What is DE?
Wave 1 Reflections
I define Distance Education as learning that is done outside of the traditional classroom setting,
where one gains knowledge through communication anywhere worldwide, where education is taught through various tools of technology as opposed to face to face interaction.
My understanding has changed considerably now that I have learned
how far DE has come. The Industrial Revolution of the 1880’s and the start of
correspondence education definitely changed the way people learn and teach
(Cleveland-Innes & Garrison, 2010, p. 27). As I am a history buff, reading the text
was really interesting and seeing a global perspective of DE really let me know how far it has come.
I view myself as an endless learner. I enjoy learning about many
things from music, art, language, economy, government and literature. I
especially like to learn about history. As an online learner, I like to read
through all the material and then form an opinion after I get my thoughts
organized. I enjoy the flexibility of online education and the time it allows me
to be able to work and go to school. I feel very prepared for online learning as
I always print out the class syllabus and any important information to go over
it and be able to understand and comprehend what I am doing. I also always ask
questions and share information and ideas with others to learn more in an
educational environment. My preparedness test score was 70.
My view of DE has changed as now I see it from a global perspective. People all over the world in many continents and countries are learning by DE. Geography and economics are not hindering them from taking
advantage of the educational opportunities being granted to them. Being able to access education from even remote parts of the world is phenomenal.
After being in my OMDE 601 class for a few weeks, I also learned a lot about DE from Professor Otto Peters. From his readings and reflection posted in the class discussion area during his visit regarding pedagogy he stated, "According to Collins Cobuild English Dictionary it means "the study of the theory and the principles of teaching" (Collins English Dictionary, 2013). Peters also stated that the most important goal of pedagogical models was autonomous and self-directed learning (Peters, 2001, p. 162). This made me really want to analyze what this meant. That DE is not simply just a planned learning but something to be studied and interpreted. Everyone learns differently and comes into knowledge in their way and time. It has been my experience that people learn things and apply that knowledge when ready. I know when I am able to understand how something works then I can determine how I can apply this new information such as learning to use Weebly and blogs into my everyday life. I like to expand my means and knowledge helps me do that and sharing that knowledge to help other allows me to enrich and live my life to the fullest.
Wave 1 Reflections
I define Distance Education as learning that is done outside of the traditional classroom setting,
where one gains knowledge through communication anywhere worldwide, where education is taught through various tools of technology as opposed to face to face interaction.
My understanding has changed considerably now that I have learned
how far DE has come. The Industrial Revolution of the 1880’s and the start of
correspondence education definitely changed the way people learn and teach
(Cleveland-Innes & Garrison, 2010, p. 27). As I am a history buff, reading the text
was really interesting and seeing a global perspective of DE really let me know how far it has come.
I view myself as an endless learner. I enjoy learning about many
things from music, art, language, economy, government and literature. I
especially like to learn about history. As an online learner, I like to read
through all the material and then form an opinion after I get my thoughts
organized. I enjoy the flexibility of online education and the time it allows me
to be able to work and go to school. I feel very prepared for online learning as
I always print out the class syllabus and any important information to go over
it and be able to understand and comprehend what I am doing. I also always ask
questions and share information and ideas with others to learn more in an
educational environment. My preparedness test score was 70.
My view of DE has changed as now I see it from a global perspective. People all over the world in many continents and countries are learning by DE. Geography and economics are not hindering them from taking
advantage of the educational opportunities being granted to them. Being able to access education from even remote parts of the world is phenomenal.
After being in my OMDE 601 class for a few weeks, I also learned a lot about DE from Professor Otto Peters. From his readings and reflection posted in the class discussion area during his visit regarding pedagogy he stated, "According to Collins Cobuild English Dictionary it means "the study of the theory and the principles of teaching" (Collins English Dictionary, 2013). Peters also stated that the most important goal of pedagogical models was autonomous and self-directed learning (Peters, 2001, p. 162). This made me really want to analyze what this meant. That DE is not simply just a planned learning but something to be studied and interpreted. Everyone learns differently and comes into knowledge in their way and time. It has been my experience that people learn things and apply that knowledge when ready. I know when I am able to understand how something works then I can determine how I can apply this new information such as learning to use Weebly and blogs into my everyday life. I like to expand my means and knowledge helps me do that and sharing that knowledge to help other allows me to enrich and live my life to the fullest.
Wave 2 Reflections
1. Review your group's (r)evolutionary grid. What aspects of Wave 2 did you find to be the
most interesting? Why? What was the least interesting?
