Week 8 - Reflection

     I believe that the perceptions of distance learning will improve over the next five to ten years.  Within twenty years, distance education may become the program to be in.  With time constraints not getting any easier for many people, looking for a flexible educational solution is going to be the natural trend.  As distance learning grows in popularity I would advise that “no organization should enter into the distance education marketplace without a clearly thought through plan that has gained the consensus approval of all key players” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright and Zvacek, 2012, p. 319).  If someone has never been in the distance learning market before, I would imagine that they would have a lot of catching up to do before diving in head first.  If they do not look before they leap, there will be negative experience and that would not be good for societal perceptions of distance learning.

     Societal perceptions of distance learning are varied but also very powerful.  As an instructional designer, I must do all I can to make distance learning a positive experience for everyone involved.  It really only takes one bad experience with something to ruin it for the rest of us.  My biggest suggestion for someone who is designing a distance learning experience is for them to know “there are similarities among the learners, but differences do exist and those differences need to be addressed when planning instruction” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright and Zvacek, 2012, p. 220).  By building a successful distance learning opportunity, we can keep societal perceptions of distance learning very positive.

     In order for me to be a positive force for continuous improvement in the field of distance education, I must continue to improve what I do.  “The instructor needs to examine the instructional event in terms of what worked and what appears to have been a problem” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright and Zvacek, 2012, p. 164).  In other words, I need to be reflective on every process I develop or encounter.  By always looking at my work, I can determine how to improve on it.  If there was a problem identified, it is a gift.  It is a gift because I now have the chance to change the error and turn it into a positive.

     “The number of students participating in college-level online courses has out-distanced all other forms of distance learning, in a remarkably short amount of time” (Gambescia and Paolucci, 2009).  It is up to instructional designers to make this explosion of popularity the best it can be.  By making sure we develop applicable and responsible distance learning experiences, we can keep the popularity high for a long time.  “Providing the student with the best possible scenario where learning outcome will be maximized is the goal of course development” (Schmidt and Gallegos, 2001, p. 2).  If we have our goal in front of us, how can we miss the target?

References

Gambescia, S., & Paolucci, R. (2009). Academic fidelity and integrity as attributes of university online degree program offerings. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 12(1). Retrieved from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring121/gambescia121.html

Schmidt, E., & Gallegos, A. (2001). Distance learning: Issues and concerns of distance learners. Journal of Industrial Technology, 17(3). Retrieved from http://atmae.org/jit/Articles/schmidt041801.pdf

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

Week7 Blog - Converting To A Blended Learning Format - Best Practices Guide

Good evening everyone!  One of my good friends is converting over to a blended learning environment.  He currently teaches a face-to-face class and is not happy with the quality of discussion.  He hopes that going to a blended learning style will help facilitate better discussions among his students.  I have prepared a "Best Practices Guide" to help him get to where he needs to be.  I have attached a link to my guide down below as well as a screenshot of my table of contents.  Have fun reviewing my guide!

Link To PDF File
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3yLfgHAzVTDZzFSZzlwdlpsdlE/edit?usp=sharing

Week 5 Blog - Review of Open Culture http://www.openculture.com/

     Even at first glace, Open Culture is very user friendly and is carefully pre-planned and designed for a distance learning environment.  From the detailed course listings to the organizational tabs and links, the developers of Open Culture want users to feel comfortable.  By having a good organizational system of courses, learners are able to navigate the various locations of this tool and get to where they need to be.  There is little chance of getting lost within the way that Open Culture is designed and that is a huge plus for distance learners.  “If the design is effective, instruction will also be effective” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright and Zvacek, 2012, p. 171).

     I specifically found a great course on epidemics.  I am currently in charge of our emergency preparation training program at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.  I am always trying to keep in touch with current trends and safety concerns.  This course was even part of the curriculum at Penn State.  I was amazed at the quality of free programs that were available.  I briefly took a stroll through the various menus and almost any topic I could think of was covered.  The vast array of options is much more than I had expected and that makes Open Culture a very nice find!

     One specific way that Open Culture implements activities that maximize active learning and engages students is through the use of informative and introductory videos.  For example, the free course I found on epidemics had a very cool video link that introduced the course.  Even from the beginning, Open Culture did a great job of engaging me and allowing me to become active in the course.  This introductory video also represented a visual impact.  “Because of the nature of distance learning and the separation of the instructor from the students, it is essential that the instructor begin to think visually” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright and Zvacek, 2012, p. 159).  I relate visual aspects as advertisements.  If a page, link or source looks appealing and interesting, I will make time for a visit.

     I do believe that Open Culture follows recommendations for online instruction.  In addition to having a great visual aspect and easy to navigate menus, Open Culture does a great job establishing course objectives and learning outcomes. “A learning outcome is observable and measurable” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright and Zvacek, 2012, p. 181).  Most every course I visited had clear objectives and indications to learning outcomes.  It is vital that a learner understands what he or she will get out of a course.  Having these matters settled upfront adds to engagement and really matches up a learner with the right product.

References

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

Week 3 Blog - Example 3, Asynchronous Training

     I chose to tackle the training needs associated with example 3.  This particular example has several obstacles to overcome.  First, all staff members from every shift need this safety training.  Second, the safety training needs to include step-by-step processes that are easy to understand and follow.  Third, the shift supervisors need some guarantees that the staff members are engaged and actually learning the content enough to be able to demonstrate their learning.  I do believe that technology can help overcome these obstacles.  “Emerging technologies not only enable customization of content, but also customization of the level of interaction by allowing the learner to choose when and how to interact” (Beldarrain, 2006, p. 147).  The solution needs to be one that allows users to not only be engaged, but also choose when and where they want to learn.  After considering all of these obstacles, I thought of one tool that would deliver the results that the manufacturing plant needs.  I say that this is a job for Brainshark.  Allow me to explain what Brainshark is and how Brainshark will deliver the best training experience.

     In short, Brainshark is “the leader in online and mobile video presentations” (Combined Insurance, 2012).  Brainshark is a cloud-based tool that will allow anyone to develop fully functional and engaging training modules at their desk.  Even with the basic features of Brainshark, anyone can sit at their desk and create learning modules that include your own voice as the narrator, your own videos as the instruction and your own tests and questions to evaluate knowledge gained.  In the real world, a company named Combined Insurance used Brainshark to solve some of their training woes that had developed due to the mobile nature of their business.  As a result of using Brainshark, Combined Insurance reported that employee engagement and feedback increased (Combined Insurance, 2012).

     “Effective communication requires an active audience” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright and Zvacek, 2012, p. 91).  By using Brainshark, the manufacturing plant will be able to communicate the training messages effectively due to the active nature of the training modules developed in Brainshark.  I recently came back from a training conference that stressed that some of the best training is peer-to-peer training.  I propose that the shift supervisors film a series of step-by-step video clips that would take employees through the proper safety procedures for each piece of machinery.  The instructional designer could aid and train the supervisors on how to upload the videos into Brainshark.  In addition to the step-by-step video clips, each supervisor could personalize the training even more by adding their own voice as the narrator.  With a simple microphone hooked into the pc, Brainshark captures audio and places it directly into the module.  By teaching the shift supervisors on how to use Brainshark, each supervisor could be in charge of the training modules in the future.  If they see a training need, they could create an additional Brainshark training module or modify the current modules to fit the need.

     Since Brainshark is a cloud-based system, it will not drain the bandwidth or technological components of the manufacturing plant. “Cloud computing provides datacenter computing power and storage” (Butoi, Tomai and Mocean, 2013, p. 27).  Since the storage and full Brainshark system is on the cloud, the manufacturing plant has little to no functionality to loose at the plant level.  With all the extra power that Brainshark provides, detailed tests can be created with full videos to test knowledge gained, allowing supervisors to see knowledge gained. Brainshark also has a very robust tracking component that would really help the plant supervisors evaluate the learning process.  In addition to adding tests and questions to evaluate learning, supervisors can track the use of modules on Brainshark.  Supervisors can view who has taken the modules, how long it took them to view the entire module and even how long they viewed each part of the module.  Within Brainshark, employees would have the ability to rewind and view any part of the training module.  So if they did not understand a certain step, they could easily go back and review the step again.  So supervisors could get a clear picture as to who really took the time to review the content and who just opened it up and quickly ran through the module without spending much time.

     The training modules created in Brainshark can be viewed on the cloud at any time and through many different ways.  If employees have an Internet connection of some sort, they can view the modules on a computer or many of the handheld mobile devices that are out on the market today.  So mobility and access to the training material is not a problem with Brainshark.  In fact, the plant supervisors may even find more uses for Brainshark past the safety modules being created.  I can see many uses for Brainshark such as rolling out new policies or introducing new team members to the corporation.

