As
I reflect upon the Walden University course, Foundations of Distance Learning,
I think of the many skills I have gained for a future as an instructional
designer. The most important piece of
information I have learned from this particular course was my interest in the
field of instructional design. Although
I knew perusing a future in instructional design was something I was looking
forward to prior to enrolling in the program with Walden University, I did not
feel nearly as enthusiastic about the opportunity to do so until now. Getting the opportunity to build a course
management system (CMS), of course, just a start, but exactly what I needed to
see in order to know the exact path I wanted to take as an instructional
designer. Now I know I would like to
design courses for a college, like a friend of mine is currently doing with her
Walden degree.
Looking
back on the past eight weeks I recall discussing with my peers and instructor the
major changes taken place with distance education over the years. Many of the past perceptions regarding online
education have changed and it has now gained acceptance for the most part. Dr. Siemens stated, “Many of the people who
traditionally might have found face-to-face was primary are now starting to
realize that they are able to have meaningful relationships through online
medium” (Laureate Education, n.d.), when discussing how people communicate in
general. This general comfort level has
helped society prepare for the use of technology as a classroom tool and as a
tool used for distance learning. Give it
twenty years and online learning will be a large part of the secondary
classroom environment, and an even larger part of the college environment than
it already is today. With the continuous
gains in the area of technology, there are limitless opportunities for online
education. Dr. Siemens predicts in the
future learners will eventually “bridge the gap of comfort because, that’s the
challenge, so that they can take to it (learning online) and that experience
with it will drive it as learners get comfortable” (Laureate Education, n.
d.). If learners do, in fact become
comfortable with learning online, then the sky in the limit in distance education.
We
have a responsibility as instructional designers to spread a positive message
and design courses (or training programs) to assure positive experiences for
the learners. As a future instructional
designer, spreading the word about distance education will be a major part of
my job. I hope to help improve society’s
negative perception about distance education by spreading a positive word about
it. Not only spreading the word verbally with those I meet, but also, by
designing courses that cater to the needs of individual learners as an
instructional designer. I believe the
main reason some people have a negative perception of distance education is
they just do not know a great deal about it.
Helping to educate others can go a long way. Teaching others that collaboration does in
fact take place in the online environment is key. This will hopefully leave those learners with
a positive feeling toward distance education.
I think those who have one good course are likely to take future courses
with the same college or design company.
Looking
forward to my future with great anticipation is something I do often at this
point in my life and I really did not do this as often in the previous course
even. I see a light at the end of the
tunnel, so to speak. There is a lot more
learning ahead of me I have no doubt about that, and I have a lot more I want
to learn (as a lifelong learner). There
are meaningful connections that take place through distance learning and this
course is one in particular that has shown me that. It has been a personal struggle for me to get
through this course, to make a long story short, and a classmate of mine was
kind enough to email asking if I was ok.
This shows the personal connections that are made through online courses.
I will never forget that and I will share it.
Resources
Laureate
Education (Producer). (n.d.). The future of distance education [Video
file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
