A Review of Open Source

I choose to review Yale’s open course on Frontiers and Controversies in Astrophysics. An analysis of the course revealed the following findings. Keeping in mind that these classes are older and it appears that no one is taking these classes in the same manner as distance learning. The content of the class originated from a face to face lecture by Professor Charles Bailyn.

The design of a distance learning environment should be developed with the student’s perception in mind. In other words will the message being produced provided the learner with the information to transfer the required knowledge to the learner? When planning the course this should be taken into consideration. Will the learner have access to the materials need to enhance the learning process? Will the learner comprehend information being provided within the media?

The learning environment of this course was set for the face to face class room. There was no textual information provide to the students except for the information gathered provided by the professor. The professor did provide some text by way of the internet. However the most important information was being provided by Professor Bailyn. The classes were presented through recorded lecture. The lecture was truly a recording of the classroom presentation. This would be like taking a PowerPoint presentation placing it online and calling it e-learning. There was no transformation into the distance learning environment. This course didn’t make the grade in pre-planning. Although the information provided would enhance the knowledge of a beginner. The course didn’t provide the learner with an environment to ask questions and receive feedback. There was no true visual information for the learner. An overhead with transparences was used to aid in the delivery of the lecture. This did not provide adequate visual presentation for an online learning environment. Therefore there was no way for the learner to ensure they understood the transfer of information.

The design of the course site was limited as far as information provided to the learner. Nor were there any resources referenced on the site for the learner. The classes within the course were on video, mp3 audio and transcript. This was the only access to the course material within the website. Our text recommended a 3 to 5 month preparation time for planning for teaching on the World Wide Web. It is easy to see that these classes didn’t go through the planning process for online environment.

Did the course designer implement course activities that maximize active learning for the students? There were no active learning activities noted with the courses contain on this site. The learners that use this site must be self-motivated. There needs to be a deep desire to learn truly independently within this site.

Open Yale Courses: http://oyc.yale.edu/astronomy/frontiers-and-controversies-in-astrophysics

Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

Example 3: Asynchronous Training

In an effort to improve the safety record of this manufacturing company, I would as the ID recommend a CMS be developed with prerecorded media. This media could be over laid with course objectives and goals. I would set the modules with embedded quizzes to re-enforce the learning process. Step by step procedures could be illustrated within media so the trainees could see the correct steps as they need to be completed. The important facts of the process could be highlighted before proceeding to the next step. After each goal is completed the trainees are quizzed, at the completion of the course the trainees are tested by the system. The results are provided to them and recorded for the supervisor to view. A notice of completion could appear on the screen for all the trainees that completed the process without failure. A note would also appear advising the trainee to contact their supervisor for the final step. The supervisor could present a certificate after reviewing the results and observing the trainee complete the procedures as required.

There are several examples of safety training being completed in this manner. I have highlighted two of these for review. The first is Safety Skill (http://www.safetyskills.com/) a CMS that provides safety training in 300 plus safety courses. In reviewing these courses, I found them to be informative and easy to follow. Safety Skills is produced by noodleStream.com. This company has designed training for the for the US military for over 18 years. It has worked with over 2,000 companies many of them fortune 500. I would call that success. The second company that I reviewed was Vocam (http://www.safety-tv.com/). Vocam is a safety training company that has a 20 year history in developing training. They are the producer of Safety-TV online training library, which has produced over 600 hundred video e-learning courses. Their materials were easy to follow and well supported. Some of the media could be hard on the eyes but I understood the message within the media, it was to the point. These programs are good examples to support the idea of prerecorded media and the skills that can be obtained when used in distance education. Prerecorded media has proven to be a reliable source of training over the years. In our text there is a brief history on the use of it over the years and the improvements it has taken on. The development of training online has taken it to an even higher use over the years. Its flexibility makes it easy to incorporate into the education process.

References:

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson

Karl's Revised Mind Map

Defining Distance Learning

The definition of distance learning changes because education is always evolving. The context of distance learning is the force behind these changes. The present course within these changes is stemmed by the technological growth in communication. The students of today are no longer held to the standards of textbooks being mail to their homes. Students today are able to communicate within environments that didn’t exist twenty five years ago. The student and the instructor are still separated but no longer over great distances. Today a distance learner can be located a few miles from the institution of learning. They simple may not be able to attend class on the campus for some reason. The learners today are presented with greater choices than in the past. Therefore the learner is now challenged to more independent and in tune with the atmosphere of learning. The distractions are far greater than the past.

The factors today behind and within education are not what the past presented. Today we can be separated from the institution and still have face to face conversation with our instructor. The dynamics of the student instructor interaction has truly changed for the better. As stated in our reading online, “The growth of online distance learning (e learning) is explosive”. Moller L., Foshay W., and Huett J. 2008. With this explosion technologies with the environment of the internet are exploding. This enables the instructional designer to explore new theories and greater innovation within the field. Which provides new methods and styles for the learning today. The ID can now explore styles of learning that were just theory a few years ago.

As technology grows this gives the instructional designer great ranges to push the learning environment. This also causes the designer to be more aware of the capabilities within the technology today. If there are products available to the instructional designer and they are not aware of them, a step toward progression may be missed. Therefore the Instructional designer needs to stay abreast of what the field has available to enhance their creations. To aid the ID in this process a technical advisor could help them stay up to date with what’s available to them. Many of the products available today could easily be learned by the ID and passed on to the learner.

I have watch distance learning since the early nineties. I entered the field of development in the late eighties. This has given me a unique seat of observation. Before beginning this course, I had been involved in distance learning while serving on active duty. My definition had been formed by my involvement with it over the years. I noted since starting this course and reading the material within this class that much has taken place since I first got involved. The evolution of distance learning has helped me over the years but it has advanced my learning because of its’ flexibilities. As I watch the future unfolds before me. I see the distance learning changing even more over years to come.

Technology is constantly growing, with new ideas and better methods to get to help the learner understand information today. The methods that we used yesterday are expanding into new realms of learning that could be seen in the past. Learners today are not learning better, they are just learning differently. The military is recruiting young people with great motor skills and training them to do jobs that once took years of training. Now with technology these jobs no longer need college educated individuals and very expensive war machines. This is why instructional designer need to keep up with what is happening in the field today. The future will see simulations within the classroom of the future that we dream of now. The learner will step into virtual 3D classroom and never level their home.

Reference

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). TechTrends, 52(3), 70–75.

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.

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5), 63–67.

Fitting the Pieces Together

Over the past few weeks I have stepped into a realm that I enjoy. I was aware of three learning theories but studying the others helped bring an even clearer understanding of theories and styles of learning. I see new combination of learning theories that can be put into practice. These theories clearly display methods in which Instructional designers can bring new life into the learning process for their students. Students have always enjoyed hands on projects as well as interaction in their learning process. Designing lessons that students see and touch in the learning process makes learning more enjoyable. Designing a lesson based on Connectivism coupled with project learning provides life for the students learning. These theories of learning place a level of understand in theory that works well with technology.

I have been an Instructor for over twenty. In that time frame I have studied and watch the process of development change and become better. Being a technical person I‘ve always looked at things a little different. When I look at a computer I see more than just a box filled with electronics. It’s like a Doctor looking at a human body. I can visualize what is going on inside the computer. To see learning theories such as Connectivism and Constructivism places a new view from the perspective instructional design. Because I think like a technician and an Instructional Designer I can see learning taking place at the different junctions in the process. I have always known I was a hands on learner, since the first stereos system I build having never taken an electronics class. Even now as I work with my students, I find a way to work Connectivism into the process because I believe that students enjoy this realm. It helps me when I can see processes come to life before me. These newer theories enhance my learning process.

Technology is second nature to me. I use it in every aspect of life. I am one of those individuals that needs to be watch when on vacation, because I will pull out my laptop. I am always looking for new ways to present information to my classes no matter what class I teaching or designing. I’m on the internet searching for information that I think will help my student learn something faster or better. I am presently designing a site for my student to access when they are not in class. They will be able to access the site and get a narrative of the notes from the class. I’m doing this for my adult students so they will not get behind in class. I don’t think technology is the answer for everything but I think it will make life better if used properly.

Reflection on my Mindmap

The connection I have made over the past few years have depend my desire to learn more about human learning. In order to bring this into my daily life, these groups have caused me to question my methods of approach and design. Early on the organization I was employed by kept me confine to a conservative structure very little technology. I am presently an independent working others that believe innovation is a must if you want to grow. I now look at ways of learning that I could not see in the past. For instance; I was recently asked to work with some student that had the tag of hard to teach. I asked the administrators why they said they could not learn. The reply was stocking, so I want repeat it. I asked to meet the student and when I did I asked the student if they could play video? Everyone knows the answer was yes. I asked the student who show them how to play the games and 99.9% stated they showed themselves. I had made my point. If these young minds could learn video game they could learn English. My connections have shown me how to look outside the box. I can see student moving forward if we upgrade our learning tools. I have found that my camera, computer and digital recorder help learn in fast pace environment. I can record the speaker’s notes and place them on my computer. As I listen I can research any statements that is made on a topic I’m interested. The Google search engine has become one of my best friends.

The teams I work with also help me expand my knowledge. When I ask a question it isn’t a quick answer and let’s go to lunch. I normally get why are you ask this question. The groups I’m around seldom answers a question but they do guild you to the answer which in term enhances your knowledge. This is a great way to become smarter fast and increase you knowledge base. One question can cause me to study for days. In the process my knowledge base is increasing and because I normally on the internet. Connectivism works well for me. I like reaching out to others and grabbing the information I need. When I work with technology, it becomes easier for me to blend my ideas into a working solution. My personal network are all companies and people that work with technology or working overseas where they use technology to post their findings. So it becomes easy for me to find out the last with youth in Kenya, Haiti and compare them to students in America. When I look at my findings on PowerPoint I can see all the hands connecting.

Karl's Mind Map