Week 7 Reflection

In reflecting on the success of the post activity I created for this week's assignment, I have a tough time knowing if this was a good activity or not. Based on the requirements of the activity I am not sure if the responses were posted because my questions were engaging, or if it is because responses were required. It would be interesting in the future to see if responses could be optional. That way one might have a better idea of the motivation in the responses.

Constructing Quality Questions for Discussion

                In an online learning environment, the online discussion forum is often considered the heart of the learning community (Boettcher, & Conrad, 2010).  It is in the discussion forum that learners are able to connect with course material through their own synthesis of resources alongside the analysis of their classmates (Oosterhof, Conrad, & Ely, 2008).  It is also a place where learners can reflect on their own experiences and apply them to the content throughout a course (Boettcher, & Conrad, 2010).  A final important aspect of online education is the collaboration that can be created as part of the discussion forum.  The discussion forum is often an online learner's first experience in a new learning format, therefore a positive interactive experience is very important (Boettcher, & Conrad, 2010).  With these thoughts on online discussion forums in mind consider these questions.

1.  What was your most memorable experience with an online discussion forum?

2.  Describe the interaction in the forum community with the instructor and with other members of the learning community.  (In other words was the interaction driven by the instructor, or was it more leaner driven?)

3.  Was the atmosphere like in the forum?  (Was it inviting, hostile, competitive, collaborative, polite?)

4.  What did the instructor do (or did not do) that contributed the to an atmosphere of community and collaboration in the discussion forum?

5.  How were you assessed in the discussion forums?  Do think these assessments were appropriate for the type of learning that took place in the discussion forum?

By Wednesday
Use the questions above and discuss your most memorable discussion forum experience.  Focus on the atmosphere of the forums and whether the instructor and students were able to create a community of positive engagement and collaboration.  Compare your experience with the best practices of online discussions given in this week's learning resources.

By Sunday
Respond to at least two initial discussion posts of your classmates.  Compare your experience to theirs, and offer constructive comments, suggestions, or expand on their thinking.  Include references to either course materials or resources outside course materials within the responses.
It is expected that responses to initial posts will be given in a timely manner (Timely being within 1-2 days of the initial post).
It is also expected that learners will respond to those who have taken the time to read and respond to their initial posts.

Discussion Forum Scoring Rubric

This Week's Learning Resources

Reading: 
Course Text
The Online Teaching Survival Guide:  Chapter 5 Tips for Course Beginnings
Assessing Learners Online: Chapter 13 Interaction and Collaboration Online

Media:
Video:  Palloff, R., & Pratt, K. (n.d.). Assessing interaction and collaboration in online environments [Web]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=/webapps/blackboard/execute/launcher?type=Course&id=_1971563_1&url=

References

Boettcher, J., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical           pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Oosterhof, A., Conrad, R., & Ely, D. (2008). Assessing learners online. Upper Saddle River, N.J.:   Pearson Education Inc.

 

Plagiarism and Cheating

What makes a person cheat?  This is a question I asked my students a couple of days ago.  Pressure to succeed, laziness, and ignorance are most of the reasons they gave, and I think this is supported in the conversation this week held by Palloff, and Pratt (n.d.).  I, like Dr. Palloff believe that students are not inherent cheaters.  Yes, I think the culture of education fosters cheating as opposed to authentic learning and collaboration; however, I do not feel we are born cheaters. 

Plagiarism, which is the use of another's writing as one's own (Jocoy, & DiBiase, 2006).  There is speculation that plagiarism is rampant in online education.  This is not really the case; studies show that this form of cheating is about as prevalent in online as it is in face-to-face education (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).  The good news for instructors is there are tools available to help detect plagiarism in the online setting.  These tools include free options such as Google™ as well as commercial options such as Turnitin™, and Essay Verification Engine™ (Jocoy, & Dibiase, 2006).  These tools allow instructors to compare the work of their students to databases that can detect similarities (Jocoy, & Dibiase, 2006).

In regards to designing assessments and assignments that can mitigate the urge to commit academic dishonesty.  For example, Dr. Pratt (n.d.) suggests taking a closer look at the types of assignments and assessments.  He encourages instructors to create assignments and assessments that are more authentic in terms of reference material, and collaboration with others.  These authentic assessments require learners to apply what they know in a real-world situation.  It is much more difficult to practice academic dishonesty in a setting such as this (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.). 

