ANALYZING SCOPE CREEP

Lynch and Roecker (2007) explain, “Scope creep refers to uncontrolled changes in the requirement of the course as defined in the scope definition of the project management plan” (p. 96). We have learned that “scope creep” throughout the life span of most projects is inevitable and often time it will occur. My experience of scope creep occurred during the implementation of our new education program within my current organization.

The scope of the project was to provide paralegal courses for individuals both through distance learning and a residency program. A major selling point of the program initially outlined that the organization would cover the cost of tuition for all students, along with the cost of books for all required classes. The organization pre-ordered books for five primary paralegal courses at the onset of the program, but during planning the organization made a decision that students would be required to purchase any books that were not a part of the five primary paralegal courses. Once course enrollment began and as students learned of this requirement it was not well received and was the center of much debate. Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, and Kramer (2008) explain, “The most common result of scope creep is an upset client who was not told how long the change delays the project…” (p. 346). This change in organization’s policy was very upsetting for many students. The student’s main concern has been that the program was being advertised as a requirement to work in the field than why should the student have to share the burden of any out of pocket expenses. As these concerns began to make their way to the head of our organization a decision was made that we needed to find a way to remove any financial responsibilities from the students.

This change of scope within the program has required us to go back to the drawing board and design a course of action to relive students of any financial burden. Since the scope of our program never included purchasing so many various textbooks we are now faced with exploring ways to cover these costs. Our initial budget outlined in the resource and planning process was never approved to cover these extra textbooks and has now expanded the scope of what was initial decided. To help resolve the issue participating students’ primary command are now being asked to share in the purchasing of any required textbook to help alleviate the need for requesting any additional funding to cover the cost of these textbooks. Over the long haul of the program additional funding will be required to ensure its success. Looking back at this project, planners made a huge mistake in underestimating that students would not read into the letter of the organization’s guidelines for monitoring this project and raise their concerns to the point that a significant change would be required.

References:

Lynch, M. M., & Roecker, J. (2007). Project managing e-learning: A handbook for successful design, delivery, and management. London: Routledge. Copyright by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY

Ineffective communication can cause untold hours of productivity delays due to simple misunderstandings or breakdown in communication. With the advancements in technology it has afforded our society with various means of communicating and conducting business. While this technology may be convenient it has exposed a growing need for individuals to be ever so mindful of how they are perceived whether it be communicating in writing, voicemail, or face-to-face.

In the multimedia program “The Art of Effective Communication” the subject has delivered a problem in three formats that all can yield different interpretations. Here is a synthesized overview of the activities from those various formats:

The first modality was of written text that was delivered via email. Here Jane’s approach comes across as not very well thought out and lacked organization. Jane needs to be direct, clear, and courteous, but she should not hesitate to be firm if necessary. By being as direct and concise as possible, it will appear that Jane value’s the readers’ time and efforts. Emails are usually brief and meant to be to the point of making a request, or recommendation of an action. It is important that Jane’s thoughts are arranged in a clear hierarchy that would allow readers to easily follow her thoughts and ultimately act upon her request.

The second modality was a voicemail that captured the urgency of Jane’s need to receive the necessary data. While her voice expressed urgency she still maintained a proper level of politeness and respect. It is important that Jane is able to articulate the importance of receiving the necessary data for it is an actionable direction that has subsequent affects over her meeting a prescribed deadline. The last thing Jane need is for the project to become stagnate and subsequently causing others to lose momentum.

The third modality involved a face-to-face request that in my opinion was the least effective of the three presented. Here Jane’s one at getting the necessary information. Here Jane’s tone, body language, and facial expression does not display a sense of urgency and therefore may not be acted upon. Jane’s approach is bit laid back and I do not think others would take her seriously in her attempt to move forward in completing her work.

From this exercise I walked away with a better understanding of how I must think about the various forms of communicating and recognize that they can be misinterpreted if not well thought out. In the video, “Communicating with Stakeholders” Dr. Harold Stolovitch (n.d.) indicates that the individuals approach in communicating is more important that the actual words being used. He further states that gestures, timing, body language and tonality all play a key role in communicating a message effectively. Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek (2011) explain, “Communication occurs when two or more individuals wish to share ideas” (p. 90). Communication can be a challenging and daunting task for many people, but with a conscious effort to put yourself on both sides you can quickly improve communication outcomes. When everyone can understand what is being said, it will make any environment just that more effective in completing tasks smoothly and cohesively.

Reference:

All Images retrieved from www.msn.com.

Morrison, G. R., Ross, S. M., Kalman, H. K., & Kemp, J. E. (2011). Designing Effective Instruction. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Video Program: “Communicating with Stakeholders” with Dr. Harold Stolovitch.

LEARNING FROM A PROJECT "POST-MORTEM"

Approximately two years ago as I was near the end of my service in the military; I was a part of implementation program to help further the education of all the naval enlisted members working in the legal field. Individuals serving in this occupation are referred to as “Legalman” and are trained paralegals to assist lawyers in legal offices throughout the Navy’s fleet and shore command offices.

The new project was called the implementation of The Legalman Paralegal Education Program. The program started as a vision from many of our leaders that have now moved on into retirement. They laid down the foundation and planted the seed that we are now seeing finally becoming a reality. Since the inception of the Legalman rating in the naval service many of our top leaders have always believed that the enlisted members were not being properly utilized in their roles as paralegals. Just as many civilian organizations have undergone cut backs and layoffs, the naval service was no exception and faced a series of job mergers and possible realignment. In 2003, the Legalman rating along with four other occupational ratings were identified to face possible mergers or total disestablishment.

The future was uncertain and this left many in the organization with uneasiness. This was not what anyone in our organization desired nor wanted to see happen. The organization set out on a mission to prove that there was a need for enlisted paralegals and further to prove that our job was very distinct from other administrative occupation counterparts. We further needed to prove that our job required a very specific skill set that other administrative ratings did not possess. Ultimately the top leadership within the Department of the Navy made the decision that the Legalman rating would not be merged or discontinued. This was a great victory for our organization. We began asking ourselves, “How do we ensure that we are never on the chopping block again?” This led us to what started out as an initiative and finally implementation of the Legalman Paralegal Education Program.

One of the key aspects to keeping the Legalman rating relevant was by ensuring that all our members in the field obtain the proper level of education that would equip them with a skill not only beneficial to the organization, but also to those entities that would require the services outside the organization. The Naval Justice School was the key organization in implementing these educational changes. The Legalman Education Paralegal Program provided us with the avenue to provide those Legalman with a higher education in paralegal studies that would allow them to satisfy these requirements and better prepare them for other duties as they progress in the Navy.

Although there was much collaboration between several offices located in several geographical locations we did not include some key personnel when we designed the programs operating manuals. Allen and Hardin (2008) explained, “Communicating effectively is probably the greatest challenge that people encounter during any project so it is imperative that instructional designers model and establish good communication techniques and patterns at the onset of a project” (p. 79). In my opinion it was not that we did not have collaboration or communication, but it was not inclusive from all the right levels. This lapse in judgment required readjustment of timelines and had potential damaging affects to the success of the program. This was the case in the implementation of our program. Although important documents were drafted early on to provide guidance of the program we ran into administrative issues with dealing with participants that chose not to be a part of the program. These documents did not provide the necessary authority or level of power to the program director to take any administrative or disciplinary action if required. This was a major flaw in the overall success of the project and had a potential to derail the organization’s efforts in effectively administering the program.

The flaw was not discovered until after our first phase of the program. It was during our post-mortem and year end lessons learned meeting that we saw a trend that several participants were resistant to participating or simply refused to be a part of the program. This has required some quick action by many of those that were in the initial planning meeting to figure out how to fix the problem and close the loop before there was any more financial loss. Although by far the program has been a success, but not without a few bumps in the road. While I complement the organization for their thoroughness in planning, but the project possibly could have avoided some of the issues if they had included the workers that was going to be in charge with the day-to-day operations. It is these individuals that can bring to the planning table items of concern not only on a big scale, but they often are aware of the smaller things that can grow into bigger problems.

Reference:

Allen, S., & Hardin, P. C. (2008). Developing instructional technology products using effective project management practices. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 19(2), 72–97. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/81238/CRS-CW-6493367/EDUC_6145_readings/Allen_Hardin_W2_6145.pdf

Photo retrived from www.flickr.com

REFLECTION: THE FUTURE OF DISTANCE LEARNING

Developments in technology in the past decade have had a considerable impact on the distribution of content, learning tasks, and assignments in training and distance education. Martens, Bastiaens, and Kirschner (2007) stated, “A rapid fall in prices and a huge leap in the processing capacity of PCs and the proliferation of the World Wide Web have unleashed new opportunities for useful educational applications” (p. 81). In the video presentation, “The Future of Distance Education,” Dr. Siemens indicates, “As peoples’ comfort level with computer technology increases through frequent use in common situations, peoples’ positive perceptions of media within education will increase, as well.” The shift in society demands to include, government agencies, corporations, and educational institutions, that the offering of distance learning opportunities have become not only a viable option, but have made significant strides in meeting learners needs and expectations. A key aspect to the success of any distance learning program is the offering of useful learning opportunities. Today’s learners are technology driven and want to be actively engaged in their own learning. Kaufman, Watkins, and Guerra (2001) explained, “Successful distance learning programs of the future must maintain agility” (p. 25). Entities of learning will need to be able to provide responsive and responsible learning opportunities that continue to remain convenient for the learner. In my view convenience does not necessary have to mean a compromise of the overall quality of the distance learning material or program.

Gambescia and Paolucci (2009) stated, “Periodically, scholars and practitioners interested in online learning present a vision or make a prediction about the future of online learning” (p. 5). They concluded that factors such as the role and direction of technology, administrative oversight, target student audience, and faculty training must be considered in the planning phases. It is absolutely crucial that we select and justify the ends and consequences we commit to deliver before selecting the required means of distance learning. The efforts we put into justifying distance learning outcomes can help to strengthen the overall perceptions of learners that may be on the fence about its effectiveness.

As an instructional designer we will need to take on a more prominent role of ensuring that our skills are sharpen to recognize learner’s needs along with the changes that are influencing these needs in our society. The task at hand is not only for institutions and entities with training programs to identify and scrutinize every element of how they are delivering authentic courses, but this will require the expertise of an instructional designer to become the driving force of improving the overall image of distance learning. The goal in course designing is to ensure that the highest level of quality is always present in every aspect of the course. Gambescia and Paolucci discussed the importance of academic fidelity and integrity having a bearing on the quality of the online courses to be developed. Academic fidelity and integrity should be an ongoing process if we are to see the necessary improvements in society’s perceptions of distance learning.

The most effect and positive way to bring about continuous improvement in distance education will be through the establishment of respect and holding each other responsible. Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek (2012) explained, “A goal of some distance education programs is to make education more student centered through the prepackaging of instructional materials that students may use when convenient” (p. 81). With the tools of technology and lessons designed deep rooted in learning theories I will look to provide learners with opportunities that they will be able to continue to transfer through knowledge, demonstrating a mastery understanding, and improving problem-solving skills. Instruction designers must work closely with instructors and subject-matter experts in designing learning experiences that help to expand learner’s ability to invoke thought-provoking and critical thinking. The responsibility will lie in instructional designer’s hands to help build a community with members who not only cares about learner’s outcome, but will work at promoting the positive aspects of learning in a distance learning environment.

References:

Gambescia, S., & Paolucci, R. (2009). Academic fidelity and integrity as attributes of university online degree program offerings. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 12(1). Retrieved from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring121/gambescia121.html

Kaufman, R., Watkins, R., & Guerra, I. (2001). The Future of Distance Learning: Defining and Sustaining useful results. Educational Technology. Retrieved from http://www.megaplanning.com/articles/FutureofDLinEdTech.pdf

Martens, R., Bastiaens, T. & Kirschner, P. A. (2007). New learning design in distance education: The impact on student perception and motivation. Distance Education. 28(1), 81-93. Retrieved from http://5049623944730199687-a-1802744773732722657-s-sites.googlegroups.com/site/inst6105summer/Home/course-discussions/Martens_2007.pdf?attachauth=ANoY7cq1gCpFML6tz7fGoE6IhrqXQzTkiFk7V3c560i-CPEE7u31RM-jnsfDz2us7N5gfYT94X8wcdAlOb9ZibSlNA0LTItHHBebrL4GlgMUQ-GVYPLS-n9Pe2kwn7bX6Yw0wP-Bu3pzLiFiV3SEe_mldVgRwgTlhQZbhm8a700lJGoEn4KciUndEc929klNc66GNCXFUyeXai9F3rJx-_r2My7rquhUrcMvK6wLeB2jX3OiuOOOFMg%3D&attredirects=0

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

Video Program: “The Future of Distance Education”, George Siemens

Photos retrieved from www.msn.com

CONVERTING TO A DISTANCE LEARNING FORMAT

Many of today’s institutions of higher learning and businesses are seeking for more efficient ways to provide training and educational courses. Converting traditional face-to-face courses into a distance learning format will require proper planning if this transition is to be effective.

Advance communication technologies that are incorporated in a distance learning course can help to expand learning engagement activities. Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek (2012) explains, “A goal of some distance education programs is to make education more student centered through the prepackaging of instructional materials that students may use when convenient” (p. 81). The use of a distance learning format has many advantages from flexibility, convenience, and overall increased interactivities. A word of caution, activities that may have worked in your traditional face-to-face course must be analyzed carefully to ensure that learning outcome can be achieved in a distance learning setting. The key is finding an effective way to structure learning activities that will help facilitators to reach the necessary planned learning outcome. A chart of helpful assessment tools have been provided to demonstrate those that can be used to showcase various levels of learning (i.e. feedback, reflection, and collaboration).

I have outlined strategies that will assist in the conversion process. The guide addresses initial pre-planning that must occur well in advance of the scheduled course. The guide addresses the need to focus on using a systematic design plan (ADDIE) to help guide the process with constant revision being a theme throughout each phase. The guide then addresses the need for selecting the proper Course Management System that can host and be a play a vital role in enhancing a learner’s ability to interact.

The role of the facilitator is another area that is addressed when converting to a distance learning setting. There will be a big difference in the facilitator’s approach to teaching in the distance learning setting. Striking the right balance may prove to be a bit of a challenge for some facilitators. The guide addresses the many roles that a facilitator will have to recognize and understand when to apply throughout the course.

Finally, with any distance learning program students are asked to take on a much more active role in their learning, so the promotion of communication will play a major part. The guide will provide tips that will help to keep the lines of communication flowing while building a community of self-directed learners.

Select the link to view the PDF document.

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1BYDm5KrD-AEN-sv1eEcsp5-Pt-7VMcp1RX8OfLa_kJU

Resource:

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

THE IMPACT OF OPEN SOURCE

Open Source resources has opened the door for many possibilities in the way of distance learning. Von Hippel and Von Krogh (2003) explain, “Open source software development projects are Internet-based communities of software developers who voluntarily collaborate to develop software that they or their organizations need” (p. 209). These new software development projects have become a significant economic and social phenomenon.

The main idea and principle of open-source software development is to create peer production through bartering and collaboration, with the source-material and documentation being made available at no cost to the public. Hylen (2006) states, “… open on the one hand may mean without cost, it does not on the other hand, means without conditions” (p. 3). It is the no cost aspect that has attracted institutions of higher learning to venture into this opportunity for sharing their courses through distance learning. Open source courses can be a great opportunity for learners to experience learning from some of our nation’s best institutions and expose them to material they might not have access due to distance or cost factors.


At the Open Yale course site (http://oyc.yale.edu/) they provide various introductory courses free of charge. These courses are taught by distinguished teachers and scholars at Yale University. One course of particular interest that I chose to examine was History of the American Revolution. As outlined in the video lesson “Developing Online Courses”, “Developing online courses is a time-consuming process that takes as much preparation as the planning and design phases.” It appears there was an attempt to address at least two of learners’ various learning styles from visual and auditory needs. Bakalevu and Narayan (2010) explain, “Blended learning takes account of the impacts of factors such as learner differences, personal characteristics, and learning styles on the learning environment” (p. 4). In this open source site learners are provided visual recordings of the lecture as well as an audio version and text transcripts. These formats are all positive resources as long as the learner has the appropriate format for accessing the material.

After examining these courses through the eyes of an instructional designer building a course for online learning, there is room for improvement to better align the course with the recommendations for online instruction. The biggest area of concern for the current format is the lack of interactivity that it provided. Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek states, “The emphasis should not be on the inherent efficiency of the distance learning, but on the values and services offered to students through their exposure to others” (p. 155). These courses can use an overhaul to include interactivities from threaded discussions to rich graphics for visual stimulation. While the videos provided where adequate they would be better received if they were divided into chunks. Simonson et al explains, “…it is best to “chunk” a 50-minute class into five or six single-concept blocks, each as a separate learning object” (p. 97).

The site provided simple links for accessing transcript files, videos and audio files. These files could be better arranged into modules or units along with learning activities for the learner. The course design did not take into consideration implementing activities that would allow the learner to gather a deeper understanding of the course material. These learning activities could include: reading assignments, PowerPoint presentations, learner-centered experiences on specific topics, research assignments utilizing Web search engines, or self-tests for an assessment of overall learning.