I found learning about the Artriculated Instructional Media Project (AIM) by Wedemeyer
to be very interesting. I was surprised that the AIM happened so long ago in 1964-1968,
that it came about as through the direction of Wedemyer to provide access to obtain
an affordable quality education to students living off campus and to educate via technology (Moore & Kearsley, 2012, p. 32). This idea was phenomenal as I still to this day know so many people that are limited by resources such as time and money to get a good education. Personally, I believe
the value of investing in yourself with an education can have a profound effect
on your life. Not just economically but also socially, personally, and professionally.
Through school many people meet lifelong friends, associates, colleagues, join professional
clubs and associations, earn higher incomes and some have even met future spouses in school.
Can you really put a price on that? In my opinion, that type of investment pays tenfold.
2. What were your "a-ha!" moments during this wave? What incited these moments and how
did they influence your understanding of DE?
I felt my a-ha moment was when I discovered that radio learning in the US did not catch on due to competition from commercial broadcasters that used radio for advertising (Moore & Kearsley, 2012,
pp. 29-30). I had no idea that this happened and that educational programs were
made available to K-12 (Moore & Kearsley, 2012, p.29). I never
really thought about radio as anything other than a source of entertainment and
that this could be an exciting new way to educate. However, this did not happen
due to the low commitment from faculty and others involved. I felt this was a
shame as they may have been many that could have benefited from this type of
technology. There are many people who are limited to access to higher education
for lack of money or mobility but it’s rare that someone does not have access to
listen to a radio. I felt this could be a positive direction for DE as a higher
population would have access to education and expanded DE more easily.
3. After what you have read, learned, or experienced in studying this second wave, how
might you revise your original definition of DE? What specific readings/experiences have
influenced your understanding of DE?
I would probably define Distance education as a planned systems approach to higher education
through the application of teaching using various forms of technology for communicating with
learners regardless of geographical location. Reading Chapter 1 of the text by Moore and
Kearsley (2012) really influenced my understanding of DE such as the components
of a working distance education system (p. 12). The general model explaining the
elements of a distance education system helped me understand how DE works and
how the organization content, delivery, interaction, program design, and
learning structure affects how a student learns within the DE program.
4. Consider the seminar with our visiting scholar Alan and the expert video from Tony Bates.
What left a lasting impression on you? Tell us about your impression and how it
affected your views about DE.
The lasting impression that really affected my view on DE was learning that the first 10 years
of the OUUK were dominated by teachers (Bates, 2011, p. 2, para. 1).
I would have thought people with limited access and mobility would have been the first to line up to get a higher education. Knowing how high teachers placed getting educated on their lists of priorities made me really think about how important education is and the impact it has on a person’s life.
These people were educators themselves and still pursued more knowledge, even
though they did it for the compensation it was still work to obtain the
baccalaureate. That the OU provided that opportunity is remarkable in my opinion.
5. Go back to the course objectives listed in the Syllabus. Do you feel the objectives
are being fulfilled and if so, how and to what degree? Are there objectives that
are not being met? If so, which ones?
Yes, the course objectives are being fulfilled. I have learned about the different waves of DE,
which in the text by Moore and Kearsley (2012) state there are five generations (p. 24).
Using the revolutionary grid allows me to do the course readings, analyze and interpret
the information to better understand DE in regards to the history, terminology,
technology and how it functions as a system approach to teaching and learning. I
have learned through course discussions about major theories and theorists of DE
such as Andragogy by Malcolm Knowles, methodologies, characteristics and major
influences. I have learned about various DE institutions all over the world such
as the British Open University and the University of South Africa. I now am able
to navigate the online learning environment, shared learning spaces such as
Google Docs, and social media such as wikis, Twiiter, Weebly, and blogs. I have
also learned about APA format and various writing tips through the learning
support. It’s really been a lot of hard work but it has definitely been
rewarding. I have wanted to learn about web 2.0 technology for years but was
unsure where to start. I feel more confident using technology and it’s changed
my behavior toward my work. I am more excited to get online and start working
because I now know how to use the technology. I think of DE differently now that
I have learned the evolution and history dating back to the 1880’s with the
Rural Free Delivery (RFD). The skill builders have also definitely helped me learn to be
a more competent practitioner of distance education.
Wave 3 Reflections
1. Did you experience any "a-ha!" moments during this wave? Tell us more about them and
what specifically made them "a-ha!" moments.
I think my biggest surprise for me was reading that the World Wide Web was
estimated to contain only 50 pages when it started in 1992 and by 2000 there was
a billion (Moore & Kearsley, 2012, p. 42). It was such as shock to see how
fast the Internet has grown. There is just so much content online. I mostly just
focus on topics that interest me which are education, health, beauty and
finance.
2. Go back to your original definition and consider again how it has changed (and if
it has). What specific readings, interactions, and/or discussions influenced the
change?
After, doing the reading about the 3rd wave of DE, I do not feel that my
last definition has changed. I have learned about the evolution of the Internet
and how it has affected higher education. No differences have occurred from how
I view DE as still a planned system of learning with use of technology for
communicating.
3. Think of a real-world situation, perhaps your current work environment, where you
could apply something that you have learned in this module. Describe this
situation in your journal.
I feel that at work while doing training instead of having meetings, there could
be a place to go within a secured server for online tutorials and pamphlets to
allow materials to be printed for further study and review. There could still be
face-to-face interactions but a minimal amount. This information could be housed
for access anytime by employees only. Through blogs, wiki’s and shared Google
docs employees and managers can create content to organize work projects and
assignments.
Current Trends
1. Review your group's (r)evolutionary grid. What are your thoughts about the grid as a
learning tool and the process used to create the grid?
I thought the grid was very good. It really helped me go through the readings,
analyze and understand the information pertaining to the revolution of DE and
how far it has come from Rural Free Delivery (RDF) in the 1800’s
(Cleveland-Innes & Garrison, 2010, p. 27). I now know
more about correspondence study and how in 1941 the US Army decided to use
correspondence education to provide an educational resource to its students in
the military, which then these ideas were taken to Charles Wedemeyer who wanted
to use this as a means to teach naval training (Moore& Kearsley, 2012, p.
28). I learned about what role radio and television played in providing
postsecondary education throughout the country as far back as the 1920’s. I
learned about the start of the AIM project by Wedemeyer and how the first open
university began in the UK with a mission to provide higher education to all
(Moore & Kearsley, 2012, p.29-33).
I was also interested to learn about the start of the Internet and
web-based learning at a distance through use of text, video and audio
communication. I thought that the grid and the process of how it was gradually
constructed was a great tool to allow me to see different points of view of my
group in regards to their reading and understanding of DE and see many
perspectives and learn about the history of DE from various scholarly resources.
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.
After going through the grid and the readings, I had previously changed my definition
of DE but not since the first wave. I did not change my definition since then
because I do not feel that distance education has changed but the tools that are
used to provide how I learn.
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?
I do feel that objectives were achieved. I learned about the evolution of DE,
including social, cultural, political and economic factors through numerous
distance education institutions. I used web 2.0 technologies to gain a better
understanding of online education and how this is being used in DE. I read on
many theories such as transactional distance, andragogy and heutagogy and
theorists such as Malcolm Knowles and Desmond Keegan.
I also have a better understanding of pedagogy and the terminology and history
of DE. I have definitely learned more about technology and DE and feel more
confident as a student and learner, especially in regards to higher education in
a digitized learning environment.
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?
I felt that I had a good overall experience with my study group. We were able to
listen to each other and offer objective criticism and different points of view
and then bring it all together in the collaborative document. Each group member
used prior or gained knowledge to input information on the grid which allowed me
to learn about numerous aspects of DE including theories and theorists in
DE. What worked in the beginning was to have teleconferences so that we could all
understand each other’s viewpoints and then put that information onto the grid.
We also sent emails regularly and helped each other in the class when necessary regarding the grid
assignment. It really helped to come up with a schedule to know when group
members would be available and split up the work load as equally distributed
amongst the group. Over time we see it was not necessary to continue having
teleconferences once we were able to get in a good rhythm to work on the grid more
so individually and then bring it together as a group. Our group, as far as I am concerned,
had no improvements to make. Everyone worked together to get the work done.
I see the benefits of getting work done faster and more of it in a group where
different sources can come together and we can all learn from sharing information.
The drawbacks can be scheduling conflicts, unequal work distribution or differing points of view.
I feel that the activity could be improved by making sure the work gets distributed fairly and that
schedules are done as soon as possible, such as a timeline to pick a group leader,
divide workload and start assignment, so group members know when to begin and
what is being asked of them.
