Considering distance learning in the near future we must look at the direction of technology. Technology has had and will continue to have a major impact on education. In fact,
technology will become more and more engrossed in our everyday lives. As more people become familiar and comfortable with distance learning the more it will be accepted. Universities are noticing an influx of enrollment of online students in the United States and outside of the United States.
Online learning is gaining a firm hold in universities and corporations. More and more academia say that their institutions offer online courses. “Many of them, especially those with a public-service mandate, consider online learning key to advancing their mission, placing advanced education within reach of people who might otherwise not be able to access it.” According to the Economist unit. Based on this information I think in five years or more online learning will be the chosen method of learning and training for education and corporations. Teachers will teach from more than one medium and textbooks will be replaced with online materials
No generation is more at ease with online, collaborative technologies than today’s young people—
“digital natives”, who have grown up in an immersive computing environment. Where a notebook
and pen may have formed the tool kit of prior generations, today’s students come to class armed with
smart phones, laptops and iPods.
This era of pervasive technology has significant implications for higher education. Nearly two-thirds
(63%) of survey respondents from the public and private sectors say that technological innovation
will have a major impact on teaching methodologies over the next five years. “Technology allows
students to become much more engaged in constructing their own knowledge, and cognitive studies
show that ability is key to learning success,” says New York City-based Queens College vice-president of institutional advancement, Susan Henderson. ( Economist Unit 2008)
I think as an instructional designer I can be a proponent for improving societal perceptions of distance learning through several methods. When conducting research I can be sure that I choose credible resources when conducting literature review. This will help to validate my information when presenting. I can also make sure that I understand that I am accountable to certain standards and should conduct myself in the most ethical manner at all times. I should also apply the equivalency theory that requires that distance learning and face to face education should have the same learning outcome and provide equivalent learning experiences to meet those outcomes. There are many more things that an instructional designer can do to be a proponent for improving societal perceptions, I have only touched on a few of them.
As in other environments, the rapid proliferation of e-courses doesn’t always translate to good instruction. Proper evaluations and assessments aren’t always administered which prevents the necessary refinement in e course development. (Moller, Foshay & Huett, 2008, p. 67). I will ensure that as an instructional designer that I remember that planning is critical to online courses. I should make sure activities align with the objectives, and make sure that I have the proper software and make sure learners have the necessary skills to use it. It is also important to understand that learners learn differently and I should consider that when designing course. I should seek out assistance from SME's and ask their input when designing courses. Make sure activities are engaging to keep students involved. Finally I think investing in facilitators training is extremely important to any online course. We learned a good instructional designer always plans a trainer training and this is a key part of implementation.
“There is the issue of a lack of trained professionals to conduct online learning. Our authors discuss the fact that teachers are not necessarily instructors and that instructional designers can function as content experts and distance education developers working alongside teachers. Finally, it is essential to get faculty buy in order to facilitate the necessary organizational change required to adopt online instruction as a venue that stands alongside face- to- face instruction. Without proper training of personnel and common value placed on distance education, it may never get very far. (Moller, Foshay & Huett, 2008, p. 69)
References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d.). Distance education: The next generation [Multimedia]. Distance Learning. Retrieved October 31. 2010
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.
The future-of-Higher-Education, How will technology shape it. The Economist Intelligence Unit 2008 Retrieved October 31, 2010 from the website:
www.nmc.org/pdf/Future-of-Higher-Ed-(NMC).pdf
