The Impact of Open Source

The Walden EDUC 6135 course has been progressing well and I have been busy creating and populating a content management system with information about technology tools (i.e. wikis, streaming video, etc.) and effective distance learning practices (i.e. technology knowledge, time management, etc.). 

This is Week 5 of the Walden course, a portion of which includes a review of an online course.  I reviewed the course:  The Art and Science of Negotiation offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) through the free Open Courseware Consortium (OCW) web site (Laws, 2006).  Having concluded my review, I will be responding to the questions outlined below with my analysis findings beginning with an overview of planning instruction.

Overview:  Planning Instruction

When planning for instruction, the process involves critical components of the:  learner; content; method and materials; environment; and, technology which must interact both efficiently and effectively to produce quality learning experiences.  Additional elements to keep in mind for distance education include (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012):

·         Courses previously taught in traditional classrooms may need to be retooled where the focus of the instruction shifts to visual presentations, engaged learners, and careful timing of information.

·         Plan activities that encourage interactivity and allow for student group work.

·         Be prepared in the event that technical problems occur.

·         Examine issues associated with the separation of instructor and students such as time constraints for class delivery, lack of eye contact, visualization of materials, and interaction.

Course Analysis Findings

Does the course appear to be carefully pre-planned and designed for a distance learning environment? How so?

Learner satisfaction in distance learning is determined by “the attention [the learners] receive from the teachers and from the system they work in to meet their needs - what distant learners want and deserve” include: 1) relevant content; 2) clear directions; 3) as much control as possible of the learning pace; 4) a means of drawing attention to individual concerns; 5) a way of testing their progress and receiving instructor feedback; and, 6) materials that are useful, active, and interesting (Simonson et al, 2012, p. 176). 

The seven elements framework for negotiation, developed by
Roger Fisher, is one of the topics discussed in the course.
(Image by Prof. David Laws).

For the MIT course, I found the above determinants of learner satisfaction to possess varying degrees of effectiveness as outlined below.

Relevant Content – The content is relevant and combines skill-building with social theory which includes reading, problem sets with required participation in discussions and simulations as well as a final project.

Clear Directions – The format of the course is easy to navigate with all web pages associated with the course listed on the left side of the web page for easy access.  A course syllabus is provided as well as directions for each section’s topic. Assignments and the final project were clearly explained.  A calendar of activities with applicable key dates is included.  There are links to information for Getting Started using OCW materials, technology, etc. These FAQs pages provide answers to common questions learners may have about the course.  There is even a link that provides the in-text citation reference for the course.

Learning Pace Control – The learner has full control over the pace of this asynchronous course.

Addressing Individual Concerns – An email link is available to send feedback to the MIT site administrators.

Test Progress & Receive Feedback – This information is not available with the free course.

Useful, Active, and Interesting Materials – Materials are separated into four general areas which are of interest to me:  1) Bargaining and Strategic Interaction; 2) Cooperation and Mutual Gains; 3) How Can We Shape the Game We Play?; and, 4) Big Cases. 

In my opinion, the materials, discussions, exercises and simulations would be more effective using the blended learning approach of the tuition-based course; however, for a foundational understanding of the topic the asynchronous free course is useful and interesting.

Does the course follow the recommendations for online instruction as listed in your course textbook?

MIT faculty and instructors publish only as much content as they are comfortable providing on a Web site that is freely accessible worldwide.  In some cases, solutions to homework assignments, quizzes, and exams are only discussed and presented in a classroom setting and not made available in print or electronic format.

The resources in the Walden course caution designers to avoid “dumping” a face-to-face course onto the Web (Simonson et al, 2012), and for the blended MIT course, that is exactly what was done.  However, being that it is a free course;  the method is a cost savings measure for the school.

This being said, it is apparent the designers of the MIT course followed many of the best practices for online instruction including (Simonson et al, 2012, pp. 135-136):

·         Organizing the course and making the organization and requirements clear to the learner.

·         Keeping learners constantly informed.

·         Including learner interaction through discussion boards.

·         Incorporating simulations for practicing negotiating skills.

·         Applying adult learning principles (self-directed assignments).

·         Training learner to use the course site (FAQs pages).

 

Did the course designer implement course activities that maximize active learning for the students?

Active learning for instructional designers is described as incorporating strategies which involve learners doing things and having them think about the things they are doing (Austin, n/d).  Best practices for instruction also involve providing for “real “ experiences.  For both children and adults, “real” experiences provide the foundation for learning; however, more “realistic” forms of learning can be less efficient in terms of resources and/or distractions.  The critical job of educators and designers of distance education is to be only as realistic as is needed in order for learning to effectively occur (Simonson et al, 2012).

