1. Review your group's (r)evolutionary grid. What are your thoughts on the grid as a learning tool and the process used to create the grid?
To create a revolutionary grid, I had to read all the given reading material in the class, and I also came across a book by A. Tutt, “The Three Waves of Distance Learning: Distance Education and Extramural Studies from the 19th and the 21st century.” The book broke all three waves into clearly separated parts. It was hard to separate all the waves and draw a firm line between the waves from the reading in the class. It seemed that one wave blended into another and which wave started when was hard to define. In Tutt’s book, a picture of today’s distance-learning infrastructure is drawn, paying special attention to the accelerated progress of internet-based teaching and learning. Throughout the examination of the topic, aspects of power transition and diffusion are problematized (Tutt, 2013). When I was reading all the learning material, I had to decide what categories to separate from one another – that was the hardest part. Once my group and I decided on the categories, then it was easy. All I had to do was just read and extract necessary information. I thought that creating a grid with a group was a challenging task because it was not that often that I had to share my work with someone, but eventually, my group came alone and created the final product. I learned a lot during the process of research. 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. My original definition of DE was: “Distance education is a systematic process of interaction between instructors and students that allows two-way communication, instant or non-instant, that provides necessary learning material and expertise in a virtual environment employing technology.” Then, during the 2nd Wave I expanded it: “Distance education is a unique way of teaching and learning that uses multiple approaches and theories combined to provide an effective interaction between instructors and students allowing a two-way communication, instant or non-instant, in a virtual environment employing technology and all the necessary adjustments to its rapid progress and development.” Then I asked Terry Anderson to give his definition of DE, and he said that it is “a form of formal education in which the students and teacher are separated by physical distance and/or in time. The definition is contests because the nature of the technology used to support both content delivery and interaction is always changing, and people love to give a new name to any new venture, thus the mobile learning, e-learning, online learning all are just variations of DE.” The development of technologies and a faster life pace required a better way to solving problems and educational obstacles rather than following simple instructions or using a textbook to obtain knowledge. Knowledge is becoming more dynamic and evolving; it is not like mathematical equations that are static and finite but instead full of new ideas and inventions that are often discovered through group collaborations and network connections (Harasim, 2012). Therefore, I will leave my Second Wave definition as it is, but the growth of technology and the development of connectivism theory has increased demand for open resources and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). As Siemens has stated, learning is a continual process, lasting a lifetime. Learning and work-related activities are no longer separate. In many situations, they are the same (Siemens, 2004). I am sure when I get close to finishing my OMDE, I will expand my definition of DE. 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? Throughout the course, I was able to identify the unique characteristics of distance education, describe significant influences in its evolution, identify the key authors and researchers. I learned a lot indeed, considering the fact that DE is an entirely new field of study I have never tried to interpret begore. For me, a learning outcome is an essential part of every class. I have to take something with me after each class to be satisfied, and this class gave me the basics of DE understanding. 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? Frankly speaking, working in a group online is always challenging because of asynchronized communication. I like working on my own when it comes to online education. What really worked, once we identified categories, was separating workload into sections by a person. Therefore, now I realize that someone has to take the initiative and take charge of that process; otherwise it all falls apart. I do not know precisely what needs to be done to improve group collaboration, but I do know that next time I have to work in a group, I will take the initiative early enough to give my group mates enough time to process the task References Harasim, L. (2012). Learning theory and online technologies: Online Collaborative Learning Theory. Retrieved from https://learn.umuc.edu/content/enforced/299505-022082-01-2178-GO1-9041/Harasim_OCL_CH_06_LTAOT.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=RUPh78n6qGSUaqURpuqxP6vCG Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. elearnspace. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm Tutt, A. (2013). The three waves of distance learning: Distance Education and extramural studies from the19th to the 21st century. Education and Communication in International Relations, Munich, GRIN
1 Comment
Connectivism as a Theory
Theories of learning were first widely introduced in the 20th century. They were primarily based on didactic pedagogies the outcomes of which required simple yes or no answers as a response to the course content. However, with the development of computer networking, the Internet, and the Web arose the drive for new educational transformations that had to happen to keep up with the inventions in technology. Behaviorist, cognitivist, and constructivist theories were not entirely living up to distance education needs considering rapid changes in ways information was delivered. Development of World Wide Web set the stage for new learning theories in the 21st century (Harasim, 2012). The expansion of technology has shifted learning theories to connectivism that recently started to play an essential role in the development of Distance Education (DE). The establishment of the British Open University (OU) in 1969 was the first step towards the third wave of extramural studies. The unique innovative and mixed-media approach to teaching was incomparable to any other university, although the oldest distance education university, University of South Africa was considered a forerunner of some learning at a distance facilities (Tutt, 2013). In this assignment we will compare the mission, population served, history, organization, and system of both universities to establish significant differences in teaching and learning of distance education.