After going through the course readings, class discussions and working with my group on the revolutionary grid I feel that I have an exceptional view of the history and evolution of distance education. From the beginnings in the 1880's through the present and moving forward to current trends in DE. Presently there is a lot of use of web 2.0 technologies such as blogs and wiki's that are being used in the digitized learning environment. Many theories and theorists have developed since the opening of the first Open University in 1969, which continue to guide our understanding of pedagogy and DE. Going forward as technological advances take place there will be more changes to education and teaching. I also agree with the statement that "there is no right or wrong technology for distance education as each medium has its own strengths and weaknesses" (Moore & Kearsley, 2012, p. 96). As I become more proficient as a DE practitioner, I plan to use my knowledge to train workers in an organizational environment oh how web 2.0 applications can help them be productive at work and home by gaining confidence in their computer skills in the use of technology. I am also able to apply this knowledge to my own productivity at work as I am now able to use Google docs, build a website, create and maintain a blog and wikis to further advance my competencies in distance education and my life as a whole which includes being a student and working professional.
Reflection of Distance Education presently after taking OMDE 601
In addition, to learning the evolution and history of DE from its beginnings in the late 1800's to the present, I have learned about numerous open universities and open educational resources (OER's). Open education is a system in higher education that provides access to courses offered by DE institutions for free (Moore & Kearsley, 2012, p. 308). I have created a page for listing OER's that I have come across in my studies and I will continue to do so for any additional resources I may find while working towards my degree. I have also learned about many theories and theorists in the field of DE and the current practices and applications of theories across multiple disciplines. I feel that I am more confident as a student in the Master's of Distance Education (MDE) program and look forward to continuing to learn about the field of Distance Education.
References
Bates, A. W. (2011, November). The second wave of distance education and history of the Open University United Kingdom[Online video]. Available from http://vimeo.com/32292234
(Transcript: http://www.box.com/s/cvygk4334sub0i6atrn8)
Cleveland-Innes, M.F., & Garrison, D.R. (2010). An introduction to distance education: Understanding teaching and learning in a new era. New York, NY: Routledge.
Collins English Dictionary. (2013). Definition of Pedagogy. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/pedagogy?showCookiePolicy=true
Moore, M. G. & Kearsley, G. (2012). (3rd ed.). Distance Education: A systems view of online learning. Belmont, CA:Wadsworth.
Peters, O. (2001). Learning and teaching in distance education: Analysis and interpretations from an international perspective. New York, New York: Routledge.
1. Review your group's (r)evolutionary grid. What aspects of Wave 2 did you find to be the
most interesting? Why? What was the least interesting?
I found learning about the Artriculated Instructional Media Project (AIM) by Wedemeyer
to be very interesting. I was surprised that the AIM happened so long ago in 1964-1968,
that it came about as through the direction of Wedemyer to provide access to obtain
an affordable quality education to students living off campus and to educate via technology (Moore & Kearsley, 2012, p. 32). This idea was phenomenal as I still to this day know so many people that are limited by resources such as time and money to get a good education. Personally, I believe
the value of investing in yourself with an education can have a profound effect
on your life. Not just economically but also socially, personally, and professionally.
Through school many people meet lifelong friends, associates, colleagues, join professional
clubs and associations, earn higher incomes and some have even met future spouses in school.
Can you really put a price on that? In my opinion, that type of investment pays tenfold.
2. What were your "a-ha!" moments during this wave? What incited these moments and how
did they influence your understanding of DE?
I felt my a-ha moment was when I discovered that radio learning in the US did not catch on due to competition from commercial broadcasters that used radio for advertising (Moore & Kearsley, 2012,
pp. 29-30). I had no idea that this happened and that educational programs were
made available to K-12 (Moore & Kearsley, 2012, p.29). I never
really thought about radio as anything other than a source of entertainment and
that this could be an exciting new way to educate. However, this did not happen
due to the low commitment from faculty and others involved. I felt this was a
shame as they may have been many that could have benefited from this type of
technology. There are many people who are limited to access to higher education
for lack of money or mobility but it’s rare that someone does not have access to
listen to a radio. I felt this could be a positive direction for DE as a higher
population would have access to education and expanded DE more easily.
3. After what you have read, learned, or experienced in studying this second wave, how
might you revise your original definition of DE? What specific readings/experiences have
influenced your understanding of DE?
I would probably define Distance education as a planned systems approach to higher education
through the application of teaching using various forms of technology for communicating with
learners regardless of geographical location. Reading Chapter 1 of the text by Moore and
Kearsley (2012) really influenced my understanding of DE such as the components
of a working distance education system (p. 12). The general model explaining the
elements of a distance education system helped me understand how DE works and
how the organization content, delivery, interaction, program design, and
learning structure affects how a student learns within the DE program.
