Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

Collaborative Training Environment:

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.

Technology Advances

With the advancements in technology over the past several years, the way we do things have significantly changed. Technology has provided places for students to learn outside of the traditional classroom setting. "As new technologies emerge, instructional designers and educators have unique opportunities to foster interaction and collaboration among learners, thus creating a true learning community. The existence of distance education relies on the creation of learning communities", according to Palloff and Pratt (in Beldarrin, 2006). Being asked to train staff members that are seperated throughout six different office locations, it is vitally important to select the most effective learning tools to deliver instruction.

Instructional Designer’s Role:

Since the staff members are not at the same location and are unable to meet at the same time the best solution is to hold the training sessions in an asynchronous learning environment. Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek (2012) outlines “online activities for students should have specific course management purposes”. The training should focus on specific tasks and provide authentic learning experiences. Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek (2012) also state that, “learning experiences should be provided to each learner whether local or distant, and the expectation should be that the equivalent outcomes, rather than identical, should be expected of each learner”. When creating a classroom an instructional designer should consider using Web 2.0 tools to make the most of learning outcomes.

Before creating any classes or lessons, an instructional designer should begin with a needs assessment. This needs assessment should be given to the employees and the corporation and will help guide the development of the course. Questions for the employees could include the following:

1. What experience have you had using technology?

2. How, when and were do you use technology?

3. What kind of technologies do you use and/or are you comfortable with?

4. What is your learning style? Do you consider yourself to be a visual, auditory, hands on or a combination of these?

5. What software programs are you familiar with?

6. What is your personal opinion of technology?


Questions for the corporation could include the following:

1. What are the learners’ backgrounds?

2. What knowledge, skills, and technology literacies are the learners familiar with?

3. What are their demographics?

4. What attitudes do the employees hold about technology?

5. Do the learning styles of the students differ?

6. How is technology used within the corporation?

7. What types of instructional practices would you like to see used in the course? What does this look like, small group learning, collaborative learning?

8. What specific technologies or tools does your company use?



After conducting the needs assessment and analyzing the results the instructional designer can move onto designing a solution for the corporation.

Designing a Solution:

There are many options for distance learning technologies that can be used to train these employees. The module should be designed to support the learners’ abilities, interests and learning styles. Although, you may not be able to please all of the learners all of the time with the module design, learners will be able to relate with what they are comfortable with. To facilitate this type of training, the instructional designer should attempt to present the module using auditory, verbal, and reading/writing as instructional tools. Including games, auditory and video media as well as computer assisted video will enhance the training module.

One of the Web 2.0 tools that could be used in this design model is a Wiki Wikis are an appropriate fit for a collaborative learning environment. Learners are able to edit pages, have ongoing conversations that are similar to discussion threads, work at their own pace, allow them to have the flexibility to read and work within an environment that works for them. Within a wiki, learners can also work collaboratively on projects. (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek, 2012).

Another technology that could be use for videos is YouTube. (www.youtube.com) The module can incorporate movie and picture files to demonstrate sequences needed to be followed by the learner in order to use the new operating system. Videos cater to the various learning preferences that are encountered in a learning environment, and they bring about a social presence in the classroom. Videos also make the module more engaging by offering visual images to help grab students' attention.

Technology has brought the traditional classroom to new levels within the last 20 years. The growth and success of distance education is closely linked to the design and quality of learning that has been enabled through technology (Siemens, 2002). It is the instructional designers’ responsibility to serve the learning needs of the student by providing effective instruction and interaction among students (Siemens, 2002). Learning using technology allows everyone an opportunity to learn, regardless of their location.






References:

Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2),139–153.

Siemens, G. (2002, September 2). Instructional design in elearning. Retrieved March 17, 2012 from: http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/InstructionalDesign.htm

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

After a few years teaching in an elementary school setting with just a Bachelor’s Degree and not making enough money to survive, I knew eventually I would have to go back to school and get a Master’s Degree. When I began looking at where to get that degree, I looked at traditional universities where I would go to class in a brick and mortar classroom and spend 60 to 90 minutes a day perhaps up to twice a day 5 times a week in a face to face class. I also looked into the non-traditional universities who had you sitting in class from 8am to 5pm one weekend a month.  Both of these options were nauseating to me. Although the “younger” part of me wanted to go back to the days of college partying, I am past that point in my life and realize I need to get a Master’s degree to help me advance in the education field and financially.

When I came across Walden University, I was ecstatic about being able to complete all of my education from the comfort of my home and home computer.  I was sold.  Walden was going to give me the option to take advantage of distance education where I completed all of my lessons and classes from home.  I was also confident in Walden’s ability to offer an education opportunity that would benefit my career. 

I completed my first Walden Master’s in Education with an emphasis in Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. However, due to budget cuts within state funding for education, Curriculum Resource Teachers and other positions in which this degree would come into play were now non-existent.

After talking with my brother who a SME for Boeing as well as some of his friends who are IDs they told me I could do the ID job.  Many of the IDs were former teachers. They explained to me what their job was and how it was done. I knew then, that yes I could do their job and I decided at that time to go back to Walden and pursue the ID degree. 

Now that I am working and learning from a virtual school environment, I am amazed at the perception that uneducated people have regarding distance education. Everyone assumes that because I work and learn from home, I do nothing except sit at my computer desk eating Bon-Bons.  What these people need to realize is that unlike other distance education efforts that have had a limited impact or fizzled out, online learning has the potential to become a large and permanent part of our education system (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek (2012).  With ongoing technological advances, virtual learning is here to stay.

So my revised definition of distance learning, I believe it is being able to access your courses and lessons, anytime, anywhere on the technology of your choosing.   It is an ongoing effort where you can put in 100% of your time and attention if you are taking classes through a university that have a specific due date and time, or you can tone down the amount of time and attention your distance education required based upon your own needs and wants. 

It is the belief of Moller, Huett, Foshay and Coleman (2008) that many of the education courses lack adequate instructional design for a sufficient learning environment. This is due to the fact that the faculty lacks the necessary training in instructional design or distance education itself. Training is an ongoing process. When designing classes and lessons, the instructor must take in to account the specific needs of the learners and the technology needed to facilitate learning.  Focusing on specific learner needs is something I do daily as an elementary teacher, so why not transfer that knowledge to the field of Instructional Design.

Repeated studies have shown that distance education is just as effective as face to face instructions (Simonson et al., 2012).  However, one of the key challenges for instructional designers and teachers is to help students feel comfortable with the online classroom.  (Siemens, 2010). One of the ways to encourage socialization in the classroom is through interactive discussion postings amongst classmates.  Having online interactions with another “person” makes the virtual world seem less lonely.

I believe there is a huge future in Instructional Design. I am hoping to be able to use my Curriculum Masters along with my ID degree to find the “perfect” job for me which allows me to combine both worlds. Perhaps it will be a job in creating future distance education courses.

 

References:

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5), 63–6 7.

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

Siemens, G. (2010). The Future of Distance Education. Presented for Laureate Education, Inc. Retrieved March 10, 2013, from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsptab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2095296_1%26url%3D