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.