University of South Africa, UNISA, is the largest University in South Africa, and it is one of the eleven mega-distance teaching Universities in the world. It was established in 1873 as the University of the Cape of Good Hope and changed its name to the University of South Africa in 1916. Since then, several colleges within the UNISA became autonomous, and by 1946 the University pioneered tertiary distance education, which was the very beginning of it as it is known today. Due to political history and the legacy of the apartheid years, the foundation of UNISA as a distance education university has played an essential role in giving access to higher quality education to previously disadvantaged groups. Later, the UNISA offered Masters level education utilizing a combination of distance and part-time forms, what is often called hybrid classes nowadays (“Graduate School of Business Leadership: History”). Distance education is a fast-growing field in the world of knowledge and educational institutions. More and more people choose online classes to fit them into their busy lives. Sometimes they sign up for classes that are in the same area where they live, but they still take them from home using their computers, iPads, or smartphones to access the information they are given as their learning material. Philosophers and educators like Keegan, Wedemeyer, Moore, and Kearsly tried to give Distance Education an absolute definition that appears as less philosophical and more a method of education.
Professor Anderson,
Welcome to our discussion week! I was thinking the whole week what to ask you. I read your blog, but I do not think there is a definition of Distance Education in there. Therefore here is my couple of questions: 1. What is your definition of DE? Why is it so hard to define it? 2. When you travel all over the world for DE conferences, do you find countries that need a lot of DE "upgrading" so to say? 3. Do you think DE in the U.S. is of a high quality? Are we behind or ahead? If yes, in what aspects? 4. Are there any challenges that DE is still facing? What are they? Thank you so much for all your responses and participation! Olga Professor Terry Anderson's response to me: Hi Olga Thanks for the questions, I'll take a shot at them, but hope others jump in. 1. What is your definition of DE? Why is it so hard to define it? This seems to have been a major topic of the course and so I wanted spoil it by jumping to any easy and conclusive definition. I guess I kept the definition simple to be A form of formal education in which the students and teacher are separated by physical distance and/or in time. The definition is contests because the nature of the technology used to support both content delivery and interaction is always changing and people love to give a new name to any new venture, thus the mobile learning, e-learning, online learning all are just variations of DE. 2. When you travel all over the world for DE conferences, do you find countries that need a lot of DE "upgrading" so to say? Of course I see this and especially when I travel to the USA (just kidding....). Given the speed of change and educations in built resistance to change, distance delivery looks different in many countries. In addition the big cousin (campus based education ) is also run differently in response to different cultural and economic constraints and opportunities, so it is not surprising that this effects DE as well. 3. Do you think DE in the U.S. is of a high quality? Are we behind or ahead? If yes, in what aspects? (sorry for the joke in #2, I hadn't seen the US question coming). I'll respond to your question by using my usual response to these type of institutional question and the US. The USA has the best universities and the best hospitals in the world. It has also has some of the worst universities and terrible hospitals. Overall the health and the education of its citizens is somewhere in the middle - at least of developed countries. So I can think of many great DE programs, but also hear about some pretty bads ones and especially in the For-Profit sector - Trump University comes to mind. 4. Are there any challenges that DE is still facing? What are they? While I'll bet you can answer this as well as I Olga. One that I see come up regularly is big data and learning analytics. For most DE teachers, the students activities are way more hidden than in campus education. So we often get the feeling we are teaching into a blackhole. Learning analytics promises to shine the light on these activities and this is both good and bad. For the student it can be invasive and if misused by the eduction institution or company, the data can be used for their economic or political use - think the Russians and Facebook. Finally like every institution in the midst of rapid technological and pedagogical change, adoption of innovations -within our institutional models is very challenging. |