Distance education has definitely increased in popularity in my lifetime. Perhaps, it has really grown in popularity in the United States because of the wide availability of the Internet. When the scholar first took an online course, he did not know what to expect. He had heard that online classes were easy and he had heard that online courses were hard. He had even heard that that the online courses were much more challenging because they have to prove their credibility in the education world. All of the above assumptions have been true, the scholar has had courses that were very easy and those who have been extremely challenging (some to the point where they should have split the course in half). However, no matter the situation, the online course space has continued to grow in popularity over the years.
In the future, the perceptions of distance learning will be equal to the perceptions of traditional learning. This prediction was made because in ten to twenty years the current users of technology are in the middle schools. Therefore, they are more comfortable with online communication technologies and will be less apprehensive about taking a course online. According to Dr. Seimens (2011), there is a growing acceptance of distance education because of the increase in online communication, practical experience with the new communication tools and the growing comfort with online learning. Moreover, the future of distance education will be impacted by new communication technologies, contributions from experts around the world, and increased use of multimedia games and simulations.
An instructional designer can be a proponent for distance learning by developing courses with the utmost integrity and creditability. The instructional designer must also train facilitators appropriately so they administer courses effectively and uphold the integrity of the online courses. Dr. Seimens (2011) also says that if people try one online course that the online course forum becomes the preferred way in which people prefer to get their education because the more that people take online courses and use other forms of online communications the more they become more comfortable with online course formats.
It is also worth noting that many skeptics are against distance learning because they do not feel like the faculty facilitators are not fully involved in the learning process (Gambescia & Paolucci, 2009). This is due to the fact that many of the facilitators are part-time and work on other jobs. Therefore, skeptics feel like the students are not getting the maximum learning opportunities from the online course format. Moreover, according to Schmidt & Gallegos (2001), the problem with the integrity of online courses is due to the conversion of the course from the traditional course. If the transition is not made correctly, students will be able to get by without doing much work or they will be confused in the direction of the course and what they should get out of it.
The scholar, in conclusion, will be a positive force in the field of instructional design by designing courses that challenge students but not to the extent that they feel overwhelmed like the courses that seem to be too rushed. Courses that seem too rushed may need to be split in half or given over an extended period. The scholar, will also share his experiences with online courses and continue to research popular trends in online courses and experiment with ways on incorporating those new research methods into his online courses that he creates and share his findings with his peers. Perhaps, this would help to create more advocates for distance learning and decrease the amount of skeptics.
References
Gambescia, S., & Paolucci, R. (2009). Academic fidelity and integrity as attributes of university online degree program offerings. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 1 2(1). Retrieved from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring121/gambescia121.html
Laureate, Inc. (Producer). (2011). The future of distance education [Video]. Available from Walden University.
Schmidt, E., & Gallegos, A. (2001). Distance learning: Issues and concerns of distance learners. Journal of Industrial Technology, 17(3). Retrieved from http://atmae.org/jit/Articles/schmidt041801.pdf
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Sunday, April 22, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Converting to an Online Format
Converting to an Online Learning Format
Introduction
There are many things that a designer must consider before he or she attempts to edit a course. In the case of the designer who is trying to move from a more of a traditional course to a blended course, there are many things that should be considered. The first thing that should be considered are pre-planning strategies. According to Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek (2012), pre-planning strategies include revisiting the technologies used, the structure of the syllabus, the changes in active learning, and the ways in which learners collaborate. After the pre-planning strategies have been implemented the designer will find out what aspects of the course can be enhanced by the distance learning format. The designer will be able to find out what aspects of the distance learning format will do better on a distance learning format and what aspects will not by either conducting their own research or drawing conclusions from other people's reputable research. When the designer finally draws conclusions from research, they may have to test certain items to see if they really enhance the objectives of the course.
Other aspects that must be addressed when editing a course and changing the course format, is the different definition as his role as a trainer that needs to be adjusted as the move is made from the traditional classroom to the blended format as well as the ways in which people communicate online.
Pre-planning Strategies
1. The designer must identify the learners (Simonson, et al., 2012). This means that they must evaluate the competencies of the learners. The designer should address whether the blended format will benefit the learners. By doing this, the designer has inadvertently analyzed the general abilities of the class and analyzed the potential for learner interactivity. Also, according to Dede (2005), learning styles should also be addressed.
