Distance Learning
Converting a Face-to-Face Class to a Blending Learning Format
Scenario
A training manager has been frustrated with the quality of communication among trainees in his face-to-face training sessions and wants to try something new. With his supervisor’s permission, the trainer plans to convert all current training modules to a blended learning format, which would provide trainees and trainers the opportunity to interact with each other and learn the material in both a face-to-face and online environment. In addition, he is considering putting all of his training materials on a server so that the trainees have access to resources and assignments at all times.
I think that it is a good idea for the training manager to convert his face-to-face training sessions to a blended learning format. However, I think that he is doing it for all of the wrong reasons. He cannot expect that the students will do much better communicating in a blended environment than face-to-face.
Preplanning Strategies
First, I think that the training manager needs to research the costs. Sure an online environment sounds fun, but it can actually become quite expensive. Everyone has to have access to the server in order to access resources and assignments. He needs to know what kind of computers are needed to run the software that he needs and find a way to track access and assignments for each employee. The best thing for him to do is to hire an instructional design team. They can talk to him and his boss and come up with a learning format for the employees, examine the needs of the learning environment and figure out what they would like to accomplish. After which everyone can decide if it is cost effective to create this blended learning training program.
Enhancements to the Learning Format
The major problem is that there is little to no communication during the training sessions. If no one answers any of the questions presented at the end of training, how can we be sure that they learned anything or if they understand the materials? The goal is to get the students to communicate with each other and the instructor. In many face-to-face classes, I would think that it should be easier to communicate because students should feel comfortable to express their thoughts, emotions, and their behavior in a social setting. However, in online classes, communication does not exist until someone creates it. When it is created, students and instructors not only learn the skills and content better, but they enjoy the experience and work toward degrees and other career goals (Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, 2011).
Role Change
The trainer’s role is definitely going to change once the learning format becomes different. Instead of spending most of his time presenting ideas in person, he will actually have to present them in various learning formats. I think that he will need to work on his presentation methods and take a survey to find out what is working or not working in the face-to-face class. Once he understands that, he can focus on the content of his lectures and find ways to motivate students to want to learn online and keep their attention. If everything works out, student participation is sure to increase and he needs a plan to figure out who will deal with their questions and reply and what length of time it will take to respond.
Encouraging Students to Participate Online
The training manager needs to make sure that everyone can operate a computer and use the software that is provided. Training and/or tutorials should be provided so employees can familiarize themselves with the tools necessary to learn. Similar to traditional classes, online learning gives students a chance to discuss what they learn throughout the course in a collaborative group setting. Some of the goals of the instructor should include making sure that the each discussion builds upon the previous lesson, it encourages students to participate, and the information helps the students to understand the assignment. In online learning, the facilitator should also remember that each pupil’s background is different and they learn differently, the lesson plan should be well thought out and there should be an open line of communication (Facilitating Online Learning, 2012).
In order to get students to participate, teachers must let students know if class participation is part of their grade, how they will be evaluated and what is expected of them (Inquiry Through Blended Learning). Likewise, I believe that students will perform better in the class if they actively post questions that relate to class activities. “By collaborating, all students expand their knowledge, skills and the ability to self-access their own progress” (Simonson, M., et al, 2012). Overall, a collaborative learning environment promotes student and instructor participation and influences learner success.
Ways to Get Students to Participate
| Motivation | Trainer needs to figure out how to keep students engaged |
| Grade Assignments | Students will read and actively participate for a grade |
| Provide Ample Resources | Be able to use technology tools properly and ask Trainer for help |
| Communication | Students should participate in online discussion to express their knowledge of the assignments and share ideas with others |
What is the Trainer’s New Role?
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Innovator |
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Collaborator |
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Motivator |
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Organizer |
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Mediator |
References
Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. (2011, May 16). Retrieved from Creating presence, online and face-to-face: http://cetl.ucdavis.edu/presence/
Facilitating Online Learning. (2012). Retrieved from Laureate Education, Inc.: http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=6290464&Survey=1&47=6932490&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1
Inquiry Through Blended Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved from Motivating students to participate in online discussions: http://commons.ucalgary.ca/documents/ITBL_MotivatingStudents.pdf
The future of distance education
Perceptions of distance learning
Online learning can be defined as classes that can be delivered online in which students have little to no face-to-face contact (Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S., 2012). People have the freedom to attend either traditional classes or online courses at colleges and universities. However, online learning has increased over the years and it is expected to keep growing. Researchers believe that distance learning will continue to grow with the advancements in technology. Over the next 5 to 10 years, I expect that people will become more familiar with computer programs and computer hardware. The Internet has become a place for business and leisure as well as education. Social networking is very popular online, and instead of people talking face-to-face they use text messaging or send emails. In 10-20 years, I believe that technology will make its way around the world and become a part of daily life in third-world countries. It is a possibility that the only way to communicate will be electronically or in person.
The instructional designer and views on online learning
As a future instructional designer, I believe that I need to stay positive and continue to learn new technology when it becomes available. In order to design online classes I need to continue to be trained on the use of effective instructional strategies, to develop instruction before the distance education course is designed, to visualize the ideas that I want to deliver, to provide plenty of resources to the students, to continue to motivate students to learn and to assess the learning experience (Simonson, M., et al., 2012). In addition, I will remember that no one can design instruction alone. I need to listen to the ideas of my instructional design team and remember that each student learns differently and at his or her own pace. Not to mention, the best thing that I can do as an instructional designer is to share my personal experience with those who are skeptical about taking online classes.
Continuous improvement in the field of education
Improvements can be made in the field of online learning by having the instructors become trained in online learning tools and instructional methods. Teachers need to be familiar with the Web 2.0 technology tools, its uses and how to instruct students to use them effectively. Also, the instructors should be able to help students to acquire knowledge that will make them successful in the class. Teachers should take a certification class in distance education before attempting to teach an online course. It is not a good idea to transfer ideas from a traditional class to an online class without the proper training.
Views in society
In the video, “The Future of Distance Education,” Dr. Siemens explains that distance education will continue to grow because people are becoming more familiar with technology (The future of distance education, 2012). People are learning to trust technology to communicate and now to learn. By interacting online, people can talk to people all over the world, talk to people from different cultures and use technology to improve paper processes. Colleges and universities need to find a way to make students feel comfortable with technology that they will want to learn online.
References
The future of distance education. (2012). Retrieved from Laureate Education, Inc.: http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=6290464&Survey=1&47=6932490&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Week 5 – The Impact of Open Source
With the educational opportunities that exist, new trends in distance education are offering ways for people to learn at no expense. Open Course websites provide free classes that are taught by certified faculty members. Today, we will take a look at the open courses offered by Yale University at http://oyc.yale.edu/. They offer introductory courses to anyone who would like to learn and these classes are taught by distinguished teachers and scholars at Yale University. In fact, all lectures were recorded in campus classrooms and in different learning formats such as audio, text and videos. Credits are not offered for these classes and students do not need to be enrolled in a degree or certificate program to participate.
I examined a few courses just to see what they were all about and I can honestly say that I was impressed. When designing courses, instructors must plan and design a learning environment that the students can thrive in. For instance, instructors must decide who their target audience is, what content they want to deliver and the outcomes or objectives they want to fulfill (Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S., 2012). I think that Yale University did a moderate job planning and designing their courses. I took a look at a particular class called Music 112: Listening to Music, and I was very pleased. The look of the class was inviting with no distracting colors or fonts, it included tabs and links to individual class sessions, and the class videos could be played from beginning to end or played by chapters. Next, a lot of information was provided about the instructor, the syllabus included information about what was expected in the course, and it listed the grading system. I found it very easy to maneuver through the class, and I especially enjoyed that each session offered 50 minute class videos and the assignments were easy to understand.
In order to succeed in online instruction, our textbook suggests that teamwork is needed by an instructional design team to develop an online course, technology is flexible, different mediums should be offered, there must be some form of interaction, and teachers need to be properly trained to teach distance learning courses (Simonson, M., et al., 2012). The open courses at Yale University definitely lacked content. I noticed that they gave students the option to listen, watch or read the class presentation and there was a survey offered to students to provide feedback. However, I did not see any class activities that enhanced the learning experience and there was no discussion board to encourage interaction among the students or the instructor. The class mostly involved reading handouts and watching videos. On the syllabus, it said that the student would have to write a five page paper and that there would be tests and quizzes. I did not see any paper quizzes or tests, but during one of the class sessions the teacher gave the students a verbal quiz. Other than that, there were no other class activities. In order to design an effective distance learning experience, support services should be offered, learning resources and a library should be available for research, and learning outcomes should be organized around the objectives (Simonson, M., et al., 2012). Yale University did not meet all of the requirements of a real distance learning class, but since the class is free I think that they did a good job with what they had. I am sure that more thought goes into a class that students actually pay tuition for.
