The Next Generation of Distance Education - Module 1

Distance education is vastly changing and Huett, Coleman, Foshay, and Simonson agree that if we are going to meet the needs of learners, distance education needs to evolve.  The collective opinion of the authors is there must be effective training for teachers and better instructional design. Simonson states that in order to provide effective learning strategies in distance education, the learning experience must be equivalent to face-to-face instruction but not identical.  “Distance and face-to-face should: 1) have the same learning outcomes and 2) provide equivalent learning experiences to meet those outcomes” (Simonson, 2000). Foshay et al. proposes “the challenge for instructional design professionals is not only to evolve the field, but also to assure that the products of sound professional design practice lead the e-learning enterprise” (Foshay, Huett, & Moller, 2008).  I agree with both positions. Distance education needs to evolve just like face-to-face education constantly evolves. There must be effective and relevant training for the educators in distance education and better instructional design. Virtual High Schools are becoming the choice for many due to the flexibility and easy accessibility. Instructors must be effectively trained to design lessons that provide meaningful instruction similar to the traditional school setting.

References

Foshay, W., Huett, J., & Moller, L. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web. TechTrends: Linking Research and Practice to Improve Learning, 52(4), 66-70.

Simonson, M. (2000). Making decisions: The use of electronic technology in online classes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 84, 29-34.