As far as facilitation of an online class towards a climate of academic integrity, an instructor must make this a part of the planning process.  Addressing academic integrity and educating the learners on the definition of academic dishonesty is a way to help students understand the expectations in this regard. 
A final thought on academic integrity comes from the instructor establishing themselves as a trusted figure in the online learning process (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).  As I stated in the first paragraph, there are many reasons students cheat.  If the instructor is on good terms with each of their students, they can more comfortably address integrity issues that may arise.  It is important for an instructor to confront these problems.  Academic integrity is an important factor in the validity of any academic program.  A firm but professional stance in regards to academic dishonesty is essential in the protection of the academic process.

References

Jocoy, C., & DiBiase, D. (2006). Plagiarism by adult learners online: A case study in detection and remediation. International Review of Research in Open & Distance Learning, 7(1), 1-15. Retrieved from http://www.citationmachine.net/index2.php?recount=+&lastName[1]=&firstName[1]=&yearPublished=&titleArticle=&titlePeriodical=&volumeNumber=&issueNumber=&pageNumber=&doi=&url=&reqstyleid=2&mode=form&minimode=citation&help=&nameCnt=1&more=yes&reqsrcid=APAJournalArticle
Palloff, R. (Writer), & Pratt, K. (Writer) (n.d.). Plagiarism and cheating [Web]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_1375244_1%26url%3D

Impact of Technology

1.  What impact does technology and multimedia have on online learning environmentsTechnology and multimedia have a huge impact on the online learning environment.  Web 2.0 technology allow for collaboration and interactivity (Palloff, & Prat, n.d.) that supports sound distance theory (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, (2012).  It also allows a wide-variety in terms of meeting the needs of learners.  Combinations of text, audio, and video can meet the cognitive needs of a diverse learner population (Simonson, et, al, 2012).

2.  What are the most important considerations an online instructor should make before implementing technology?When implementing technology into an online program, there are some important considerations.  For example an instructor must be thoughtful in the use of technology.  The technology must be purposeful in that it will help the learners meet the goals and objectives of the course (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).  Technology cannot be implemented just because it is there (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).  Purposeful planning in how the technology can enhance engagement and community must be built into the design (Simonson, et al, 2012).

3.  What implications do usability and accessibility of technology tools have for online teaching?When considering the usability and accessibility of technology tools, one cannot assume that everyone has the connectivity needed for the use of web 2.0 technologies (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).  An instructor must needs to consider contingencies for those students who lack the necessary connectivity to interact with their classmates.  Other forms of communication (phone, and email) though not as efficient can still be used in order to create engagement for learners.

4.  What technology tools are most appealing to you for online teaching as you move forward in your career in instructional design?As I move forward in my career, I would really like to increase my knowledge in terms of designing my own tools that incorporate technology.  Our text speaks to how most online instructors and designers rely on existing tools (YouTube™, CSM's, etc.) that allow us to implement technology (Boettcher, & Conrad, 2010).  Being able to design and implement my own tools would take my thinking and skills to the next level.  Though I have enjoyed the Walden Instructional Design and Technology program, I was hoping for a little more instruction on making these tools. 

References

Boettcher, J., & Conrad, R. (2010).  The online teaching survival guide:  Simple and practical         pedagogical tips.  San Francisco, CA: Josey-Bass.

Palloff, R. (Writer), & Pratt, K. (Writer) (n.d.) Enhancing the online experience [Web].  Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsptab_tab_group_id=2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fbackboard%2Fexecute%Flauncher%Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D1375244_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.

3.....2....1....Ready to Launch!

                It seems fitting as I begin this blog, that I am watching Apollo 13.  I mean, if ever there were a film about the necessary preparation for a launch, it is this one.  This week's blog is about the launch (or the first few days) of an online course.  What are the considerations that one must consider in their design that will provide an experience that is engaging, and meaningful to the students?  Here are a few questions and answers that address the launch of an online course.

Why is it essential to communicate clear expectations to learners?

                If you do not know where you are going, how will you ever get there?  Attrition is a concerning factor in online education (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).  If learners are frustrated because expectations are vague, then they are not likely to stay with the course.  Clear expectations are especially important for those who are new to the online environment (Conrad, & Donaldson, 2011).  Clear expectations are also a reflection of a high level of planning and reflect application of distance learning theory (Smaldino, Simonson, Albright, & Zvacek, 2011). 

What is the significance of knowing the technology available to you?

                Knowing the technology available allows the instructor to be creative in ways that can create an environment that is engaging and fun.  The experts in this week's video (Palloff, and Pratt, n.d.) speak to the importance of keeping the environment from being too serious.  Multi-media tools that allow for audio and video content can enrich the environment and keep learners engaged with the instructor and with each other (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).  Technology is also a way for online learners to protect their privacy if that is their desire.  Dr. Pratt mentions using an avatar in the online setting rather than one's actual picture (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.). 

What additional considerations should the instructor take into account when setting up an online learning experience?

                There is much to consider when setting up an online course.  Besides using technology and establishing clear expectations, the instructor needs to establish themselves in the course community in a way that makes them more relatable (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).  The use of technology can help with this task.  Instructors must also take the time to get to know their students.  Something as simple as using the names of students in a post and remembering something about the students can make the difference for many (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).  Instructors must also create an environment where students understand their role in the community.  Asking good questions of students that move discussions forward and add depth to the conversations is an important job for an online instructor (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).  Finally, the online instructor must create an environment that is safe and respectful of the needs of students (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).

References

Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J.A. (2011) Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for 

     creative instruction. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Howard, R. (Director) (19950. Apollo 13 [DVD].

Palloff, R., & Pratt, K. (n.d.). Launching the online experience [Web]. Retrieved from https://class.

     waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=2_1&url=/webapps

     /blackboard/execute/launcher?type=Course&id=_1375244_1url=

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

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

Sitting alone, watching an online video about creating an online community. Hmmmmmm...........A bit ironic I think.

               The questions posed to us in this week's prompt have to do with what we learned this week about becoming a more effective online instructor.  The focus of this blog posting is a synthesis of a video about "Effective Online Communities" (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).  Ok, I am trying not to be overly critical here, but I have to admit.  I am feeling pretty grumpy about this assignment, and here is why.  To begin, based on what I have studied in the resources this week, and from the Walden distance learning course, as well as many books I have read for classroom instruction, I am being told again, and again that distance/online instruction must be engaging (Conrad & Donaldson, 2011), meaningful (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012), and community driven (Palloff, & Pratt).  Well, as I watched the video of two people talking at me for 44 minutes, it occurred to me that even though the content was meaningful (in order for me to pass this course, and further my knowledge base), it was neither engaging, or community driven.  In fact, I feel that way about pretty much every video I have ever watched in the Walden video library. 

                Now, I understand the videos have a purpose in terms of establishing a base of knowledge in order to further the discussion that will follow in the online community.  My question to the group is why as an adult learner must I be subjected to such presentations?  Just because I am an adult does not mean that I love watching content like this.  The presenters in the video spoke of the concern of attrition with online learners (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.), Dr. Pratt even went so far as to say that some types of learners will never be able to succeed in the online environment (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).  Well, when I sit down and watch some of the content presented, it is not hard for me to understand why some people walk away.  Now, some folks might say that the content is not in itself the heart of the learning community; it is the members of the community that drive the content.  Well, I am going to have to disagree with you.  In order to be a solid contributing member of the community, one must know the content, which means reading the text, as well as watching and synthesizing the video content.  This is very difficult when the content presented is often dry, and extraneous. 

                So now what?  I think this week's video presentations have brought about a completely new set of questions for me as a future online designer and instructor.  For instance, how do I sustain an online community when the content is delivered in a way that is not satisfactory to the learners?  The short answer is design new content (I have included the video I made for my orientation to eighth grade distance learners that will be working with a group of classroom students.  I think it really sums up what an online community looks like through my eyes.).  However many online instructors are facilitating courses they did not design.  Maybe the answer comes down to the shared responsibility to the entire group.  Maybe that is the whole point to the dry content.  Maybe Walden feels like if we see this type of content enough we will come together as a community and find ways to help each other get through the content and create a greater learning experience (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).  Or maybe these videos are cheap to produce and if we really want to get through the program, we will sit, watch quietly and alone and then get on with our lives.

 

References

Conrad, R. & Donaldson, J.A. (2011). Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for 

     creative instruction. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Palloff, R. (Writer), & Pratt, K. (Writer) (n.d.).  Online learning communities [Web].  Retrieved from

     https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=webaps/ 

     blackboard/execute/launcher?type=Course&id=_1375244_&url=

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

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

New State, New Job, New Course!

Hi All!

     Well here we go!  Week one of the Online Instructional Strategy course, and it's time to warm up the old blog again.  A lot has changed for me over the last couple of months, I have started a new job, moved back to MI, and am now starting another new class with Walden.  Looking forward to it, and hoping I can stay sane.  :)

Man, That's Creepy

Some Background

     In early December of 2011, an email went out to every middle school teacher in the district.  The email was a search for middle school science teachers who would be willing to serve on a district wide committee that would be responsible for choosing the new middle school science resources for the district.  The district secondary learning specialist, the math intervention-learning specialist, and the district school technology specialist would lead the committee.  The committee would be comprised of   two science teachers from each middle school. Ideally, each school would have enough teachers that an application process would take place and teachers would be selected from the application pool.  As it would turn out, only one teacher from my school volunteered to be on the committee, which still left one more person that would need to volunteer from my department.  When I proposed this to my department at our monthly meeting, there was no interest.  So being the department chair, I went ahead and volunteered to be the second representative.

Some More Background

     The expectation for teachers who are part of this committee would be several days off the floor in order to take part in committee activities.  These activities would include defining criteria of the resources to review, narrowing the resource publishers to no more than four by the end of December, review of resources and publisher presentations, and a recommendation of the chosen resource to the school board by the first week of April 2012. 

Creeping up.

     This project experienced several different forms of scope creep.  The first began after the second meeting in Mid December.  At the end of the second meeting, the teachers voted and approved a group of four publishers who would present their resources in mid January.  The scope creep occurred when our project manager informed us that two other publishers, who were not part of the original review, would be added to the presentations for review in mid January.  Because of the extra publishers, a second day of review and presentations would be necessary in order to gather needed information. 

     The second instance of scope creep occurred at the end of the second day of presentations and review.  At this time, the committee narrowed the choice down to two different publishers.  One that was technology based, and the other that took a more project based approach to science instruction.  At this time, the committee was asked by the committee leaders to pilot one group of resources or the other in order to gather data that could then be shared with the group in a meeting that would take place in early February of 2012.  This would add a considerable workload to the members of the committee, as they would need to incorporate these resources into lessons that had already been planned and designed.

     A third occurrence of scope creep took place when the committee met in February.  Despite the intention to pilot the resources, some teachers did not receive the resources from one of the publishers in a timely fashion.  As a result, a few of the committee members could not provide the feedback that was requested at the January meeting.  To go along with this, the committee leaders were informed by the head of the district learning services that the committee would need to do a full alignment comparison of each resource to the new state standards.  In the end, this alignment would mean yet another day off the floor, and would add yet more time to our timeline.  Already it was becoming obvious that we would not be able to meet the original district deadline of early April.

     Two final instances of scope creep would occur once we were finally able to complete the standards alignment comparison, and make the recommendation.  The first came once the recommendation had been made by the committee.  It was at this time we were informed we would need to take a much larger role in the presentation of our recommendation to the school board.  Originally, we were informed that all we would need to do was make our recommendation.  The school board revised this, because on the initial presentation by the committee leaders, the board decided they wanted to be able to question committee members and gain a greater understanding of our thinking behind the recommendation.  The second instance would come when our presentation was bumped from the meeting in early May to the end of May due to other district business.  In the end, our recommendation was approved over a month later than originally projected. 

Hindsight is 20/20

     From my perspective, I am not sure most of the scope creep could have been avoided.  I really feel like the project manager did an above average job of monitoring the project (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, & Sutton, with Kramer, 2008) and trying to stay ahead the inevitable scope creep.  One might point to the addition of the two publishers as avoidable scope creep, however it would turn out the recommendation by the committee would turn out to be one of the resources that was added late in the review process.  As far as the other scope creep that occurred, those were instances that came from outside influences such as district superiors, school board requests, and the state department of education.  In the end, one change that could have been made in order to reach the original deadline would have been to start the process sooner.  The original delivery date of early April was going to be tight even without any type of scope creep.  Starting the process sooner seems like a logical, but it is unknown whether the leadership team was available to begin the project process sooner.

References

Portny, S., Mantel, S., Meredith, J., Shafer, S., Sutton, M., & Kramer, B. (2008). Project management:

     Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Learning to Walk

 

            There are many areas in education and instructional design in which I feel very comfy.  Project management, and specifically the territory we are entering now (schedules and budgets) is like learning a new a new language for me.  From the start, this class has been intimidating.  Though I am getting more comfortable with the language and the thinking process, it has been a struggle.  Therefore, in my search for this blog assignment, I looked for web sites that cast a wide net when it comes to project management.  The two web sites below are sites that allow one who is new to project management to gain insight in a variety of project management topics and resources. 

