Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

Scenario: Collaborative Training Environment

• Scenario:  A new automated staff information system was recently purchased by a major corporation and needs to be implemented in six regional offices.
• Problem:  The staff is located throughout all the different offices and cannot meet at the same time or in the same location.
• ID Challenge:  Implement a training workshop for these offices. As part of the training, it is imperative that the staff members share information (in the form of screen captures and documents) and participate in ongoing collaboration.

 

Discussion of Possible Solution

Research has shown that “distance education can be as effective as any other category of instruction” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek, 2012).  Learning about new ideas, new systems, and new approaches is a regular part of any job, and many companies have offices separated geographically (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek, 2012).  Distance learning allows for flexible asynchronous training and online collaboration, without the time and travel expenses for gathering distant employees together for a more traditional workshop training event.
One solution for this company and the instructional designer is to use a wiki.  A wiki can be “an excellent tool for collaborative online writing assignments and group activities compiling information in a single online resource” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek, 2012).  The purpose of this training is to familiarize employees with a new automated staff information system.  According to Holden et al. (2010), asynchronous media, such as using a wiki, may be better suited to lower cognitive levels.  This does not appear to be highly technical or difficult in nature, so a wiki may be an appropriate Web 2.0 tool.  By using a wiki, employees can upload and share documents, share screen clippings, and collaborate.  Most adults tend to be independent and can direct their own learning (Cercone, 2008).  Using a wiki allows employees the flexibility of choosing the timing and pacing of their learning.  Adult learners also bring with them a vast collection of background knowledge.  Using a wiki to collaborate will allow these employees to not only learn from others, but to share their own “reservoir of life experiences” (Conlan, Grabowski, and Smith, 2003).  Gordon (2006) found that the use of wikis can “increase social interaction, while enabling swift collaboration and interaction while exchanging information and creating knowledge” (Gullet and Bedi, 2007).

Real World Examples

Brian McKeiver of BizStream writes in his blog that one benefit of using wiki is that all employees can contribute to and benefit from the information on the wiki.  BizStream creates a wiki about each one of its clients (like the file folders of days gone by) which allows employees to collaborate easily and document project information.
Another example comes from CORT, a subsidiary of Berskshire Hathaway.  CORT has around 2,500 employees who are spread out across 180 locations.  Instead of clogging up email boxes, they use wikis to help employees across departments and locations collaborate (Lynch, 2007).

Other Considerations

The wiki website asks users to consider whether their wiki will be public and editable or if it needs security and privacy (wiki.com, 2008).  This is a corporate training wiki, so the instructional designer should take steps to make it private and secure.  Another major consideration is the learner.  Dr. Ana Donaldson cautions instructional designers that if they remember nothing else about the design process to remember these three elements:   the learner, the learner, and the learner (Laureate Education, n.d.).  If many of the employees are like me, they have limited working knowledge and experience using wikis.  Like with anything new, there is a learning curve.  When I used a wiki for a group project in the Instructional Design course, it took time to figure out how to navigate around and use a wiki.  The instructional designer will need to determine the characteristics of the company employees, perhaps through the use of a survey.   If there are many employees that are unfamiliar with wikis, a prerequisite wiki tutorial may need to be added to the training program.  The instructional designer may need to create a video with screen shots and voiceover or utilize the many wiki training videos that have already been created.

References

Cercone, K. (2008). Characteristics of adult learners with implications for online learning design,
AACE Journal, 16(2), 137-159.

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/

Gullet E., & Bedi, K. (2007). Wiki: A new paradigm for online training and development of faculty. Proceeds ascilite Singapore 2007. Retrieved from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/singapore07/procs/gullett.pdf

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d.). Instructional Design Models. [Video Podcast]. Retrieved from http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/Walden/EIDT/6100/CH/mm/eidt6100_instructional_design.html

Lynch, C. (2007). CIO. Retrieved from http://www.cio.com/article/166904/How_One_Company_Is_Using_Wikis_and_Blogs_to_Unclog_E_mail_Boxes

Mcbeeve.com. Retrieved from http://www.mcbeev.com/Blog/July-2010/9-Reasons-Why-Your-Company-Needs-a-Wiki.

