Distance Learning

                                                                 

                                              

Defining Distance Learning

As I began this course my own personal definition and thoughts about what distance learning is and how it relates to instructional design technology. My personal definition of distance learning is it’s a course or lecture that is conducted through the internet where students are not required to attend classes at a college or university. My observation of distance learning before starting this course was that distance learning allows everyone to share in the learning process regardless of where you are in the world. Distance learning allows the student to have an opportunity to learn from different professors and students. Distance learning also brings students together through scholarly discussions, assignments, and group projects that push the learner to think outside of the box, and see things from different perspectives. 

The first week I have learned about the history of distance education to where it has evolved from. Distance learning institutionally based which could be traditional educational school or college focuses more on self- study. Nontraditional institutions that offer education to students at a distance are increasingly emerging. More and more business and companies are now advocating for the accreditation of institutions that offer distance education to add credibility, and eliminate diploma mills (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek, 2012). Distance learning has also evolved from online learning to e-learning. E-learning is instantly available, providing timely and on-demand learning access impossible in a traditional training center. Finally, e-learning is scalable, once developed tens of thousands of employees or customers can use it immediately (Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008)  . Instructional design is always evolving to provide technology, instruction, and business in a much faster way. So that businesses are able to stay competitive with how business is conducted throughout the global market. Adult learners are using distance learning as a choice of continuing their education. The information that I have learned this week has made me look at distance learning in a different way that just doesn’t evolved education but it has effect on business.

After an introduction of distance learning from the first week’s course work and discussion questions my definition has changes. Distance learning is an “open learning” education that allows students to view course or lecture’s that is conducted through the internet, where students do not attend classes at a university or college.

The definition of education is always changing because how information is begin received has changed such as Globalization brought about on by supersonic air travel, satellite television, computer communications, and societal changes, has inspired new ways of looking at distance education (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek, 2012)  . Globalization was a major factor in how technology evolved. Globalization made the world a much smaller place by allowing people to connect to one another in a much faster way. It opened up more opportunities for adult learners to take online course from anywhere. With technology always changing it has put pressure on every intuition to makes changes such as in education there will be a 300 % increase over the next 5 years in distance education. Most colleges and universities are willing to evolve this new learning environment and providing some if not a significant portion of their classes in a web-based or other non-traditional formats ( Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008).     

My vision and future of distance learning is one that allows all students from K-12 and adult learners to receive a quality education. One that allows every learner to compete in this global market and have the knowledge and tools that will equipped them to be successful. To make sure that child does not lose the social interaction between teacher and fellow classmates is very important because, a child needs to be able to develop the social skills to help them be able to compete in this global market. To make sure that every student’s learning style and needs are meat when providing online education.  Technology is constantly growing so as an instructional designer I must always be aware and have an understanding of how students learn so that they can be successful in the classroom. To also seek out new technology tools that can help make distance learning much more effective for all learners.

   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.

 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.