Reflection

Reflection

            I had just completed my undergraduate degree and was certain that the next step for me was a graduate program.  At that time, I had never thought that online programs were an option for me.  I decided to pursue a traditional program delivered in a classroom format, but had to stop the program because I needed to work.  I was supporting myself and graduate school was not paying the bills.  Furthermore, the traditional program in which I was enrolled had classes that started at 4:00PM and was located 50 miles from my home and job.

            Years later, I finally found an online program that afforded me the opportunity to work and complete my degree.  I was excited to have completed my degree, but others were not as accepting.  Questions along the lines of: “why’d you go there?” were asked by colleagues, friends, and hiring managers.  Luckily, I had several years of experience in my field and did not need to rely solely on the degree as a selling point.  As unfortunate as it may be, I found that my online degree had a negative stereotype associated with it.

            Now that almost 10 years has passed since I acquired my first online degree, a lot has changed in the world and with the perception of online degrees.  First, there are more online degree offerings from traditional universities as well as those that offer 100% of their programs online.  Secondly, I have observed that consumer preferences have changed in that the demands of juggling family and career has left many adults with no other alternative but to take advantage of an online degree option to pursue higher education.  For these reasons, I do believe that negative perceptions of distance learning will change in the future.  I suspect that advances in learning technology will positively impact this perception change as well.

            As instructional designers, it is our duty to be proponents for improving societal perceptions of distance learning.  We can do so by educating others on the facts related to how many classroom learning objectives can be met in an online format.  Additionally, we can stay abreast of advances in learning technology so that we are always aware of how to leverage technology to foster collaboration, interactivity, and engagement that was once thought to only be achievable in a classroom.

            In addition to “walking the talk” of what I have suggested for all instructional designers, my personal commitment to continuous improvement in the field of distance education is one that I see as “paying it forward”.  Distance learning provided me with an opportunity to complete a degree that I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to complete in a traditional manner.  As a way of giving back, it is my next career goal to contribute to the field of distance education by serving as an instructor in the field and an active contributor to the community of advancement of the distance education field.

Best Practices: Converting to a Distance Learning Format

Best Practices: Converting to a Distance Learning Format (CLICK HERE FOR PDF VERSION)
STEP 1: Pre-Planning	ü  Ask yourself: Can the objectives of the course be met in a distance format?  If not, consider adjusting the objectives or keeping the classroom format.   ü  Ask yourself:  What distance learning technology is best suited for course delivery?  Make a list of the challenges that learners and instructors might face when using the selected tool, and decide how these can be addressed.
STEP 2: The Content Design Conversion	ü  Ask yourself:  How can the content of the course be structured, organized, and presented to learners in a manner that is logical and will appeal to various styles of learning?   ü  Ask yourself: How can I use multimedia tools to deliver content in a manner that keeps learners engaged throughout the course?
STEP 3: Infusing Interactivity & Collaboration	ü  Ask yourself:  Have I set ground rules related to communication, and have I listed expectations related to student and instructor response time?   ü  Ask yourself: Have I infused tools to encourage communication and collaboration (e.g., discussion forums, blogs, wikis, live chat, videoconferencing etc.?
STEP 4: Assessment & Evaluation	ü  Ask yourself: Does the course have assessments built in to gauge knowledge acquisition throughout the course?   ü  Ask yourself: How will I evaluate whether or not learners have met the course objectives at the end of the course?

The Impact of Open Source

http://www.extension.harvard.edu/open-learning-initiative/shakespeare-after-all-later-plays

I have decided to review the Harvard University open source course entitled: “Shakespeare After All: The Later Plays” This course is offered through the Harvard Extension School’s Open Learning Initiative.  At the time that I accessed the school’s web site, there were 8 courses listed in a lecture video format.  The subject matter of the courses varied from liberal arts to engineering and math.  In terms of best practices for online learning, the course that I reviewed was organized into modules based upon the various Shakespearean plays.  I believed that this type of course organization helps the learner organize distinct concepts in a logical and digestible manner. 

One of the challenges with the course was that there were no assessments that afforded learners the opportunity to check their knowledge acquisition and have core objectives reinforced.  Another flaw in the course is that there is no opportunity for interaction with the instructor or other learners.  I was quite shocked to notice that there was not even a blog attached to the course.  This would have at least provided an opportunity for learners to exchange ideas.  Furthermore, the course did not include any activities to maximize learning. 

The course was literally a video lecture series.  I was, however, pleased to see that the last module in the video series was a review.  This would provide learners with the opportunity to revisit key themes from the previous modules.  Finally, on the technology side, I think that it was a good idea to offer the videos in flash, QuickTime, and mp3 formats.  This addressed learner accessibility.  Overall, the course was interesting, but I must admit that I would have much preferred more interaction and assessment opportunities.