My personal definition of distance learning was simply learning online from a distance. Now after the first week of class, I’ve discovered that distance learning is a formal education in which the learning group of teachers, students and resources are separated by geography and/ or by time. Today distance education is widely adopted and is approaching a critical mass in our society by using technology based instruction. My definition falls closely to what is believed from this week resources, and that is it is self study at a distance using technology as a tool for instruction, collaboration, and communication.
My thoughts on distance learning have changed from the time I took my first BlackBoard online course in 1999 to the present online experience at Walden University. My experience was not positive, mainly because I didn’t succeed back then. I believe when I took my first online course I didn’t set my own pace and schedule for the course, I was not focused, I didn’t spend enough time in my class, I did not have as much accessibility as I have now with internet and computer access, and I was not as tech savvy as I am today. My experience at Walden University has been more positive because the instructors and courses are personable and inviting, there is more social interaction, I’m and adult learner and more focused, I have acquired more technical skills, and I can manage my time better.
Before I began this course, I didn’t realize that distance learning was around for a long time. I’ve learned from Dr. Simonson’s video resource and the interactive timeline, that the history of distance education could be tracked back to the early 1700’s and 1800’s in the form of correspondence education.
Dr. Simonson mentioned the Chautauqua movement, which sparked my curiosity. Through further research I found that during the 1870's, the Methodist Episcopal Church held summer training sessions for its Sunday school teachers and other church workers. At the annual assembly of 1874, held at Lake Chautauqua in western New York State, it was decided to broaden the curriculum's frankly religious nature to include the arts, humanities and sciences. Eight-week sessions were staged each summer and were later opened to the general public. In 1878, William Rainey Harper, a prominent educator of the day, developed a home study program for those who could not attend the summer sessions. Local reading groups formed in communities throughout the nation to discuss the leading issues of the day. Later, a formal correspondence school was established, which provided certification for those who completed the rigorous studies and passed examinations (Foster, 2004).
Distance learning will definitely continue to grow in terms of introducing new forms of technology into the online environment. I don’t see it every replacing the traditional classroom setting, but I believe that it will be incorporated into more educational settings in the near future. A prime example is how Historically Black Universities are now beginning to make that transition to online learning. An online education service has been created in conjunction with their distance learning program, which was also inspired and founded by radio personality, Tom Joyner. The program, HBCU’s Online, partners with select Historically Black Colleges and Universities to provide access to accredited online degree programs, educational resources, student support and empowerment tools to help student succeed. This scenario definitely shows us how institutions of higher education have increasingly embraced online education, and the number of students enrolled in distance programs is rapidly rising in colleges and universities throughout the United States.
References:
Chautauqua Movement. Retrieved November 5, 2010 from Web
site: http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1202.html
Foster, A. (July 18, 2004). The Prescott Chautauqua Reading Circle:
Days Past. Retrieved November 5, 2010 from, Sharlot Hall Museum
Web site:
http://sharlot.org/archives/history/dayspast/text/2004_07_18.shtml
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Simonson, M. Video Program: “Distance Education: The Next Generation". Retrieved from Walden University.
No comments:
Post a Comment