Module 1: The Next Generation

As distance education students we are all aware that this is the "Next Generation" to eduation.  As adults, we all have busy lives and we some how have to find a way to fit our desire for higher education into this schedule.  Distance education will not be "fading in the near future" but instead will continue to grow and replace more of the traditional face-to-face courses. 


Simonson (2008) mentioned the fact that distance education will never be able to offer the same as face-to-face instruction, but instead that the instructions should be equal.  I feel very privelaged to have participated in a number of distance education courses, even when I was enrolled at a university in my home town.  The opportunties that I found in my distance education courses versus face-to-face instruction were beneficial.  I wasn't as resistant to share my thoughts in opinions in the online courses, where as in the face-to-face courses, I often sat there and allowed everyone else to do the thinking, whether I agreed or disagreed. 


Huett, Moller, and Foshay (2008) talk about key areas in which distance education can be improved.  These areas affect the students ability to retain the knowledge and the impact they have to a technological society.  Students and teachers should have a sense of collaboration in their online course and feeling that what they learn can be transferred to their everyday life. 


I do agree with what is being said by all parties but I also think that there needs to be an imaginary line between a person's professional life and a person's personal life.  I have a facebook page and I often have students wanting to befriend me but I chose to not have that connection due to the professional aspect and respect I want from my students.  I do not ever post anything inappropriate on Facebook but I don't want my students to see the more casual side of me. 


References:

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008a, May/June). 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. (2008b, July/August). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 2: Higher Education). TechTrends, 52(4), 66–70.

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W. & Coleman, C. (2008, September/October). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5), 63–67.

Simonson, M.. (n.d) “Distance Education: The Next Generation” Laureate Education, Inc. Retrieved September 9, 2010 http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?