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.