Discussion 1

I always enjoy learning more about the history of technology and learning. This gave the best of both worlds and relayed some interesting facts about the emergence of eLearning, mLearning, distance education, etc. It was interesting how the readings discussed the foundation of distance learning in terms of instructional techniques and design, and pointed out the benefits and challenges of the different strategies. Explanations of learning styles and how online strategies meet those different learning styles were also an informative part of the documentation. Furthermore, the sections discussed how teachers/instructors can utilize materials and information available to enhance their online instruction and professional development.

Discussion 1

How could teachers/educators use the material/information addressed in these sections to help improve their online instruction or professional development?

The first thing that struck me as being very powerful relative to material and/or information for improving online instruction is the use of diagrams. Each diagram visually illustrated the information trying to be conveyed and this is an excellent way for learners, including teachers and students, to grasp the details needed to understand online learning. Most learners are very visual so this is an appealing way to share the material. My favorites are The Historical Timeline of Distance Learning, The Family Tree of Distance Learning, and the Instructional Strategies for Distance Learning.

For those who are teaching online, the evolution of online learning is an important aspect because it helps define the different distance education terms. We are so used to relating distance learning to computers and other technological gadgets, that there are probably few who realize that distance learning actually began with the correspondence courses. This, along with other historical aspects of online teaching and learning, would be something interesting to share in a professional development session for online instructors.

Another aspect of this guide is the explanation of “blended learning” and how it was basically a result of the face-to-face proponents and the online learning proponents being at odds with each other. It is a term that suggests that both ways of learning are appropriate and have their place in the educational arena.

The instructional strategies would be another great piece of information to share, enabling instructors to see the connection between online learning and the cognitive styles of learners. It is extremely important to focus on the learning styles of students and how the modalities affect the learning process. The list of different modalities could be very helpful for online instructors when they are planning the lesson and how information will be delivered with students in mind.

Finally, the explanation of synchronous and asynchronous learning environments was well done, and provided good examples of how each could be used in the online classroom as well as the benefits and issues that may be encountered. It would be very effective if online instructors understood how each can be used to reach their audience, and how student might use them to enhance their learning. To me this is what really makes e-Learning great; the fact that students really can learn anywhere at any time.

What future trends do you see coming from the topics dealt with in these sections? In other words, do you think the material/information discussed in these sections has any relevancy to the future or is it just a passing fad?

The information in these sections of the guide is steeped in history, research and common sense. Therefore, it definitely has relevancy for today’s online instruction as well as future e-Learning. All of the definitions are well developed and include all of the necessary details on which to base distance learning having a foundation in learning theory and concepts. As our understanding of brain processes (neuroscience) increases, this cognitive basis will enable us to explore more deeply the effect of the different learning modalities and how online instruction can use them to enhance learning and increase retention. It is important to point out that “research has identified over 71 different types of learning styles,” and I believe that everyone comes with more than just a couple of learning styles that work for them personally. It is in the diversity of online instruction that we reach the most students effectively and efficiently. Hopefully in the future, we will be able to more closely identify the combination of online instruction that works best for all types of learners.