Reflection

Reflection

            Distance learning is going to continue to be a growing force in education.  Universities and public school systems are adding funding to meet the needs of their students to offer a more convenient and bigger selection of courses available online.  This does not have to be done in a complete online format.  Many universities are offering hybrid or web-facilitated courses.  The Instructional Technology Council in 2009 cited a 53% increase in hybrid courses and a 77% increase in web-facilitated courses.  (Lokken, 2010).  The continued growth of distance education seems to align with the thought that online education will become commonplace for all ages of students.  In the next 5-10 years, I believe we will see the public perception begin to change and start to embrace the idea of online learning without the apprehension that may be felt by some today.  It will also be a time for boundaries to be established within the K-12 setting.  There are issues that still remain as far as funding and truancy below the university setting.  I think more defined policies will start to become a precedent for many to follow.  Following that period, online learning will provide education to almost everyone in some format.  Students may start to think of colleges not just as traditional campuses but looking deeply into the options that could allow them to stay home and work throughout their education.  The future of distance education will be a strong factor in the future education of a great number of learners. 

            My role as an instructional designer will not only be in the design of courses but to be a proponent of distance education.  By making courses that people can benefit from and have access to will greatly assist in this cause.  Currently now as an administrator in a Virtual Academy, I have been bringing a great amount of quality courses to my students.  But one area that I felt also needed addressed was the community.  Our district partnered with the National Education Foundation this year and I have been able to bring a multitude of courses to our parents, teachers, and community for free.  A Teacher Academy has been set up for teachers to get training in areas of their choosing as well as being able to receive professional development credit which is required in our state.  I have also built a Parent Academy for community members to take courses ranging from core courses to technology certifications.  Once people begin to see the value, they can share their experiences to help change societal perception into a positive point of view.   

           I will continue to be a positive force for continuous improvement in the field of distance education by staying informed and continuing my own education within this field.  I will stay current on the new technology that provides a better distance learning experience.  It is important to continue to evaluate each course to make sure that the needs of the students were met and examine data to see if students applied the new learning by enrolling in additional courses or going into the work force.  One method of evaluation that could be used is the AEIOU approach.  This evaluation process details a framework that allows for key questions to be asked in order to be effective (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012).  Through evaluation and continuous educational growth, this will allow me to work for continuous improvement in the field of distance education. 

            It is also important to change the viewpoint of skeptics.  According to a study from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities its states, “that 70 percent of the 10,000 faculty members surveyed believe that online courses are either "inferior" or "somewhat inferior" to traditional ones. Professors who have taught online are more positive about the approach, but 48 percent of them are likewise convinced that online courses are not as good as face-to-face teaching.” (Benton, 2009).  This is an eye-opening reality that many do not feel an online education is comparable to a traditional one.  In order to work with these people, especially the ones surveyed, whom are educators, it is important they see the value.  This can be accomplished through blended or web-facilitated learning.  Working with an online format will allow the positives to come through that may change their outlook. 

            Distance education is a worth-while field that I will continue to work in throughout the remainder of my career.  I also feel that this is the future of education and eventually society will accept and embrace it.