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

Wiki (2008). Retrieved from http://www.wiki.com/

 

My Definition of Distance Education Expands

 

Distance Education – What’s Your Definition?

This week we began a journey to broaden our understanding of distance learning.  Prior to beginning this course, I had a narrow definition of distance learning.  I thought of distance learning as what I’m doing here at Walden, sitting home alone with my laptop, reading support material (articles, books, and videos), learning through discussion postings from my instructors and colleagues, writing lots of papers, and completing projects.  Basically, I thought of distance learning as learning online, separated by time and space from your instructor and classmates.

Last night I had an “ah-ha” moment.  Part of our family routine is discussing what happens during our day, so we often engage in conversations about what I’m learning in school, just as we discuss what my sons are learning in high school.  My husband and I were reminiscing about a course we had as undergrads (we met in college).  I realized that I had actually taken part in on-site distance learning in the 1980s!  My husband and I were both enrolled in an Accounting 101 class where we sat in a classroom with other students and a teacher’s assistant (TA) and watched on a television set as the professor taught accounting.  There were similar classrooms spread over the campus.  If a student had a question, he/she would let the TA know and the TA would press some button to let the professor know there was a question.  We both remember it as an awful learning experience; the professor was unengaging, and there was definitely a feeling of disconnect. 

Fast forward to the new millennium.  I realize that I’ve also taken part in distance learning through my school district, such as watching videos online to fulfill yearly ethics and abuse training requirements.  The school district has conveniently added these videos to our “teacher portal” so that we now have the opportunity to view these at home (on our own time).  Part of my staff development this summer for the first time took place online through a live webinar training to introduce a new computer program purchased by the district.  I’ve actually had more distance learning experience than I thought.

After much reading and reflecting, my thinking about distance learning after week one has already broadened and deepened, and so, my definition has changed.  Distance learning isn’t just about being online and it isn’t just about the learner.  Historically, distance learning dates back much further than the 1980s.  I was surprised to read about distance learning in the past, including the University of Wisconsin’s correspondence program which began back in the late 1880s (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek, 2012).  Even earlier, European newspapers began offering courses through mail as early as 1833 (Laureate Education, n.d.). 

Dr. Simonson offers us a definition of distance education, as opposed to the term distance learning, so that it encompasses both the distance teaching and distance learning (Laureate Education, n.d.).  He states that distance education is formal education in which the learning group (teacher, students, resources) is separated by geography and, sometimes, by time with technology sources linking the learning group for the purposes of teaching and learning (Laureate Education, n.d.).  I prefer this term distance education because it is more than just the learner; we have to consider the institutions, instructors, and instructional designers involved in the teaching and learning.  Dr. Simonson also suggests that distance education is not going to replace our traditional brick and mortar K-12 and higher education institutions (Laureate Education, n.d.).  I agree that our established schools are not going to disappear over time, but rather distance education will continue to grow and play a larger role in education:  K-12, higher education, and corporate education.

So, where does that leave an instructional designer-in-training?  Moller, Foshay, and Huett (2008) suggest that “the challenge for ID professionals is not only to evolve the field (distance learning), but also to assure that the products of sound professional design practice lead the e-learning enterprise”.  The authors go further to state that ID professionals should be at the forefront of the evolution of distance education (corporate, K-12, and higher education) to promote the development of “cost-effect models and tools for distance education” (Moller, Foshay, and Huett, 2008).  One reason that I chose this master’s program in instructional design over a more traditional education master’s program, such as assessment or special education, was I do see continued growth and acceptance of distance education.  I see this evolution of education melded with technology as an opportunity to reach more learners in new and exciting ways, some of which haven’t even been thought of yet.

References

Laureate Education, n.d. Distance Learning Timeline Continuum. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_3467554_1%26url%3D.

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.

Simonson, M. (n.d.). Distance education: The next generation. Lecture presented for Laureate Education, Inc. Retrieved from
https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_3467554_1%26url%3D
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

It's time for EUDC 6135 Distance Learning!

I look forward to learning with all of my Walden colleagues during this course.