The future is so bright, you gotta wear shades!

The future of distance education is so bright that we are going to have to wear shades.  

We will be so advanced in the technology that who knows how bright it will be.  The advancements of portable technology such as the iPad, tablets, phones, other mobile devices, and the applications that go with them, some students sit at a pool or beach doing their school work.  If students do not have non glare covers then the sun could be so bright, they need to wear shades to see their work.

I never thought in 2007 I would be completing my Master’s degree online.  Back then a conversation about online learning included logging in, reading material, taking a test, and printing a certificate.  I now know that it is discussion boards, blogs, wikis, and much more that was not on my radar or that of my colleagues.  I did not know the difference between blended or hybrid learning and asynchronous and synchronous communication.  So much has changed in my perception and experience as well as in my local and global community.   After numerous conversations in my community, I have been surprised at the variety of those who have experience with online learning as well as those who have an accurate perception of the discipline and dedication it takes to be successful.      

I share my experience and knowledge of online learning with those in my community.  The knowledge that I have gained through these conversations let me know that more and more people are experiencing distance learning and confirm that it will continue to grow in acceptance and numbers.  When I set up my ninety year old grandparents to have Skype on their computer, I knew that technology is for everyone.  For my grandparents, it allows them to see their great- grand kids more often because we are separated by geographical distance.  Technology allows them to overcome this physical separation.  Skype is not just for families to communicate, it is utilized to converse with classmates, instructors, colleagues, and facilitators of a training course.  Online learning expands beyond college students pursuing a degree or classes.  The demand for corporations and government to keep their staff up to date on the latest advancements in their field is critical.

When my friend discussed the environmental impact of online learning I was completely lost.  I thought she was explaining a negative aspect of online learning.  As the conversation evolved, it became clear that she was talking about the benefits online learning has on our environment.  I had never thought about how much an individual saves on time driving, gas, and interaction with family when learning online is done rather than at a set location with an instructor.  I have encountered many young and seasoned adults that prefer face-to-face learning for the interaction and established schedule that goes with a required meeting time and place.  As online learning grows and evolves over the next 5, 10 and 20 years, it is not clear what will occur, but it will grow and transform with technology that seems to change daily.    

The technological advances will have the greatest impact on the direction and who will be turned on or off to online learning.  Looking at the economy and necessary budget cuts, the environmental factors and saving of money will play a critical part in its evolution in K-12, business and government sectors.  These areas may not have a choice in providing online learning to reach their target audiences and save money at the same time.  There will still be a time and place for face-to-face interaction and learning, however I am sure that when they can save money by not paying for gas, airfare, as well as the time, space, and hours needed to instruct, students and  employees will have no choice but to embrace distance learning.     

I feel that information is power and education is key.  Therefore, I take every encounter as an opportunity to teach someone else about distance learning.  With the information I share, they can choose whether distance education is for them.  They can walk away from the conversation and never think about it again or they may look at it in a new way.  At some point there may be a chance they will remember what they learned and see that distance education can provide an opportunity to that they may not have realized until that moment.  It is our conversation that may change their outlook of distance education.  For this reason, I will always be a proponent for distance learning. 

My goal  is to change how my county uses distance learning in our public school system.  I see it being utilized for more advanced courses, when I want to bring awareness to the opportunities it can bring to all students, especially student’s that may not be successful in a traditional face-to-face learning environment.  If only one population is being offered online distance learning, then all students are not being given the same opportunities.  With a motto “children come first,” I want to have an impact on all children being given the opportunity to receive an online education regardless of their economic, social status or future goals.         

Converting to Distance Learning Format

Introduction

When taking a face to face (F2F) training course and converting it to an online blended learning format, a trainer must have background knowledge to make the transition and class a success.  It is critical to provide a variety of opportunities for learners to interact with one another, especially since they may not have previous experience with online learning.  It is not easy to transition from a F2F course to online, so it is critical to evaluate and consider all factors to create an optimal online learning experience.    

The Learner

A trainer that is transitioning from F2F to online learning should have a grasp of the learner.  The difference is the trainee’s experience in online learning.  The learner could be new to computers, online learning, or have an array of experiences that makes them qualified to teach an online course.      

The Content

 “For a blended or hybrid course 30% to 79% of the course’s content is delivered online” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012, p.5).  Knowing how much content and providing a balance is vital when developing a blended or hybrid course.  A benefit for this model is to “provide individualized assistance during face to face instruction in contrast to online learning with no face to face interaction” (Diaz, V., 2010).  For trainees that are new to online learning, making the most of face-to-face interactions is critical.  The instructor must allocate time to meet the needs of those new to online learning as well as those who are seasoned in their experience. 