2. The designer must also evaluate the course content (Simonson, et. al., 2012). This means that the course content must meet the course objectives. This seems simple but some people get tangled in trying to make a course look impressive and they lose site of the objectives. Thus, the designer should set goals and objectives and keep referring to them as a system of checks and balances throughout the entire course planning process.
3. Next the designer, should consider what teaching strategies should be used (Simonson, et. al., 2012). Teaching strategies should be considered due to feedback from facilitators and students. The environment where the learning takes place also influences the teaching strategies. The learning environment includes technology and resources.
Distance Learning Course Enhancement
In a blended course format, the area of that can be enhanced the most is collaboration and discussion. There is plenty of time for people to collaborate when they meet in person during the regular class time, but during the time outside of class they can continue to collaborate by such methods as an online discussion forum or via live chat. According to Simonson, et. al. (2012), both synchronous and asynchronous communication are enhanced by the distance learning environment.
Through synchronous communication the instructor is able to facilitate the class via live lectures and for those students who cannot be present due to geographic variations, the lectures can be recorded and archived for later viewing or for extended viewing. However, in an asynchronous learning environment, the discussion forum is heavily relied upon because participants are able to visit the classroom online at any time (Simonson, et. al., 2012). This possibly works best when the students are spread throughout many different time zones.
The Role of the Trainer
In a blended course format, it would seem that the role of the trainer becomes more of a facilitator (Siemens, 2008). According to Simonson, et. al. (2012), a facilitator is a person who has been hired to be a local contact for students, whether it is online or in the traditional classroom. Therefore, since the trainer is making more of a transition to a facilitator, he should take into consideration the following questions:
1. What will his new role in the class be since it is blended and not completely in a brick and mortar classroom?
2. Can other facilitators assist with the entire learning process?
3. What are his capabilities for orchestrating the course? Would he benefit from the expertise of others to help benefit the course objectives?
All of these considerations help to draw the conclusion that the trainer becomes more of a facilitator in an online course format.
Encouraging Online Communication
To encourage students to have meaningful conversation and debates the facilitator can point out exemplary discussion threads and explain why they are exemplary (Belderrain, 2006). The facilitator can also give an example of what they expect within a discussion post as well as a thread and set up rules for the discussion thread (Simonson et. al., 2012). This is important because rules are necessary for the students to get the intended outcomes from the discussion. Also, according to edtechleaders.org (2008), the facilitator also must obey the following rules to encourage effective online communication:
1. The establishment of clear goals
2. Provide behind-the-scenes support via email
3. Foster communication between participants
4. Create a comfortable environment
5. Model participation and discussion techniques
6. Keep the discussion lively
7. Keep discussion on-topic
8. Guide students through curriculum
9. Make sure the curriculum is in sync with the audience
10. Bring closure to each session before moving on
Conclusion
In conclusion, the when a trainer makes the transition from a traditional online classroom to, there are many things to consider to make the best possible edit. As mentioned earlier, those things include pre-planning strategies which include items such as evaluating the course objectives as well as the demographics of the learner. Once the pre-planning strategies have been implemented, the trainer must decide which aspects on the course would be enhanced by the online course experience. This can be a daunting task, however, the trainer can go based on his past experience or base choices on the research of others.
On the other hand, once the trainer has implemented the transition from brick and mortar to the blended course format, the trainer must also examine his role of the trainer because especially in the online format, the trainer is more of a facilitator and the students learn more independently than in a traditional format. Lastly, the trainer must make sure that effective communication is taking place across both platforms.
References
Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2), 139–153.
Dede, C. (2005). Planning for neomillennial learning styles. Educause Quarterly, 28(1),7–12.
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.
Ten Tips for Effective Online Facilitation (2008). Retrieved from http://www.edtechleaders.org/documents/opd/ETLO_Ten_Tips.htm.
Introduction
There are many things that a designer must consider before he or she attempts to edit a course. In the case of the designer who is trying to move from a more of a traditional course to a blended course, there are many things that should be considered. The first thing that should be considered are pre-planning strategies. According to Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek (2012), pre-planning strategies include revisiting the technologies used, the structure of the syllabus, the changes in active learning, and the ways in which learners collaborate. After the pre-planning strategies have been implemented the designer will find out what aspects of the course can be enhanced by the distance learning format. The designer will be able to find out what aspects of the distance learning format will do better on a distance learning format and what aspects will not by either conducting their own research or drawing conclusions from other people's reputable research. When the designer finally draws conclusions from research, they may have to test certain items to see if they really enhance the objectives of the course.
Other aspects that must be addressed when editing a course and changing the course format, is the different definition as his role as a trainer that needs to be adjusted as the move is made from the traditional classroom to the blended format as well as the ways in which people communicate online.
Pre-planning Strategies
1. The designer must identify the learners (Simonson, et al., 2012). This means that they must evaluate the competencies of the learners. The designer should address whether the blended format will benefit the learners. By doing this, the designer has inadvertently analyzed the general abilities of the class and analyzed the potential for learner interactivity. Also, according to Dede (2005), learning styles should also be addressed.
2. The designer must also evaluate the course content (Simonson, et. al., 2012). This means that the course content must meet the course objectives. This seems simple but some people get tangled in trying to make a course look impressive and they lose site of the objectives. Thus, the designer should set goals and objectives and keep referring to them as a system of checks and balances throughout the entire course planning process.
3. Next the designer, should consider what teaching strategies should be used (Simonson, et. al., 2012). Teaching strategies should be considered due to feedback from facilitators and students. The environment where the learning takes place also influences the teaching strategies. The learning environment includes technology and resources.
Distance Learning Course Enhancement
In a blended course format, the area of that can be enhanced the most is collaboration and discussion. There is plenty of time for people to collaborate when they meet in person during the regular class time, but during the time outside of class they can continue to collaborate by such methods as an online discussion forum or via live chat. According to Simonson, et. al. (2012), both synchronous and asynchronous communication are enhanced by the distance learning environment.
Through synchronous communication the instructor is able to facilitate the class via live lectures and for those students who cannot be present due to geographic variations, the lectures can be recorded and archived for later viewing or for extended viewing. However, in an asynchronous learning environment, the discussion forum is heavily relied upon because participants are able to visit the classroom online at any time (Simonson, et. al., 2012). This possibly works best when the students are spread throughout many different time zones.
The Role of the Trainer
In a blended course format, it would seem that the role of the trainer becomes more of a facilitator (Siemens, 2008). According to Simonson, et. al. (2012), a facilitator is a person who has been hired to be a local contact for students, whether it is online or in the traditional classroom. Therefore, since the trainer is making more of a transition to a facilitator, he should take into consideration the following questions:
1. What will his new role in the class be since it is blended and not completely in a brick and mortar classroom?
2. Can other facilitators assist with the entire learning process?
3. What are his capabilities for orchestrating the course? Would he benefit from the expertise of others to help benefit the course objectives?
All of these considerations help to draw the conclusion that the trainer becomes more of a facilitator in an online course format.
Encouraging Online Communication
To encourage students to have meaningful conversation and debates the facilitator can point out exemplary discussion threads and explain why they are exemplary (Belderrain, 2006). The facilitator can also give an example of what they expect within a discussion post as well as a thread and set up rules for the discussion thread (Simonson et. al., 2012). This is important because rules are necessary for the students to get the intended outcomes from the discussion. Also, according to edtechleaders.org (2008), the facilitator also must obey the following rules to encourage effective online communication:
1. The establishment of clear goals
2. Provide behind-the-scenes support via email
3. Foster communication between participants
4. Create a comfortable environment
5. Model participation and discussion techniques
6. Keep the discussion lively
7. Keep discussion on-topic
8. Guide students through curriculum
9. Make sure the curriculum is in sync with the audience
10. Bring closure to each session before moving on
Conclusion
In conclusion, the when a trainer makes the transition from a traditional online classroom to, there are many things to consider to make the best possible edit. As mentioned earlier, those things include pre-planning strategies which include items such as evaluating the course objectives as well as the demographics of the learner. Once the pre-planning strategies have been implemented, the trainer must decide which aspects on the course would be enhanced by the online course experience. This can be a daunting task, however, the trainer can go based on his past experience or base choices on the research of others.
On the other hand, once the trainer has implemented the transition from brick and mortar to the blended course format, the trainer must also examine his role of the trainer because especially in the online format, the trainer is more of a facilitator and the students learn more independently than in a traditional format. Lastly, the trainer must make sure that effective communication is taking place across both platforms.
References
Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2), 139–153.
Dede, C. (2005). Planning for neomillennial learning styles. Educause Quarterly, 28(1),7–12.
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.
