According to Siemens (n.d., vodcast) collaborative interaction is vital to online learning. Just as vodcasts have evolved from postage stamp size presentations with poor quality just a few years ago to the amazing quality of today’s vodcasts so has online collaboration. This helps establish a distinct educational advantage over the previous decades. In many cases distance education is superior to face-to-face (F2F) educational setting. Siemens stated several reasons. These included: a. the growing acceptance of the online environment that gives comfort established by feeling part of the group through collaboration, b. the online technology now can communicate better using conversation, c. the experience with the online medium, and d. the global dimension allowing for collaboration of groups from different areas of the world. Simonson (n.d., vodcast) says distance learning is easier, better, and more effective than F2F instruction in a lot of instances. It gives instructors and students advantages that include collaboration from almost anywhere in the world and access at almost any time. Mobile computing should reach critical mass in just a year or less according to the Horizon Report (2010). These devices, such as iPhones, can be used to advance collaboration.
Many interactive online tools are available to facilitate interactions using collaboration between students, instructors, or other students. These include Google.docs, Ning, and Skype, which are excellent tools for collaboration. According to the Horizon Report, these tools are among the up-and-coming tools reaching critical mass in society.
Instructors can take advantage of this by a. increasing the use of online format containing collaboration, b. allowing for greater collaboration from around the world, and c. increasing the use of multi-media in k-12 classrooms.
Websites for the collaborative tools include:
Google.docs can be found at http://docs.google.com/
Ning can be found at http://www.ning.com/
Skype can be found at http://www.skype.com/
Reference
Horizon Report (2010). Retrieved March 30, 2010 from http://wp.nmc.org/horizon2010/
Siemen, G. (n.d.). The future of distance education [Vodcast], Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com
Simonson, M. (n.d.). Distance education: Higher education, K12, and the corporate world [Vodcast], Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Comments to Posts
I commented to the following posts.
Brandon (Brandy) Lutz
My blog URL is: http://lutzedu.blogspot.com/
Cynthia Skelton
My blog will be at http://shelcy316.blogspot.com/
Robert Hopkins
http://toehaw-nextgenerationoflearning.blogspot.com/
Brandon (Brandy) Lutz
My blog URL is: http://lutzedu.blogspot.com/
Cynthia Skelton
My blog will be at http://shelcy316.blogspot.com/
Robert Hopkins
http://toehaw-nextgenerationoflearning.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Comparing Articles
Simonson (2000) said that distance learning has gained a foothold in the technology world as an ever-expanding technological innovation and that “This article advocates making decisions based on what is the best way to facilitate learning.” Simonson also talked about revising the delivery of distance learning process through research proven methods.
Simonson’s (n.d.) equivalency theory, suggests that learning outcomes in traditional classrooms compared to e-learning can be made equal by the approaches used in instruction and learning. To do this, instructional approaches need to be modified. This was also suggested in distance learning you cannot duplicate the classroom, but have to adjust the learning experience to meet the learning needs in distance learning. Some of the pros of distance education that Simonson discussed are: (a) time saved by not having to travel, (b) convenience, and (c) increased access to the material. His article seemed to be based from mainly the educational stand-point; whereas, Moller, L., Forshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008) was from the business perspective, applicable to education. They acknowledged the expansion of distance learning expansion in the future. They listed concern dealing with the business end of e-learning instructional design (ID) among these were: a) making sure that the product was of learning quality, b) bettering the instructional systems design (ISD) methodologies, and c) providing needed training.
My thoughts:
Both methods are a means to the same end. Both advocate changes needed in the improvement of distance learning. I believe that each of the articles need adhered to by all the schools planning to keep up with the growing needs of today’s students and the workforce.
References
Moller, L., Forshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 52(3), 70-75. doi:10.1007/s11528-008-0158-5.
Simonson, M.(n.d.). Distance education: The next generation [Video podcast]. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com
Simonson, M. (2000). Making Decisions: The Use of Electronic Technology in Online Classrooms. New Directions for Teaching & Learning, (84), 29. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
Simonson’s (n.d.) equivalency theory, suggests that learning outcomes in traditional classrooms compared to e-learning can be made equal by the approaches used in instruction and learning. To do this, instructional approaches need to be modified. This was also suggested in distance learning you cannot duplicate the classroom, but have to adjust the learning experience to meet the learning needs in distance learning. Some of the pros of distance education that Simonson discussed are: (a) time saved by not having to travel, (b) convenience, and (c) increased access to the material. His article seemed to be based from mainly the educational stand-point; whereas, Moller, L., Forshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008) was from the business perspective, applicable to education. They acknowledged the expansion of distance learning expansion in the future. They listed concern dealing with the business end of e-learning instructional design (ID) among these were: a) making sure that the product was of learning quality, b) bettering the instructional systems design (ISD) methodologies, and c) providing needed training.
My thoughts:
Both methods are a means to the same end. Both advocate changes needed in the improvement of distance learning. I believe that each of the articles need adhered to by all the schools planning to keep up with the growing needs of today’s students and the workforce.
References
Moller, L., Forshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 52(3), 70-75. doi:10.1007/s11528-008-0158-5.
Simonson, M.(n.d.). Distance education: The next generation [Video podcast]. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com
Simonson, M. (2000). Making Decisions: The Use of Electronic Technology in Online Classrooms. New Directions for Teaching & Learning, (84), 29. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
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