Distance Learning

Distance Learning and the Future

     The main reason I feel that distance learning is evolving is because of all the advances of technology. As we saw in the distance learning timeline resources, we can see how distance learning has evolved through the years. We can see that distance learning started through mail and now we are using computers. New technologies, lead to new ways of communicating and learning. As technology advances , people's perspective on learning online also grow. People and society are embracing online learning. The benefits that online learning provides to adult learners and or any non- traditional learners are huge. The flexibility to log into a class whenever you can, the advantage of avoiding a commute are some of the obvious benefits of online learning. The course text explains that all the changes in society and technology impact distance learning ( Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2009).

    Before I started online school I thought that online learning was an easy way to obtain a degree that I did not have to travel to school. I also had pre conceived idea that I would be watching a recording of teacher in a live classroom teach a class. I thought that the course would be exactly as a traditional classroom environment but online. I also did not realize how much interaction would be involved between other classmates and I. Surprising to me , was the amount of writing involved , the quality discussions and participation involved in online learning. As a traditional student, I barley participated in any of the discussions during the four years of my undergraduate education. As I ponder on the definition of online learning as per the course text.

    The main components of distance learning are the following: institutionally based, separation of teacher and student, interactive telecommunicate ions and sharing of data, voice and video (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2009). The two components that I did not think about before the class as much are the last two , interactive telecommunications and sharing of data, voice and video. The course text explains that interaction should be important but that is should not be the primary characteristic of interactions (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2009).

   Before this class, I really felt that interaction was the primary source of learning and that content was important but not as much as interaction. I thought this because I believed mainly that we were learning more from each other , rather than with the resources provided. I now know that we are learning from each other but rather more a combination of connections, classmates, learning resources and the instructors. All the factors are equally important. Reading and understanding the definition of distance learning clarifies things for me things in the sense that that distance learning is not defined as one thing but it is a combination of elements in order to be considered real distance learning.

    Finally, as I think about the future of distance learning I envision great things. I am hoping for more opportunities within the K-12 environment within the public school system. In the state of Maryland, they do not offer students in public schools online classes. As technology advances, online learning also will advance. Technology will provide students more tools to assist with learning , greater ways to communicate and share information. Another thing that I envision is that traditional higher education universities will be providing programs of better quality and there will be choices. Hopefully more instructional design training will be provided to faculty and course development will be even more student centered as result. Jeong, concludes in his research that in the future he would like to see more criteria in designing, implementing and evaluating online discussions. I agree and hope that rubrics for discussions are designed in a way that truly measures what the student learned.

I included the following mind map. Please take a look.

http://www.webspirationpro.com/view/1026279a1d1c4


References:
Jeong, S. (2010). Towards rigor of online interaction research:
Implication for future distance learning research. Turkish Online Journal
Of Educational Technology, 9(2), 256-263.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and
learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA:
Pearson.