Week 5

This week was great. I learned more about two technologies and their implications for distance learning. I had never thought of some of the possiblities presented until viewing some student presentations on both.

The first technology is Skype. Some educational uses for Skype (in distance learning) I learned about are: field trips, guest lecturers, foreign language classrooms (to allow students to participate in authentic situations), professional development training, and tutoring. All of these uses save a lot of time and money. I am amazed that these opportunities can be had to communicate with people from all over the world for free. What a great tool to broaden the perspective of students and increase their learning in an exciting way!

The second technolgy is Google Calendar. Honestly, I hadn't even heard of Google Calendar until I watched this presentation. It was very clear to me how this tool can be used in distance learning--reminding students at a distance of due dates and other important events associated with a course. What an invaluable tool!

In addition to learning about the aforementioned technologies, I was impressed with the wealth of information on some articles I read concerning design issues in distance learning (Moller, Dooley, Quinn). From these readings, I think the most significant points were:

1. E-learners are likely to not have encountered a product built with sound ID principles.

2. Good ID practitioners train workers to be able to innovate.

3. Learners need to work collaboratively. I think if we want people to be able to function well in the work world, learners absolutely need to learn to work together efficiently.

4. It is important to develop and refine assessment instruments to evaluate and authenticate learning.

5. Content must be applicable and engaging to the target audience, and it should be focused on the learner's environment.

What I liked about reading these articles is that they have helped to reinforce some important principles concerning instructional design, and also to provide a rich perspective necessary to well-constructed design as I embark upon projects in the future.