EDUC 6135 - Week 5 - Designing for Distance Learning: Part I

https://www.coursera.org/course/newtechtools

For this week’s assignment, I chose to analyze a course through a site called Coursera. Given the amount of courses offered through the site, and the range of topics, I thought it would be a good place to start in order to find a class that seemed interesting. I came across a free class that is offered by the University of Houston and is called Powerful Tools for Teaching and Learning: Web 2.0 Tools. According to the synopsis, students can “learn about innovative Web 2.0 tools in K-12 instruction and how to effectively integrate these technologies into classroom practices and to create engaging student activities.”

Without knowing much about Coursera, it is difficult to understand how this open course site is beneficial. Taken from the website, the general idea of Coursera is this: “Coursera provides universal access to the world’s best education, partnering with top universities and organizations to offer courses for anyone to take, for free” (2015). Basically, it offers courses from educational institutions around the world for any student to take in the comfort of their own home and on their own time; it is the essence of online, self-paced learning.

In researching the course I picked out, I noticed that there is an overview about the course, and the entire syllabus is laid out for students to look at. I find this especially beneficial because this means that a student can make an informed decision about whether or not to join the class based on what is stated in the syllabus. This is a five-week course, and each week is broken down by what is expected of the student and what will be learned during that week. Formal objectives are not stated, but each week poses a question for students to focus on. Even without the objectives, I feel as though the course was pre-planned and the way it is set up will allow students to stay organized and create a learning structure that works for them (Simonsen et al., 2012, p. 134).

Because there can be as many as 30,000 students from around the globe in one Coursera class at a time, things need to run smoothly. Each week has a series of videos from the instructors, and students are graded using peer-reviewed projects, discussion boards, and quizzes. Given that the instructors cannot take the time to perform a needs analysis for the courses they will teach, each class is still set up in such a way that the students get the most information they can by watching the videos and completing the projects.

Coursera offers programs that allow students to receive a certificate upon completion, but one of the best things about the company is that they also allow students to pick and choose what classes they’d like to take. While the course I chose for this week’s assignment is free, there are also paid courses. If a student decides to pay for a course, they will receive credit for the course; however, if they take the free version, they are doing it for their own benefit and knowledge. I think that’s what sets Coursera apart and makes them one of the institutions that really stands out in the world of online learning.

About. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.coursera.org/about/

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

EDUC 6135 - Week 3 - Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

Example 1: Collaborative Training Environment

A new automated staff information system was recently purchased by a major corporation and needs to be implemented in six regional offices. Unfortunately, the staff is located throughout all the different offices and cannot meet at the same time or in the same location. As an instructional designer for the corporation, you have been charged with implementing a training workshop for these offices. As part of the training, you were advised how imperative it is that the staff members share information, in the form of screen captures and documents, and participate in ongoing collaboration.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Example one is actually very commonplace in the workforce. There are many companies that have multiple offices in different locations, so there is always a need to figure out how to stay consistent in training. When there are hundreds of employees (or even just a few in different places), it can be difficult to get everybody together at the same time to have a meeting. There are many things to consider, such as time zones, general work schedules, and holidays. While no solution will be perfect, there are a few options to make training in different locations easier to manage.

I would first suggest using a teleconference tool. Cisco’s WebEx is widely used, and while it’s not free, it may be good to invest in it so that the training can be repeated yearly, or for any new employees. In order to make the workshop most convenient for everyone involved, I would propose that a sign-up sheet be emailed to employees with multiple time slots for each location so that every employee can choose a time to be sure to receive the training. Once all the information is uploaded, the training can be repeated as many times as necessary. I have actually used this tool as a recruiter when I was onboarding new employees; I can say that it was an effective tool, and I definitely recommend it as a conferencing option.

Brecht (2012) states the following in his article:

Video conferencing is saving businesses time and money; it helps businesses hold meetings and conduct interviews without leaving the workplace. Also, it prevents time-consuming travel and high travel costs to meet others in different areas.  Simply said, videoconferences provide a cost-effective solution to connect people (using advanced technology, software and a network) and bring them together for face-to-face communication or online conferencing wherever they are. (para. 2)

In addition to being a useful tool in the workplace, WebEx is also used by schools for video conferencing in classrooms. Old Dominion University uses it and has created a user guide for the students (Web Conferencing Reference Guide, 2015).

While many people do not consider SharePoint specifically a distance learning technology, I feel I must point out that it is a great tool for this purpose. I work for the Department of State where we train thousands of people a year, and I can say from experience that we use SharePoint on a daily basis for just about everything. In fact, we are the number one user of SharePoint outside of Microsoft itself. SharePoint is so common in today’s workplace that “one in two corporations are now using SharePoint Server and in 22% of the companies, every employee uses this popular Microsoft collaboration tool” (Kerr, 2011, para. 2). If used correctly, SharePoint can be a truly invaluable tool – especially when it comes to bridging location gaps.

