Journal of Learning
This reflective learning journal is an ongoing activity meant to help facilitate ongoing reflection of my learning process throughout the MDE program. Included will be reflections on my learning process and outcomes, my experience of learning, how my understanding of course content has changed, and identifications of my strengths and weaknesses.
OMDE 606: End of Module 5 (4/20/2016)
As predicted, Module 5 delivered a lot of great content that was relevant to my career and that I will be able to apply to my job. According to professor Huelsmann, for CAL and CBT, it requires 73 hours of academic and 733 hours of programming and production-related inputs. Hence we have costs attributed to input of academic staff of 9.13 person/days or $2,737 and costs attributed to production-related activities of slightly more than 90 staff days or $16,245. Taken all together this would amount to $18,982. Therefore, per student learning hour (SLH), CAL and CBT costs about $19,000. I personally found this figure to be low, especially in the corporate world. I think that since I am in an expensive metropolitan area and working in the private sector, the rates and salaries that are used to caluclate this figure would be a little higher, but the information provided has given me a good place to start when I need to price our my next CBT program.
One of the most interesting discussions/interactions that came out of this module was the consideration of when to use CAL/CBT versus investing more in methods that will enhance teacher and student interaction. One certainly needs to strike the correct balance. Considering the high cost of developing computer-assisted learning or computer-based training (CAL/ CBT), it would be assumed that the product outcome should require little, if any, student teacher interaction. Hence, the cost structure of DE (and the decision on whether or not to invest in robust CBT) is dependent on the amount of academic time required to develop and/or maintain.
For example, if you need to develop a course and Option A is to just use some computer-based resources, but rely heavily on student teacher interaction, your variable costs are going to be higher. If Option B is to use more CAL/CBT options and rely less on student teacher interaction, you will have higher fixed costs. One would need to determine which approach is the most cost effective given enrollments, class sizes, and the shelf-life of a CAL/CBT option.
One of the most interesting discussions/interactions that came out of this module was the consideration of when to use CAL/CBT versus investing more in methods that will enhance teacher and student interaction. One certainly needs to strike the correct balance. Considering the high cost of developing computer-assisted learning or computer-based training (CAL/ CBT), it would be assumed that the product outcome should require little, if any, student teacher interaction. Hence, the cost structure of DE (and the decision on whether or not to invest in robust CBT) is dependent on the amount of academic time required to develop and/or maintain.
For example, if you need to develop a course and Option A is to just use some computer-based resources, but rely heavily on student teacher interaction, your variable costs are going to be higher. If Option B is to use more CAL/CBT options and rely less on student teacher interaction, you will have higher fixed costs. One would need to determine which approach is the most cost effective given enrollments, class sizes, and the shelf-life of a CAL/CBT option.
OMDE 606: Beginning of Module 5 (4/11/2016)
Finally! I think that after Module 4's letdown in terms of relevant content, Module 5 will be rich with content that is relevant to my career and development. At my job, we create computer-assisted learning (CAL) and computer-based training (CBT) programs. I often struggle to determine avearge investment costs in terms of human resources, technology, development, delivery, and maintenance. In looking at this module's discussion topics and readings, I know that we will be discussing these very things exclusively.
OMDE 606: End of Module 4 (4/4/2016)
Speaking honestly here, Module 4 ended up being a bit of a disappointment for me. I found that much of the content related to the costing of things like printed correspondence, radio development costs, and television production were essentially irrelevant to my career. I think that these topics are valid and relevant when talking about large university DE programs, especially those in developing countries. However, as I argued in the discussion forums, it is going to become more common (or may already be true) that people in third world countries will have access to mobile devices than access to a television, radio, or mailbox. Shouldn't the research and investment associated with DE be focused on using and teaching with that type of media?
One discussion topic did stand out to me, though. In Module 4 Unit 1, we discussed how to classify media and the professor posed the question "One distinctive feature of media is to which extent they allow 'responsive interaction at a distance'. Especially the extent to which media facilitate student teacher communication, this has an effect on the [cost] structure of the medium. Why?" I took the stance that using media that facilitates communication between students and teachers has an effect on the cost structure of the medium because it increases the semi-variable cost per student. Since a teacher can only have meaningful two-way interaction with a certain number of students (a group or class), the cost of using media that facilitates student teacher communication will go up as the number of students in a program increases. This sparked a good conversation on what subjects lend themselves to which class sizes and which forms of media to use in order to facilitate communication between students and teachers.
One discussion topic did stand out to me, though. In Module 4 Unit 1, we discussed how to classify media and the professor posed the question "One distinctive feature of media is to which extent they allow 'responsive interaction at a distance'. Especially the extent to which media facilitate student teacher communication, this has an effect on the [cost] structure of the medium. Why?" I took the stance that using media that facilitates communication between students and teachers has an effect on the cost structure of the medium because it increases the semi-variable cost per student. Since a teacher can only have meaningful two-way interaction with a certain number of students (a group or class), the cost of using media that facilitates student teacher communication will go up as the number of students in a program increases. This sparked a good conversation on what subjects lend themselves to which class sizes and which forms of media to use in order to facilitate communication between students and teachers.