Ten Tips for Effective Online Facilitation (2008). Retrieved from http://www.edtechleaders.org/documents/opd/ETLO_Ten_Tips.htm.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Impact of Open Courseware
The course that I am reviewing is called Roman Architecture. http://oyc.yale.edu/history-art/hsar-252#sessions. According to Kolowich (2011), open courses can be just as valuable to those who are not paying for the class as those who are paying for the class. Moreover, every week in my distance learning course I learn something new because I did not previously know the scale how many free elite-quality courses there are out there. In parallel, the quality of this Roman Architecture course seems to be very high because the course seems to be preplanned and designed for the distance learning environment.
Preplanning is very important while designing a course because it provides a blueprint for the instructional designer so that he or she will not get off task while deciding what content to include and what content to leave out of a course. According to Beldarrain (2006), when a designer plans the blueprint for a course, they must more often than not also plan for what technologies to include and which ones to leave out. This is very important because in current with the ultra rapid growth of technology, it appears that technology is the driving force of education and other facets of society.
In this course, the syllabus is the blueprint for not only what items are included in the course for the instructional designer but also the expectations and the requirements of the course from the students. The technology included in the course is also very basic. The lectures are videos of the professors. It would most like be advantageous to use such simple technologies because then the designer will not have to question whether the majority of students would be able to access the content since minimal computer competencies seem to be an unspoken prerequisite.
According to Simonson, et. al. (2012), there are many facets that are recommended when pertaining to online instruction creation. Some of these items are creating active learning experiences, requiring high expectations of students and allowing many ways for the students and instructors to collaborate online. This can be done by carefully organizing the instruction according to course objectives, as well as by having a clear and concise syllabus. The syllabus is very important in creating online courses because not only does it provide the expectations of the course and the facilitator, but it also ensures communication. Thus, it becomes the governing document should their be a problem that may arise in the course.
In this course, the idea of an active learning environment is entertained because it does allow students to collaborate via an online study group. Assessment is taken care of in two facets because traditional papers and exams are required but it also allows the students to evaluate the course and the instructor as well via the survey link. Also, there is a clear and concise syllabus that is provided should there be any question of course expectations. However, it does not appear that the designer included course activities that would maximize active learning for students because all that appears to be included is the option to join a study group, but other than this option, this aspect of the course is very bland and could be improved.
References
Beldarrain, Y. (2006, August). Distance education trends: Integratingnew technologies to foster studentinteraction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2), 139-153. doi:doi:10.1080/01587910600789498.
Kolowich, S. (2011). Open courseware 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/12/13/stanfords-open-courses-raise-questions-about-true-value-elite-education#.TudTMKHIq1g.email.
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.
Preplanning is very important while designing a course because it provides a blueprint for the instructional designer so that he or she will not get off task while deciding what content to include and what content to leave out of a course. According to Beldarrain (2006), when a designer plans the blueprint for a course, they must more often than not also plan for what technologies to include and which ones to leave out. This is very important because in current with the ultra rapid growth of technology, it appears that technology is the driving force of education and other facets of society.
In this course, the syllabus is the blueprint for not only what items are included in the course for the instructional designer but also the expectations and the requirements of the course from the students. The technology included in the course is also very basic. The lectures are videos of the professors. It would most like be advantageous to use such simple technologies because then the designer will not have to question whether the majority of students would be able to access the content since minimal computer competencies seem to be an unspoken prerequisite.
According to Simonson, et. al. (2012), there are many facets that are recommended when pertaining to online instruction creation. Some of these items are creating active learning experiences, requiring high expectations of students and allowing many ways for the students and instructors to collaborate online. This can be done by carefully organizing the instruction according to course objectives, as well as by having a clear and concise syllabus. The syllabus is very important in creating online courses because not only does it provide the expectations of the course and the facilitator, but it also ensures communication. Thus, it becomes the governing document should their be a problem that may arise in the course.
In this course, the idea of an active learning environment is entertained because it does allow students to collaborate via an online study group. Assessment is taken care of in two facets because traditional papers and exams are required but it also allows the students to evaluate the course and the instructor as well via the survey link. Also, there is a clear and concise syllabus that is provided should there be any question of course expectations. However, it does not appear that the designer included course activities that would maximize active learning for students because all that appears to be included is the option to join a study group, but other than this option, this aspect of the course is very bland and could be improved.
References
Beldarrain, Y. (2006, August). Distance education trends: Integratingnew technologies to foster studentinteraction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2), 139-153. doi:doi:10.1080/01587910600789498.
Kolowich, S. (2011). Open courseware 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/12/13/stanfords-open-courses-raise-questions-about-true-value-elite-education#.TudTMKHIq1g.email.
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.
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