The element of collaborative interaction as it relates to distance education

George Siemens discussed the growing acceptance of distance education in today’s corporate and educational spheres, including three possible elements of distance education that are creating more effective learning experiences and giving distance education an identity of its own distinct from F2F courses: (a) global diversity, (b) communication, and (c) collaborative interaction. (Walden University, 2011). This Blog will focus on the element of collaborative interaction. Technology has enabled collaborative interaction to evolve into something that no longer requires face to face contact. Online learners have the ability to access, create or, use online tools such as discussion boards, email, Wikis, Blogs, instant message, Skype and ooVoo. Multimedia projects can be created and shared using these tools also. Students can collaborate by providing feedback on specific topics. Students can complete group assignments from a distance using the above tools. DE has taken group collaboration beyond the four walls of the classroom and expanded it into a global event.

There is a blog post about how Wikis and other Web 2.0 tools support the online learning community. I agree with using these tools to help foster a healthy collaborative learning environment. You can read this blog by clicking the following link:

http://minerclass.edublogs.org/2010/12/31/collaborative-interaction-in-distance-education%E2%80%A6/

I found a blog from another educator that discusses how communication and collaborative interaction are intertwined. The blog list some of the same tools I have listed above that support the collaborative online learning process. You can read this blog by clicking the following link: http://jygreensblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/blog-2-elements-of-distance-education.html

There is another blog on the talks about how collaborative interaction has transformed DE. I found this to be an interesting read. I do have to question the statement in the blog that there is a level of expertise found in DE that can't be found in a face to face course. I understand that DE can offer global perspectives but I have experienced face to face instruction that does the same. The college I attended had and international exchange program which allowed students from different countries to attend the university at a reasonable price. This provided a campus that had a diversity of thoughts and ideas inside the classroom. You can read this blog by clicking the following link: http://jamieoliversedutech.blogspot.com/2010/09/elements-of-distance-education.html

The need to evolve distance education to the next generation

According to Dr. Simonson, there has been and will be a significant growth in distance education. Even with the high growth rate he believes that DE will not replace the traditional schools (Simonson, 2008). I agree with this statement because DE is not for every student. Some students need to interact with other students therefore; DE is not appropriate for them. I also believe in the Equivalency Theory Dr. Simonson discussed. This theory states that distance education is not identical to face-to-face education, but it is equivalent (Simonson, 2008). There can be the same learning outcome for face-to-face education and DE just a different way of achieving the same learning outcome.

In examining the potential of web-based learning, the focus must contain capabilities not possible or at least highly impractical in a traditional classroom (Moller, Foshay, Huett, 2008). I believe web-based learning provides a different learning atmosphere than the traditional classroom. According to the articles there needs to be planning, better quality, support, better structure, training, and better attitudes towards distance education.  I agree with the information in the articles, each area is important to the survival of DE. A statement that hit home with me is, We fear that distance education may become little more than a "dumping ground" for credit recovery as well as a repository for those unable or unwilling to function in the more traditional classroom environment (Ronsisvalle & Watkins, 2005). I see how DE is currently being used as a "dumping ground". I think DE can go beyond the point it is now. With the proper ingredients it can thrive alongside the traditional classroom.

References:

Moller, L., Forshay, W. R., & Huett, J. (2008). The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web. Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 52(3), 70-75. doi:10.1007/s11528-008-0158-5

http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=33281719&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Moller, L., Foshay, W. R., & Huett, J. (2008). The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web. Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 52(4), 66-70. doi:10.1007/s11528-008-0179-0

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Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W. R., & Coleman, C. (2008). The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web. Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 52(5), 63-67. doi:10.1007/s11528-008-0199-9

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