What is Distance Learning?
What is distance learning?
What is distance learning? According to the Distance Learning Timeline Continuum, in the Walden University, Distance Learning Resources section distance learning has its beginnings dating all the way back to 1833, when European newspapers offered composition, language, civil, and civil service examination courses through mail correspondence. In the United States distance learning courses through mail correspondence were offered beginning in 1873. According to Distance education: The next generation video, distance learning “can be defined as formal education in which the learning group (teachers, students, resources) are separated by geography and, sometimes, by time.” (Dr. Simonson, 2:29). I like to define distance learning as a form of education in which students and the teacher are not physically present in the same room or classroom. The article will the discuss the application of online distance education at the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) and Golden West College (GWC) and the personal use of distance learning.
Distance learning is divided into two modes of delivery, synchronous and asynchronous learning. In synchronous learning, all students are remotely “present” at the same time. Asynchronous learning can be achieved through web conferencing, video conferencing, telephone, or web-based VoIP (Voice-over Internet Protocol). In asynchronous learning, participants access course materials on their own schedules. Students are not required to be together at the same time, which can be a great advantage to providing learning resources to students who have busy schedules, are in different time zones around the world, are sick/ill, or students who do not have transportation to and from school/technological access. Mail correspondence is the earliest form of synchronous learning and today in age online message board forums, discussion boards, email, video, and audio are some of the technologies that deliver distance learning.
Golden West College
As a current online College Professor at Golden West College (GWC) in Huntington Beach, California and Computer Science, Career in Technical Education (CTE) Instructor at the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE), distance learning is a daily part of my career. In the last year or so I’ve been in the process of developing, writing, and implementing online courses in Digital Media, Computer Science (CS), Computer Business Applications (CBA), Overview of Web Design, and Introduction to the Internet. I find it very interesting that Instructional Design has it’s methods, structure, and templates but it is also a form of an art. When I’m writing curriculum, specifically a distance learning or online course, I have to put myself in the eyes of the student to make sure he/she will understand the instructions, content, resources, assignments, discussion boards, and exams.
I use a few different Learning Management Systems (LMS) in my course writing: Blackboard, Haiku, and Canvas. The entire California Community College system has switch from Blackboard to Canvas. All California College-level have to be migrated over to Canvas by the end of the Spring 2017 semester. That means I have to completely redo every single course I have developed in Blackboard to Canvas. In total, I have 5 course I need to migrate over to Canvas. I have to admit, I layout my courses in the format of Walden University’ layout. It is easier for students to follow the curriculum and lesson in a week-by-week format such as Walden’s. I also include a Resources and Contact Instructor link in the Blackboard LMS. In a way, Walden has taught me how to effectively use LMS to develop quality curriculum and courses.
Personal Use
I am also a consumer of distance learning in that I am a student of online courses to clear my CTE Credential in Digital Media and ICT through the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE), as well as this current Master’s program through Walden University. The format for the online CTE Credential program was also a week-by-week format. I must say that it is amazing how much technology has changed the development of distance education from delivering content through mail correspondence to a network of servers facilitating the distribution of Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to students around the world. That is one of the many benefits of distance learning, the fact that you can expand the reach of online learning content to students around the world, that is truly the democratization of education.
Conclusion
Technology in distance learning has changed the realm of education. I truly believe technology has democratized education as we know it. Anyone with Internet connection can tap into the knowledge that our forefathers only dreamed of. But, how do we manage and harness the power of technology in education. As an online Professor for Golden West College and the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) I have employed Blackboard and other distance learning resources to teach online courses with great success. The possibilities of human knowledge has increased exponentially with now Google and Facebook working on providing Internet connection to the rest of the human population globally. This is truly a great age of human evolution we live, in which anyone can learn anything in any part of the world, the true democratization of education worldwide.
Resources
What is distance learning? According to the Distance Learning Timeline Continuum, in the Walden University, Distance Learning Resources section distance learning has its beginnings dating all the way back to 1833, when European newspapers offered composition, language, civil, and civil service examination courses through mail correspondence. In the United States distance learning courses through mail correspondence were offered beginning in 1873. According to Distance education: The next generation video, distance learning “can be defined as formal education in which the learning group (teachers, students, resources) are separated by geography and, sometimes, by time.” (Dr. Simonson, 2:29). I like to define distance learning as a form of education in which students and the teacher are not physically present in the same room or classroom. The article will the discuss the application of online distance education at the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) and Golden West College (GWC) and the personal use of distance learning.
Distance learning is divided into two modes of delivery, synchronous and asynchronous learning. In synchronous learning, all students are remotely “present” at the same time. Asynchronous learning can be achieved through web conferencing, video conferencing, telephone, or web-based VoIP (Voice-over Internet Protocol). In asynchronous learning, participants access course materials on their own schedules. Students are not required to be together at the same time, which can be a great advantage to providing learning resources to students who have busy schedules, are in different time zones around the world, are sick/ill, or students who do not have transportation to and from school/technological access. Mail correspondence is the earliest form of synchronous learning and today in age online message board forums, discussion boards, email, video, and audio are some of the technologies that deliver distance learning.
Golden West College
As a current online College Professor at Golden West College (GWC) in Huntington Beach, California and Computer Science, Career in Technical Education (CTE) Instructor at the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE), distance learning is a daily part of my career. In the last year or so I’ve been in the process of developing, writing, and implementing online courses in Digital Media, Computer Science (CS), Computer Business Applications (CBA), Overview of Web Design, and Introduction to the Internet. I find it very interesting that Instructional Design has it’s methods, structure, and templates but it is also a form of an art. When I’m writing curriculum, specifically a distance learning or online course, I have to put myself in the eyes of the student to make sure he/she will understand the instructions, content, resources, assignments, discussion boards, and exams.
I use a few different Learning Management Systems (LMS) in my course writing: Blackboard, Haiku, and Canvas. The entire California Community College system has switch from Blackboard to Canvas. All California College-level have to be migrated over to Canvas by the end of the Spring 2017 semester. That means I have to completely redo every single course I have developed in Blackboard to Canvas. In total, I have 5 course I need to migrate over to Canvas. I have to admit, I layout my courses in the format of Walden University’ layout. It is easier for students to follow the curriculum and lesson in a week-by-week format such as Walden’s. I also include a Resources and Contact Instructor link in the Blackboard LMS. In a way, Walden has taught me how to effectively use LMS to develop quality curriculum and courses.
Personal Use
I am also a consumer of distance learning in that I am a student of online courses to clear my CTE Credential in Digital Media and ICT through the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE), as well as this current Master’s program through Walden University. The format for the online CTE Credential program was also a week-by-week format. I must say that it is amazing how much technology has changed the development of distance education from delivering content through mail correspondence to a network of servers facilitating the distribution of Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to students around the world. That is one of the many benefits of distance learning, the fact that you can expand the reach of online learning content to students around the world, that is truly the democratization of education.
Conclusion
Technology in distance learning has changed the realm of education. I truly believe technology has democratized education as we know it. Anyone with Internet connection can tap into the knowledge that our forefathers only dreamed of. But, how do we manage and harness the power of technology in education. As an online Professor for Golden West College and the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) I have employed Blackboard and other distance learning resources to teach online courses with great success. The possibilities of human knowledge has increased exponentially with now Google and Facebook working on providing Internet connection to the rest of the human population globally. This is truly a great age of human evolution we live, in which anyone can learn anything in any part of the world, the true democratization of education worldwide.
Resources
- Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008a). 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. Retrieved March 8, 2017 from Academic Search Complete.
- Distance education. (2017, March 09). Retrieved March 09, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distance_education
- Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Distance education: The next generation [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu