Reflection on Distance Learning

Distance Learning: Expanding Horizons

In his video George Siemens speaks of growing acceptance of distance education that is fueled by:

• The increase in online communication; 
• Practical experience with new tools;
• Growing comfort with online discourse; and
• Ability to communicate with diverse and global groups (Laureate, 2010).

Despite Siemens’ optimistic vision of what the perceptions of distance learning will be in the future, currently there are some concerns, whether online education is as valuable and effective as traditional education. Moller, Foshay & Huett (2008) mention a stigma attached to distance education, poor organisation of training and shortage of instructional design professionals. Many in traditional education view distance education institutions as “diploma mills” with no classrooms, untrained or non-existent faculties, and unqualified administrators with profit as their primary motivation. Gambescia and Paolucci (2009) stress that while the flexibility and convenience factor afforded by online learning is a natural selling point, these attributes shouldn’t be much more prominent than those factors that speak to academic fidelity. Correspondingly Moller et al (Part 1, p. 70) specifically criticize economics and access as the only rationale for distance education by pointing out that "effectiveness [then] is either naively assumed or not particularly valued.”

However Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek (2012, p. 9) claim that the research proves that distance education works and provide 6 postulates directly related to its effectiveness:

1. Training in effective instructional strategies is critical for teachers of distant learners.
2. Distance education courses should be carefully designed and developed before instruction begins.
3. Visualization of ideas and concepts is critical when designing instruction to be delivered to distant learners
4. Adequate support systems must be in place to provide the distant learner with access to resources and services.
5. Interaction between the instructor and students and among students must be possible and encouraged.
6. Assessment should be designed to relate to the specific learning outcomes of the instructional experiences.

Success of online learning, as further explained by Simonson et al (2008, p.15), is enabled by technology, since it can provide optimal learning experiences for learners of diverse educational, technical, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds; in situations where classroom-based learning is either impossible or impractical.

So the future does look optimistic as “emerging technologies are changing online distance learning because they offer new solutions, add flexibility to integrate student interaction, and evoke real-life collaboration opportunities” (Beldarrain, 2006, p. 152).

Educational Paradigm: The Need for Change

In 1988 Keegan spoke about a negative impact the lack of theory had had on distance education “...there had been a lack of identity, a sense of belonging to the periphery and the lack of touchstone against which decisions on methods, on media, on financing, on student support, when they have to be made, can be made with confidence” (Simonson et al, 2012, p. 41).

Would you agree with Moller et al (2008) that distance learning ''can do more damage than good if it is not designed or implemented properly''? I think it is not only a matter of quality of instructional design but as Moller et al (2008) put it ''reconsideration by contemporary views of what constitutes instruction''. So I have discovered that my personal learning preferences correspond to the principles of Charles Wedemeyer’s Theory of Independent Study that identifies such characteristics of distance learning as communication, pacing, convenience and self-determination of goals and activities (Simonson et al, 2012, p. 43).

In the video Changing Education Paradigms (2010), adapted from his talk given at the RSA, Sir Ken Robinson, world-renowned education and creativity expert, speaks of the theoretical underpinnings that cause a clash of mainstream education and real needs of today’s students.

Make a Difference: One Online English School

My primary motivation when I started at Walden was to gain skills and knowledge for launching my own online English school. So far I have made a number of important steps towards my dream.

1. I have realized the importance of of a theoretical basis for decision making. So far my heart is in Wedemeyer’s Theory of Independent Study because of the nature of my project. However, in the process of considering the project constraints I am not going to dismiss the rest of the distance education theories presented by Simonson et al (2012).

2. Planning in distant education is crucial and though it is very time-consuming and needs a lot of effort it is well worth all the trouble, because “well-designed instruction is repeatable” (Simonson et al, 2012, p. 165). So I decided to devote a couple of years to designing and evaluating my online English school. Being a practitioner of online education I can ask my students to beta-test my course, as “learners can give feedback in lesson design and instruction delivery” (Simonson et al, 2012).

3. After completing the Distance Learning course, I can finally see the importance of identifying learners’ needs at the very beginning. Moore (1998) has noted that technologies are not critical elements in shaping students satisfaction with their distance course. Rather, student’s satisfaction is determined by “the attention students receive from teachers and from the system they work in to meet their needs”. Those needs include:

Content that they feel is relevant to their needs

Clear directions for what they should do at every stage of the course

As much control of the pace of learning as possible

A means to drawing attention to individual concerns

A way of testing their progress and getting feedback from the instructors

Materials that are useful, active, and interesting (Simonson et al, 2012,p. 169).

4. Another issue I am going to consider when designing an online instruction is assessing the progress of learners. Until recently the assessment that I have employed in my teaching practice was informal and it seemed enough to provide feedback and keep students motivated. However, unlike face-to-face synchronous private studies, an online language course catering to a bigger group of students with most of its content delivered online has different constraints. Assessment here enables students “to gain a sense of control and they can take greater responsibilities for their learning, if they know how well they are doing, compared with an established set of criteria” (Simonson et al, 2012).

5. Another important thing for me to consider is evaluation. While the notion of evaluation is not new to anyone involved in institutionally based teaching process, nowadays it is departing from a traditional quantitative approach and is increasingly incorporating “more naturalistic methodologies with holistic perspectives” (Simonson et al, 2012). These counter-approach methods include focus groups, interviews, observations, ratings and journals.

I consider AEIOU approach (Simonson et al, 2012, p. 351) to be optimal for evaluating an online language course, as it benefits both from quantitative and qualitative methodologies and examines the following important components of instruction:

Accountability (accountability data is collected);

Effectiveness (achievement and attitude are measured);

Impact (longitudinal data is collected);

Organizational Context (environmental/contextual factors that have affected the instruction are identified);

Unanticipated Consequences (unexpected positive or negative changes that occurred as a result of instruction are identified) (Simonson et al, 2012, p. 351).

6. I am currently teaching a face-to-face synchronous online course, however, I don't see this delivery method appropriate for such a big project as an online language school. I am very concerned about the quality and effectiveness of online schools in Russia. I have worked for a couple of online schools including higher education distance language courses and have done a lot of research in this sphere. It turns out there is no evaluation or assessment which I see as crucial to students’s success. I am planning for the most of the content to be delivered in asynchronous mode: teaching reading, writing and listening skills. However, in my program speaking will be essentially face-to-face and synchronous to ensure that students are engaged and have an opportunity to master their skills in a live communication with a native speaker.

My desire to explore the asynchronous realm is dictated by the fact that none of online English schools that work in Russia makes it possible for students to study asynchronously, they all heavily depend on a teacher, whereas I am looking to implement Wedemeyer’s vision. The online learning resources will be selected to help students navigate their own learning and provide them with “a wider choice of methods and formats to reach their learning goal” (Simonson et al 2012, p. 44).

Finally, the biggest selling point of my language course will be the fact that “With the growing population and advancements in technology, school is no longer seen as the only place to have the education” (Kilimci, S., 2010, p. 109). So private sector emerges with costs lower than traditional language courses, as individualized learning happens from the comfort of both teacher’s and learner’s homes and offers wider choices in courses, formats and methodologies.

Reference

Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2),139–153.

Gambescia, S., & Paolucci, R. (2009). Academic fidelity and integrity as attributes of university online degree program offerings. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 12(1). Retrieved from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring121/gambescia121.html

Kilimci, S. (2010). Integration of the Internet into a Language Curriculum in a Multicultural Society. Turkish Online Journal Of Educational Technology - TOJET, 9(1), 107-113.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). The future of distance education [Video Program].

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), 70–75

RSA Animate (Producer). (2010). Changing Education Paradigms [Video webcast]. Retrieved from http://comment.rsablogs.org.uk/videos/

Simonson, H., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S., (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of education at a distance. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Online Course Conversion Guide

Scenario: A training manager has been frustrated with the quality of communication among trainees in his face-to-face training sessions and wants to try something new. With his supervisor’s permission, the trainer plans to convert all current training modules to a blended learning format, which would provide trainees and trainers the opportunity to interact with each other and learn the material in both a face-to-face and online environment. In addition, he is considering putting all of his training materials on a server so that the trainees have access to resources and assignments at all times.

1. Educational Theory

Because the issue raised in the scenario is the quality of communication it is helpful to start with considering an educational theory that will guide the conversion of the course to an online format. The author of the Theory of Interaction and Communication Börje Holmberg argued in favour of a conversational approach to course development and I based this Online Course Conversion Guide on the following assumption:

“The core of teaching is interaction between the teaching and learning parties; it is assumed that simulated interaction through subject-matter presentation in pre-produced courses can take over part of the interaction by causing students to consider different views, approaches, and solutions and generally interact with a course” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012, p. 48).

Teaching methods conducive to learning according to Holmberg include mediated interaction of student-student, student-instructor and student-content character and problem oriented assignments.

2. Multimedia

I recommend revising the course activities in favour of those conducive to creating a learning community. As new technologies emerge, instructional designers and educators have unique opportunities to foster interaction and collaboration among learners, thus creating a true learning community (Beldarrain, 2006).

When selecting the technology for delivering the online component of the course it is important to keep in mind seven principles for implementing new technologies in distance education programs (Chickering, Ehrmann, 1996):

Selecting Technology Tools on Prezi by Yulia Tolstopyatova

To incorporate some or all of those tools into your course I suggest using Course Management Systems that “have become the de facto standard by which the vast majority of the asynchronous distance education courses are delivered” (Simonson et al, 2012, p. 238).

CMS tools are expected to promote power, affiliation, and achievement which according to McClelland and Burnham (1976) are basic motivators. “In an online environment, affiliation needs are often satisfied by means of an interactive discussion board or chat area. Instant messaging also often satisfies that need. Any learning object that helps improve collaboration and interactivity among learners is likely to help a learner or user achieve affiliation needs. Further, any learning object that encourages learners to want to identify with the identity of the institution, and to improve self-concept through affiliation is also likely to increase an individual’s sense of power and achievement” (Smith Nash, 2005, p. 224).

3. Course Activities

According to Simonson et al (2012, p. 239) one of the most powerful tools used in distance education are discussion forums.

A discussion board fulfills several important functions in an online environment:

- Helps CREATE THE LEARNING COMMUNITY. Each member of the discussion contributes to “the building of community of understanding” (Simonson et al, 2012, p. 240).

- ENGAGES STUDENTS in active learning. Distance students involved in weekly discussions are responsible for their own learning, so Simonson (2012, p. 245) speaks of the “”kiss of death” that is the lack of student participation for any distance course.

- Serves as an ASSESSMENT TOOL. “Instructors with a belief in and appreciation for constructivist learning acknowledge the importance of using authentic tasks for evaluating students’ performance in online courses” (Comeaux, 2006, 14).

- Provides FEEDBACK. Feedback on a discussion board performance enhances critical thinking, writing literacy and scholarly behavior. Therefore, Simonson (2012) suggests that “threaded discussions should be graded, from minimal setup expectations to a truly exemplary level.”

However there might be some students reluctant to participate in online discussions, in this case Connolly et al (2007) recommend providing more input in the early stages to foster trust and develop confidence. Students involved in the study provided the following reasons for the lack of participation:

- lack of confidence;

- discussion boards were not linked to the assessment;

- exclusion by the rest of the group;

- lack of tutor guidance.

Source: Adapted from Connolly, Jones & Jones (2007)

It is important to remember that Instructor’s feedback to a discussion board is like wood to fire. It is best expressed by an undergraduate student involved in a distance education study "I liked the moderator who gave us the most feedback, with further comments and questions to keep our threads going and to stimulate further discussion and to make us think laterally and beyond what was said" (Connolly et al, 2007).

4. The Role of the Instructor

Distance education, states Simonson (2012, p. 241), is an opportunity to revisit the role of the instructor in the learning environment. And Dr. George Piskurich singles out the following attributes of a successful online facilitator:

They know the software used in the course;

They know the lesson plan;

They try to constantly communicate with their students online;

They actively participate in synchronous and asynchronous discussions;

They care about learners’ success.

They induce active learning by providing activities that help students to learn the content.

“Distance learning demands that students become engaged in the learning process” (Simonson et al, 2012, p. 243).  Discussion thread is one of the best tools to encourage students to socially construct and discover their knowledge. One measure of the success of a threaded discussion sequence, says Simonson (2012), is a reduced role played by the instructor. Simonson et al (2012) advise against posting to more than 1 post out of 4 in a thread, and recommend monitoring the thread without overpowering it, letting the students build on one another’s comments and self-regulate.

And finally, remember that while the content is important, the activities are the heart of your course and engaging activities keep this heart healthy and beating; taking dull and old activities of a traditional teacher-centered classroom and dumping them online will just result in a cardiac arrest of your course’s heart.

This Online Course Conversion Guide is also available in PDF, just click the highlighted words to download the document.

References:

Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance Education Trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education 27(2), 139-153

Comeaux, P., Assessing Students’ Online Learning: Strategies and Resources (2006). Retrieved from http://www.podnetwork.org/publications/teachingexcellence/05-06/V17,%20N3%20Comeaux.pdf

Connolly, M., Jones, C., & Jones, N. (2007). New Approaches, New Vision: Capturing Teacher Experiences in a Brave New Online World. Open Learning, 22(1), 43-56. Retrieved from ERIC research database in the Walden Library.

Piskurich, G. Chauser, J. (n.d). (2012). Facilitating online learning. (Video program). Laureate Education Inc. Retrieved from Walden Online University

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Smith Nash, S. (2005). Learning objects, learning object repositories, and learning theory: preliminary best practices for online courses. Interdisciplinary Journal of Knowledge and Learning Objects, 1. Retrieved from http://www.ijello.org/Volume1/v1p217-228Nash.pdf    

Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

 Example 2: Interactive Tours

A high school history teacher, located on the west coast of the United States, wants to showcase to her students new exhibits being held at two prominent New York City museums. The teacher wants her students to take a "tour" of the museums and be able to interact with the museum curators, as well as see the art work on display. Afterward, the teacher would like to choose two pieces of artwork from each exhibit and have the students participate in a group critique of the individual work of art. As a novice of distance learning and distance learning technologies, the teacher turned to the school district’s instructional designer for assistance. In the role of the instructional designer, what distance learning technologies would you suggest the teacher use to provide the best learning experience for her students?

Possible Technological Solution

Because teens are the audience of this project, ENGAGEMENT is the key in making a choice on distance learning technologies. Also distance learning techniques can solve a problem of a traditional setting that many museum curators report “High school students are very quiet. Over the years I have learned that quiet does not always mean disengaged. At this age level peer pressure is heavy and the fear of giving a wrong answer is intense. They also dislike being controlled by adults.” (Schlageck, K., 2009) Wedemeyer’s Theory of Independent Study places an emphasis on “learner independence and adoption of technology as a way to implement this independence.” (Simonson et al, 2012, p. 43)Therefore discussion thread will be optimal for individual students to share their opinion on the topic, whereas a task calling to rely on their experience will make this discussion meaningful. Kathrine Schlageck (2009) a curator from Beach Musem of Art, Kansas State University provides an example of an engaging topic for discussion:

“You are the curator of the Beach Museum of Art. The tornado siren goes off, you are in the galleries, and you have time to save one piece of art. Which one is it?

After the tornado is over the Director wants to know why you saved the piece – your job depends on your answer!

Some things to consider: The artist’s technical ability, the importance of the artist or the work, the message of the work, the historical value of the work, and the collections mission of the Museum.”

One more important factor to consider is THE DEPTH WEB 2.0 CAN PROVIDE FOR LEARNING. Art video podcasts or museum virtual tours, if available, will do a better job familiarizing students with the art works than a textbook entry, as it suits the learning styles of both audio and visual learners. “Research shows that use of visual and verbal modes of learning together significantly increases learning.  The results of several studies also indicate that online students who listen to podcasts demonstrate more effective learning, greater satisfaction, greater autonomy, and greater motivation than online students who do not.” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2012)

Information about art collections can also be researched by students themselves and compiled into a wiki, to elicit “student discovery and construction of knowledge” as required by a Lerner-Based Instructional Model (Simonson et al, 2012, p. 124)

Videoconference with curators can serve the purpose of introducing the collections, it might start with a slide show followed by inviting students to respond. Catherine Arias (2009) from The Museum of Contemporary Art shares her vision of a follow-up discussion “Ask follow-up questions in a non-threatening way. I watched an educator smile and enthusiastically ask teens who giggled and called a video in the exhibition crazy and trippy, “What’s crazy about it?” “What’s trippy about this video?” The educator showed appreciation for their initial tentative comments and gently pushed them to explain further.” In this example we can see how Wdemeyer’s emphasis on the development of the relationship between students and facilitator can be realized. (Simonson et al, 2012, p. 44)

As an educator I find this situation rich in opportunities to use technology to take learning to the next level of Lerner-Centered environments, where success is determined by “demonstrated knowledge and skills”, not by “accumulated credit hours.” (Simonson et al, 2012, p. 124)

References:

Arias, C., Schlageck, K., How to engage the high school museum visitor. Doctor Dada. (2009). [Blog]. Retrieved from http://doctordada.blogspot.com/2009/12/how-to-engage-high-school-museum.html

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2012). The Technology of Distance Education [Video webcast].

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Defining Distant Learning

My Definition of Distance Learning

   Learning is what most adults will do for a living in the 21st century

 – Perelman

Extending S.J. Perelman’s quotation I would add “...through their engagement in distance learning”.

Prior to this course I defined Distance Learning as an interaction between participants of the instruction process that is not limited by time and space. After some exploration of the topic I still see this definition as valid, however I would add a couple of important points.

•           Distance education is institutionally based as opposite to private study and self-study.

•           Apart from being separated in time and space, students and teachers are also separated intellectually.

•           Instruction is enabled through interactive communications.

•           Learning experience comprises sharing of data, voice and video.

Thus my definition complies with 4 components to the definition of distance education provided by Simonson et al. (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012, p. 33)

Starting as a correspondence course 160 years ago Distance Education has undergone a number of important changes in its methods of delivery but has retained its flexible character. According to Moller et al the primary driving forces of Distant Learning are economics and access, however there is one more driving force, even more important – effectiveness. “Many contemporary approaches assert that while most traditional instruction does well to control and to manage the educational experience, it does little to maximize, and may even inhibit, natural human learning abilities “ (Moller, Foshay & Huett, 2008).

Distance learning future is in the hands of generation Millennium, who came of age in the 1990s when the technology revolution exploded and, generally, are technologically sophisticated.  “Information revolution created a situation where there should be less emphasis on the accumulation of personal knowledge and more on tools necessary for informational retrieval.” (Junginger, 2012) Millennials want to learn by using teamwork, technology, structure, entertainment, excitement, and experiential activities, hence the change of paradigm in education and evolution of learning theories.

I share Pr Siemens' vision of the future of Distance Learning as a gradual blending of traditional education and e-learning, where traditional school is not abolished but incorporates e-learning into all educational and training settings.

I also find it very credible that “Full scale online education will occur as the result of compounded growth, increased familiarity and acceptance, various models of scalability, and possible wildcards which may accelerate growth.” (Sener, 2010)

To conclude I would like to address a concern voiced by Moller et al “If mediocrity becomes the norm, then ID practitioners will all be tarred with the same brush regardless of their competence or the theoretical persuasion of their training” (Moller, Foshay & Huett, 2008). While this concern is certainly justified, I share John Sener's claim that ID has entered the second era of improving quality, whereas the first era was focused on providing access.

References

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), 63–67.

Junginger, C. Who is training whom? The effect of the millennial generation. (2008.) FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin,  77(9), p. 19-23. 

Sener, J. (2010). Why Online Education Will Attain Full Scale. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 14(4), p3-16

Siemens, G., (2012). Distance Education: The Next Generation. Laureate Media. (n/d).

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

New Year, New Course, New Beginnings

hi everyone,

welcome to my blog and my thoughts and insights on instructional design and distance education. I am really looking forward to an exciting exchange of ideas and making new friends!

Reflection on Instructional Design Course

Legends and Misconceptions

Prior to starting the Instructional Design course my understanding of an Instructional Designer's job used to be a hybrid between a teacher and a computer nerd. It turned out the profession of an Instructional Designer is considered practically “invisible”, as it both reflects a shift of pedagogical paradigm and goes under so many names.

As for the paradigm shift the learner and the performance problem are in the focus of Instructional Design, whereas traditionally the content used to run the show. “Instructional Design focuses on the individual and how to improve the individual performances rather than on what content to cover.” (Morrison, Ross, Kalman, Kemp. (2011). Designing effective instruction, p. 12)

Moreover, the profession being relatively new still arises so many issues when the ID has to convince others of his/her value. Hopefully with time as technology is becoming so essential in many industries the ID profession will gain more recognition.

Instructional Design – Science, Art or Craft?

There is no doubt that Instructional Design is a science as the systematic approach lies at the core of its foundation. However, I agree with Tom Gram who acknowledges Instructional Design as science but also points out craft and art as a basis of a successful ID model. The main idea is of Art inspiring, Science justifying and Craft bringing all your experiences to a project. “Art and craft together without the systematic analysis of science can lead to disorganized learning designs. Craft and science without the creative vision of art can lead to dispirited design, careful and connected but lacking flare. Learning design based on art with science is creative and systematic, but without the experience of craft can produce, impersonal and disconnected learning.” (Gram, 2010)  Therefore Analysis stage can be viewed as purely scientific element; Design and Development have more art and craft to them; to successfully complete Implementation stage one needs good communication skills and understanding of psychology of human interaction; finally Evaluation methods and procedures are scientifically based.

ADDIE and Zen

“Any art, practice, or technique is quite dangerous if it has no firm, theoretical foundation. But any theory, be it scientific, religious, or philosophical, is quite useless if it is too difficult to understand or impractical for daily living." – G. Osawa, a Zen teacher, an author of a Macrobiotic diet.

This Zen idea can be a key to interpreting ADDIE and other training models: ADDIE defines all the components of Instructional Design process and gives it a logical structure and it is the responsibility of an ID team to adjust it to a given project. Other ID models are designed to incorporate the ADDIE components, so there is no need to come up with a new model each time there are new project variables.

Though many in the ID field argue that ADDIE is not a model, I see it as a general principle that gives an opportunity to combine and experiment.

For e-learning projects it would be very effective to include a Rapid Prototype Phase in the design phase. So a quickly assembled module can be tested early in the ID process. The feedback allows for flexibility and creates an iterative loop where you can shape a pilot of an end product and work with a model.

For business training of certain performance skills the Human Performance Technology models are ideal.

One more type of ID models worth of mentioning are Practical Variations: Hands-On-Training (HOT) and Telling Ain't Training. They work best when employed by subject experts hired by organization.

With so many models in mind an ID can adjust the design process to the budget and other variables of a given organization, every time providing an optimal solution.

Dreams Come True

After this initial introduction to the intricacies of Instructional Design I can say for sure that skills and knowledge I have gained as a member of an ID project team definitely changed my understanding of the profession. As an online ESL teacher I am aspiring to create my own online school and this experience makes me confident and optimistic about creating an efficient and technologically advanced online learning environment. 

Reflection on Learning Theories and Instruction

For me as an international student this first experience at Walden was striking in many respects. Learning Theories and Instruction being the opening course in the certificate of Instructional Design and Technology provided an insight not only into online education and American education in general but also broadened my understanding of e-learning and instructional design. I was happy to find scientific evidence that proves many ideas I have tried to comprehend in layman’s terms.

Thus, I have found the way Cogninitive theory explains the transfer of knowledge most appealing and now I can see what underlies the strategies for successful learning in first place. “Metacognition comprises two related skills.  First, one must understand what skills, strategies, and resources a task requires. Second, one must know how and when to use these skills and strategies to ensure the task is completed successfully” (Ormrod, Schunk & Gredler, 2009, p. 101).

Further exploration of learning styles and strategies allowed me to relate Ormrod’s “top-to-down” approach to teach students strategies for "learning effectively rather than cater to these preferences that may or may not actually exist in the self-report kinds of assessment techniques" (n.d.).

Brain theory principles (Gardner (2003) defined 8 relatively autonomous brain systems each responsible for an intelligence) provides a connection between Multiple Intelligences and information input mode. So now I have come to realize there are no learning strengths or weaknesses. But, otherwise, there is a need to provide an appropriate context to foster both students’ present and potential Multiple Intelligences. 

Besides, I had to consider a very important question through the lens of Social Constructivism if online learning environment can be as efficient as a traditional one. "Social constructivists view the classroom as a community whose task is to develop knowledge... where knowledge is socially constructed and distributed among co-participants" (Ormrod, Schunk & Gredler, 2009, p.19).

According to Nicholas C. Burbules (2004) there are four factors that are vital to creation of a successful online environment: interest, involvement, imagination, and interactivity. On my part I tried to consider what theory each factor resonates with.

Interest: Problem solving, pacing, and alternative paths of investigation can all help promote interest. Good teaching and project design can elicit interest even with material that is not immediately interesting or of concern to students. Interesting subject matter is engaging and puzzling at a level that poses an attractive challenge to the learner. Too difficult and the student loses interest out of frustration; too simple and it loses its quality as a challenge. This resonates with Vygotskiy's Zone of Proximal Development and warns us against setting inadequate goals.

Involvement: Learners are involved with things that matter to them. N.C. Burbules suggests that instructors instead of trying to make the subject matter important through extrinsic rewards, or sometimes through the threat of adverse consequences should use Dewey’s advice "to start where students are already motivated and eager to learn, and link our purposes to that engine". This presumption in my opinion is of key importance to construction of meaning as no knowledge or experience would be internalized if it is of no value to a learner.

Engaging: How do I engage the learner’s imagination with this problem? Burbules' examples include simulations, models, case studies, or narratives that construct a plausible version of reality and allow room for the participant to interpolate or extrapolate new content as they work to make sense of it. Those practices can be employed to create social context for learning.

Interactivity: to facilitate interactions between students and the learning situation instructors should make use of team projects, multiple channels of communication, opportunities for open deliberation and for private, personal reflection on course activities. Thus, the constructivist principle of social interaction with knowledgeable members of society is realized.

To address Technology as another component of this program that is meant to facilitate and promote efficient self-directed learning I would like to bring up Connectivism and Adult Learning Theory. As an online student and online ESL instructor I am seeking connections in online social environments through such media as Walden University and various Professional and Personal networks. Paraphrasing George Siemens as adults are those responsible for their learning outcome, they need to stay current in complex learning environments and exploit technology in order to function well with others in achievement of individual tasks. Thus, the educational potential of rapidly emerging technology cannot be realized without implementation of learning strategies that enable students to make sense of abundant easily accessible information and learning tools and the role of instructors is to provide those strategies and guidance.

In his article Engaging Learners in Online Learning Environments Cher Ping Lim (2004) addresses the key strategies that constitute a learning kit of a successful online instructor. Based on the assumptions about online learners’ strategic skills, knowledge and attitude Lim suggests some effective guiding and supporting activities gradually delegating the control of learning to learners themselves.

But learning no matter how facilitated technologically and strategically it is will not happen without motivation. And we have to keep in mind that “learners are almost always motivated in one way or another… Teachers should never question whether their students are motivated. Instead they should try to determine in which way their students are motivated” (Ormrod, Schunk & Gredler, 2009, p.224). Now I am able to determine that utilizing the ARCS model suggested by Keller (2009) and comprising 4 dimensions of motivation known as attention (A), relevance (R), confidence (C), and satisfaction (S).

To conclude, I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Paige who demonstrated the ARCS model in action and whose support, feedback and genuine interest helped me as a Walden student to make a step up towards fulfilling my dream of starting an online ESL school.

References:

Armstrong, T. (2001) Multiple intelligences in the classroom, 2nd. edition. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Lim, C. P. (2004). Engaging learners in online learning environments. TechTrends: Linking Research and Practice to Improve Learning, 48(4), 16–23.

Nicholas C. Burbules, (2004) "Navigating the advantages and disadvantages of online pedagogy." Learning, Culture, and Community: Multiple Perspectives and Practices in Online Education, Caroline Haythornthwaite and Michelle M. Kazmer, eds.

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson.