Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

Example 3: Asynchronous Training
In an effort to improve its poor safety record, a biodiesel manufacturing plant needs a series of safety training modules. These stand-alone modules must illustrate best practices on how to safely operate the many pieces of heavy machinery on the plant floor. The modules should involve step-by-step processes and the method of delivery needs to be available to all shifts at the plant. As well, the shift supervisors want to be sure the employees are engaged and can demonstrate their learning from the modules.

Fig. 1.          Example of biodiesel manufacturing plant retrieved from: http://www.omniventures-sarl.com/BIOFUEL-BIODIESEL.html           

The employees in the example 3 need to learn skills to use many pieces of heavy machinery and shift supervisors (as employers or representatives of the employers) are interested in employees engaging in activities that will demonstrate the knowledge gained. Simonson et al. (2012) argue that “Much of this is possible because of the concept of distance education, which involves bringing learners and the content of instruction together no matter where each is located” (p.27). For centuries, teachers have solved many problems using technology tools that match the context of instructional design or pedagogy (Manning & Johnson, 2011). For example, a mathematics teacher would use stones or bottle lids as tools to teach learners counting skills. In this case, we need to explore which technology tools could be selected to teach a series of safety training modules?

            It would be best to select technology that will serve as a central point to simulate the real learning environment for distance learning employees (Gunes, & Altintas, 2013). The LMS Moodle www.moodle.org  will be selected as a learning technology where asynchronous training will occur. Videos would be placed in each module as a resource, either developed by the instructional designer or using the existing YouTube videos to effectively engage learners in the process of learning step- by-step procedures on how to operate different machines. Videos could be developed using Jing, SnagIt or Camtasia from http://www.techsmith.com/. Jing would be the best option as it is available free of charge and can be used to create short videos limited to the maximum of 3-5 minutes. This is an example that demonstrates how to use Jing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FLsSUTFYyw. Tutorials are often provided to help understand how to use Jing as a technology tool: http://www.techsmith.com/tutorial-jing-taking-your-first-capture.html. The use of video for training has the following benefits as stated by King & Cox (p.69, 2011):

• Available on demand (24/7). The employees would be able to access the videos at any time when they are not on shift.
• Able to retrieve an infinite number of times. Students will have the opportunity to repeat the learning process, until they have mastered the hands-on skill without being limited by the number of times they have to watch the video.
• Able to incorporate visual and audio learning styles. The videos would incorporate images of the machines with the verbal instruction on how to operate it and text highlighting important steps in a process.
• Able to serve the needs of both teacher-centered and self-directed students. The teacher would use videos to introduce and illustrate a concept to be learned. Students would be able to access videos at their own time. Where they will have the independence to pause, replay and stop at any point while learning. Jing is easy and user friendly for the learners to capture their own videos to demonstrate knowledge learned about each piece of the machine and share information with their own classmates.

·      Able to develop 21^st century skill. Giving a student a project, such as to develop their own videos on how to operate any of the machines would integrate the use of technology skills.

            Another distance learning component to be used for an asynchronous training would be discussion forums in Moodle www.moodle.org, to encourage communication among students and with the instructor as they explore the series of modules and wrestle with pertinent questions (Manning & Johnson, 2011). Discussions would develop employee’s writing and critical thinking skills as they participate through writing and responding to each other’s posts (Laureate Education, 2009). The participation in the forum is an exemplary way of engaging distance learners in a gradual process of learning through various stages to more complex tasks while using different learning styles (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2.                Discussion forum with different learning styles

     In conclusion, the selection of the distance learning technologies needs to be driven by each situation that needs training and on the availability of technologies that can be supported by the organization. Beldarrain, (2006) posits that “it is the responsibility of instructional designers, administrators, and technology experts to investigate which tools offers the best solution for the task of providing interaction in asynchronous distance learning training” (p.143).

References

Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2), 139–153.

Gunes, A. & Altintas, T. (2013). Evaluation of Distance Education Components of e-MBA program – A Case Study. International Journal on E-Learning, 12 (1), 69-80.

King, K.P. and Cox, T.D. (2011). Video development and Instructional use: simple and powerful options. In K.P. King & T.D. Cox (Eds.), The professor’s guide to taming technology: leveraging digital media, web 2.0, and more for learning (pp.67-88).

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). The Technology of Distance Education [Multimedia Program]. 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.

Manning, S. & Johnson, K.E. (2011). The technology toolbelt for teaching. San Francisco, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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

Defining Distance Learning

Defining Distance Learning

My earlier definition of distance learning had been built through my experiences of learning over a number of decades. I had initial thought of distance learning as being for adults only, and only those who did not have opportunities to complete their studies. In the late 1970’s my father had studied and completed his high school through correspondence study. With that experience in mind, I then defined distance education in terms of the money exchange with the package of study material, and assignment submissions through mail posting. This was in line with the view of distance learning as a study for “adults with occupational, social, and family commitments” where posting was used as the medium of communication with no physical contact (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek, 2012). The biggest challenge for correspondence study was time delay in the delivery of the learning material.

As I grew up, my definition of distance learning changed slightly. While I was at university in the late 1980’s, one of my friends had registered for a module through distance learning. She would receive a package with audio cassette and videos. Tracey & Richey, (2005) mention that “radio programming has been used innovatively to either support or supplement print based materials or to carry the majority of the course content”. My definition of distance learning changed slightly therefore to include media which accommodated listening skills for students.  The new definition brought in an element of the face to face classes but still lacked interaction between teachers and students and interaction amongst students. Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek, (2012) points out that “it is important that learners be able to interact with each other, with resources of instruction, and with their teacher” (p.34). My definition of distance learning then evolved to include learning for anyone, at any place and at any time through mail correspondence with learning material that included cassettes and video tapes.

In the mid 2000’s, I personally enrolled with a distance learning university. The scenario was very different from what I had known about distance learning as the audio and video cassettes had largely been replaced with CDs and DVDs “to provide valuable resource materials for distance learners” (Tracey & Richey, 2005). The post medium was still in use, mostly for the delivery of learning material but with an option of submitting assignments online. There were also opportunities of “real-time interaction” with the teachers, through optional tutorial classes, phone calls and emails to supplement the learning material (Moller, et al., 2008). The definition of distance learning changed then to include “flexible learning with increased access and hence more openness” (Bates, 2005). The challenge still remained that of lack of communication with other students.

Fig. 1: Learner as a central point

In 2012, I registered for a Master’s program in Instructional Design and Technology at another distance learning institution. All the classes were now online, with specific weekly discussions and submissions. This university became for me an example of an institution where the distance between teachers and students had been reduced by allowing for interaction with the use of audios, videos, transcripts, and multimedia to present classes, and where there is continuous interaction with the teacher and among students through discussion forums, blogs, and emails. In this setting, learning has different categories of engagement with the learner as the central point and all members of the learning community interact with one another (see Figure 1). According to Morrison et al. (2011), learning design with “instructional design approach considers instruction from the perspective of the learner rather than from the perspective of the content” (p.6). With the new upgrade of the Learning Management System (Blackboard), the distance is almost cut to zero as I can connect in many different ways with my classmates and the teacher.

Fig.2. Mind Map

The University I work for is currently offering a number of distance learning courses, hybrid courses that complement face to face classes with a distance learning component, and has partnerships with other distance learning institutions (Tracey & Richey, 2005). The institution has also invested extensively in “state of the art” infrastructure to support distance education by hiring high profile personnel to support technology for teaching distance learning, using and supporting the use of learning management systems. These changes are based on emerging global trends where various teaching and learning tools that support distance learning have been on the rise.

In conclusion, my definition of distance learning (See Fig. 2) regards it as a method of learning through a variety of correspondence media (post, telephone, radio, video, computers and internet) where students are able to study anywhere, anytime using  various learning styles (reading, listening, discussion, group work) with limited physical contact. Gunes & Altintas (2013) argue that “the most important question on distance education is: ‘How can we improve the learning level, by which media?’ and ‘How can we set a high level interaction between the students and the teacher?’” (p.70). Distance learning has evolved over a 180 years (1833-2013) through the development of delivery media and technology (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). While “mail correspondence” for example, is still being used today with more options to reduce time delays for delivery to almost zero thus improving the level of learning through distance learning. The levels of interaction can also be set high with the use of current trends in synchronous technology such as Skype.

Fig. 3.   Challenges of distance learning

References

Bates, A.W. (2005). Technology, E-Learning, and Distance Education (2^nd edition). Routledge, Canada.

Gunes, A. & Altintas, T. (2013). Evaluation of Distance Education Components of e-MBA program – A Case Study. International Journal on E-Learning, 12 (1), 69-80.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Distance Learning Timeline Continuum [Multimedia Program]. 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 1: Training and Development Key Trends in training). TechTrends, 52(3), 70 - 76.

Morrison, G. R., Ross, S. M., Kalman, H. K., & Kemp, J. E. (2011). Designing effective instruction (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

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

Tracey, M., & Richey, R. (2005). The evolution of distance education. Distance Learning, 2(6), 17–21. Retrieved 3 September from http://sloanconsortium.org/

Introductory Message

You are welcome to join me in this blog as we explore Distance Learning issues over the next coming weeks. The blog is part of my submission to the EDUC6135 Distance Learning course for the Master’s program in Instructional Design & Technology at Walden University.