Any kind of documents can be hosted on the site, so any and all employees in any location can look up the paperwork they need at any time. This saves the human resources department from fielding phone calls about important paperwork. SharePoint’s use and access does not end in the United States. In England, At the Cheltenham Ladies’ College, all documents are uploaded to a SharePoint site for the students to access, especially in the case that a student will be away for a “prolonged period of time” (Distance Learning, n.d.).

References

Brecht, D. (2012, March 2). Video conferencing: Benefits in the workplace. Retrieved from TMCnet website: http://technews.tmcnet.com/unified-communications-software/topics/unified-communications-software/articles/272263-video-conferencing-benefits-the-workplace.htm

Distance learning. (n.d.). Retrieved from Cheltenham Ladies' College website: http://www.cheltladiescollege.org/distance-learning/

Kerr, L. (2011). Fortune 500 companies using SharePoint. Retrieved January 25, 2015, from Top SharePoint website: http://www.topsharepoint.com/fortune-500-companies-using-sharepoint

Web conferencing reference guide. (2015). Retrieved from Old Dominion University website: http://dl.odu.edu/video/web-conferencing-reference-guide

EDUC 6135 - Week 1 - Defining Distance Learning

I used to take distance learning at face value. I never thought about what goes into it in order to create a learning experience that’s available to people wherever convenient for them. I searched for a formal definition of distance learning, and this is what I found: “a method of studying in which lectures are broadcast or classes are conducted by correspondence or over the Internet, without the student's needing to attend a school or college. Also called distance education.” I agree with this very basic definition of the phrase, but what stuck out most to me is that the definition clearly states that it can also be called distance education.

After reading through this week’s discussion posts, Marina reminded me that in a previous class we talked about the difference between learning and education. After some reflection, I feel that distance learning cannot be called distance education. Learning can take place anywhere (reading a book, watching television, listening to a lecture, etc), but education is something that the learner wants. The learner must be invested in his or her own education; they usually take it upon themselves to facilitate knowledge.

I believe a person’s view on what distance learning is can be impacted by many different factors. As an undergraduate student I saw it as something that allowed me to complete classes without actually sitting in class (and, honestly, still see it that way on occasion). I had no technical knowledge of what distance learning was – to me, it involved a computer, a textbook, and an Internet connection. As I’ve matured (in general and because of work experience), I’ve grown to have a better understanding of what distance learning is. Or, maybe I should say I’ve grown to learn a new, expanded definition. Since beginning a job where I work with a team of distance learning professionals, I’ve come to appreciate the amount of work that happens before a student can access a module online.  

I did used to believe that distance learning was as simple as listening to lectures or completing assignments in the comfort of my own home (or dorm room), but after gaining more insight and studying this program, I realize it’s more than that. Distance learning is an instructor taking the time to put together a well informed lesson, it’s a student wanting to read the content so that they do well on the quiz, and it’s a new way of promoting topics to those who ordinarily may not have access to a classroom training.

Distance learning is constantly evolving. There will always be new, better ways to do something, and views will always change. Some people in the field might be of “old school” beliefs, which can lead to some pushback on revising delivery methods, while others in the field are fresh out of school with brand new ideas. These people are the innovators – without them, the field of instructional design and technology would never move forward. If we allow more of these types of people to come in and make improvements and try new things, the field can only improve. Some new ideas may fail, but we can learn from our mistakes and advance the field even more. When I imagine my future in instructional design and specifically distance learning, I see more use of technology, more of a sense of community, less laziness on the part of instructors, and a more effective way of delivering lessons to students who are actually interested in their education.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 2: Higher education). TechTrends, 52(4), 66-70.

Week 8 - Course Reflection

Going into this course, I had not previously spent much time thinking about learning theories, or, more specifically, how I learn. After reading Ertmer and Newby’s (1993) chapter on Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Constructivism I had a much better idea of what exactly a learning theory is, what each entails, and how a person could get grouped into one or more of the theories. In addition to gaining an understanding, this article also raised questions for me; there were a few things that were very surprising to learn.

Once we began touching upon the many theories, I was surprised to find out how similar they are in some aspects. I suppose I expected them to all be so different from one another. However, the newer theories are built off of the older theories, so it makes sense that they would have similar characteristics. I don’t think we can categorize every person into one learning theory. Kumar and Rattan (2012) touch on this topic by saying, “None of the learning theories can completely define the learning process in its entirety. Rather depending on the context in which learning is occurring and the goal of learning, a theory takes predominance.” I was also surprised that there is a relatively new learning theory that so perfectly matches the way many people learn today. I can’t speak for everyone, but I like to conduct my own research on the Internet as well as talk to people and hear what they have to say. I love that everything we rely on, such as “prior knowledge, experience, perception, reality, comprehension, and flexibility” came together to create the Connectivism theory (Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman, 2008).