Allabout project management

            The title of this web site pretty much tells the story.  It is a web site that covers the basic topics of project management, and breaks down each into various resources and sub topics.  There are also links to scheduling and budgeting tools that could prove to be very useful for a novice project manager.

Project Connections

This web site is also a jack-of-all-trades web site for project managers.  Though it does cover various PM topics, it focuses on articles written by project manager experts.  Though some of the articles are far beyond the scope of my knowledge and experience, I did find some articles and ideas that are more in tune with where I am as a project manager.  

Wait....What?

 I am thinking back to an email that a colleague of mine responded to last year.  I can't remember exactly what the topic was, but it was addressed to all of the eighth grade teachers and to our assistant principal.  The email was a response to an email conversation that had to do with some discipline issues with students.  One of my colleagues responded very passionately to the email.  Words were sent out in all caps, there were countless exclamation points, and many bold and highlighted words.  As I read, all I could think was "wow, that is one mad eighth grade teacher".  As it would turn out, the email did not sit well at all with the assistant principal.  He was furious with this teacher.  He felt this email was completely out of line and very unprofessional.  As it would turn out, the teacher didn't mean for the email to sound angry, she just wanted to make some points about the topic.  What this teacher did not take into consideration was how this email would be perceived.  For many an email with all caps and many exclamation points means anger.  This is not effective communication.  This was also a pretty tough lesson for my colleague.

With as much technology as we have today, and as connected as we are as a species, it is fascinating to think that we still can have a difficult time communicating with one another.  If I have learned anything over the past couple of weeks about project management, I would say I have learned this; project management is an art form that mixes organization, vision, facilitating, management, leadership, responsibility and communication (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, & Sutton, with Kramer, 2008).  Maybe the most important of all of these pieces is communication.  A project manager has been likened to the conductor of an orchestra (Stolovitch, n.d.).  I would describe communication as the conductor's baton.  The baton is a tool that can greatly help the conductor because it helps clarify the music.  (Thompson, personal communication, May 16, 2012).  Communication is the same type of tool for the project manager.  Good communication helps create clarity in a project. 

For this week's blog post we were asked to interpret a message delivered in three different modes.  These modes were the message as an email, a voice mail, and as a face-to-face conversation.  We were then asked to synthesize our perceptions on the message in each mode.  The message is being sent from one worker to another, and the subject is a missing report.  The worker sending the message needs the report because they need data in the missing report to finish their own report by a given deadline.  Here are my initial thoughts on each mode immediately after seeing or hearing each mode.  I decided to have a little fun with this part, and delivered my thoughts in the modes presented to us in the blog assignment media presentation.

Email Response

The message seems pretty calm and straight forward.  The author is saying they need something very soon, and they are somewhat apologetic by saying they understand the recipient is very busy etc.  There is nothing in the email other than the text that says this is important.  In other words, no all caps exclamation points, bold or flagged comments.

Voice Mail Response

Face-To-Face Response

In the end, a couple of things can be taken away from this week's blog prompt.  First, of the three types of communication demonstrated this week, the one that seemed most effective to me was the voicemail.  The message was professionally conveyed with a tone of seriousness and without the apologetic nature that seemed to show itself in the face-to-face conversation.  The second take away from this week is that communication is as critical piece of the project process and cannot be overlooked.  One has to consider the experiences and of each stakeholder, and communicate in ways that will are most effective for the stakeholder.  In other words, it will be very important to get to know the stakeholders and communicate with them in the manner they are most accustomed and comfortable (Burdovich, & Achong, n.d.).

References

Burdovich, V. (Writer), & Achong, T. (Writer), (n.d.).Strategies for communicating with stakeholders[Web]. Available from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=/webapps/blackboard/execute/launcher?type=Course&id=_551248_1&url=

Portny, S., Mantel, S., Meredith, J., Shafer, S., Sutton, M., & Kramer, B. (2008). Project management: planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NH: John Wiley & Sons.

Stolovitch, H. (Writer) (n.d.) Project management and instructional design [Web]. Retrieved from             https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/framset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id-2_1&url=/webapps/blackboard/excecute/launcher?type=Course&id_51248-1&url=

Here Comes the Bride

Ok, so I have been wracking my brains over the last couple of days, trying to think of a project I have lead that would be appropriate to talk about for this blog discussion.  To be honest, project management as presented in this course is pretty foreign to me.  I have planned a thousand lessons, helped out with more than one large scale school or district project, but on the whole I have never taken the reigns as a project manager.  Or so I thought.  It did not occur to me until I had a conversation with my sister last night when she reminded me that I planned my own wedding.  She added, “as far as I’m concerned, that’s a project and a half” (Brothers, personal communication, May 9, 2012).  I chewed on this bit of information for a little while, and reflected on the process of planning my wedding, and yeah, she is right, I was the project manager for my wedding, and that was a pretty big project indeed. 

