Section 7: New Directions for Instructional Design and Technology

Examples of Distributed Learning

Academic Distributed Learning:

www.tamu-commerce.edu
Distributed learning in academic environments includes established institutions that have branched out into online learning as well as virtual institutions that have never provided traditional classroom settings. I have loved the fact that I have been able to earn my Master's Degree from TAMU-Commerce online. At age 50, the thought of heading back to a college campus located 100 miles from home would have been prohibitive. I feel that I have learned as much or more than I would have if I had attended onsite classes. I have been able to form relationships with instructors and peers even though I may have never met them in person, and learning has been accomplished through numerous, flexible avenues.

Hybrid classes:

http://www.smc.edu/csis/hybrid/index.htm

Santa Monica College, Department of Computer Science and Information Systems

Hybrid courses are presented in a unique way designed to give the student an integrated and flexible learning environment using a combination of traditional on-campus classes and the Internet.

Skills-based training:

Existing and emerging technologies will help to provide flexible and adaptable training to the globally distributed United States Marine Corps. Lt. Col. Steve Jones, head of the Marine Corps Distance Learning Branch, points out that "The transition to a distributed online learning environment in the Marine Corps is as much a challenge to our conventional thinking on training and education as it is a technical challenge to implement. Therefore, my objectives during the early phase of the Distance Learning program are to deliver training solutions that add value, that our Marines can relate to, and that are easilty adaptable. The capabilities of instructional and information technologies today will enable us to meet those objectives." Moving forward, Lt. Col. Jones and the Distance Learning Branch staff will focus on delivering high-quality, interactive, online training to all Marines.

MarineNet Distributive Learning Infrastructure

Distributed Learning via virtual institutions:

http://www.mivhs.org/

The Michigan Virtual School is an online resource that enables Michigan high schools and middle schools to provide courses (all taught by certified teachers) and other learning tools that students wouldn't otherwise have access to. It was funded by the Michigan legislature in July 2000 to be operated by the Michigan Virtual University, a private, not-for-profit Michigan corporation. MVS works in cooperation with individual school districts to grant course credit and diplomas.

Virtual classes:

http://www.iconlogic.com/VirtualCourses.htm

Attend a live, online (virtual) training class from the comfort of your home or office. All you need is a high-speed internet connection, the software, a headset/microphone or speakerphone and one or two days to learn the essentials of Adobe Photo Shop CS5 Essentials.

Reusability

Reusability is defined as the ability to use the same resource multiple times in multiple ways and in multiple contexts. I believe that, for the most part, most of the courses I've taken throughout my educational career have been reusable. I guess the ones I don't consider to be reusable would be the ones that presented a huge amount of new technology in such a short amount of time that I was unable to "absorb" it to the point where I could reuse it. LIS 557 (mini-term) was my first technology class. This course presented a massive amount of information in a very short time, and since I'm not a digital native, I struggle with technology. I felt overwhelmed, and I'm sure I missed out on a lot of good information and resources that would be useful in my present job. Possible solutions would be for me to retake the course or to have taken this particular course over a longer period of time after I had learned the eCollege system better. The questions from the chapter in the text ask: "Can I find it?" "May I use it?" "Will it work?" "Can I use it in a way that works for me?" Since my answer to all four questions is "not easily", I would need to revisit most of the information presented in the course.

Rich Media

One example of rich media that is used at our elementary school is Study Island, a web-based product that presents students with academic content that is both fun and engaging. All programs are built from state standards and effectively support learning objectives through this "rich media". Reading Eggs, Study Island's early literacy program for learners ages 4-8, engages students with video, interactive animations, sound and simulation. Even though the authors site studies that have found that there is no significant difference between learning from a series of still visuals and learning with animation, I believe that when it comes to motivating and engaging young learners, rich media is a huge asset.

Nanotechnology

What do the libraries of the future look like? Is it possible that tomorrow's students will have instant access (possibly voice activated or implanted under the skin) to the world's vast knowledge anytime or anyplace? With ever smaller consumer technologies becoming available as a result of unique properties of nanomaterials, the face of information management is changing. In the future, I can invision miniscule "pocket libraries" available to all individuals. What will that mean for the role of librarians? Will we be needed? Will we simply serve as guides?

I tend to agree with Brent Wilson that we should encourage openness in ideology and method, or "The Broad and Inclusive Road" when it comes to the direction of the field. I believe that flexibility and openness to change brings about innovative ideas and creativity. With more informal methods of sharing, the opportunity to go beyond established rules and implement broader boundaries, open communciation and collaboration are more likely to occur. The benefit, as stated in the text, is finding innovations to adapt and move forward.