EDU 639 Trends in Online Learning Overview

Learners in the twenty first century have been Web consumers for much of their lives, and are now demanding online instruction that support participation and interaction. They want learning experiences that are social and connect them with their peers.

(Conrad, R & Donaldson, J 2011.page 1 [West & West. 2009 p.2])

This quote clear expresses the needs of the online learner. The online learners are not passive learner who sit in a lecture hall or classroom and listen to a teacher spew their intellectual knowledge. Today’s online student wants to be engaged and challenged; they want flexibility of arranging courses around their own schedule and the ability to work at their own pace. Online students want to collaborate with their cohorts and instructors. Collaboration is the process where learning takes place when teachers and students construct knowledge together in partnership (Conrad, R. & Donaldson, J. 2001,p.5). Trends in online emerges through research that supported engagement of students in their learning process.

Trends and Research In Online Learning

     Education is a conduit for facilitating the knowledge construct or individuals who possess the power to find solutions for global problems and provide human rights.  (Visser, L. 2012 p. 5).  Education benefits not only the individual but society in general.  Distance education provide access to education in countries where it is difficult for face-to-face interaction in a brick-mortar facility.

   A significant issue concerning distance learning is the quality in course design and learning outcomes.  The question uppermost in the mind of educators is how would learning be assessed? How can you determine if the online student has mastered the content and can apply it in authentic settings or situations?  Research in case studies has demonstrated that models can be setup that would provide authentic assessment of the student’s knowledge, comprehension, and application of the course contents.  Many advances have been made in the delivery of distance learning. Two examples of this are:

• The Speak2Me online synchronous English as a second language program in Taiwan that affectively use technology to achieve learning outcomes (Visser, L. 2001 p.7).
• Online learning can promote University wide advancement.  An example of this is collaboration between the University of New Mexico and the Universität Oberto de Catalunya (UOC).  A group of three students were inspired to develop a collaboration to share classes with other universities.  The students formed the Organizational Learning and Instructional Technology (OLT) program at UNM.  A pilot program was establish to refine goals and instructional design between the two universities due to these efforts UOC and UNM offered joint certification in e-learning, providing an opportunity for cultural and educational exchange tin a safe and structure environment (Visser, L. 2012 p. 7. [OLT, 2001]).  This effort resulted in the establishment of other projects leading to an increase in course design and teacher professional development in online learning. 

These examples exemplify how distance learning is becoming a force in creating change in distance learning and institutional programs.

     The 2020 Horizon Report Trend (Educare Review 2020 #1) listed fifteen prevalent trends that are shaping learning and technology. Selected examples are:

• Social Trends – Because teaching and learning is a human endeavor, trends reflect who we are (p. 16). What we experience affects our learning.
• Demographic Changes – Due to the mobility of people, shifts in population occur, those migration trends are researched and the impact on the population served by higher education or other educational systems.  What does today’s typical student look like and how can needs of this diverse population through educational resources and technology?
•  Technological Trends – Artificial Intelligence is be used in the educational system as an integral part of the curriculum design.  It is used by teachers to give instant feedback to students work and may serve as a “virtual teaching assistant.”   Technology can provide access for students with visual or hearing impairments.

These trends provides the framework from which course design emanates that conceptualize the learning process and meet the educational needs of a diverse population of students.

     Education is a conduit for facilitating the knowledge construct or individuals who possess the power to find solutions for global problems and provide human rights.  (Visser, L. 2012 p. 5).  Education benefits not only the individual but society in general.  Distance education provide access to education in countries where it is difficult for face-to-face interaction in a brick-mortar facility.

   A significant issue concerning distance learning is the quality in course design and learning outcomes.  The question uppermost in the mind of educators is how would learning be assessed? How can you determine if the online student has mastered the content and can apply it in authentic settings or situations?  Research in case studies has demonstrated that models can be setup that would provide authentic assessment of the student’s knowledge, comprehension, and application of the course contents.  Many advances have been made in the delivery of distance learning. Two examples of this are:

• The Speak2Me online synchronous English as a second language program in Taiwan that affectively use technology to achieve learning outcomes (Visser, L. 2001 p.7).
• Online learning can promote University wide advancement.  An example of this is collaboration between the University of New Mexico and the Universität Oberto de Catalunya (UOC).  A group of three students were inspired to develop a collaboration to share classes with other universities.  The students formed the Organizational Learning and Instructional Technology (OLT) program at UNM.  A pilot program was establish to refine goals and instructional design between the two universities due to these efforts UOC and UNM offered joint certification in e-learning, providing an opportunity for cultural and educational exchange tin a safe and structure environment (Visser, L. 2012 p. 7. [OLT, 2001]).  This effort resulted in the establishment of other projects leading to an increase in course design and teacher professional development in online learning. 

These examples exemplify how distance learning is becoming a force in creating change in distance learning and institutional programs.

     The 2020 Horizon Report Trend (Educare Review 2020 #1) listed fifteen prevalent trends that are shaping learning and technology. Selected examples are:

• Social Trends – Because teaching and learning is a human endeavor, trends reflect who we are. (p. 16). What we experience affects our learning.
• Demographic Changes – Due to the mobility of people, shifts in population occur, those migration trends are researched and the impact on the population served by higher education or other educational systems.  What does today’s typical student look like and how can needs of this diverse population through educational resources and technology?
•  Technological Trends – Artificial Intelligence is be used in the educational system as an integral part of the curriculum design.  It is used by teachers to give instant feedback to students work and may serve as a “virtual teaching assistant.”   Technology can provide access for students with visual or hearing impairments.

These trends provides the framework from which course design emanates that conceptualize the learning process and meet the educational needs of a diverse population of students.

Blended Learning

     The 2011 Insight suggested definition of blended learning is:

        A formal education program in which a student learns in part through online delivery of content and instruction with some element of student control over time, path, and/or pace and at least part at a supervised brick-and- mortar location away from home. (p.3).

     A common aspect of blended learning is when a course is partly online and partly through other modalities, what student learn online, they cover in the Face2Face modality.  Students controlled pace is the same for their online and Face2Face   Students are more engaged in their learning process.

     Blended learning is different than brick-and-mortar and online learning.  The differences are:

1. Brick-and Mortar – traditional instruction structured program, Facd2Face and technological enhancement. The student does not have control of time, place, or pace.  Content is not delivered over the internet.
2. Online Learning

Informal Online Learning – Student uses technology to learn a structured environment.

Full-time Online Learning – a structure educational program where content and instruction is totally over the internet the student does not meet Face2Face with instructor in brick-and-mortar structure.

• Blended Learning – Four Models
• Rotation Model – A program in which students rotate on a fixed schedule or at the discretion of the teacher between modalities, of which one is online learning.
• Station Rotation– an implementation in which within a given course or subject, student rotate on a fixed schedule or teacher discretion among classroom-based learning modalities This model differs from individual rotation model because students rotate through all the stations not only those on a custom schedule. (p8)
• Lab Rotation – rotation model implementation in which within a given course or subject, students rotate on a fixed schedule or at the discretion of the teacher among locations on the brick-and mortar campus At least one of these spaces is a learning lab predominately online learning while the additional classrooms(s) house other learning modalities.  It differs from the Station Rotation model because students rotate throughout locations on the campus. (p.9)
• Flipped Classroom – a rotation Model implementation in which within a given course or subject students rotate on a fixed schedule between Face2Face teacher guided practices or projects on a campus during the day and online delivery of content and instruction of the same subject from a remote location after school. Students have control of time, place and pace.
• Individual Rotation – a rotation model implementation in which within a given courses or subject students rotate on an individual customized learning modalities at least one of which is online learning.  An algorithm or teacher(s) set individuals students do not rotate to each available station or modality. (pp. 9,10).

2.  Flex Model – a program in which content and instruction are delivered primarily by the internet, students move on an individually customized, fluid schedule among learning modalities and the teacher of record is on site.  Face2Face support is provided on a flexible as needed basis through activities as small groups instruction, group projects, individual tutoring.

3.  Self- Blended Model – Students choose to take one or more courses entirely online to supplement their traditional courses and the teacher of record is the online teacher.  Students may take online classes either at the brick-and-mortar campus or off site.   It is not a whole school experience.  (p. 14)

4.  Enriched Virtual Model – a whole school in which within each course students divide their time between attending brick-and-mortar campus and learning remotely using online delivering of content and instructions,  Student seldom attend the brick-and-mortar campus every weekday. It is a whole school experience, not a course-by- course model. (p. 15)

A blended learning approach is used for various reasons:

• It has flexible educational programs that can reach and serve students who are unable to attend structured face to face classes on a regular schedule.
• It is more effective for learner in basic skills courses.
• Extend learning outside of the classes so students and make progress more quickly.
• Learners can persist due to flexible programs learners are able to build technology literacy and online learning skills.
• Easier to track students’ progress.   

     Blended learning is student centered and the role of the instructor is to facilitate the learning experience, to engage the student in the process and provide guidance and support in the learners’ educational endeavors.

     To start and maintain a successful blended learning program, it is crucial that administrator and faculty fully understand the concept and trained on how to implement it.  Blended learning is not an enrichment endeavor.  A change in mind set must occur as to the implementation of the blended learning program.  Planning teams must be put in place and a vision state may need to be rewritten to include the blended learning program.   Institutions must make a financial commitment to institute a Learning Management System (LMS) to facilitate blended learning program available to their students.  Students and teachers must have access to online learning sites, video conferencing, social media.

References

Visser, L. (2012). Trends and issues in distance education: International Perspectives. Charlotte, N.C.: Information Age Publishing.

Conrad, R. & Donaldson, J. (2011). Engaging the online learner. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.

• Staker, H. & Horn, M. B. (2012). Classifying K–12 Blended Learning, Innosight Institute.
• Blended Learning for Quality Higher Education: Selected Case Studies on Implementation from Asia-Pacific. You will select one of these case studies for this week’s discussion. You do not need to read the entire volume.
• Blended Learning Resources – Edgenuity partners with k-12 schools providing online learning solution.  Explore this site offering a vast array of information including many helpful resources about blended learning instruction.
• Farah, Kareem & Barnett, Robert. (2019). Answers to Your Blended Learning Questions. edutopia

Personal Reflection EDU639 Trends in Online Learning

     I have been away from teaching for 10 years, The experience I had with technology is limited. The classroom had the electronic whiteboard and Blackboard. The business department was the only one doing Hybrid courses at the time.  However, the approach I developed for teaching in a face-to face classroom could be used in a blended learning classroom.  My philosophy was to engage the student in their learning process.  I would assign the readings and discussion questions. I have them break into small groups and discuss the content and the questions, then each group would report on their discussions to the class.  I would involve myself in the discussions to clarify a point or to ask question.  Since all my students were employed in a childcare facility, we had many authentic situations to add to out discussion.  The students would relate how they applied the content to their own interaction with the children and parents. During the semester, each student had to facilitate the class discussion of a section in the unit.  They could be a creative as they wished to engage their fellow students in the class.  The students would have to project – one they created and one I assigned. At mid term they presented the one I assigned, and their own created project was presented at the end of the semester. YouTube and the videos that came with the text were viewed in class and discussed. 

   From what I learned in the class I feel I could easily adapt to blended learning.  I have started looking at how I could design a course for those providers that care for children in home care facilities.  The most appropriate model would be the Enriched Virtual Model.  This model would fit the schedules of the providers and they would not have sit in a classroom every week for three hours.  Their experiences would enhance the content and develop their own creativity. I would use Zoom to be available for them to have a chat with me.

   I am in a Facebook chat group made up of home care child providers.  As I read their post, I note how I may use their observation in a blended learn environment.  There are some highly creative things discussed and definitely case studies. 

   My picture that I had design is titled NIA; it is Swahili for the word purpose.  It reminds me that the purpose for education is to build and maintain a better world community and use our collective energy to raise each learner to greatness.