The MIT free course provided active learning activities by including a beginning and end to each activity; stating a clear purpose, providing clear directions, and including instructions for utilizing the site contents (Austin, n/d).  Realistic instruction is incorporated in the tuition-based course in the form of simulations.

References

Austin, D. (n/d). Strategies to incorporate active learning into online teaching. Retrieved from http://www.icte.org/T01_Library/T01_245.pdf.

Laws, David. 11.011 The Art and Science of Negotiation, Spring 2006. (Massachusetts 
              Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare), http://ocw.mit.edu (Accessed 27
              Nov, 2012). License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a
              distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

Overview

This is Week 3 of the Walden EDUC 6135 course, and class members are asked to consider the needs and requirements of the learning context as well as distance learning technologies which may provide solutions for one of three examples:  1) Collaborative Training Environment; 2) Interactive Tours; or, 3) Asynchronous Training.

The asynchronous training example seems to most closely resemble a situation I may encounter as a designer in my current work environment and it reads as follows:

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.

Distance Learning Technologies

This week’s Walden resources state that the key to success in an online classroom is how technologies are used and what information is communicated using them.  As such, it is important to follow the necessary steps in selecting technologies for online instruction (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012):

1.    Assess available technologies.  For the safety training described above, an Internet-based survey can be created to determine lowest level of common technologies for the learners.

2.    Determine the Learning Outcomes. Once appropriate technologies are identified, there are a variety of technology-based activities that can be incorporated for ensuring the course(s) is/are authentic and learners can demonstrate desired outcomes.  Activities may include:

o    Graphics/pictures

o    Animations

o    Hyperlinks to discussion boards (used by both the employees and their managers)

o    Simulations and/or scenarios

o    Audio and video

o    Knowledge check questions

3.    Identify Learning Experiences and Match Each to the Most Appropriate Available Technology.  Organize the content into logical sections of information and create the instructional delivery strategies.

4.    Prepare the Learning Experiences for Online Delivery.  There are four strategies for organizing instruction for online delivery:

o    Linear-programmed instruction – All content is organized into concepts that are presented in blocks or chunks.  Learners review the content, take a self-test, and if successful move to the next chunk/block.

o    Branched-programmed instruction – Similar to linear except that self-tests are more sophisticated to learners can branch ahead if they are proficient or are directed back to more remedial content as needed.

o    Hyper-programmed instruction – Content is organized into modules and concepts, but permits learners to move through learning activities at their own rate and pace in a route they determine themselves. 

Note:  The hyper-programmed instruction model is nicely explained in an article by Tom Kuhlmann called Are Your E-Learning Courses Pushed Or Pulled?

o    Student-programmed instruction – Only the framework of the content is provided to online learners who are expected to provide the structure, outcomes, and sequence of learning activities.

DeAnn’s Choices

For the Biodiesel assignment, the technologies to use for the asynchronous training modules would include a “Pull” strategy as described in the Tom Kuhlmann article referenced above; audio narration; videos of the process (maybe even an opening video of one of the leaders explaining the importance of safety); and, interactive scenarios where employees could choose the steps involved in the process of safely operating heavy machinery on the plant floor.

The courses would ideally be housed in an Intranet-based learning management system with unlimited access and before launch would be beta-tested by the managers.  Hyperlinks to knowledge check quizzes as well as Intranet discussion boards would be embedded in the courses with a requirement for completion.

Quizzes would model the scenarios/simulations in the courses and the discussion boards would have pre-populated topics for employees to respond to and engage their peers.  Managers would also have access to the discussion boards to monitor as well as offer additional questions and comments.

Showcasing Technologies

A decent example of an asynchronous course on Biofuel Production Operations which incorporates graphics, animations, and knowledge checks can be found here: http://www.gatlineducation.com/bio_fuel_demo.html

Some excellent examples of free online e-learning courses that successfully incorporate technological strategies can also be found here:  http://www.onlinecollege.org/2012/01/22/15-inspiring-examples-of-free-online-education/

References

Kuhlmann, T. (2009). Are Your E-Learning Courses Pushed Or Pulled? The Rapid E-Learning Blog. Retrieved on November 14, 2012 from http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/are-your-e-learning-courses-pushed-or-pulled/

Onlinecollege.org. (2012). 15 Inspiring Examples of Free Online Education. Retrieved on November 14, 2012 from http://www.onlinecollege.org/2012/01/22/15-inspiring-examples-of-free-online-education/

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

This post is for the EDUC 6135 Distance Education week 1 application assignment and will focus on: 1) my personal definition and observations of distance learning prior to beginning this course; 2) my revised definition considering the information in this week's course readings; and, 3) a summary of my vision for the future of distance learning.

Previous Definition

My definition of distance education has grown primarily from terms used to describe it in the corporate work environments at which I have been employed for the past six years. One of the first projects I was assigned to at a global organization was that of using previously developed content of approximately 15 new hire orientation PowerPoint presentations used for new hire orientation and transitioning it to a facilitator-led webinar. A year later the webinar content was transitioned into a web-based, self-paced narrative.

With my limited perspective, my previous understanding of what constituted distance learning was that it was a physical separation between learner and facilitator/instructor and also known as a "virtual" delivery method. For instance, a web-based eLearning (self-paced) course was classified as distance learning as was a facilitator-led webinar, and both were virtual learning experiences.

The reason web-based and self-paced courses have become so popular is because they are: 1) cost effective by off-setting travel, classroom overhead and loss of employee productivity; 2) provide "on demand" learning accessibility; and, 3) scalable - once developed, learners can immediately use it (Moller, Foshay & Huett, 2008).

Revised Definition

After reading through and watching this week's course resources, I quoted one of the more accurate definitions of distance learning in my introductory blog post for this course. To expound on the meaning of distance learning: it must possess each of the four components listed below or it is not true distance education (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek, 2012.

·         Institutionally based, meaning that schools and businesses can offer education to learners at a Distance.

·         Separation of teacher and learner.

·         Interactive telecommunications.

·         The learning experience consists of the sharing of data, voice, and video.

Visual Representation of Distance Learning

The Future of Distance Learning

As a subscriber to online instructional design forums through web sites such as Linkedin.com, Twitter, and miscellaneous blogs, I align with consistent themes of ID and learning professionals which include gaming as a tool of the future for distance learning.  An article that was referenced in the online discussions describes how the Army is using video game technology for training soldiers (Carroll, 2011).

I also believe that traditional classroom instruction is still important and there is every reason for instructional designs to include both F2F and online tools that allow for discussions inside and outside of the classroom

Additionally, future ID needs as described by authors Moller, Foshay, and Huett (2008) include:

For Corporate Training (Part 1):  New ISD methodology is needed based on the principles of rapid prototyping, iterative design and development, and incorporating frequent learner trials in a learner-centered approach to design and development (p. 73).

For Higher Education (Part 2):  There is a need to develop new processes with clear guidelines that support a “systematic examination of our pedagogical underpinnings” and take care of faculty concerns (pp. 68-69).

For K-12 (Part 3):  Ideally, ID professionals would play a key role in researching and designing K-12 distance education environments to carefully accommodate diverse learners with varying degrees of maturity.  There is a strong need for instructional designers, specifically trained in distance education technologies and design, which are ready to tackle distance education challenges at all levels (p. 65).

References

Carroll, C. (2011). Army will use cutting-edge video technology for soldier training. Stars and Stripes. Retrieved from http://www.stripes.com/blogs/stripes-central/stripes-central-1.8040/army-will-use-cutting-edge-video-game-technology-for-soldier-training-1.144585

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), 63–6 7.

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.

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

Distance Education

With this introductory post, I am now working through Walden University's Distance Learning course.  My career experience has so far included corporate facilitation which then transitioned into instructional design and development for asynchronous, synchronous, and classroom training materials. 

I have newly learned that the term "distance education" is not synonymous with what is traditionally considered to be eLearning (web-based and self-paced).  The definition is instead (Laureate Education, Inc. 2012):

“Distance education is formal education in which the learning group (teacher, students, and resources) are separated by geography and, sometimes by time; where technologies are used to link the teacher, students, and resources."

Welcome, I hope you enjoy where I last left off and learning with me along the way!

Reference

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2012). Distance Learning [DVD]. In Distance Education: The Next Generation. Baltimore, MD: Dr. Michael Simonson.

End of Course Reflection

Reflecting upon the experiences this course has offered in terms of reading, activities, and group discussions, this paper will highlight the areas that I have found most useful as a learner and instructional designer.

First and foremost, I have become more aware of how I learn. Initially struggling with the amount of reading and responding to discussion posts in short time frames, I now have a better understanding of how to effectively organize my time in order to have the necessary time to reflect on what I'm reading. This in turn has helped me better understand the content and contribute to the online discussions. I also realize how important it is to gain feedback from my classmates and instructor regarding my perspectives so that I can test and grow my knowledge. In addition, some of the study advice from other classmates has been helpful. For instance, Sharifa spoke about how meditation helps increase learner capacity to retain information and I have begun this practice with the hope that it will help me better retain what I read (Adisa, 2012, February 12).

This course has also served to broaden my perspectives about the way in which I design instruction. For instance, previous to the information learned in this class I had always believed that because people possess different learning styles such as kinesthetic, auditory and visual, it was important to design instruction that met the needs of these different styles. Now I understand that designing instruction to match content may be just as effective for learners as matching it to learning styles (Artino, 2012, February 12) – although I will likely continue to add activities that align with learner styles as well.

Additional research into Instructional Strategy has strengthened my knowledge about how to connect content with different instructional media (Dick & Carey Model).

“Different types of media should be chosen based on the type of learning your objectives fall in to. Verbal information requires less elaborative feedback, so there is less need for interactive media. With intellectual skills elaborative feedback is more important, so some form of interactive media would be a better choice. Examples include direct instructor feedback, tutors, or interactive computer. Motor skills eventually require a performance of some sort from the learners, so the instruction should include the actual physical environment or the actual equipment that will be used for the assessment. When teaching attitudes it is usually desirable to have a model of some sort who chooses to exhibit the desired attitude. In this case visual media, such as television or video, can be used. Keep in mind that a single lesson or course may involve instruction in several domains, so you may end up selecting several different forms of media. Or, you may have to make a single form of media fit in with the various domains.”

Metacognition, or thinking about thinking, was new information to me in this course and it was interesting to learn that it evolves very slowly over the course of a lifetime and people who possess it are typically the most effective learners. Rather than constant repetition of information, metacognitive learners analyze a learning task by asking questions such as “How long will this take me to effectively learn? Do I understand what I just read? Can I do something with it? Can I apply this? If so, Can I think of new examples?” What I found surprising about metacognition is that while most people aren't trained to do this, they can learn how to do it and an online learning environment is a good place to do this. In an online setting, instructors not only teach content, but they have the ability to simultaneously teach people what to do with the content as they learn it - metacognition (Laureate Education, Inc., 2012). This will be something for me to keep in mind with the computer-based courses I'm currently developing.

Additional information presented in this course was that of Howard Gardner's work on multiple intelligences which was also new to me. It was amazing to learn that by studying the organization of human abilities in the brain, Gardner discovered how different parts of the brain are dominant for different cognitive functions. He named these abilities “Multiple Intelligences” which have been categorized as (Armstrong, 2000, pp. 10-11):

• Linguistic – Sensitivity to the sounds, structure, meaning, and functions of words and language.
• Logical-Mathematical – Sensitivity to and capacity to discern logical or numerical patterns; ability to handle long chains of reasoning.
• Spatial – Capacity to perceive the visual-spatial world accurately and to perform transformations on one's initial perceptions.
• Bodily-Kinesthetic – Ability to control one's body movements and to handle objects skillfully.
• Musical – Ability to produce and appreciate rhythm, pitch, and timbre; appreciation of the forms of musical expressiveness.
• Interpersonal – Capacity to discern and respond appropriately to the moods, temperaments, and motivations, and desires of other people.
• Intrapersonal – Access to one's own “feeling” life and the ability to discriminate among one's emotions; knowledge of one's own strengths and weaknesses.
• Naturalist – Expertise in distinguishing among members of a species; recognizing the existence of other neighboring species; and charting our the relations, formally or informally, among several species.

Something to note is that there are two key processes in the development of intelligences called “crystalizing” and “paralyzing” experiences which are “turning points” in the development of a person's talents and abilities. Often, these events occur in early childhood, but may also occur at any point in a person's life. Experiences can so excite a person that they achieve great heights with certain skills sets – these are crystalizing experiences. The course readings related the story about how when Albert Einstein was 4 years old, his father showed him a magnetic compass which filled him with the desire to figure out the mysteries of the universe. In other words, this experience activated his genius was the catalyst for many discoveries.

In contrast, paralyzing experiences refer to experiences that “shut down” intelligences. Paralyzing experiences are often filled with shame, guilt, fear, anger, and other negative emotions that prevent intelligences from growing and thriving (Armstrong, 2000, pp. 28-29). This information highlights the responsibility of learning professionals to be aware of the types of experiences we create and contribute to for learners.

