Perceptions in Distance Learning, A Reflection

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 .