4. Consider the seminar with our visiting scholar Alan and the expert video from Tony Bates.
What left a lasting impression on you? Tell us about your impression and how it
affected your views about DE.
The lasting impression that really affected my view on DE was learning that the first 10 years
of the OUUK were dominated by teachers (Bates, 2011, p. 2, para. 1).
I would have thought people with limited access and mobility would have been the first to line up to get a higher education. Knowing how high teachers placed getting educated on their lists of priorities made me really think about how important education is and the impact it has on a person’s life.
These people were educators themselves and still pursued more knowledge, even
though they did it for the compensation it was still work to obtain the
baccalaureate. That the OU provided that opportunity is remarkable in my opinion.
5. Go back to the course objectives listed in the Syllabus. Do you feel the objectives
are being fulfilled and if so, how and to what degree? Are there objectives that
are not being met? If so, which ones?
Yes, the course objectives are being fulfilled. I have learned about the different waves of DE,
which in the text by Moore and Kearsley (2012) state there are five generations (p. 24).
Using the revolutionary grid allows me to do the course readings, analyze and interpret
the information to better understand DE in regards to the history, terminology,
technology and how it functions as a system approach to teaching and learning. I
have learned through course discussions about major theories and theorists of DE
such as Andragogy by Malcolm Knowles, methodologies, characteristics and major
influences. I have learned about various DE institutions all over the world such
as the British Open University and the University of South Africa. I now am able
to navigate the online learning environment, shared learning spaces such as
Google Docs, and social media such as wikis, Twiiter, Weebly, and blogs. I have
also learned about APA format and various writing tips through the learning
support. It’s really been a lot of hard work but it has definitely been
rewarding. I have wanted to learn about web 2.0 technology for years but was
unsure where to start. I feel more confident using technology and it’s changed
my behavior toward my work. I am more excited to get online and start working
because I now know how to use the technology. I think of DE differently now that
I have learned the evolution and history dating back to the 1880’s with the
Rural Free Delivery (RFD). The skill builders have also definitely helped me learn to be
a more competent practitioner of distance education.
Wave 3 Reflections
1. Did you experience any "a-ha!" moments during this wave? Tell us more about them and
what specifically made them "a-ha!" moments.
I think my biggest surprise for me was reading that the World Wide Web was
estimated to contain only 50 pages when it started in 1992 and by 2000 there was
a billion (Moore & Kearsley, 2012, p. 42). It was such as shock to see how
fast the Internet has grown. There is just so much content online. I mostly just
focus on topics that interest me which are education, health, beauty and
finance.
2. Go back to your original definition and consider again how it has changed (and if
it has). What specific readings, interactions, and/or discussions influenced the
change?
After, doing the reading about the 3rd wave of DE, I do not feel that my
last definition has changed. I have learned about the evolution of the Internet
and how it has affected higher education. No differences have occurred from how
I view DE as still a planned system of learning with use of technology for
communicating.
3. Think of a real-world situation, perhaps your current work environment, where you
could apply something that you have learned in this module. Describe this
situation in your journal.
I feel that at work while doing training instead of having meetings, there could
be a place to go within a secured server for online tutorials and pamphlets to
allow materials to be printed for further study and review. There could still be
face-to-face interactions but a minimal amount. This information could be housed
for access anytime by employees only. Through blogs, wiki’s and shared Google
docs employees and managers can create content to organize work projects and
assignments.
Current Trends
1. Review your group's (r)evolutionary grid. What are your thoughts about the grid as a
learning tool and the process used to create the grid?
I thought the grid was very good. It really helped me go through the readings,
analyze and understand the information pertaining to the revolution of DE and
how far it has come from Rural Free Delivery (RDF) in the 1800’s
(Cleveland-Innes & Garrison, 2010, p. 27). I now know
more about correspondence study and how in 1941 the US Army decided to use
correspondence education to provide an educational resource to its students in
the military, which then these ideas were taken to Charles Wedemeyer who wanted
to use this as a means to teach naval training (Moore& Kearsley, 2012, p.
28). I learned about what role radio and television played in providing
postsecondary education throughout the country as far back as the 1920’s. I
learned about the start of the AIM project by Wedemeyer and how the first open
university began in the UK with a mission to provide higher education to all
(Moore & Kearsley, 2012, p.29-33).
I was also interested to learn about the start of the Internet and
web-based learning at a distance through use of text, video and audio
communication. I thought that the grid and the process of how it was gradually
constructed was a great tool to allow me to see different points of view of my
group in regards to their reading and understanding of DE and see many
perspectives and learn about the history of DE from various scholarly resources.
