not present prior to this course. 

            The connection between learning theory, learning styles, educational technology and motivation is they are all part of the mix that creates learning.  Each plays a role in educating the individual, and each individual has their own way of assimilating this mix in a way that is most productive for them.  The key for the designer is to have an understanding of this mix in order to help create curriculum that can be effective for every type of learner regardless of age, learning preference, or experience with technology.

            Instructional design is a field that covers a lot go ground.  It can be used in both the academic and business worlds and covers the education of all types of learners.   It must encompass learning theories, learning styles, strategies, and intelligences.  Along with the learning itself, an instructional designer must also take into account the technological abilities and motivation of those in which they will be designing curriculum.  A class such as Learning Theory and Instruction will aid the designer by not only addressing the ideas of learning, but also introducing the designer to new technologies and ideas provided by the instructor and fellow classmates.

References

Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008).  Connectivism.  Emerging perspectives on    learning, teaching, and technology.  Retrieved from        http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism