Distance Learning and the Future

Distance learning is here to stay.  It still has a road ahead to become integrated into the educational mainstream, but will become more of a force as time goes on.  The growth of distance learning is due to several factors, which include the need for easy access to education, the economic downturn and the ease of access to resources through the internet.

The perception of distance learning will move toward better acceptance.  The current climate and acceptance of distance learning is not as high as traditional educational approaches (Columbaro & Monaghan, 2009).  This level will continue to rise, but my prediction is that it will continue to be slow growth at first and then will increase rapidly.  One component of this growth will be the use of technology to move toward student centered education programs (Christensen, Horn, & Johnson, 2011).   One way to move toward student centered learning is using games.  Many individuals use online games for fun, but there are some websites that use games for measuring achievement.  These are used in study island (www.studyisland.com) and Kahn Academy (www.kahnacademy.org).  The math teachers at my school use study island a lot for review and reinforcement of the math concepts.  I do not use it until the end of the year because the topics do not match our curriculum, but by the end of the year we have looked at all of the topics on study island for 8^th grade science.

I see the secondary classroom moving toward distance learning.   Students that are homebound or cannot function in the classroom will need access to curriculum.   Students that are absent could also benefit from a distance format for catching up on classwork.   I also see the classroom using a blended format like the flipped classroom (Bergman & Sams, 2012).  This will allow for more effective use of class time, and as many states are currently dealing with funding issues, teachers can ensure that the learning goals are met in shorter school years.  (My county operates on a 168 day calendar, and I have heard of schools operating on 160 days or less due to funding issues.)   Envisioning technology (2012) has a great visual showing some possible trends in future educational technology.  These include the use of games and the flipped classroom, but suggest other ideas as well.  As a classroom teacher, I need to be prepared for use of future technology, but the infrastructure of the school network and hardware is a limiting factor for implementation (Rock, 2012).   Learning will move from a factual basis toward skills based learning process.  Students must learn to be discerners of information, since so much information is available to them at their fingertips (Osborne, 2012).   Moving toward project-based, problem-based and outcome-based educational formats, will allow students to learn the skills necessary to be productive in future endeavors (Pearce, Weller, Eileen, & Kinsley, 2010; Siemens & Matheos, 2010).

As an instructional designer, it is imperative for me to make sure distance learning opportunities that I provide are quality experiences and allow learners the opportunity to meet the learning goals.  The use of the ADDIE model will provide the framework to plan and create these learning opportunities (Morrison, Ross, Kalman, & Kemp, 2011).  As my students move to be productive citizens, their perceptions will provide assistance in changing the perception of distance learning toward a quality product.  My students have been exposed to technology their entire life, even those that are affected by poverty.  Some, of course, do not have experience with technology, and must be provided opportunities to use technology tools for learning.  Connecting learning with actual use will provide students with possible motivating factors in their learning (Ormrod, Schunk, & Gredler, 2009).  This could provide students with a better understanding of why they are learning as well (Willingham, 2009).

In conclusion, it is imperative that any educator (or instructional designer) continue to review learning theory and distance learning practices to ensure the learning is effective for those enrolled in a course.  In secondary education, there is bound to be more research done in the realm of distance learning, so it will be important for me to continue to check the research and ensure the learning activities are based on effective methods.  Personally, I feel that the blended learning environment will be the most effective use of distance learning for many middle and high school students.  Many of these students do not have the home support to effectively engage in the learning environment.  An effective teacher in the classroom will provide the necessary support to appropriately use distance learning.  

References

Bergman, J. & Sams, A. (2012).  Flip your classroom: Reach every student in every class every day.  Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.

Christensen, C. M., Horn, M., & Johnson, C. W.  (2011) Disrupting class: How disruptive innovation will change the way the world learns.  New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Columbaro, N. & Monaghan, C. (2009). Employer perceptions of online degrees: A literature review. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 12(1). Retrieved from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring121/columbaro121.html.

Envisioning Technology. (2012). Envisioning the future of education technology. Retrieved from http://envisioningtech.com/education/

Morrison, G. R., Ross, S. M., Kalman, H. K., & Kemp, J. E. (2011).  Designing effective instruction. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Ormrod, J. E., Schunk, D. H., & Gredler, M. (2009).  Learning Theories and Instruction (Custom Edition).  New York, NY: Pearson.

Osborne, C. (2012, April 3).  The future of education: Memorize or analyse? ZDNet. [Blog] Retrieved from http://www.zdnet.com/blog/igeneration/the-future-of-education-memorize-or-analyse/14914

Pearce, N., Weller, M., Eileen, S., & Kinsley, S. (2010, May). Digital scholarship considered: How new technologies could transform academic work. In education, 16(1). Retrieved from http://ineducation.ca/article/digital-scholarship-considered-how-new-technologies-could-transform-academic-work

Rock, M. (2012, April 4).  The future of education: Tablets or Textbooks?  Mobiledia. Retrieved from http://www.mobiledia.com/news/136174.html

Siemens, G. & Matheos, K. (2010, May).  Systemic Changes in Higher Education.  In education, 16(1). Retrieved from http://ineducation.ca/article/systemic-changes-higher-education

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Willingham, D. T. (2009). Why don’t students like school? San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons.