Mid-Term Reflection on Distance Education

Here we are, and I have learned that there is no solid model for distance education (DE). More experimental designs are needed for evidence-based interventions to provide effective learning. We were discussing in class that is not even an agreement on what educational online learning should be called, and the words distributed, online, and distance learning have been interchangeable in the education field. We discussed in class remembering the correspondence courses and how they mailed the CDs, and you would send them back homework. I even remember being in a seminary course online. One frame was the professor on camera live (their version of live stream), and the other was the text displaying what the professor was lecturing on, but we did have two breaks, so we rested the cognitive load.

The one thing I love about distance education is the flexibility and ability to learn anytime, anywhere. Honestly, traditionally one would get fellowships or, if you have the money to pay for it and devote full-time to coursework, things are different in the 21st century. Some work, whether a full-time or consultant gig, makes it more appealing when you can pay tuition while working. There is also a financial benefit for both ways, while the university can pick up more enrollments through distance learning. I knew we would be heading towards more DE after being a beta tester and SME for some Microsoft products early in my career. Emerging technologies are going to advance, but it is how you use them to be beneficial in helping others to learn or professionally develop yourself.

One of the topics I'd want to dig deeper into is mentioned in two articles that caught my interest. It happened while I was conducting research for a previous assignment. The articles discussed some evidence-based examples of online learning in teachers' professionally developed learning strategies for instructional material and techniques, understanding the community of inquiry model, and investigating more of the teaching, cognitive (mental processes), and social presence. I want to explore more collaborative learning and group work strategies and create effective instructional material to aid in achieving learning outcomes. Other areas that may not be investigated are personalization and adaptive learning tactics in learning activities to encourage and engage students and understand their learning styles and behaviors. Further research in the needed areas is possible.

What surprised me in the first six weeks of the course was how distance education lacks much evidence-based research in specific areas, and there are opportunities to innovate new models or learning strategies through learning science and contribute to the field. We also collaborated as a class and discussed the aspects of distance education that could be to the academic institution strictly business due to low enrollments during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. I am not sure if this is a disappointing factor. Still, there is a lack of consistency on how DE programs should be structured overall, so students are not wondering when assignments are due but have the DE course designed and completed in the learning management system initially. Some instructors have great models, and others lack structure and planning skills.