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.
After going through the grid and the readings, I had previously changed my definition
of DE but not since the first wave. I did not change my definition since then
because I do not feel that distance education has changed but the tools that are
used to provide how I learn.
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?
I do feel that objectives were achieved. I learned about the evolution of DE,
including social, cultural, political and economic factors through numerous
distance education institutions. I used web 2.0 technologies to gain a better
understanding of online education and how this is being used in DE. I read on
many theories such as transactional distance, andragogy and heutagogy and
theorists such as Malcolm Knowles and Desmond Keegan.
I also have a better understanding of pedagogy and the terminology and history
of DE. I have definitely learned more about technology and DE and feel more
confident as a student and learner, especially in regards to higher education in
a digitized learning environment.
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?
I felt that I had a good overall experience with my study group. We were able to
listen to each other and offer objective criticism and different points of view
and then bring it all together in the collaborative document. Each group member
used prior or gained knowledge to input information on the grid which allowed me
to learn about numerous aspects of DE including theories and theorists in
DE. What worked in the beginning was to have teleconferences so that we could all
understand each other’s viewpoints and then put that information onto the grid.
We also sent emails regularly and helped each other in the class when necessary regarding the grid
assignment. It really helped to come up with a schedule to know when group
members would be available and split up the work load as equally distributed
amongst the group. Over time we see it was not necessary to continue having
teleconferences once we were able to get in a good rhythm to work on the grid more
so individually and then bring it together as a group. Our group, as far as I am concerned,
had no improvements to make. Everyone worked together to get the work done.
I see the benefits of getting work done faster and more of it in a group where
different sources can come together and we can all learn from sharing information.
The drawbacks can be scheduling conflicts, unequal work distribution or differing points of view.
I feel that the activity could be improved by making sure the work gets distributed fairly and that
schedules are done as soon as possible, such as a timeline to pick a group leader,
divide workload and start assignment, so group members know when to begin and
what is being asked of them.
After going through the course readings, class discussions and working with my group on the revolutionary grid I feel that I have an exceptional view of the history and evolution of distance education. From the beginnings in the 1880's through the present and moving forward to current trends in DE. Presently there is a lot of use of web 2.0 technologies such as blogs and wiki's that are being used in the digitized learning environment. Many theories and theorists have developed since the opening of the first Open University in 1969, which continue to guide our understanding of pedagogy and DE. Going forward as technological advances take place there will be more changes to education and teaching. I also agree with the statement that "there is no right or wrong technology for distance education as each medium has its own strengths and weaknesses" (Moore & Kearsley, 2012, p. 96). As I become more proficient as a DE practitioner, I plan to use my knowledge to train workers in an organizational environment oh how web 2.0 applications can help them be productive at work and home by gaining confidence in their computer skills in the use of technology. I am also able to apply this knowledge to my own productivity at work as I am now able to use Google docs, build a website, create and maintain a blog and wikis to further advance my competencies in distance education and my life as a whole which includes being a student and working professional.
Reflection of Distance Education presently after taking OMDE 601
In addition, to learning the evolution and history of DE from its beginnings in the late 1800's to the present, I have learned about numerous open universities and open educational resources (OER's). Open education is a system in higher education that provides access to courses offered by DE institutions for free (Moore & Kearsley, 2012, p. 308). I have created a page for listing OER's that I have come across in my studies and I will continue to do so for any additional resources I may find while working towards my degree. I have also learned about many theories and theorists in the field of DE and the current practices and applications of theories across multiple disciplines. I feel that I am more confident as a student in the Master's of Distance Education (MDE) program and look forward to continuing to learn about the field of Distance Education.
References
Bates, A. W. (2011, November). The second wave of distance education and history of the Open University United Kingdom[Online video]. Available from http://vimeo.com/32292234
(Transcript: http://www.box.com/s/cvygk4334sub0i6atrn8)
Cleveland-Innes, M.F., & Garrison, D.R. (2010). An introduction to distance education: Understanding teaching and learning in a new era. New York, NY: Routledge.
Collins English Dictionary. (2013). Definition of Pedagogy. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/pedagogy?showCookiePolicy=true
Moore, M. G. & Kearsley, G. (2012). (3rd ed.). Distance Education: A systems view of online learning. Belmont, CA:Wadsworth.
Peters, O. (2001). Learning and teaching in distance education: Analysis and interpretations from an international perspective. New York, New York: Routledge.
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