Week 3 Application

Example 2: Interactive Tours

A high school history teacher, located on the west coast of the United States, wants to showcase to her students new exhibits being held at two prominent New York City museums. The teacher wants her students to take a "tour" of the museums and be able to interact with the museum curators, as well as see the art work on display. Afterward, the teacher would like to choose two pieces of artwork from each exhibit and have the students participate in a group critique of the individual work of art. As a novice of distance learning and distance learning technologies, the teacher turned to the school district’s instructional designer for assistance. In the role of the instructional designer, what distance learning technologies would you suggest the teacher use to provide the best learning experience for her students?

In order for the teacher to provide the best learning experience for her students, she should consider using Moodle and blogging. Teachers will be able to set up quizzes through this CMS and create assignments for students. Since she is an online instructor the students should find it at ease to navigate through the site. Students and instructors will be able to communicate while posting in discussion forum, as well as download their assignments so that instructors can view them online and post grades online though Moodle.

Blogging will be another way that the students and instructors can post work. If students learn to blog while in high school it will be a breeze once they get to college and blogging becomes more popular, especially if students decide to major in instructional design. Students can either have their blogs open to the public or they can assign it to only who they want such as the instructor and other classmates. “Web logging, or blogging, is a form of online reporting and journaling that gives anyone an opportunity to publish on the Internet. Blogs can be open to the public or restricted to groups of readers determined by the blogger. Blogs can be excellent tools for student reflections about course content or reporting activities in a student teaching experience,”  (Simonson, et al, 2012).

References

Moodle. (2013). Retrieved  on May 27, 2013 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moodle

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and Learning at a Distance: foundations of Distance Education. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

Week 1 Application 6135-3

This past week has shown me a different outlook of distance learning. However, I think I still have main concept of distant leaning in my opinion. My personal definition and observations of distance learning was all focused online learning. I knew that more institutions are focusing more on distance learning but I didn’t know it has went to the extreme that distance learning is also offered to those who are not in college such as high school students. To me distance learning is only for those who sign up for the online classes, since online education is not for everyone. Distance learning to me is for those who choose not to attend a traditional class and for those who have personal life outside of school and time doesn’t allow them to conveniently attend class.

Since I have given my explanation of distance learning, here is what Simonson, et al states about distance learning, “institution-based, formal education where the learning group is separated, and where interactive telecommunications systems are used to connect learners, resources, and instructors,” (p 32, 2012). Instructors and students are separated physically but through the distance learning, students are required to interact and take quizzes and test  that shows that the student has received the proper education. “The teaching/learning contract requires that the student be taught, assessed, given guidance, and where appropriate, prepared for examinations that may or may be conducted by the institution,” (Simonson, et al, p 35, 2012).

This week I have learned that many companies are focusing their training towards online rather than classroom face-to-face.  It saves the company money rather than to have to set up classroom training. I have my negative thoughts about job training online. To me this gives the employer more time to for their mind to wonder off. I don’t think it’s a good idea to offer training online for a job.

Also schools are offering online education to students who have other obligations. When I was in high school online educational courses was not an option. We only have to attend class or not attend at all which not attending at all was not an option. Now students have access to login online and complete assignments when they are not able to attend class, due to work and traveling. With distance learning, parent also  have the option to login to check the status of their child’s progress in school prior to report cards coming out. When I was in school, parents didn’t have this option so I do believe that the distance learning is becoming more popular and convenient to not only the student but to parents as well.

This week, I have also learned that since teachers are now being forced to become an online instructor, many do not have the proper training and are not prepared to teach online. Most teachers are prepared and trained to teach the traditional way which is face-to-face, but when forced to teach online they are thrown into the position without the proper training. “Most of the development work in distance education is being done by faculty with no formal training in teaching id any kind, not to mention training in ID or any of the related e-learning fields,” (Moller, L. et al, Part 2, 2008).

As it all boils down, distance learning is constantly evolving and becoming more popular. It not only a convenience to college students, but it is becoming more popular for students that are in high school. Students are now allowed to complete their assignments online while focusing on jobs, and other obligations. I think that distance learning is going to change the world and change many outlooks of online education. Since more institutions are changing their degree programs to online only, some students may not be happy or may have to attend another school if they can not focus while attending class online. On the other hand, I think distance learning is great and very convenient.

References

 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. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete May 8, 2012.

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

 

 

 

Introduction

Hello All

This blog has been intended for the purpose of school work. Here is a little about me. I was born and rasied in Little Rock, AR., where I still reside (well a smaller city outside of Little Rock is where I live now). I am pursing a degree in Instructional Design. I look forward to meeting you all. Any questions just ask and good luck in the course to all.

Ebony