By creating meaningful activities for the learner it would allow the instructor an opportunity to get to know the student and monitor and manage motivation throughout the course if required. Without a full consideration and understanding of the necessary components involved, the learner, the content, the method and materials, and the environment learning experiences necessary for learning would be lost. Simonson et al explains, “The components must interact both efficiently and effectively to produce quality learning experiences” (p. 152).

The possibilities that open source learning offers can be endless with the right level of preparation and planning. These learning opportunities will be useless if the methodologies of designing distance learning courses are not taken into consideration. Open Yale courses possess the potential of providing authentic online learning, but require much improvement in their design and development phase in order to truly be effective.


References:

Bakalevu, S. & Narayan, N. (2010). Why Blended Learning? Retrieved from http://linc.mit.edu/linc2010/proceedings/session15Bakalevu.pdf

Hylen, J. (2006). Open Educational Resources: Opportunities and Challenges. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/18/53/40600472.pdf

Open Yale courses: http://oyc.yale.edu/

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

Von Hippel, E. & Von Krogh, G. (2003). Open source software and the “Private-Collective” Innovation Model: Issues for Organization Science. Organization Science 14(2), 209-223. Retrieved from http://web.mit.edu/evhippel/www/papers/Private-Collective%20Model%20OS.pdf

Walden University video: “Developing Online Courses”

Photos retrieved from www.flickr.com

SELECTING DISTANCE LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES

Asynchronous training requires a delicate approach in its implementation. This blog explores the idea and importance of selecting the appropriate distance learning technology for such an environment as asynchronous training. In the scenario involving the efforts to improve poor safety records, biodiesel manufacturing plant is in need for a series of safety training modules. Some of the desired outcome expected by the shift supervisors is that the employees are able to engage in the training and demonstrate their learning from the modules.

With the advancements in technology it has afforded institutions of higher

learning and corporation’s with the ability to reach learners in ways that expand how we teach, communicate, learn and create knowledge. One of the advancements in technology involves the emerging use of Web 2.0 services such as blogs, wikis and social networking sites. To help capture step-by-step processes that the employees can review and ensure that they are made available to all shifts at the plant I would look to utilize quality videos that can be uploaded to networking sites such as Youtube. With YouTube’s ability to reach a number of learners several modules can be created to capture and illustrate the best practices of how to safely operate heavy machinery on the plant’s floor. McLoughlin and Lee explains, “In such a digital world, with high connectivity and ubiquitous, demand-driven learning, there is a need to expand our vision of pedagogy so that learners are active participants or co-producers rather than passive consumers of content, and so that learning is a participatory, social process supporting personal life goals and needs.” (p. 664).

In this learning situation we have adult learners with an immediate need to improve safety habits and a greater need that they be applied right away. In the article, “Youtube and the classroom,” author Reed Markham explores the use of Youtube technology in the classroom and concludes:

“YouTube videos can speed comprehension and add interest. Effectively integrating a
YouTube video can assist in audience understanding and comprehension of topics under
discussion. YouTube videos can also improve audience memory. Communication
research findings indicate that visual images improve listener recall.”

YouTube can be an effective tool to help workers that particularly need a visual approach in understanding complex safety issues and ideas.

Another important aspect to this training is the ability for trainees to collaborate and share ideas. Since we have an organization that operates around the clock, it will be imperative that information can be shared between the multiple shifts. The sharing of ideas and best practices is important to any organization that is looking to improve their operating procedures. I would look to establishing a place that would allow for asynchronous threaded conversations that can help to open the door for dialogue and further create a deeper understanding of the safety procedures. One method that can be used is the implementation of a discussion form through such sites as Tangler. It will be important that subject matter experts in the organization be brought into the discussion process. Mazzolini and Maddison (2005) explain, “Whether the instructor chooses to lead discussions or to keep a low profile it can affect student participation in surprising ways.” (p. 1). These subject matter experts can have great influence over the trainee’s discussions and participation. They can help to provide clarification to any safety methods that may not be clearly understood or choose to generate dialogue on a particular area of concern.

These are two pretty inexpensive ways for any organization to implement training that incorporate advance technology and not have to worry about a huge overhead cost. If optimizing development cost and time is a concern the combination of these learning methods has the potential to balance out deployment costs and time. Other methods of delivery may be too expensive to produce and may require other complicated resources, but combining a quality video that can be viewed at the learner’s pace along with a virtual method for discussion, collaboration and coaching sessions can help to improve the organizations safety program.

References

Markham, R. (2005). YouTube and the classroom. Retrieved from
http://ezinearticles.com/?YouTube-and-the-Classroom&id=1652151

Mazzoline, M. & Maddison, S. (2005). When to jump in: The role of the instructor in
online discussion forums. Computers and Education. Retrieved from
https://www.tlupress.com/~kpata/haridustehnoloogiaTLU/instructor.pdf

McLoughlin, C. & Lee, M., (2007). Social software and participatory learning: Pedagogical
choices with technology affordances in the Web 2.0 era. ICT: Providing choices for
learners and learning. 664-675. Retrieved from
http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/singapore07/procs/mcloughlin.pdf

Photos retrieved from www.flickr.com

DISTANCE LEARNING DEFINITION AND VISION - MINDMAP

Defining Distance Learning

Defining distance learning is forever changing because learner’s needs and the advances of technology are forever changing and it is the technology that has helped to shape these changes. I do not foresee a cookie cutter definition ever being designed to truly define distance learning. As our society expands in its desire to make education accessible to all who desires it the abilities of distance learning will take on various forms. The changes that may seem to help define distance learning should not be based upon an individual’s profession or their technical knowledge. The various forms from face-to-face, videoconferencing, online courses, and correspondence courses can all be explored in new ways with technology that will allow integration of these methods to establish an authentic learning experience.

Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek help to define distance learning by establishing four elements: (1) institution-based, (2) sharing of learning experiences (3) separated learning group, and (4) interactive telecommunications systems. Before beginning this course I never thought much about exactly what was or what was not considered distance learning. I took my first formal distance learning course around 1999 and I recall the excitement I felt. I was excited about the freedom and control that distance learning allowed me to have responsibility over my own learning. The freedom that it brought to me by freeing up my travel time in attending a traditional course allowed me to place more focus on actual learning. Although it brought me much freedom there was some apprehensions as well. Would I walk away at the end of course actually having learned something more than when I began? How would I feel not being able to instantly interact with my fellow classmates? The biggest concern, would I have an instructor that was responsive if I had questions? Simonson, et al. (2012) explains, “…the purest form of distance education occurs at different times and in different places.” (p. 10). Before the start of this course I would have simply defined distance learning as the ability for students to take learning materials and systematically apply the information that bring about learning on their own. I could not have ever been so wrong; distance learning involves much more than the learner’s involvement.

After spending time learning about distance learning I would have to place emphasis of the need for responsiveness of the content as well as the form and place of delivery. Distance learning should have a learner-focused and performance-centered approach. If the learning is designed effectively it should allow the learner the ability to master skills from the lesson, obtain knowledge for future use that will help them to be successful. The goal in any distance learning environment is that it adds value to the learning process. The change in our society, educational institutions, business organization, and individuals requires that responsive and responsible learning opportunities be provided according to their need no matter of time, place or space. The selection of the means for distance learning should not be taken lightly, but rather keep in mind that everything we use should always add value to everyone involved in the process.

At the rate technology is advancing our society the future of distance learning is endless. The future of distance learning will be shaped and defined as useful learning opportunities continue to present their needs. Education is no longer locked behind the walls of the traditional classroom setting. We must assure that we are responsive to learners’ requirements and this should include conveniences for the learner. Some worry that the traditional settings of education could potentially be eliminated with the improvements of distance learning. Simonson indicates that he does not see this as the case. Whatever the advances that technology has to offer to the improvements of distance learning instructional designers should keep in mind the overall goal of effective learning. When designing learning material they should use a learner-focused performance-centered approach. Keep in mind that no two learners are the same, knowing and understanding individual differences, motivation, and learning styles are important to helping them achieve the objectives in a distance learning program. The future of distance learning will require that the learning material and method delivered be fully responsive to the learner and how they best learn.

As we continue to progress as a society we should expect current forms of media to become easier to manage and integrate into the learning process. The fear that the traditional face-to-face education will vanish should not be a concern. The only concern that should be addressed is how do we keep up with these advances? Educators that are more accustom to their style of teaching will need to ensure they are willing participants in adapting to the uses of new technology. With the introduction of new learning mediums it further opens the door for more media choices to be incorporated in designing learning interactivities. We can expect all the previous methods of learning to continue even as new means of delivery are developed.

Resources:

Simonson, M. (n.d.) “Distance Education: The Next Generation.”
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.