Elements of Distance Education Diffusion

As Siemens (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008) elaborates on the evolution of distance education, he recollects a time when the thought of distance education was fictional.  However, this idea has become an increasing method of instruction.  As the acceptance of distance education has progressed among a diverse population of students with a multitude of motives for enrollment, the system itself has also advanced.  It continues to modernize itself to keep up with a rapid shifting society that demands the most up to date technology, in addition to the best quality. However, distance education lends more than just the aspect of technology, but provides students with the opportunity to experience learning outside of a traditional setting.  This giving them the ability to network and collaborate with a variety to individuals from a plethora of educational, professional, socioeconomic, and ethnic backgrounds.

Global diversity has been a major element in creating a more effective learning experience for distance education students.  Global diversity in distance education has evolved from the initial presence of distance education by allowing students the opportunities to experience a world foreign to them that would not be accessible to them in a traditional i.e. F2F setting. Students have the opportunity to collaborate with students from all over the world through the advancements of several communication technologies.  Because distance education is not limited to a specific group, its population has the ability to obtain ideas from multiple perspectives.  This will allow the students to gain insight into how various influential factors can determine the manner of how individuals view, engage in, and conclude their ideas.  It also allows them to enhance their knowledge of a particular idea through the knowledge gained from another disciplinary practice.

Tools such as email, networking sites, Skype, and video conferencing all allow distance education to continue to thrive. These tools provide a variety of alternatives for the liking of the individual. They provide the ability to have  instant access, personal dialogue, and visual presence.  In response to learners demonstrating their individuality in the learning process, it is always important to provide students with choices as to how they engage in the learning process.

Reference

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). The Future of Distance Education. Baltimore, MD: Author

I Responded to:

Shirley Brady - http://collaboration-shirleybrady.blogspot.com/2011/06/elements-of-distance-education.html#comments

Kevin Blankenship - http://kblankenship35.blogspot.com/2011/06/elements-of-distance-education.html?showComment=1309483413287#c6545077318183765320

The Next Generation of Distance Education

In the articles "The evolution of distance education", Forshay, Huett, & Moller discuss the benefits and opposition within  distance education for learners ranging from k-higher education. Distance education has provided learners with the benefits of instant access, flexibility, convenience, and interdisciplinary insight.  However, with the strength in benefits, the concern of various factors remain to plague these researchers.  Issues within training, rationale, and outcome are key factors to continuously observe distance education.

The last of the three articles focusing on distance education in grades k-12 intrigued me, as this academic population is whom I currently serve.  In this particular article, the authors overview distance learning/virtual schools by looking at the learning population.  The rationale for choosing virtual schooling defines the manner in which the student may partake in this particular learning process.  Elements such as age, independence, mental capabilities, and behavioral patterns.  The focus of the virtual school maintaining the same standards as the traditional schools also raise concerns as to how it can be achieved.  Although their research concludes that further investigations must be made in this area, the continuous investigations of distance education as a whole must as well.  Factors such as influences, mindsets, e-learning products, curriculums, etc. must be monitored and altered to enhance the vision of a beneficial distance education program.

I think that the authors have valid concerns that are backed by supporting documentation.  Because distance education has recently become increasingly accepted, the importance of determining its effectiveness is crucial to defining our educational systems.  Because we seek to provide the best possible education to students, this modern method of learning must be examined.

References

            Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008a, May/June). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 1: Training and Development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70–75. http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=876aeeee-bd97-45ae-a30a-8aabf8cd228b%40sessionmgr110&vid=2&hid=106

            Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008b, July/August). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 2: Higher Education). TechTrends, 52(4), 66–70. http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/detail?sid=d6111669-b303-4c29-9eee-1bc9128ef00e%40sessionmgr110&vid=3&hid=106&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=34729472

            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: Higher Education). Tech Trends, 52(5), 63-67. http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=2e98b130-62bf-4ece-aa84-ba9755f92473%40sessionmgr110&vid=6&hid=123