References
Open yale courses. (2012). Retrieved from Yale university: http://oyc.yale.edu/
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Week 3 Blog Assignment
Week 3 Blog Assignment
This week’s assignment entails the use of web technology tools to deliver online learning experiences. I chose one example to write a blog entry about and to identify one to two web tools to help with the situation.
I chose Example 3: Asynchronous Training for a biodiesel manufacturing plant:
Example 3: Asynchronous Training
In an effort to improve its poor safety record, a biodiesel manufacturing plant needs a series of safety training modules. These stand-alone modules must illustrate best practices on how to safely operate the many pieces of heavy machinery on the plant floor. The modules should involve step-by-step processes and the method of delivery needs to be available to all shifts at the plant. As well, the shift supervisors want to be sure the employees are engaged and can demonstrate their learning from the modules.
This company needs help creating safety training modules that can show employees how to properly operate heavy equipment. In order to achieve this, I propose that the company uses a PowerPoint presentation with computer animation. Since the training will be offered on a course management system the employees will have access to the online environment at any time. Not to mention, the PowerPoint presentation can be customized to fit the needs of the company, to explain different policies and procedures, and it can include pictures and simulations of the different types of machines (Heavy equipment e-learning: Cbt/Wbt training and consulting). PowerPoint has many features, it is easy to use and it allows the learner to pace his or her own learning.
The animation will incorporate graphics and audio to show how to safely operate heavy machinery. The course content along with the design and development of 3-D animations takes a long time to create. However, the low bandwidth allows these 3-D animations to be used over the Internet and it will help learners to experience the animations in real-time (Computer animation). Learners will benefit from the step-by-step guidance because it will show them everything they need to know to complete their training. Virtual reality in the form of computer animation has been around since the mid-1950’s and it is expected to be more popular over the years and it may even replace the Internet (Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S., 2012). There are other web tools that can also be used to train employees how to use heavy equipment, but a PowerPoint presentation and computer animation seem to be user-friendly and cost effective for the goals that we would like to achieve.
Asynchronous learning is a form of distance education where students can choose to learn at any time and from anywhere they can access the Internet (Simonson, M., et al., 2012). Students do not need to log in at certain times or at the same time as other students. In fact, people from different cities and countries all over the world can participate in the same class. It offers convenience to students and time for them to think and respond to discussions and complete assignments. Also, asynchronous classes work well for students with work, family and other obligations. Examples of asynchronous learning include email, online discussion boards, blogs, and wikis. Emails are inexpensive, convenient, and students can use them to communicate with the instructor and other classmates (A teacher’s guide to distance learning, 2009). Students can attach items such as spreadsheets, word processing documents, PowerPoint presentations and pictures. Similarly, wikis are another form of asynchronous learning. A wiki is a Web 2.0 technology tool that helps students to communicate in a collaborative learning environment (Parker & Chao, 2007). It is a website that can be used for assignments or group projects and it is easy to create. Content such as fonts, color, words, pictures, sound, and links, etc. can be added, deleted or changed by many different users. Students learn to work together to discuss various topics and exchange information. All in all, asynchronous learning can be very convenient and helpful to all who use it, but the teachers should make sure that all students have the necessary resources and materials to help them be successful in the class.
References
A teacher’s guide to distance learning. (2009). Retrieved from Computer technologies: http://fcit.usf.edu/distance/chap8.htm
Computer animation. (n.d.). Retrieved from Science daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/c/computer_animation.htm
Heavy equipment e-learning: Cbt/Wbt training and consulting. (n.d.). Retrieved from ekPass: http://www.ekpass.com/learning/
Parker, K. R., & Chao, J. T. (2007). Wiki as a teaching tool. Retrieved from Interdisciplinary journal of knowledge and learning objects: http://ijklo.org/Volume3/IJKLOv3p057-072Parker284.pdf
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Week 3 – Web Technology Tools and Online Learning
This week we learned about course management systems and the various web technology tools.
Week 2 – Theories of Distance Learning
This week, it was tough learning about the different theories of distance education. I chose to explore the Theory of Transactional Distance by Michael Moore for my discussion board post. I learned that transactional distance depends on the autonomy of the learner and how it can effect learning. If the teacher and the student have a lot of distance between them, then it causes the student to be more responsible for their learning experience. On the other hand, if the teacher and the student are in a face-to-face class, then the student is more dependent on the teacher for guidance. Instructional design should be designed to not only fit the learner, but also the teaching methods and strategies that relate to distance education.