Teaching Strategies

Fundamentals of Teaching Online (Simonson, et al., 2012)

1  Avoid “dumping” a face-to-face course onto the web.

2. Organize the course and make the organization and requirements clear to the students.

3. Keep students informed constantly.

4. Think about course outcomes.

5. Test applications, not rote memory.

6.  Integrate the power of the web into the course.

7. Apply adult learning principles with nontraditional students.

8. Extend course readings beyond the text (or replace the text).

9. Train students to use the course website.

Learning Environment

Technology

When planning for a blended or hybrid learning environment, emphasis must be place on how, where and when will students have access to computers, internet and software as well as when and where will face to face instruction occur?  Online learning centers on a computer and the internet, so without these components transitioning from a F2F environment is not possible.  Having access to a server has benefits and drawbacks when designing an online course.  Clearly the benefit is that the learner will have access to the resources and assignments at all times.  The drawback is that the learner may not have access to the resources and assignments at all times.  With a variety of learners comes a variety of resources available outside the training environment.  Therefore, some trainees may be at an advantage over another because he/she has access to a computer and/or the internet at home.  This is a big factor to consider when designing an online training course.   

Online Communication

The trainer must model and provide good quality online communication.  Simonson, et al. (2012) found “good instructional practice principles that provide a guideline for involving students in quality learning experiences” from Sorensen and Baylen (2004):

·         Communication with students

·         Collaboration among students

·         Active learning experiences

·         Prompt feedback

·         High expectations

·         Respecting diversity.

The design can include asynchronous communication such as discussion boards/comments, blogs, and wikis. 

Discussion Forums
þ	Post thought-provoking questions that encourages higher order thinking
þ	Student debates
þ	Student-moderated discussions
þ	Repository for student assignments

Synchronous communication includes a chat or instant messaging that can be utilized in small rather than large group setting.  A chat or instant message provides “a real-time dynamic for assessment that can offer instructors an immediate sense of how well students grasp the course content” (Simonson, et al., 2012, p. 275).   

Conclusion

It is not easy to transition from a F2F course to online, so it is critical to evaluate and consider all factors to create an optimal online learning experience.    

References

Diaz, V.  (2010).  Hybrid Learning meets Web 2.0:  (re)designing a Hybrid Course with Emerging Technologies for the Net Generation Learner).  Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/drvdiaz/blend10  

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

Converting to a Distance Learning Format

OpenCourseWare in Distance Learning

OpenCourseWare (OCW) is free and open digital publication of

high quality college and university-level educational materials.  These materials are organized as courses, and often include course planning materials and evaluation tools as well as thematic content.  OpenCourseWare are free and openly licensed, accessible to anyone, anytime via the internet.  (OpenCourseWare Consortium, 2012)

OpenCourseWare is utilized by online distance learners to gain knowledge about a specific topic of interest.  In many cases the course is pre-planned, designed for a distant learning environment, and contains most of Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek’s (2012) recommendations for online instruction.  However, it may not be the most effective at maximizing active learning.

In the spring of 2011, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offered a master’s class on Autism Theory & Technology.  The course is now offered in Media Arts and Sciences with MITOpenCourseWare, so I investigated it regarding distance learning.  It was a perfect combination of a topic that I am passionate in learning as well as the prestige of MIT. 

In the nine fundamentals of teaching online give by Simonson, et al. (p. 134) the MIT course successfully covers about eight of the nine.  The MIT class “dumped” the face-to-face course onto the web. The lecture video is just a video tape of the lectures from class.  There is no interaction or connection made with the audience.  An effective and well designed online course would have student interaction between the professor and student as well as student to student.  Although the audience is the same, the objective for OpenCourseWare is for anyone to learn while an online course has an instructor and resources to guide the learning process.  The course outlines week by week assignments and readings that provide organization and clear requirements for the learner.  The calendar and assignments show that the students are informed, however there is no interaction that would provided constant information that Simonson, et al (p. 135) state as a fundamental of teaching online.  Therefore, the OpenCourseWare from MIT covers one and a half of the nine fundamentals of teaching online. 

Similar to the definition established by the OpenCourseWare Consortium, “OpenCourseWare is class materials such as syllabi, reading lists, lecture notes, and other documents that were once used in an actual classroom and are now available to the public for free”  (Littlefield, 2012).  The MIT course has all these components.  There is no student interaction because the learner is not attending the course, he/she is simple accessing the materials, which MIT does an excellent job of providing.  The course enhances the learning experience by providing access to the video lecture on YouTube, ability to download course material and view examples of student’s final projects.  The uses of these technologies are great, but it does not provide active learning.  OpenCourseWare is not based on the needs of the learner; it is designed to provide a service to a learner.  It is the learner’s choice on what he/she will take away from the class.     

MITOpenCourseWare is a great resource and starting point for anyone wanting to learn more about a topic of interest or online learning.  But, OpenCourseWare is not what instructional designers should look to as a model.  It is the responsibility of the learner to seek out forums and other means of communication to insure that he/she is understanding and furthering his/her knowledge of the topic, rather than these vital resources which are provided in effective online learning and instructional design.   

