Transcript Distance Learning and Learning Technologies

Distance Learning
and
Learning Technologies
March 11, 2003
Cindy Vinson, Ed.D
Dean Learning Technologies FHDA
Agenda
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My background
What is Learning Technologies at FHDA?
Distance learning at FHDA
Distance learning trends focus on higher education
Distance learning trends focus on corporate
What does this mean for K-12?
Questions?
My background
• Speech Pathologist
• Technology Coordinator
• Instructional Technology; curriculum
developer
• Learning Technologist
What is Learning
Technology?
Learning technology is the use of
technology to produce a long-term
change in human capability. The
technology we use can be one or more
of the following: tools, processes,
methods, and knowledge that produce
repeatable, predictable, and desirable
results.
What is LT at FHDA?
Who we are…
• Broadcast Media Center
– Community College Network
– Streaming Media
– Webcasting
• Instructional development group
– Consultation with faculty
– Customized workshops for departments or divisions
– Online course development with faculty experts
• Technical training
– Training on district supported software
– Individualized training for faculty and staff
– Just-in-time support for the web
What LT does at FHDA
• Work with the distance learning deans of both
colleges to assist in the design and delivery of
their courses
• Solve instructional and learning challenges
• Promote collaboration, best practices, and
diffusion of learning technologies in the classroom
• Train and retrain FHDA employees in using
technology for learning, communication, and
personal productivity
• Research learning technologies to identify those
that have practical application for the district
• Support the building of sharable and reusable
resources
Key Projects
• Web-enhanced courses
– Brought approximately 200 De Anza faculty online
• Hybrid instruction
– Over 100 faculty trained
• Promoting Technology Enhanced Instruction
– New certificate program for faculty
• Sharable resources
– Language learning library
– Academic Integrity module
– Writing project
Distance Learning at FHDA
• De Anza serves approx 12,000 students per
year
– Television based (mostly)
– Both licensed and in-house produced courses
– Growing number of courses include online
component
– Online distance learning is growing
Distance Learning at FHDA
• Foothill serves about 9,000 students
– Web-based (mostly)
– Owns their own LMS ETUDES
– Widespread use of ETUDES for web-enhanced,
hybrid, and distance classes
– Most development is individual faculty
designing their own course
– It is possible to get an AA totally online in
some curriculum areas
Trends in Higher Ed.
(Public sector)
• Blurring of distance and traditional education
• Growth of hybrid instruction
• Course management systems
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Blackboard
WebCT
eCollege
ETUDEs
• Issues that make adoption of online distance
education challenging
– Academic freedom
– Intellectual property
– Tradition of faculty working alone
Trends in Higher Education
• Desire to merge television and web, but
bandwidth is still a problem.
• Pew Grant Program on course redesign
(lower costs AND higher performance)
(Carol A. Twigg)
• Story Centered design (Roger Shank)
Trends in Higher Ed
(maybe K-12 ) For Profit
• Life-long learning requires asynchronous distance delivery
• Students live all over the world
• Accredited graduate online programs (National, Phoenix,
DeVry etc.) are experiencing exponential growth
– Build one excellent course
– Train faculty to deliver course
– Course continually redesigned based on “customer”
input
• Undergraduate programs are growing
• Recognize that there is (will soon) be a huge pool of
knowledgeable and talented retired workers eager to
provide online distance instruction
Trend in Corporate
• Most e-Learning is connected to a corporate
university
• Longer courses have a high drop out rate if a
manager does not monitor the course
• Successful courses are short, delivered as just-intime support, or offer a real person as a mentor
• Anytime and anyplace for work-related training is
harder to promote than online education
K-12 Implications
Ideally students will experience using the web to…
– Access class resources and information via the web.
– Engage in threaded discussions, communicate in an
online environment, and download and upload
documents.
– Locate and evaluate information found on the web.
– Engage in collaborative work groups (with students
they may never see or meet).
K-12 Implications
• Parents will expect
– class-based web sites to pull information.
– more mediated communication through FAQs and email.
– just-in-time tutorials for basic skills.
• Non-public schools are likely to
– grow in number.
– use technology to reduce costs and offer basic skills
education (No Child Left Behind).
– build standardized curriculums and hire more part-time
teachers to deliver content online.
Questions?