A final thought with regard to key ideas presented in this course is that of motivation. In my opinion true motivation is internal; however, there are things learning professionals can do to contribute to the motivation of learners. Dr. Ormrod suggests adding simulations in web-based training in which the learner can interact with the program in a way that resembles real-world tasks and receive immediate feedback. She further suggests motivational techniques in classroom instruction include teachers/trainers/professors being enthusiastic about the topic and empathetic when learners may have been 'forced' to attend. Instructors can also present something unexpected and keep the learners physically involved in activities (Laureate, Inc., 2012).

Being aware of how I learn and how others learn as well as having a better understanding of the many tools, techniques, methods and theories available to guide instructional designers offers me the opportunity to incorporate these ideas to be a better learner and also a better designer in engaging and motivating learners.

References

Adisa, S. (2012, February 12). RE: Understanding How the Brain Processes Information [Discussion

Group 1]. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learnCourseID=6290448&Survey=1&47=11086390&ClientNodeID=984650&
coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Artino, A., Jr. (2012, February 12). RE: Recognizing Learning Style Differences [Discussion Group 1]. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learnCourseID=6290448&Survey=1&47=11086390&ClientNodeID=984650&
coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Armstrong, T. (2000). Multiple intelligences in the classroom (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association

for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Dick & Carey Model. (February, 2012). Lesson 8: Instructional Strategy. Retrieved from

http://www.itma.vt.edu/modules/spring03/instrdes/lesson8.htm

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2012). Learning Theories and Instruction [DVD]. In Information

Processing and Problem Solving. Baltimore, MD: Dr. Jeanne Ormrod.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2012). Learning Theories and Instruction [DVD]. In Motivation

in Learning. Baltimore, MD: Dr. Jeanne Ormrod.

Fitting the Pieces Together

Having broadened my understanding of learning theories and styles throughout this class, I maintain strong connections with the Behaviorist theory. For me there must be repetition involved and I require the freedom to experiment/test my knowledge and I expect feedback to guide me into additional possibilities.

Making symbolic mental connections as outlined in the Cognitive theory is a struggle when I do not possess a context from which to connect newly learned information. I find that I rely on others to help me make the connection which should lend well in an online learning setting. However, there must be some willingness on the part of those whose knowledge surpasses mine, to respond to my comments and suggestions or I have no opportunity to learn from them.

In my opinion, Constructivist, Social, Connectivism and Adult learning theories all connect in some way. There must be meaningful associations with what has previously been learned the new knowledge presented as well as a connection with others and the ability to socially interact to learn from one another. Specifically for adults, and which relates to Constructivist and Social learning theories, it is important for learning settings to include components of (Conlan, Grablowski & Smith, 2003):

• Action learning – participants work in small groups on a real project/problem and learn how to learn from that activity.

• Experiential learning – holistic learning approach in which the learner utilized his/her experiences and learning strengths in the process of constructing knowledge - “learning by doing.”

• Project-based learning – participants work in small groups to solve a challenging, interdisciplinary problem using group-chosen strategies and activities.

• Self-directed learning – an informal learning process in which an individual takes on the responsibility for his/her learning process by identifying their learning needs, setting goals, finding resources, implementing strategies, and evaluating their results. 

In any learning setting, true satisfaction or fulfillment for me is in helping others learn, or at least helping to contribute to an environment (classroom, online or instruction) that helps people feel safe to learn because this promotes learning possibilities for everyone. There can be criteria and expectations set around discussion boards, but it's those participating that create the culture of inclusiveness (or not).

With regards to learning theories and styles, while I initially thought a combination of instructional methods that met the needs of many different learning styles (auditory, visual, kinesthetic) would be the best way to design instruction, I have learned that designing instruction to match content may be more effective. Even though there's no proof that matching instruction to Multiple Intelligences is any more effective than matching it to content, perhaps using a combination of instructional methods for different learning-styles and content may be worth consideration.
 
Technology plays a large part in my learning process and I frequently use the Internet to search for articles related to content I'm developing, authoring software web sites and blogs to learn new development techniques and trouble-shoot issues experienced in developing. In addition, there are useful tutorials, videos, and discussion boards in which to participate and learn.

A good reminder to myself of is to not become overwhelmed with the ever-changing and ever-increasing amount of information there is to learn about everything.

References

Conlan, J., Grabowski, S., & Smith, K. (2003). Adult learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Adult_Learning