EDUC 8842 Posting 2

Growing up in a more rural area of Texas, I was not accustomed to much diversity in school. Sure, we had some students who were Hispanic or African American, but they were very few. My years in college were a little more diverse as my school reached out to get more students from around the world. But, before the use of on-line courses, the majority of the students were just like me. We had some different viewpoints based on our religious or political beliefs, but we had a similar view of the world, through the lens of a middle-class, Caucasian, southern United States, student. With the invention of the internet and cheap communication across the globe, colleges and universities have been able to attract a more diverse population of students from around the world. Siemens (2008) highlighted this increase in diversity with the creation of distance learning. Instead of working with just people of similar backgrounds, living the same experience I have lived, I am interacting with colleagues whose lives are completely different. I am finding that what works in courses in the United States might be viewed as totally off-base in other cultures. Walden University appears to be very diverse in the student population. I have worked with students from Puerto Rico, parts of Africa, and South America. I am also learning how to communicate with other students from backgrounds who may not understand the nuances of the language I use. My use of humor may not be well received with individuals who don’t understand double entendres or sarcasm. Emoticons may not transfer over either. I have even had to reevaluate how I address people in discussion postings (e.g. instead of using first names, some people want to be addressed as Mr. or Mrs. and their last name. Technology has most definitely been the key to global diversity in classes. Innovations like web cameras, videoconferencing online, and Skype telephone calls have increased the capacity for students to interact across the globe. Universities also use discussion boards to eliminate the problem of time zones in these types of courses. I can interact with classmates, even if they are asleep. By reading their posts, commenting on their blogs, or viewing their saved videos on YouTube, I can continue my learning. Reference: Laureate Education, Inc . (Producer). (2008). The future of distance education [Video Program]. Available from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4930715&Survey=1&47=7102460&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1.

EDUC 8842 Posting #1

Module 1 Blog Posting:

Topic: After reading the three articles by Moller, Huett, Foshay and Coleman, and listening to the Simonson video programs, compare and contrast the reasons these authors believe there is a need to evolve distance education to the next generation. Do you agree with their positions? Why or why not?

Response:

As Simonson (2008a) mentioned, distance education is not a new phenomenon. There have been many incarnations of distance education from correspondence courses to tele-courses from local community colleges. One thing he mentioned is that he does not see distance education experiencing a radical growth in the next few years. Also, he does not foresee distance course supplanting traditional education in face to face settings. I have to agree that this is something that will not happen as there are learners who still prefer going to class and sitting with fellow students in a live class. There is an experience in going to college where there is camaraderie between classmates and learning from professors while in a lecture hall or classroom format. Where I see distance education becoming more popular is with graduate students and working adults. Without Walden University and its online format, I would not be able to pursue my Ph.D. as I could not afford to give up my income and my job in teaching. As a working adult with bills and obligations, I need the flexibility to have classes online and distance education fills this need.

Moller, Huett, Foshay and Coleman (2008) discussed how distance education can be used to help students in K-12 settings. With mandates like No Child Left Behind requiring failing schools to provide alternative education for students, some proponents see distance education as a solution. This is one area I am not convinced will experience much success. Unfortunately, many students are not mature enough for the rigors of true distance education. Granted there are courses where students just have to click through assignments to get credit, but that is not learning. Ask the parents of most teenagers and they will tell you that the students just do not have the self-discipline and motivation to complete coursework that requires learning to occur. The authors call for instructional designers to answer the challenge of develop meaningful and engaging curriculum, but I wonder if this would actually solve the problem of distance learning in the K-12 setting. An exciting curriculum is not enough to entice a teenager away from other distractions like video games, Facebook, and texting their friends.

So what are the next steps in distance education in my view?

Higher Education:
Something I am worried about is the saturation of the market for distance learning providers. From for profit institutions to traditional schools offering courses, there are almost too providers, each with their own format. Some institutions are little more than diploma mills while others provide top notch education for adult learners. I see the market for these services growing, but the number of schools declining as the competition for students forces minor players out of the market.

K-12
There is potential to serve a specialized population of students who would learn best by distance education. What should not happen is just placing students in front of computers to save money on school budgets. Computers cannot replace a quality teacher with passion for their subject matter. This passion costs money. We are shortchanging our students when we, without offering them a choice, force them to learn on computer...even if they are not willing, or capable of doing so.

Ray

References:

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W. & Coleman, C. (2008, September/October). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5), 63–67.

Laureate Education, Inc . (Producer). (2008a). Distance education: The next generation [Video Program]. Available from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4930715&Survey=1&47=7102460&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc . (Producer). (2008b). Equivalency theory [Video Program]. Available from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4930715&Survey=1&47=7102460&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

(In order to view the videos, you need to be a student at Walden University).