What
do you think the perceptions of distance learning will be in the future?
In the future, the
depiction of distance learning, distance education and online
learning/education will lose its stigma as an inferior alternative for higher
education. Distance learning will become
synonymous with traditional learning and at some point it will be difficult to
distinguish between the two formats in regards to superiority. “Growing acceptance of distance education is
fueled by; the increase of online communication, practical experience with new
tools, growing comfort with online discourse, and the ability to communicate
with diverse and global groups.” (Laureate Education, n.d.). More university and colleges will incorporate
distance learning into their education platforms and it will become “central to
an institutions operation” (Osborne, 2013).
Along with distance learning becoming a standard, Massive Open Online
Courses (MOOCs) will gain more ground as businesses begin to use these courses
to train employees. Living in a
technological world where internet and mobile messaging are the primary source
of communication in the workplace, employers may require students have online
courses in their portfolio as a way to show they can work with and in a diverse
demographic. Just as paper and pen has given way to tablets and drop boxes,
online learning will become par in higher education institutions and business
training.
Included in the
shift to distance learning and almost half (45%) of college students “taking at
least one online course” (Bolkan, 2013) is the increased trend of adults
entering higher education. While “a
large a majority of the American public and…business leaders say it is more
important for job candidates to be well-rounded with a range of abilities than
to have industry-specific skills” (Stratford, 2013), adults are finding
themselves taking remedial courses to obtain their degree, which costs valuable
time many do not have. With this thought in mind, the flexible course design
can “shorten the process and will focus on learner-directed activities,
including project work and multimedia assignments (Osborne, 2013). Speeding up
the process of learning while still creating well-rounded educated adults is
the Kentucky Community & Technical College System. The Learn on Demand program lets “students
work through the models sequentially, completing each in a dramatically shorter
period of time and progressing at their own pace” (NextGen Learning,
n.d.). Remedial courses can be taken and
completed in a 3-week module as opposed to a typical 16-week semester. Adult learners will save precious time and
can soon focus on program courses.
While
distance learning still provides “institutionally-based and formal education”
(Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek, 2012, pg. 32) means the outcome is
to continually provide superior and quality education to the learner. Flexibility is a major proponent of online learning
and creating courses that engage the learners increase satisfaction and will
also increase popularity. As we continue
to create course and design the learning experience, one group of potential
students to keep in mind is the student who is anxious to try distance
learning. “The challenge we face as
designers is to create distance learning that … draw in those who prefer
face-to-face, and convert those that fear it” (Trask, 2014). How, as an
instructional designer do we appeal to and attract students who have never
taken an online course? One way is to
design a course with required elements (and outcomes) but allow the learner to “pick and choose what they want to do and
what they want to avoid” (Bull, 2014). This buffet-style design will work with
assessment options as well, adding differentiation to appeal to a variety of
learning styles as outcomes measure what is learned not how they learned it.
How will you be a positive force
for continuous improvement in the field of distance education?
References
Bolkan, J. (2013, June 24). Campus
Technology. Report: Students Taking Online Courses Jumps
96 Percent over 5 Years --. Retrieved June 25,
2014, from
jumps-96-percent-over-5-years.aspx
Bull, B. (2014, February 3). 10
Assessment Design Tips for Increasing Online Student Retention,
Satisfaction and Learning. Faculty Focus 10 Assessment
Design Tips for Increasing
Online Student
Retention Satisfaction and Learning Comments. Retrieved June 26, 2014, from
http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/10-assessment-design-tips-increasing-retention-satisfaction-student-learning-online-courses/
Laureate
Education (Producer). (n.d.). The future of distance education [Video
file]. Retrieved
NextGen Learning. (n.d.). Kentucky
Community and Technical College System | NextGen
Learning. Retrieved June 25, 2014, from
http://nextgenlearning.org/grantee/kentucky-
community-and-technical-college-system
Osborne, C. (2013, January 8). Top ten
predictions for online learning in 2013. SmartPlanet. Retrieved June 26,
2014, from http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/bulletin/top-ten-predictions-for-online-learning-in-2013/?tag=content%3Bsiu-container#.UUCUKgTXh5o
Simonson, M., Smaldino,
S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a
distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.
Stratford, M. (2013, September 18). Poll: Most
Americans and business leaders say graduates should be well-rounded @insidehighered.
Poll: Most Americans and business leaders say graduates should be
well-rounded @insidehighered. Retrieved June 25, 2014, from
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/09/18/poll-most-americans-and-business-leaders-say-graduates-should-be-well-rounded#sthash.wgWe0AlU.dpbs
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