Reflections of the current trends of distance education
It appears that distance education is evolving in step with technology development. If institutions are to stay competitive, they have to adapt to new ways faster than they have ever imagined.
The current trends of on line learning, learner-centred pedagogical approaches and student support as well as the Technology that impacts on learning styles will continue to shape the future of Distance education. What I have learnt, is to stay relevant and keep on learning new things.
Reflections on the whole Grid
1.The grid is an excellent tool for learning; the process used to create it was useful in introducing me to collaborative online learning. I soon realized that some colleagues were not going to contribute unless pushed to the corner so I developed a method of making them, “volunteer”. I more or less did the first wave alone but I got contributions for the second and third. In the end, we were telling stories to each other and truly learning together. The grid made me think about the evolution of DE as I went through the different waves.
2. Go back to your original definition of DE. What aspects of the course have influenced your understanding of DE? Based on what you have learned in the course, revise your original definition accordingly---and explain why you have changed (or not changed) your definition in the way you have.
The theories have influenced my understanding of DE. Based on what I now know, I would change a little of my definition to include the learner-centeredness and include online learning. This is because the technology influence cannot be ignored and the theory and pedagogy have to be incorporated.
3. Consider the overall course objectives (see the Course Syllabus). Were all or most of these objectives achieved? If so, in what ways and to what degree?
All the course objectives were achieved to very satisfactory level. It was beyond expectations.
4. Take some time to reflect on your study group experience: What did you think about the experience of working together to create a collaborative document? What worked? What did not? What could your group have improved in order to realize a more smooth process? What do you see as benefits (or drawbacks) of online collaboration? How do you think the activity could be improved?
The experience has been a learning curve. At first, I though all would post but it was done in their own time. All of us did not know where or how to begin but in the end we did it and I am glad that the final document has been an effort from all of us.
What did not work was to say please put your name- sometimes I simply put the name and asked them to contribute in that area. Online collaborations has many benefits as if I did not get a concept someone would post it quickly.
As I had to catch up most of the time, I am happy I had such a good group who were ready to work over weekends.
Improvement cold be in assigning each person a role at the start.
DEFINITION OF DISTANCE EDUCATION
Distance education is a method of teaching students at a “distance” meaning they are not face to face interactions like what happens in Traditional classroom environments. The need for distance education varies from continent to continent and from place to place. In North America and Britain, it was mainly necessary after the First World War when many people found themselves needing the necessary skills to feed into the industrial revolution. In Africa, it has been a journey of reaching the unreachable that did not the resources and infrastructure to attend the formal face to face education. Here in Africa, distance is real meaning remote and deep rural in the real sense. In South Africa, specifically, distance education was impacted and influenced by the apartheid regime that segregated the education according to colour. Distance education helped to educate the black people, Indians and rural whites as they could not attend classes together with the white minority. Another area or student type that was impacted upon by distance education was the prisoners who mainly studies Law while serving their sentences. The Famous Nelson Mandela studied by Distance Education while in prison for 27 years at Robin Islands. My understanding of distance education is tainted by the struggles of apartheid within this context. Distance education meant correspondence study whereby the communication was one way form the teacher and the student responded by writing the assignments and reading mainly printed text books and readings compiled by the lecturers. It is not surprising therefore that perceptions of distance education have varied over the years and many misconceptions exist among the people both the teachers and learners together with an isolated student. However, the changes in Technology, economy, political and social environments have ushered in a new era of distance education that I am proud to be part of and look forward to delivering.
Reading the history of distance education in Britain and the USA brings in a fresh perspective to why it happened and the reasons that shaped its design, pedagogy and theoretical frames works that are well documented by Garrison and Cleveland-Innes (2010) who provide the industrial era of distance education as well as the post-industrial era. Miller (2010) on the other hand describes the need for social change and technological development that drove distance education and organizational changes that occurred. The bridge is however provided by Haughey ( 2010) who gives teaching and learning in distance education before the digital age. The present day distance education and is shaped by the technology and many factors that impact on the teaching and learning. Haughey correctly argues that the culture of the times shaped what learning meant. Reflecting back on Africa, the culture and technology has continued to shape distance education into what is now called, Open and distance learning (ODL) that is taking the continent like a fire. Many institutions have tried to adapt to these technological changes within a new and competitive environment to stay afloat the economic down turn and cater for rural students that are young, techno kids and who are “ born- free” to bring it back home ( meaning those who were born between 1994- and now) in a free society and have got technology. Their learning needs are different from the mature working class they planned the institution for. These dynamics have continued to shape distance education locally and indeed throughout the African continent.
Haughey, M. (2010). Teaching and learning in distance education before the digital age. In Garrison, D.R., & Cleveland-Innes. (Eds). An Introduction to distance education Understanding teaching and learning in a new era. New York and London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.
Garrison, D.R., & Cleveland-Innes, M.F. (2010). Foundations of distance education. In Garrison, D.R., & Cleveland-Innes. (Eds). An Introduction to distance education Understanding teaching and learning in a new era. New York and London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.
Miller, G. E. (2010). Organization and Technology of Distance education. In Garrison, D.R., & Cleveland-Innes. (Eds). An Introduction to distance education Understanding teaching and learning in a new era. New York and London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.
Moore, M. & Kearsley, G. (1996). Distance education: A systems view. California: Wadsworth.
Distance education is a method of teaching students at a “distance” meaning they are not face to face interactions like what happens in Traditional classroom environments. The need for distance education varies from continent to continent and from place to place. In North America and Britain, it was mainly necessary after the First World War when many people found themselves needing the necessary skills to feed into the industrial revolution. In Africa, it has been a journey of reaching the unreachable that did not the resources and infrastructure to attend the formal face to face education. Here in Africa, distance is real meaning remote and deep rural in the real sense. In South Africa, specifically, distance education was impacted and influenced by the apartheid regime that segregated the education according to colour. Distance education helped to educate the black people, Indians and rural whites as they could not attend classes together with the white minority. Another area or student type that was impacted upon by distance education was the prisoners who mainly studies Law while serving their sentences. The Famous Nelson Mandela studied by Distance Education while in prison for 27 years at Robin Islands. My understanding of distance education is tainted by the struggles of apartheid within this context. Distance education meant correspondence study whereby the communication was one way form the teacher and the student responded by writing the assignments and reading mainly printed text books and readings compiled by the lecturers. It is not surprising therefore that perceptions of distance education have varied over the years and many misconceptions exist among the people both the teachers and learners together with an isolated student. However, the changes in Technology, economy, political and social environments have ushered in a new era of distance education that I am proud to be part of and look forward to delivering.
Reading the history of distance education in Britain and the USA brings in a fresh perspective to why it happened and the reasons that shaped its design, pedagogy and theoretical frames works that are well documented by Garrison and Cleveland-Innes (2010) who provide the industrial era of distance education as well as the post-industrial era. Miller (2010) on the other hand describes the need for social change and technological development that drove distance education and organizational changes that occurred. The bridge is however provided by Haughey ( 2010) who gives teaching and learning in distance education before the digital age. The present day distance education and is shaped by the technology and many factors that impact on the teaching and learning. Haughey correctly argues that the culture of the times shaped what learning meant. Reflecting back on Africa, the culture and technology has continued to shape distance education into what is now called, Open and distance learning (ODL) that is taking the continent like a fire. Many institutions have tried to adapt to these technological changes within a new and competitive environment to stay afloat the economic down turn and cater for rural students that are young, techno kids and who are “ born- free” to bring it back home ( meaning those who were born between 1994- and now) in a free society and have got technology. Their learning needs are different from the mature working class they planned the institution for. These dynamics have continued to shape distance education locally and indeed throughout the African continent.
Haughey, M. (2010). Teaching and learning in distance education before the digital age. In Garrison, D.R., & Cleveland-Innes. (Eds). An Introduction to distance education Understanding teaching and learning in a new era. New York and London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.
Garrison, D.R., & Cleveland-Innes, M.F. (2010). Foundations of distance education. In Garrison, D.R., & Cleveland-Innes. (Eds). An Introduction to distance education Understanding teaching and learning in a new era. New York and London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.
Miller, G. E. (2010). Organization and Technology of Distance education. In Garrison, D.R., & Cleveland-Innes. (Eds). An Introduction to distance education Understanding teaching and learning in a new era. New York and London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.
Moore, M. & Kearsley, G. (1996). Distance education: A systems view. California: Wadsworth.