I know I’ve mentioned it many times throughout the course, but I studied secondary education in undergrad. Of course, when planning on getting a teaching degree, generally the focus is on adolescents. We didn’t focus much on adult learning theories, so I found that section of this course to be informative. I’ve already been able to put that knowledge to use in my job, and I know that my work has been more effective since beginning this program. After learning that adult learners are usually self-motivated and interested in the topic, I realized that this makes a huge difference in absorbing the information. I reflected upon how as a younger student I was less interested, had less life experience to relate my learning to, and couldn’t remember as much of what I’d learned. I chose to begin this master’s program, and now at the close of my second course I have yet to forget the information I’ve learned. I’ve connected the readings and topics brought up in discussions to my own life, I’ve found the readings interesting, and I stuck to the schedule I set for myself (Conlan, Grabowski, & Smith, 2003). It’s safe to say I fall into the category of being an adult learner. In addition to this, as I mentioned before, I realized that I also fit the description of a connectivist learner perfectly. Much self-reflection has taken place for me during this course, and I have a better understanding of how I learn.

With each type of learning theory, learning style, and student, it can be difficult to cater to each type of learner. All of these categories can span across one another. Auditory learners can fall into any learning theory, and behaviorists and connectivists could both be kinesthetic learners. Instructors and designers do have tools available to them to create instruction that will appeal to every type of learner. Also, using Keller’s (1999) ARCS model, designers can keep every type of learner interested and provide motivation for them to be successful. I’ve found the ARCS model to be invaluable as a resource.

I will be able to use everything I’ve learned in this course in my career as an instructional designer. Currently in my job, I only work with the design team to edit their training. My ultimate goal is to become a designer, but even still, I have been able to propose ideas based on what I’ve learned in this course that they had not thought of. I’ve been able to already put this knowledge into practice and I am not yet a designer. I already have the necessary tools to put together effective training, and I cannot wait until the day I get to use them.

References

Conlan, J., Grabowski, S., & Smith, K. (2003). Adult Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Davis, C, Edmunds, E, & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (1993). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 50‐72.

Keller, J. M. (1999). Using the ARCS motivational process in computer-based instruction and distance education. New Directions for Teaching and Learning (78).

Kumar, L., & Rattan, A. (2012). Compare and contrast various learning theories. Larks Learning Blog. Retrieved from http://larkslearning.com/blog/compare-and-contrast-various-learning-theories/

Week 7 - Reflection and Changes

Back in week one when I was asked to think about how I learn and what learning theory I might fall into, I had only limited knowledge of all the different types of learning theories. I still agree with my original assessment that I fit into Cognitivism and Constructivism, but I think my top two after taking this course are Constructivism and Connectivism. I rely so heavily on technology to look up all kinds of different information. 

I have always liked to hear what other people have to say, and then depending on whether I agree or disagree, I will form my own ideas about a topic. This trait definitely lends me to the Constructivist theory. I can be incredibly social, and I do learn a lot from discussions, but other times I prefer to look up information myself, which is why I believe I fit perfectly into the Connectivist learning theory. I'm quick to pull up Google on my phone when I need the answer to something and I don't always like asking for opinions or answers. Davis, Edmunds, and Kelly-Bateman (2008) mention the principles of Connectivism in their article, and a few of them really stand out to me. I am always in search of the most up-to-date information, and my learning does often reside in "non-human appliances." 

Based on what I've learned about Behaviorism, I don't think that's a prominent theory for me. When I was a child I'm sure that's how I learned almost everything, but as an adult I like to "march to the beat of my own drum." The idea of behavior modification doesn't work for me; I'm old enough to make my own decisions, even if that means going against the recommended behavior (Standridge, 2002). I'm too stubborn to abide by the reward and punishment system. I think Behaviorism is important in the formative years, but at this stage of my life it has less relevance. 

Aside from using technology (the Internet) to get almost all of my information, I'm a big fan of using it to keep myself organized. I have a paper-and-pencil planner in which I write everything down, but I also use my phone calendar as well as my computer calendar. I'm also a huge advocate for the Google system -- docs, calendar, hangouts, etc. I love that the documents can be shared and they even have a Skype-like chat system. I know I've said this throughout the course, but I do have Type A tendencies, so I'm organized in so many different ways. Also, my job requires me to use technology on a daily basis to create templates, or format documents, and to build projects. I couldn't escape it if I wanted to. 

Davis, C, Edmunds, E, & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Standridge, M. (2002). Behaviorism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Behaviorism