My Reflection on Distance Learning
To talk about the future of
distance learning, I would need to start with my dealings with distance
learning. When I decided to pursue my Bachelor’s Degree several years ago, I
was a single mom of a newborn, I wasn’t sure how I was ever going to achieve my
degree as well as raise my child, then I found an online degree program. I
found that I could obtain my bachelors in Graphic Design while staying home
with my son, and I could still work. I first thought it was too good to be
true, I researched as much as I could, I asked family and friends what they
knew about obtaining an online degree, very few knew anything about it and most
did not think it would be credible. I did my research, found an accredited
online degree program and went for it, I received my Bachelors of Science in
2010, upon receipt of that I knew I wanted to go even further, I wanted to take
some time off but knew that I would go for my Masters. Five years later and now I am here at Walden
University working on my Master’s Degree, now many of my family members and
friends have now attended online programs and are more accepting of distance
learning.
I believe
that over the next five to ten years distance learning will continue to become
more accepted and more credible, I think as technology advances and people get
even more comfortable using technology, advances will continue to make distance
learning common place. In 10 to 20 years I believe that distance learning will
be as common as classic brick and mortar schools, you will have your choice of
which you want to attend, I could see more and more parents choosing distance
learning for their own children, to home school or to further develop those
children who have learning disabilities. I can see distance learning being used
in elementary schools and companies to assist in ways we have yet to think of.
As an
Instructional Designer we can be proponents for improving societal perceptions
of distance learning because some of us will have obtained our degrees and will
be able to use our personal experiences when talking about distance learning.
Many times the best ways to change a person’s attitude towards something is to
provide them with information based on personal experiences, if you had a
positive experience and share the experience with someone considering a
distance learning program, it might help them to choose the program and guide
them. We can also improve perceptions in
our designing, when we design courses and curriculums we can take all of what
we have learned and what we will continue to learn and improve. Always keeping
the learner in mind and their learning styles, the technologies that they may
or may not have, their experiences and being mindful of making their learning experience
the best possible. It is never easy to improve societal perceptions, but it can
be achieved and it can be great when it is done.
I plan
to be a positive force for continuous improvement in the
field of distance education by taking everything I have learned from this
class, from this program and from life experiences when building courses, developing
online learning experiences and creating the best distance learning experience
possible for my learners, getting to know my learners, knowing as much as I can
about the materials, keeping up to date on the latest technology advances,
ensuring the learner’s engagement.
“Distance education will be impacted by: New communication
technologies, contribution by experts around the world, and increase use of
multimedia, games, and simulations.” (Laureate Education, n.d.) As an
Instructional Designer it is up to us to keep with technologies and the
advances, we need to test, implement, develop and play with these advances so
that we can see how they work, what
might work best for each of our learners and programs.
References
Laureate Education (Producer), (No Date).
The Future of Distance Education [Video
file of Dr. George Siemens]. Retrieved from
https://class.walden.edu
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., & Zvacek, S. (2015).
Technologies, the Internet, and Distance Education, Teaching and Learning At a
Distance: Foundations of Distance Education (6th Ed.), Charlotte, NC:
Information Age Publishing