References

Littlefield, J.  OpenCourseWare:  Access online class material from top colleges for free.  Retrieved from about.com http://distancelearn.about.com/od/isitforyou/a/opencourseware.htm 

OpenCourseWare Consortium.  (2012).  What is OpenCourseWare?  Retrieved from   http://www.ocwconsortium.org/en/aboutus/whatisocw 

Picard, R. W., & Goodwin, M.  (2011).  Autism theory and technology.  Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare.  Retrieved from http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/media-arts-and-sciences/mas-771-autism-theory-and-technology-spring-2011/

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

 

Distance Learning Technologies

Selecting Distance Learning Technologies
The first steps for an instructional designer is to identify the task, target audience, expected outcomes, and then develop a plan. I have been given the following scenario to work with interactive tours:

“A high school history teacher, located on the west coast of the United States, wants to showcase to her students the 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 art work 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 technologies, the teacher turned to the school district’s instructional designer for assistance.”

Points to keep in mind when developing a plan for this scenario is the comfort level of the teacher in working with technology, resources that are available, as well as the audience, high school students.  These factors determine how to provide an effective and meaningful educational experience for the students.  From the scenario it is clear that the teacher has a goal to enhance the students learning and willingness to learn about technologies that will help her, however she is a novice. 

The students have several components that they will be completing.  First, the teacher wants the students to take a “tour.”  She wants them to feel as if they are walking through the museum, not just looking at pictures. When Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek (2012) spoke of Edgar Dale’s Cone of Experience, it stated “the critical job of the educator, especially the designer of distance education materials, is to be only as realistic as needed in order for learning to effectively occur” (pg. 92).  As the designer you want to meet the needs of the teacher and not allow too much exposure to distract from the objective.  Given the students are in high school, they should have the experience and ability to handle what Dale’s Cone of Experience categorizes as the top three levels of abstraction, the act of doing.  The three levels are:  dramatized – involving, contrived – representations of reality, and direct purposeful – multisensory (pg. 93).  For these high school students the teacher would like them to experience a representation of reality since they are unable to visit the museums in New York. 

Museum Virtual Tour
The teacher’s would like for the students to interact with the curator, “tour” two museum’s exhibits and follow up with critiques of artwork.  For this project I would suggest that the teacher utilize a virtual tour that a prominent museum, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, has established to bring the art from their museum to those around the world.  Depending on how the museum’s tour is set up, there may be a way to interact with a curator through a chat or comments and if not, then students may need to utilize email.  The potential pitfalls of interaction will emerge when the technology established of the museum is known.  A well established museum will likely be prepared for such communication when it comes to education.  Given the teacher’s experience, it is best to use resources that are available rather than creating new or “reinventing the wheel.”  A virtual tour can be established using PowerPoint or other tools, however it is time consuming to learn or find templates in addition to the work that a teacher does every day.  As an educator, I find it likely that she will be limited on resources, such as time, to complete this project, so I would suggest she find a museum that has an establish virtual tour. 

Wiki Ways
The technology that would best meet the needs of the teacher’s project would be a wiki.  “A wiki can be an excellent tool for collaborative online writing assignments and group activities compiling information in a single online resource” (Simonson, et al., 2012).  In this scenario, a wiki will allow for students to participate in discussions and comments on the two pictures that she chooses from the exhibit.  The biggest benefit to using a wiki is that the teacher has control over the content.  If she is not familiar with technology, then a wiki is a great place to start.  It is one of the easiest Web 2.0 technologies to begin, manage, and it is free, the best part for a teacher.  In contrast, if the teacher was to start a blog, then all students would need to have an email account and other factors that would require more work to complete beforehand.

Success in the Classroom
Wiki-Centric Learning (McCrea, 2010) describes basic and advance ways that wikis can be used with students in grades 8 through 12.  This would be a resource that I would share with the teacher that provides background information as well as ideas that may encourage her to use them beyond this project.  In a Classroom 2.0 website forum, I found a comment from Catherine Cabiness (2011) in which she describes the benefits that wikis brought to her 7th grade Medieval World History students.  She utilizes the wiki for all her students, not just each individual class.   This allows all students to interact with other students, especially those that they may not have another opportunity to do so.  Such a success story would be great to share with the teacher as she ventures into the world of wikis. Since this is her first time, I would not suggest that this novice teacher collaborate all her students with this project, however it is an option to explore. 

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Resources

Cabiness, C.  (January 25, 2011).  Classroom 2.0:  Wikis in the Classroom Forum.  Retrieved from http://www.classroom20.com/forum/topics/wikis-in-the-classroom-2?xg_source=activity

McCrea, B.  (2010).  Wiki-Centric Learning. The Journal.  Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/Articles/2010/09/15/Wiki-Centric-Learning.aspx?Page=1 

Metropolitan Museum of Art.  (2012).  Collections.  New York.  Retrieved from http://www.metmuseum.org/collections . 

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

Distance Learning Mind Map Graphic