Bibliography
Simonson, M. S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Week 1 Assignment continued…Write 5-6 paragraphs stating my views on distance education before I knew what it meant, then what I learned about it, and how it will effect the future.
I thought that distance education meant going to school online either by attending asynchronous or synchronous classes. But now I have come to realize that distance learning means much more than that. I was surprised to find out that distance education goes as far back to the 1833. People were taught by sending information through the mail which is what correspondence studying is all about. In addition, education from across the miles evolved into learning by listening to the radio and on the telephone, from broadcast to satellite television, then on to videos, etc. (Distance learning timeline continuum, 2012). Today, distance education means that education is primarily taught online, but correspondence studies still exist. My definition of distance education is having the telecommunication systems to earn a good education from established institutions online at anytime from anywhere. It offers the flexibility of online resources, the ability to communicate socially and to share intellect with people from different cultures and backgrounds.
When I first thought about taking online classes, I was looking for an accredited school and I had to figure out what asynchronous or synchronous classes were. I finally decided to enroll in an online program that offered me convenience around my job and family. I can log on to my classes at any time of the day or night. There is no face-to-face contact at all, yet I feel that I am able to communicate with my teacher and my classmates. I can talk to everyone either by email, the student lounge in our class or the discussion board. If I were to take traditional classes, I would have physical contact with people in my classes. Outside communication with my classmates may involve a text, a telephone call or an email. Yet, I really do not think that I am missing out on anything by not going to a face-to-face class. I am pretty sure that a lot of people can benefit from distance learning. For example, there are people in prison seeking rehabilitation, or people who are hurt or have different types of disabilities, or the busy professional. Not to mention, Walden University’s online programs have an abundance of resources which provides me with online access to the school’s library, to online tutorials and Internet sources.
In today’s society, people are comparing online learning to traditional learning. Some educators are saying that an online education is not as good as an education obtained on campus. But why is it that these different forms of online learning or its predecessors were invented to begin with? A lot of correspondence study programs faced obstacles since their start; however, students and faculty believed in the need. A good education can be received with these types of programs, and they are still offered now. In fact, many people depend on some type of online learning either for school, for work or for leisure activities.
Another issue with distance education is using it for K-12 schools. Educators are trying to justify a way to use it in these schools because there are “issues” with online higher education. Consequently, there are plenty of K-12 students with behavior or medical problems, who have jobs, and for whatever reason need to attend school at a different time other than the traditional school day. According to an article, there are plenty of schools that are overcrowded and a shortage of teachers all because the school’s population has increased (Huett, 2008). They are also searching for ways to measure success and the need to research an online learning environment for younger students.
Personally, I don’t know what the problem is with this feuding. Maybe it has something to do with people thinking that they are better educated than others because they sat in a class. Let’s face it—attending a face-to-face class does not make anyone’s education better than mine. It is what we do with our education, the retention of information and how we apply it to the real world. Dr. Simonson explained in his video that a lot of people are looking for a formal education and distance education is a way to provide it in addition to traditional classes. With the new technology that is around, distance education can be delivered widely by course management systems. In the future, online education is expected to increase, but it will not take the place of traditional learning. I believe that adults and children will be able to use the Internet to obtain their GED, a high school diploma, major certifications and licenses, and continue to earn college degrees. Very soon it will become commonplace to study solely online, through blending learning formats or engage in distance learning at site locations.
Bibliography
Distance learning timeline continuum. (2012). Retrieved from Laureate Education, Inc.: http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=6290464&Survey=1&47=7437497&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1
Huett, J. M. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3: K12, 52(5), pp. 63-67.
Simonson, M. (2012). Distance education: The next generation. Retrieved from Laureate Education, Inc.: http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=6290464&Survey=1&47=7437497&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1
Simonson, M. S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Week 1 of my IDT class
Well, class has started and I am wishing I could get Monday back. Everything just feels so rushed this week. One of the assignments for the week is to create a blog and set up RSS feeds and subscribe to five of my classmates blogs. I thought that my RSS feed was not working, but it turns out that the error message came from the editor side. When I looked at my blog as an outsider–everything looked and worked fine. I am so glad to that this blog still works. I have been keeping an eye on it, but I just gave it a new look the other day. I changed the background, the theme and I managed to get a new picture up here. Hopefully, I will be able to make it look more presentable and to add some cool features. Thanks for subscribing.
Keisha
Instructional Design & Technology 