So let us break this wedding project down, and see how I did.  I am going to do this based on the questions that were posted with this week’s blog assignment from an article on project post mortem (Greer, 2010).

1.  Are you proud of the finished product?  Yes I am.  The wedding went off without a hitch, and to this day I get a lot of compliments on how fun the wedding was, and how everyone seemed so happy that day.  I have added a link to see some pictures of the final project.  Feel free to have a look.

The Wedding

2.  What was the single most frustrating part of the project? For me, the most frustrating thing was being so far away from many family and friends who were part of the planning process.  For instance, my aunt from Michigan made my dress.  It is tough to do a fitting when you live a thousand miles apart.  It did require some extra travel for me in order to get this done, but it was well worth the time.

3.  What would you do next time to avoid this frustration?  I am not sure I would have done anything different in this case.  I made the choice to have my aunt make the dress, and so I knew I would need to plan a time in the summer to make sure I could visit for a fitting.

4.  What was the most gratifying part of the process?  For me the best part was watching everyone interact, and enjoy him or herself.  I worked very hard to make sure that everyone had what he or she needed to really enjoy the experience.  I feel like we took great care to satisfy all of the guests, kids, adults, family and friends.

5.  If I could change anything about the process, what would I change?  There really is not anything I would change.  We accomplished the goal of having a really fun wedding that would honor the vision shared by my husband and I, but would also satisfy our families in terms of the formality and grace of the ceremony.  We did this in a way that provided an excellent experience for our guests, and we did so well within our established budget.

6.  The stakeholders in this wedding took a very active part in the process.  To be honest, this wedding was more for my family and close friends than my husband and I.  The two of us were very content to have a private ceremony in the Denver county courthouse, but we also knew a wedding was something our families really wanted.  So we went ahead and planned the wedding.  The stakeholders took an active role in many ways.  As stated earlier, my aunt Julie made my dress.  My sister (the maid of honor) took care of all of the travel arrangements for my Michigan family to come to the wedding in Denver.  My mom arranged to have a wedding shower when I was visiting Michigan the summer before my wedding.  My aunt Carol and Uncle Phil made and decorated our wedding cake.  A group of close girl friends of mine took charge of decorating both the ceremony and reception areas, and my sister-in-law helped design and print our wedding invitations.  I took care of securing the spot for the ceremony, and reception.  I also made arrangements for the catering, bar, DJ, and on-site babysitting for our friends and family with young children.  My husband managed the budget, and he and my brother-in-law had the all-important job of selecting which beer would be served at the reception.  In all, this was a very team oriented project.

In reflecting on this week's discussion of controlling scope creep, I would say I did a pretty good job.  Did we experience scope creep?  Yes, particularly when it came to the guest list.  As stated in this week's video "Overcoming Scope Creep" Dr. Burdovich discusses how difficult it can be to control scope creep when supporters are asking for little favors here and there (Van Rekom, Achong, & Burdovich, n.d.).  It feels the same when your mom is asking you to invite just one more of her friends or distant cousins.  It can be very hard to say no.

The good news is that the wedding was successful, and I can now look back on that project from the viewpoint of a project manager.  Would the information I am learning in this class have been helpful in the project planning process?  Absolutely.  Who knows, maybe if I succeed in this class, and become a successful project manager and instructional designer, I can apply those skills and become a wedding planner.  Or maybe not.

References

Greer, M. (2010). The project management minimalist: Just enough PM to rock your projects (Laureate 

custom ed.) Baltimore: Laureate Education, Inc. (p. 42-43)

Van Rekom, P. (Writer), Achong, T. (Writer, & Burdovich, V. (Writer) (n.d.)  Practitioner voices:
Overcoming "scope creep" [Web]. Retrieved from
https://class.walden.edu/webapps/portal/framset.jsp?  tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=/webapps/
blackboard/execute/launcher?type=Course&id=_551248_1&url=

I Hope I Can Manage This

Hey all,
Well here we go week 1 of the Project Management Course.  Here's to new adventures.

:) G

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.)  :)