“For instructional design and technology, this is “stand and deliver” time. Professionals in the field are finally getting their chance to make good on the visions of learning transformed by technology (Moller, Foshay, Huett and Coleman, p. 6).” The future of distance learning is expanding as each day passes. According to Siemens, as people become more invested in the tools and technology that allow communications to overcome those separations, distance learning will continue to grow. Looking towards the future landscape of distance learning how will it affect the way people learn and how will instructional designers fit into that landscape? In the next 5-10 years, the future of distance learning will continue to grow due to economics and technology. As technology continues to advance so will the presentation methods of distance learning. The rising cost of a traditional on-campus education will preclude most from seeking a traditional education. Universities will start branding their distance learning programs in order to retain learners. Distance learning will become the norm for those pursuing an education. Future Web 2.0 technologies will continue to feed field of distance learning. The hybrid classroom will become a normal occurrence in education. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC’s) will be an important part of the future of distance learning. “The evolution of MOOCs-as-processes and MOOCs-in-the-large coupled with advances in social media tools and virtual/physical meetup groups—will help MOOC faculty and staff communicate with students in ways similar in quality and quantity to those found in large lecture courses at many universities.” (Dasarathy et al., 2014) Other technologies such as virtual intelligence, gaming, and adaptive learning will also provide new learning experiences. Changes to how distance learning is managed such as Cloud LMS systems will also affect distance learning. If we look 10-20 years in the future distance learning will dominate the learning horizon. As the technology is developed that supports customization of learning programs. “Learners will create their own learning agendas, which reflect their own career, personal and lifelong learning goals (Hannay and Newvine, 2006, p. 3).” Distance learning that encompasses multiple international institutions will be common place as collaboration increases between learning institutions. As technology progresses so will the offerings found in distance learning. With advances in 3-D technology, virtual reality and augmented reality will fire new ways to teach real world skills such as medicine. Holographic interfaces and what is being called brain-computer interface technologies will be used to enhance learning experiences especially for those who are physically challenged. It will be a brave new world for learning! All of the technologies being developed will certainly make for exciting learning but if they are not integrated with good instructional design it will not matter. “The challenge for instructional design professionals is to not only evolve the field, but also to assure that the products of sound professional design practice lead the e-learning enterprise (Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J., 2008, p.70).” As distance learning becomes more prevalent it is important the learning experiences of the students and instructors are positive. The components of course planning will always be a constant. As instructional designer we have control over the quality of our product. When planning a distance learning course it is important to “These components are the learners, the content, the method and materials, and the environment, including the technology. The interaction of these components creates the type of learning experience necessary for student learning (Simonson, Smaldino and Zvacek, 2015, p. 129).” If we practice good design techniques, universal design principles and planning using instructional models, we can consistently turn out great distance learning regardless of what technology is involved. The more people that experience good distance learning the better the perceptions. “To keep up with the demand for rigorous and quality online learning experiences, instructional designers benefit from a variety of materials, communities, and support systems (Intentional Futures, LLC, 2016).” Another way instructional designers can be a proponent for distance learning is through communication. Using the Internet (blogs, discussion boards and websites) to communicate our ideas, thoughts, theories and knowledge about instructional design, education and distance learning we can educate others and in turn be educated. By being part of the community discussion we further the field of instructional design. How can instructional designers be a positive force for continuous improvements in the field of distance learning? By holding ourselves to a higher standard we can make a difference in the field of distance learning. By creating instructional design that meets high professional standards. For instance, thoroughly researching content, ensuring that all works are original and copyright laws are followed. It is important that we are professional in our interactions with subject matter experts, clients and instructors and learners. As project leaders we need to lead by example and hold ourselves to a higher standard. We must stay current with technology and tools. It is also a give we must stay current with the literature of our field. Understanding and applying relevant learning theories and best practices. Finally, understanding what learners need in the changing landscape of distance learning is important. We cannot operate in a vacuum and must stay current with research. We must be proponents for change. Transforming the perceptions of distance learning starts with each of us and will occur one learner at a time! How do you envision distance learning in the future and what role will you play? I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas! References Dasarathy, B., Sullivan, K., Schmidt, D.C., Fisher, D.H. and Porter, A. (2014) ‘The past, present, and future of MOOCs and their relevance to software engineering’, Proceedings of the on Future of Software Engineering - FOSE 2014, . doi: 10.1145/2593882.2593897. Intentional Futures, LLC (2016) Instructional design in higher education. Available at: http://intentionalfutures.com/reports/instructional_design/files/Instructional%20Design%20in%20Higher%20Education%20Report.pdf Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). The future of distance education [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Distance education: The next generation [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu Hannay, M. and Newvine, T. (2006) ‘PERCEPTIONS OF DISTANCE LEARNING: A COMPARISON OF ONLINE AND TRADITIONAL LEARNING’, MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 2(1). 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), 636 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), 7075. 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. Pixcove (2015) Cyborg, automaton, head, skull, robot, futuristic, innovative, robotics, computer graphic, fantasy, Android, Humanoid. Available at: http://www.pixcove.com/cyborg-automaton-head-skull-robot-futuristic-innovative-robotics-computer-graphic-fantasy-android-humanoid/
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Stacy SpringerWelcome to my blog! I am passionate about great Instructional Design and Educational Technology. Let's start a discussion! Archives
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