Module 2 Principles of Distance Education Storyboard draft 1

Peers; if I have done this correctly, see below site for my Module 2, Week 4 assignment to post a draft of my Project Topic Storyboard.
Let me know if there is a better way and open for feedback on Storyboard.

Many thanks.

David Miller


http://www.slideshare.net/b767miller/principles-of-distance-education-storyboard-module-2

Module 2 Blog Elements of Distance Education Diffusion - d.Miller

The Evolution of Collaborative Interaction

            Open-source blogging has created a lot of experimentation in the blogging field and some innovative collaborative blogging models such as P2. It is “a collaborative blogging theme for WordPress that blurs the lines between posts, comments and updates”, (Wagner, 1977). The theme inspired by Twitter and microblogging takes advantage of more recent interaction design patterns like inline editing, front-end and mobile posting and rapid “push” updates to foster a more casual conversational interaction.

            The collaborative blog format is an experiment in online group dynamics. Such experiments take place in many fields, including academia. While the blog format has been widely adopted by individual academics world-wide, many institutions have started adopting collaborative blogs that amplify, extend, and might one day even replace the role of their academic journal. These online experiments in new forms for academic publishing challenge the cultures of peer review, public vs. private debates, intellectual property, academic freedom and accreditation.

            Some of these collaborative blogs have been used to extend the classroom experience too. Educators who incorporate collaborative blogs into their curriculum invite their students to create some of the content that will lead the class through the semester. These contributions can be anything from a single guest post to a full integration of blogging and commenting into class dynamics with multiple postings from students every day through the week.

          Wagner (1997) suggested that the primary goal of interaction is a positive final outcome; not necessarily the agent upon which the educational experience was grounded. This author cited that "Interaction can serve as an outcome of clearly conceptualized, well-designed, and well-developed instruction" (p. 25). Twelve interaction strategies by this author included: participation, communication, feedback, elaboration, learner control, negotiation, team building, exploration, discovery, clarification, and closure. Below is an excellent table that highlights interaction strategies and planning decision towards engaging Distance Education diffusion.

Table 1.  Summary of Planning Decisions and Interaction Strategies

PLANNING DECISION	INTERACTION STRATEGY
Perform Instructional Analysis (i.e. valid learning outcomes for weekly units)	Learner Control Communication Motivation
Develop Performance Measures (i.e. personal marketing plan and practice quizzes)	Elaboration Feedback
Develop A Media Mix (i.e. computer conferencing with online and offline instructional resources)	Learner Control Communication Clarification Discovery
Develop Forum Topics (i.e. a welcoming environment and thought-provoking forum questions)	Participation Communication Elaboration Negotiation
Develop Principal Components Of Instruction (i.e. instructional methodology)	Communication Feedback
Develop Instructional Resources (i.e. suggested alternative readings and website resources)	Elaboration Discovery

            Source: Case Study in Planning Online Interaction (2001)

To heighten interaction as part of an efficacious instructional strategy, the principal recommendation for online instructional designers and teachers is that certain planning decisions need to be carefully considered for possible effects on interaction.

References

http://learningthroughdigitalmedia.net/when-teaching-becomes-an-interaction-design-task-networking-the-classroom-with-collaborative-blogs     

                                                                                                          

https://research.netacad.net/mod/oublog/view.php?id=5&tag=interaction+design-blog

Wagner, E. D. (1997). Interactivity: From agents to outcomes. In T. E. Cyrs (Ed.) Teaching and Learning at a Distance: What it takes to effectively design, deliver and evaluate programs: No. 71. New directions for teaching and learning. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass, pp. 19 – 26.

Module 1 Blog Assignment- DMiller

EDUC-7102-2/EDUC-8842-2 Principles of Distance Education

Instructor: Timothy Powell

Module 1 Blog Assignment

David J. Miller

September 17, 2011

            Distance education, like all other technical–social developments, is historically constituted in the thinking and behavioral patterns of those who developed, tested, and implemented what were once novel systems. The designs thus encapsulate a worldview) that defines its epistemological roots, development models, and technologies utilized, even as the application of this worldview evolves in new eras. Distance education systems have evolved through three eras of educational, social, and psychological development. Each era developed distinct pedagogies, technologies, learning activities, and assessment criteria, consistent with the social worldview of the era in which they developed.

             As evidenced by Moller, Huett, Foshay and Coleman (2008b), most higher education lacks good instructional design for effective learning in distance education, relying heavily on faculty not trained in instructional design or distance education. Additionally, training (as opposed to education) relies heavily on quick turn around times and one-size-fits-all approaches. K-12, of the three areas of learning mentioned in the articles by Moller et al (2008a, 2008b) and Huett, Moller, Foshay, and Coleman (2008c), has the least research but an incredible impact on a wide variety of learners. It is apparent that how students learn, as well as which technology to facilitate that learning, need to be taken into account when designing courses specific to the audience.

            Simonson (2000) noted that learning in a face-to-face course cannot be equal to an online course, only equivalent, because the teaching strategies used in a face-to-face course do not translate into a technologically-based one. Again, it is how students learn within the medium given that is important. However, each industry has a unique need, time frame, and requirements. Instructional design, then, must continue to evolve to meet the learners where they are so that they, too, can continue to evolve in their learning.

            The old ways of design are not sufficient anymore to design for learning activities across a wide population. To move forward, instructional designers need to reflect on learning theory (adult and child), the design process itself (rapid prototyping, ADDIE, etc), and the participant (college student, lifelong learner, kindergartner, etc.). Additionally, the skills of the designer should be taught to subject matter experts, professors, teachers, educational technology coaches (to name a few) so that the process of design flows smoothly and the best learning opportunity is made available to students.

References

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008, May/June). 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.
Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008, July/August). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 2: Higher Education). TechTrends, 52(4), 66–70.

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W. & Coleman, C. (2008, September/October). The       evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the  potential of the Web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5), 63–67.
 Simonson, M. (2000). Making decisions: The use of electronic technology in online classes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 84, 29–34.