Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

     

     A new automated staff information system was recently purchased by a major corporation and needs to be implemented in six regional offices. Unfortunately, the staff is located throughout all the different offices and cannot meet at the same time or in the same location. As an instructional designer for the corporation, you have been charged with implementing a training workshop for these offices. As part of the training, you were advised how imperative it is that the staff members share information, in the form of screen captures and documents, and participate in ongoing collaboration.
      As an instructional designer it is my job to think about and create a “correspondence study (Simonson et, al 2012).” As being charged with the implementation of creating a workshop that has the ability and to reach different employees and different times. I will need to design a distance-training course with the ability to utilize asynchronously ongoing collaboration. The employees will need to communication and share information at the same time be flexible for and allow many options for each of the regional offices.

     The first technology that I would consider would be course management system (CMS). When it comes to technologies emerging technologies can be used to reach different levels of instruction and interaction (Bulgarian 2008). The reason I am utilizing the CMS, is I would have the ability to use the dashboard to create and upload the training modules and instructions and post the required readings. 

     Along with customizing assignments you can post the required coarse readings and upload any digital media that is needed for any presentations. I can set up email communication, discussion boards, and if I need to, I can set up group projects. The tools provided the ability tools to set up lecture, digital media for presentations, email communications, along with the abilities to add tools for learners to and any required exams to complete the training.

     In implementing the CMS, would bring me to the second technology that I would consider utilizing and that would be ‘Prerecorded Media (Simonson et, al 2012).” I would prerecord training audio and videos to upload that would direct the learning and provide more self help resources for the learners. I will use the prerecorded media to stress the importance of sharing information and the importance of ongoing collaboration.

Resources

Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance Education Trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2), 139-153. doi:10.1080/01587910600789498

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

Defining Distance Learning

The Evolution of Distance Learning 

     Before I began this online course, my definition of distance learning was televised courses and online classes. My first college class was a distance educational course. It was a previously recorded video. The class met to take a midterm and then a final. My second distance course was a full online course, it was Algebra II, and needless to say I had to take it twice. It lacked the interactions that I needed to understand the concepts in Algebra. Now I am enrolled in a fully online Master’s degree program. I really never thought about distance learning in any other form.

     After this week’s readings I look at the definition of distance learning in a whole new way. Distance learning has many definitions; the word distance is the variable in the definition. Since the way distance education has changed over the years, it has created many theories. Distance education must contain an educator that prepares lessons that learners engage in the lessons. Also, the learning must be separated from the teacher and the learners, communication is done through non face to face, and it must be intuitionally based. These factors have mostly stayed consistent through out the history of distance education (Simonson et al. 2012).”

     The last component that is “the sharing of data, voice, and video” the way we show our learning. The distance has changed for example, in the 18th Century, distance education was connected to the newspaper, next it became the radio, then the television, and finally we have intuitions that offer full online degrees. So the word distance in distance education is really connected to current technologies (Simonson et al. 2012).”

     The factors that drive distance education are connected to the technologies of the current educational developments. I believe because people have different interpretations of the word distance this can be a variance depending on a person’s profession and exposure to technologies. I my field of education I observe teachers everyday, that are afraid of technology. I also observe teachers that have the technological know-how. So the factors that contribute to the current definition are a person’s education and exposure to technologies.

     The way I look at distance education is different that I had previously. For example, prior to week one’s reading distance education classes were classes that were offered to learners due to other classes being filled. After reading this weeks course content, I see how distance education has evolved with the current technologies of the era. “The newer technologies dominate what the older technologies…can’t fill (Simonson et al. 2012).” I can see that in the future that education will eventually have educational interfaces that will compliment the current distance educational learning of today and support learning objectives. Also, there will be will be more personalized education and more virtual learning environments, where learners will have a strong sense of a virtual presence (Dede, 2005).   

Resources

Dede, C. (2005). Planning for neomillennial learning styles. Educause Quarterly, 28(2), 7-12.

 Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W. R., & Coleman, C. (2008). The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web. Part 3: K-12. Techtrends:Linking Research And Practice To Improve Learning, 52(5), 63-67.

Moller, L., Foshay, W. R., & Huett, J. (2008). The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web. Techtrends: Linking Research And Practice To Improve Learning, 52(3), 70-75.

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

REFLECTION

Reflection

This course has deepened my knowledge through the understanding of how to be an effective Instructional Designer.  I have a greater understand and can recognize how people learn.  Second I learned how to design an effective adult learning experience. Finally thirdly, how important it is to incorporate emerging technology into instruction.

Learning Theories  

After filling in the Learning Theories Matrix I really thought a lot about how I learned. After gaining a deeper understanding of the various learning theories and learning styles over the last few weeks, I really know more about learning. In the beginning I knew that were are several methods that I learn through, now I know that there are six major theories. The two theories or perspectives in which I thought that I learned through were “Behaviorism and Cognitivism”   (Ertmer & Newby 1993). I also learned about learning and transfer to long-term memory. Now that I understand how the transfer occurs I can target this learning into my Instructional Design. I learned that I have a greater connection through three learning theories, Adult Learning theory, Connectivism, and Cognitivism Theory. I learned that I classify information into categories will then store this information. “Then I recognize and classify the similarities and differences between the information and recall the information at a later time (Ertmer and Newby 1993). Now that I have a greater understanding of how I learn, I have a greater understanding of how others learn.

Designing Effective Adult Learning Experiences

 According to Foley and Griff, there are several types of learning, “formal, non-formal, informal, and incidental learning” (2004. p 4-5).   I have learned that in designing effective learning I need to know the type of learning environment the adult learning is taking place. I understand that an adult learner is not suited to one particular type of learning environment. I know now that if I were to design a learning environment for adults, I need to keep in mind the type of learning that will be taking place along with how the learning will take place. I learned that as an Instructional Designer it is important to boost the motivational level of the online learners. Also, I learned that if there were any issues that need to be addressed I would apply them to Keller’s ARCS categories of Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (2013).

Integrating Emerging Technologies into Instruction

As an Instructional Designer I learned that it is important that I understand the importance of integrating emerging technologies into my instruction. After reading about emerging technology in the “The Horizon Report,” I have a better understanding of how new technologies are being used everyday in education. And how important technology is in relation to learning theories. In this article by Nick Wingfield, “people are using their smartphones the way they use to use their laptops.” New apps are being created everyday to download to Smartphones. The apps are making it so easy to use our phones as a mini computer (2009). I have a greater understanding of how I learn and the learning theory that best suits my learning needs and motivation would be Connectivism.  “Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age,” Connectivism is presented as a learning theory that integrates technology, social networks, and information.  So personal network supports the tenants Connectivism through the use of joining and staying linked through blogs, Facebook, Twitter, emails, to gain knowledge or share information with social and professional networks (Siemens 2005).

In closing, this course has helped understand how to be an effective Instructional Designer.  In doing so, I learned to understand and recognize how people learn.  Second I learned how to design an effective adult learning experience. Finally thirdly, I learned how important it is to incorporate emerging technology into instruction.

Resources

Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (1993). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6(4), 50 71.

Foley, Griff. Dimensions of Adult Learning. Berkshire, GBR: McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing, 2004. p45. http://site.ebrary.com/lib/waldenu/Doc?id=10161341&ppg=22Copyright © 2004. McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing. All rights reserved.

Keller, J. (2006). ARCS. Retrieved from http://arcsmodel.com/Mot%20dsgn%20A%20model.htm

Nick Wingfield. (February 23, 2009). Time to Leave the Laptop Behind. In The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 15, 2013, from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122477763884262815.html.

Siemens, G. (2005, January). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of Instructional Technology & Distance Learning, Retrieved April 07, 2013, fromhttp://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm