Future of Distance Learning

As online and distance learning continues to mature, I believe it will gain more and more acceptance. The idea of obtaining a degree based on online work, as defined by Simonson et al (2009) as at least 80% of the curriculum delivered online, will become more mainstream as more people matriculate into the workforce and prove it can be a successful method in education. I think people still associate online degrees with correspondence courses from the 1970’s and ‘80’s or with diploma mills of the 1990’s and 2000’s. Part of the perception comes from virtual schools that do not offer a physical location. These schools are unable to make statements as “same faculty/classes/standards as traditional, face-to-face classes”. Studies performed by Gambescia and Paolucci (2009) point out the difference statements such as the above make in the perception of an online program. Since online schools are unable to make such statements, they may be unfairly judged and have to work harder at proving their value and conformance to brick and mortar schools offering online courses. 

In the future, online universities will become more accepted as equivalent to face-to-face schools. This acceptance will come, in part, from the growing number of graduates from such schools. As they begin to apply their degrees and knowledge to jobs and real-life applications, the negative perception of online schools will diminish. Also, as the number of online courses offered by traditional schools grows, the stigma will lessen. Time will be the largest factor in gaining acceptance. In the next 5 to 10 years, online learning will continue to grow regardless of if the courses are offered through a traditional school or virtual, online university. In the next 10 to 20 years, I think all universities will offer online classes and public perceptions will be positive. I also think that as more high schools offer online classes and become virtual, acceptance will grow and become commonplace. Schools such as Insight, offered by Washington state (Shaw, 2006), are becoming more accepted for high school, which in turn will translate to acceptance for higher education schools. In the world of instructional design, the negative perceptions can be minimized by offering high quality curricula and keeping up with technology changes. The article “Issues in Distance Learning” written in 1995 (Sherry) is still valid today. Instructional designers (ID) should pay careful attention to the use of technology, visual imagery, communication, and active, inquiry, and constructivist-type of learning. By making classes interactive and participative, the stigma of being a diploma mill will be lessened and students will be able to maximize their value of the course. 

I believe both lean and six sigma methods can be successfully applied to education as suggested by Emiliani (2004) and Hargrove and Burge (2002). With my personal background in continuous improvement tools, specifically lean and six sigma, I hope to apply these skills to the ID process and learning process. Items to look at in distance education include determining the value for the students and companies they will be employed at, the number of transactions a learner makes within the class room environment, effective use of media, graphics and text, and improving retention rates of both learners and knowledge. As tools and methods of online delivery evolve, it will be up to us as ID professionals to ensure our messages remain clear and effective. 

References 

Emiliani, M (2002). Improving business school courses by applying lean principles and practices. Retrieved December 26, 2010 from http://www.members.nae.edu/nae/caseecomnew.nsf/0754c87f163f599e85256cca00588f49/862570b6006873128625724b007511b1/$FILE/ATT131QJ/Lean%20Course1.pdf 

Hargrove, S and Burge, L. (2002). Developing a six sigma methodology for improving retention in engineering education. Retrieved December 26, 2010 from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.20.6603&rep=rep1&type=pdf 

Shaw, L. (2006). First online high school in state planned for fall. Seattle Times. Retrieved December 26, 2010 from http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2002981361_insight09m.html 

Sherry, L. (1995). Issues in Distance Learning. International Journal of Educational Telecommunications, 1(4), 337-365. Charlottesville, VA: AACE. Retrieved November 3, 2010 from http://www.editlib.org/p/8937 

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.