Distance learning technologies

Scenario

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.

Simonson et al (2012) state that it is important to “identify learning experiences and match each to the most appropriate available technology” (p.117). Since the idea is that members of each organization should be able to collaborate and share documents, online collaboration tools or media sharing sites would be a good choice.

Over the past few years, there has been some outstanding media sharing sites. The sites allow online collaboration, synchronization of materials, working in real time which make it ideal for businesses.

Google Docs

Watch this video to understand Google Docs

Google Docs has many advantages. It is compatible with many file formats, including Microsoft Office. It allows teams members to collaborate and edit files. Each regional office can create a folder within Google Docs and save documents and screenshots within the folders. These files can be viewed by all the regional offices and team members can work collaboratively on the files. Google keeps track of all the changes and attaches the team members name to the changes. There are no worries about working being lost as “Google designed Google Docs to auto save almost constantly, preserving each edit shortly after a user makes it. Other users see the updated changes instantly” (Strickland, n.d). This makes collaboration very easy. When working collaboratively on spreadsheets, team members can click on the ‘chat’ tab and in discuss matters in real time. Google Gears allows users to work offline and then once the user connects to the internet, it synchronizes the offline copy to the master copy in Google. If multiple users have been working off line, then the Google Gears will “Google alerts you to the issue and gives you the opportunity to compare your changes against the other user's edits and “if you still want your changes to go into the file, you can copy and paste them into the document” (Strickland, n.d).

Evernote 

http://www.evernote.com/

This is an amazing collaboration tool as it allows a user to collect information, videos, audio etc and store them in Evernote in the form of notebooks. These notebooks can be accessed from any device that has internet access, including smartphones and tablets. The instructional designer can create a team account and set up notebooks within the account for each regional office. Each office can upload its screen captures, documents, videos and sound files to their notebook. Team members can access the notebooks from anywhere.  If any changes are made to the notebooks, it will automatically synchronize all the information on each device, allowing each member to have updated information.  To protect the information of the organization, the instructional designer can set password protected accounts and members can only view and share notebooks through these accounts.   The premium account has better features and allows every user to make changes to the account instead of just the primary account holder. It also allows working on a notebook offline, which makes it perfect if team members are travelling. This type of collaborative learning is only possible in E-learning, which “allows for learning strategies that may not be possible in a classroom or other traditional environments” (Moller, et al, 2008, p.74).

Mind mapping tools

http://bookvar.net/

This video shows the features of Bookvar.

Very often mind mapping is underestimated and is considered by many as something that only students can use. Mind mapping in business can really help with “problem solving, strategic planning and organization” (Novamind, n.d). Mind mapping is based on the natural structure of the brain and is appealing an way of organizing information (Mind Map, n.d).  Bookvar is a mind mapping tool with a twist. It offers the opportunity to upload images, documents, and videos. What makes this an ideal collaboration tool is that it has an integrated chat option. Team members from each of the regional offices can organize their documents and screenshots using this tool. They can use the chat feature to collaborate on ideas and organization.  The user interface is “based on the Office Fluent Ribbon” (Bookvar, n.d) and allows 3D animation enabling users to quickly create sophisticated and quality mind maps. 

By using collaborative tools the instructional designer is giving the team members in each regional office the opportunity to be successful as "significant learning often occurs as a result of learner to learner communication. Logically meaningful learning is more likely to occur when leaners have access to a supportive community that encourages knowledge building and social reinforcement” (Moller, et al, 2008, p.74).

References

Mind Mapping News. (n.d.). Mind Mapping Article. Retrieved March 16, 2012, from http://mindmapping.bestreferenceguide.com/

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 1: Training and development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70–75.

Shangland, S. (n.d.). How Google Docs won me over | Deep Tech - CNET News. Technology News - CNET News. Retrieved March 18, 2012, from http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20023084-264.html

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

Strickland, J. (n.d.). HowStuffWorks "Advanced Tricks in Google Docs". HowStuffWorks "Computer". Retrieved March 18, 2012, from http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/basics/google-docs3.htm

Distance Education - Past, Present and Future

A Personal Definition of Distance Education

Much like distance education, my definition of distance education has evolved. In the past, whenever I would  hear the term distance education, I would envision correspondence courses. For me 'distance' was the operative word in this term and that's what I focused on. It seemed like a slow and tedious process since students mailed assignments to tutors and then waited for feedback and grades. However, with the popularity and accessibility of the internet improving distance education became web based. Growing up in the United Kingdom, I was familiar with distance education, mainly because of the Open University and the controversy that surrounded it. In Great Britain education has always has been, and still is in some cases, for the rich and the elite. The Open University "was the first institution to break the insidious link between exclusivity and excellence" (Open University, n.d). I had a very traditional British education and so the Open University was something that I kept my distance from. It was when I came to the U.S. that I had my first taste of distance education. This was when I really understood the benefits of it. I remember the discussions that I had with teachers in the online discussion forums; I found that I learned more about the U.S. education system from discussions with these teachers, than the textbooks I read. Needless to say, I loved it so much that I enrolled at Walden University to create online classes! Distance education was an opportunity to learn from each other.

The history of Distance Education

I was quite surprised to find that distance education had been around more than a century. To appreciate how much distance education has evolved, it is important to understand the history of it.

(Simonson et al, 2012, p.37-40) (Baker’s Guide, n.d)

I think there are four important factors that continue to drive this process of change in distance education.

The history of distance education shows that not only have the modes of delivery changed, but along with them so has the target audience, the designers of the course and the purpose of  distance education courses. For example, distance education during Isaac Pitman’s era, in late 1800s, would have meant a correspondence course through the penny mail and the target audience would have been “people who didn’t have the means to get an education for themselves” as Pitman believed “educating anyone of any class from anywhere who could read and had the desire to learn.” (Webberm, n.d). Similarly in the U.S.  Anna Eliot Ticknor wanted to provide opportunities for women to receive an education. The designers of these courses were humble teachers, who wanted to end the monopoly of education by men and the upper classes.

Currently, distance education has more advanced modes of delivery, due to innovations such as web 2.0 and web 3.0 tools. The target audience now includes adults, K-12 students, adult students and professionals  who want to engage in life long learning. Today many educational institutions offer distance education. It is particularly favored in higher education and now many universities and colleges offer only online courses, even in the traditional degree courses. Although some institutions higher instructional designers, many still want their instructors to create the courses. The reason for this is a lack of understanding of distance education.  Their belief is that content from a face to face class can be taken and delivered through  the web with little or no alteration. This method “of duplicating it [content and materials] can lead to limited results (Moller et al, 2008, p.67).  In K-12 education, distance education is in the form of virtual schooling. The problem, however, with K-12 distance learning is that it is often used as a form of credit recovery or a “ repository for those unable or unwilling to function in the more traditional classroom environment” (Huett et al, 2008, p. 64).  While I agree that education should be accessible to all, I also think that that the learners should have the “desire to learn” (Pitman as quoted by Webberm, n.d). Very often the students that are in these credit recovery programs are the ones that do not possess this desire. Additionally, K-12 distance education is often created by teachers who have very little understanding of technology or the difference between face to face and distance education. The corporate world, is also experimenting with distance education.  The fact that distance education can reduce “training delivery costs” and that it is “instantly available, providing timely on demand learning access” (Moller et al , 2008, p.70) is making it a suitable solution for many organizations.  Like higher education, corporate organizations do not have suitable people to create the training, thus the training that is often produced is of low quality. Training effectiveness is not measured by Return on Investment (ROI) but “by the number of learner hours logged” (Moller et al, 2008).
In the past the content was of prime importance. Currently, knowledge of technology and creating effective instruction using technology is very important and in order to do that qualified instructional designers are needed in all the areas. Although the modes of delivery and the target audience have changed, the true purpose of distance education has become distorted along the way. For many people it has become a quick fix and this is the reason that distance education is undervalued and does not enjoy the same status as traditional education.  On the other hand, it is also true that distance education has been the driving force behind life long learning.

The Future of Distance Education

Simonson (n.d) states that distance education will never replace traditional education; rather, it will enhance it. For distance education to be effective, it is important that administrators and policy makers realize and value the important of instructional designers. Additionally, the purpose of distance education, to provide education to those who have a desire learn but are unable to do so,  needs to be revived. The “democratization” (Webber, n.d) is an important aspect of its legacy and should continue to be the driving force behind it. I would like to see more opportunities for distance education in K-12 education, higher education, and in professional and formal learning.  The modes of delivery will keep on improving as technology keeps on changing.

A Revised Definition

Distance education is institutionally based education where the instructor and learners are separated physically, geographically, through time or intellect. Learners and instructors are connected by data, video, voice and the desire to learn and share knowledge.  (Simonson et al, 2012). They engage in interactive communication, both synchronously and asynchronously.  Through technology, every person who has the desire to learn, regardless of gender, class, ability, or race, has the opportunity to access education.  Learning is authentic and student centered. The role of the instructor is to facilitate learning.

Distance Education Timeline. (n.d.). Baker's Guide to Online Christian Education. Retrieved March 1, 2012, from www.bakersguide.com/Distance_Education_Timeline/

History of the OU | About the OU | Open University. (n.d.). Distance Learning Courses and Adult Education - The Open University. Retrieved March 3, 2012, from http://www8.open.ac.uk/about/main/the-ou-explained/history-the-ou

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 2: Higher education). TechTrends, 52(4), 66–70.

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

Webberm. (n.d.). History of Distance Education « Webberm’s Weblog.  Webberm Weblog. Retrieved March 3, 2012, from http://webberm.wordpress.com/com-546-papers/history-of-distance-education/