     In conclusion, I have no doubt that Brainshark is the tool for the job.  I know this for a fact because I have used Brainshark to create modules.  I have seen the results that Brainshark can deliver.  Brainshark is not a free service, but I believe you get what you pay for.  Brainshark is easy to use and understand.  The modules are rich and engaging.  Staff members will enjoy using Brainshark to learn.  When learning is fun or enjoyable, what is there to complain about?

References

Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends:  Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration.  Distance Education, 27(2), 139-153.

Butoi, A., Tomai, N., & Mocean, L. (2013). Cloud-Based Mobile Learning. Informatica Economica, 17(2), 27-40. doi:10.12948/issn14531305/17.2.2013.03

Combined Insurance Uses Brainshark Video to Train Mobile Sales Force. (2012). Insurance Advocate, 123(18), 16-18.

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

Week 1 Blog - My Reflection of Distance Learning

     Distance learning has evolved over the past several years.  Currently, there are many ways to learn from a distance and even more ways to relay information and knowledge.  Today’s educators and design professionals must be ready for the next tool or trend.  For me, distance learning is a growing field and is gaining popularity, value and acceptance.  Allow me to share my own personal thoughts and definitions on what distance learning has been, what distance learning currently is and what it will be in the future.

     My initial thoughts of distance learning were not so good ten to fifteen years ago.  I defined distance education as learning from a television set through a series of videos or tapes.  I was sure that distance learning was a temporary trend.  I felt as if distance learning was not up to speed and as good as any classroom environment around the country.  I felt that distance learning was second rate.  I believed that people could only learn in a classroom environment and in front of a real teacher.  How could people really learn anything from a screen?  It is the personal, face-to-face interactions between teachers and students that really make the difference.  Was I right?  At the time, I thought I was right.  I now know different.   I am beginning to understand that distance education can lead to the type of deep understanding and growth that I have desired.

     My current definition of distance learning is much more positive due to the success and quality of my education here at Walden University.  I would define distance education as the process of learning through online collaboration and research to deepen one’s knowledge about a skill or topic.  Through the quality programs that Walden has offered, I have been able to not only see, but also enjoy the benefits of distance learning.  I have been empowered to be in control of my own education process.  This week’s resources have validated one of the benefits of distance education.  “In distance education, there is a gap between teacher and student, so the student must accept a high degree of responsibility for the conduct of the learning program” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright and Zvacek, 2012, p. 45).  For me, this need for a higher level of responsibility is a benefit.  With this responsibility comes control and empowerment.  These two qualities really make me appreciate distance education because I am the author and editor of my own learning process.  Although our professors and resources do a great job supplementing the learning process, I get to control how and when I learn and that is a big deal for me.

     The future of distance education looks very bright from my perspective.  I truly believe that the future success of distance learning will be amplified by new modes of communication.  Our text states, “communication occurs when two or more individuals wish to share ideas” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright and Zvacek, 2012, p. 90).  The recent improvements of social media and mobile devices such as the iPad are leading to a more mobile classroom.  In today’s terms, I can have class in my office, at my home, in my car or at my son’s baseball game.  As technological advancements continue to come about, distance education will reap the rewards.  Through futuristic technology, distance education may become mobile education.  Although I cannot exactly tell what the future may bring, I know that communication and the ability to connect with others is going to be high on the list for developers and inventors.  I truly feel that distance education is not a trend.  Distance education is here to stay and possibly even develop into something more.

     In conclusion, I would like to be a little selfish and say that I want distance education all to myself.  I want to keep this little piece of heaven away from the world around me.  I guess my concerns surround the worry that as more and more people learn the value of distance education, the more things will change.  I am happy where things are because it is the unknown that is challenging for me.  I am coming to terms that distance education will change.  The key for instructional designers is to be ready and willing to stretch for the sake of our students.  We need to embrace and develop distance education like the growing preference it truly is.  For me, being a passenger on the train of evolution is not good enough.  I want to be in the driver’s seat.  Do you want to come along with me?  I think there is room!  Together, we can always achieve more!

References

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

Welcome Everyone!

I have used blogs for classroom projects only.  I guess you can say that I have not had enough exposure to blogging.  I appreciate your feedback and comments throughout this course.  Good luck and thank you for considering my thoughts and comments.  Have a blessed evening!