OMDE 606: Beginning of Module 4 (3/28/2016)
Module 4 will have us focusing on costing educational technologies. I am looking forward to this module because my company has recently begun to take an interest in funding our eLearning initiatives. This means that I will be responsible for researching and providing estimates on the investments necessary for new technologies, services, and applications in order to modernize our internal and external training programs. However, looking at some of the subject headings and in doing a skim of our reading topics, it seems that we will primarily be discussing outdated platforms for delivering content (e.g., print, correspondence, radio, and television). Perhaps I will be able to apply the costing methods used for these more antiquated methods to the newer delivery media that is available today.
OMDE 606: End of Module 3 (3/23/2016)
I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on what I thought was the most engaging discussion forum for Module 3. There was a thread in Module 3 Unit 10 called "Social Justice and DE." This thread was generated as an opportunity to engage with our visiting author and DE expert, Greville Rumble. Essentially, Professor Huelsmann proposed an essay that was a response to Rumble's paper "Social justice, economics, and distance education." In the essay, Huelsmann contemplates the concept that there is a social and moral obligation for governments to use taxes in order to fund distance education as a means to provide the public with free access to higher education. Much of his argument as to why this is possible, and even necessary, is because social and political systems have been skewed to favor the richest 1%. The argument is that if the government's laws and taxes have been manipulated in such a way that the rich continue to get richer and the poor continue to get poorer, then the inverse must be true, or at least possible. That is, the government's laws and taxes can be manipulated in such a way that the rich no longer enjoy the kickbacks, loopholes, and subsidies that they did in the past, and inversely public education and government-funded programs can enjoy greater prosperity.
While I am certainly not against free access to higher education, and I certainly believe that distance education is a means to that end, I am not sure that I trust any government to achieve that or make it a reality. I tend to take the argument that privatized services are generally better than those funded or offered by the government. Rumble would argue that there are good and bad on both sides of the line: some government services are excellent, and some private services are lacking. The difference is COMPETITION! If a private educational institution does not offer quality education and graduate competitive students, then that institution will fail and cease to exist because individuals will spend their money elsewhere and go to a better school. However, if a government institution that has a failing record, there is no competing entity for individuals to seek out. Looking at how things have worked out historically, especially here in the US, most things trusted to the government end up being bloated, bureaucratic, inefficient, and costly. I don't see any reason to believe why government-funded DE would be any different. While there may be a social obligation to provide DE to "the people" for free, I don't think that the government should be the entity entrusted with making that a reality.
While I am certainly not against free access to higher education, and I certainly believe that distance education is a means to that end, I am not sure that I trust any government to achieve that or make it a reality. I tend to take the argument that privatized services are generally better than those funded or offered by the government. Rumble would argue that there are good and bad on both sides of the line: some government services are excellent, and some private services are lacking. The difference is COMPETITION! If a private educational institution does not offer quality education and graduate competitive students, then that institution will fail and cease to exist because individuals will spend their money elsewhere and go to a better school. However, if a government institution that has a failing record, there is no competing entity for individuals to seek out. Looking at how things have worked out historically, especially here in the US, most things trusted to the government end up being bloated, bureaucratic, inefficient, and costly. I don't see any reason to believe why government-funded DE would be any different. While there may be a social obligation to provide DE to "the people" for free, I don't think that the government should be the entity entrusted with making that a reality.
OMDE 606: Beginning of Module 3 (3/16/2016)
Module 3, as the final module for the course, will have us culminating all we have learned about the value of higher education and the costs of distance education in order to determine the cost effectiveness of distance education institutions. I am interested in learning about both the efficiency and effectiveness of distance education institutions for obvious reasons: 1) I am currently earning my master's degree through one, 2) I am investing my own time and effort into pursuing a career in distance education, and 3) I personally believe that distance education is the future of education, especially for countries with limited resources and infrastructure.
By looking at specific case studies, specifically those of the British Open University (OUUK), the Chinese Open University (COU), the Indira Ghandi Open University (IGNOU), and the University of South Africa (UNISA), I hope to learn the unique challenges and opportunities that are presented to open universities. Much like Assignment 2, I am hoping that grounding much of the theoretical and "formula-based" content in real life applications will make this content easy for me to digest.
By looking at specific case studies, specifically those of the British Open University (OUUK), the Chinese Open University (COU), the Indira Ghandi Open University (IGNOU), and the University of South Africa (UNISA), I hope to learn the unique challenges and opportunities that are presented to open universities. Much like Assignment 2, I am hoping that grounding much of the theoretical and "formula-based" content in real life applications will make this content easy for me to digest.
OMDE 606: End of Module 2 (3/6/2016)
After reflecting on my previous entry, I am surprised at how different the outcomes for this module were than my original expectations. While the module was a challenge for me, it has ended up being one of the best learning experiences for me so far in the DE program at UMUC. By engaging in the mathematical formulas that are used to determine the costs of a distance education program, I was able to use parts of my brain that probably hadn't been used in years! Also, the spreadsheet assignment was constructed in such a way that it was properly scaffolded for amateur Excel users like myself. The professor also held a helpful live webinar session that answered many of my questions.
I wanted to take the opportunity to record some of the main concepts I learned in this module here in my reflections so that I may refer to them later:
Indirect costs are overheads and Direct Costs are your development and presentation costs. Capital costs have value over more than one financial period. Operating costs are costs that have value only during one financial period. Fixed costs will remain the same despite the number of students in a program. Variable costs will go up or down depending on the number of students in a program. Simple depreciation divides the costs by the number of years during which the item is to be used. The social discount rate is generally higher than a simple depreciation rate because it accounts for the foregone interest each year that the capital is not consumed. Annualization of capital costs is similar to social discount in that the costs are not simply depreciated, but the foregone interest on your initial investment is taken into account. Total costs are determined by adding your fixed costs and your variable costs over the life of a program (this must account for the number of students in a program). Average costs are calculated by dividing the total costs by the number of students in a program. Marginal cost is the cost of adding one more student to the program, or essentially your variable cost per student (unaffected by fixed costs). Finally, semi-variable costs account for the fact that not all costs can be fixed or variable. Many costs are determined by the size of a group or class, and the number of those groups or classes.
I wanted to take the opportunity to record some of the main concepts I learned in this module here in my reflections so that I may refer to them later:
Indirect costs are overheads and Direct Costs are your development and presentation costs. Capital costs have value over more than one financial period. Operating costs are costs that have value only during one financial period. Fixed costs will remain the same despite the number of students in a program. Variable costs will go up or down depending on the number of students in a program. Simple depreciation divides the costs by the number of years during which the item is to be used. The social discount rate is generally higher than a simple depreciation rate because it accounts for the foregone interest each year that the capital is not consumed. Annualization of capital costs is similar to social discount in that the costs are not simply depreciated, but the foregone interest on your initial investment is taken into account. Total costs are determined by adding your fixed costs and your variable costs over the life of a program (this must account for the number of students in a program). Average costs are calculated by dividing the total costs by the number of students in a program. Marginal cost is the cost of adding one more student to the program, or essentially your variable cost per student (unaffected by fixed costs). Finally, semi-variable costs account for the fact that not all costs can be fixed or variable. Many costs are determined by the size of a group or class, and the number of those groups or classes.
OMDE 606: Beginning of Module 2 (2/19/2016)
Module 2 will have us looking at the techniques of cost analysis as it relates to distance education. I have yet to do the readings for this module, but just by looking at the discussion topics in the forums, I can tell that this module will be a challenge for me. While the professor promises that we do not need to have an in-depth understanding of the formulas being introduced in this module, as I've mentioned in previous posts, I have difficulty with math, so this module has me a little nervous.
The product that will come out of this module is a spreadsheet assignment where we will be doing a cost analysis for a fictional distance education program. Seeing as I have limited skills in Excel, I think that this assignment will prove to be a challenge for me. In this program, the majority of assignments have been expository in nature; I have always had the chance to explain and rationalize my argument or perspective. In this assignment, however, there is only one correct solution which is a bit nerve-wracking.
Despite my hesitancy regarding the topics in this module, I am looking forward to learning about the different ways to analyze the costs of distance education. This will apply to my job since we are currently investigating our approach to a new eLearning program and we are having difficulty determining how much to charge each student for access to the program. Perhaps I may learn the best way to determine profitability by participating in this module?
The product that will come out of this module is a spreadsheet assignment where we will be doing a cost analysis for a fictional distance education program. Seeing as I have limited skills in Excel, I think that this assignment will prove to be a challenge for me. In this program, the majority of assignments have been expository in nature; I have always had the chance to explain and rationalize my argument or perspective. In this assignment, however, there is only one correct solution which is a bit nerve-wracking.
Despite my hesitancy regarding the topics in this module, I am looking forward to learning about the different ways to analyze the costs of distance education. This will apply to my job since we are currently investigating our approach to a new eLearning program and we are having difficulty determining how much to charge each student for access to the program. Perhaps I may learn the best way to determine profitability by participating in this module?
OMDE 606: End of Module 1 (2/14/2016)
I wanted to take the opportunity on my most important takeaway for Module 1. The way the course was structured, it took me along the natural trajectory of understanding the value and economics of education. The initial debate had me contributing to the conversation as a a proponent of Human Capital Theory (HCT), where education leads to increased productivity, which eventually leads to increased wages. This seems logical enough, and it can be understood why this is the first iteration of an economic theory behind education. For example, a student that does not understand calculus would not be able to perform even the most basic functions of a civil engineer. However, once they become educated and gain those skills, they can be much more productive and earn higher wages in their chosen profession.
But HCT is limited in its scope. For example, how does HCT account for students that went to university to earn a liberal arts degree in English, but then went on to work for a marketing firm? Even though they didn't study marketing directly in university, they are still valuable to a marketing firm, and their university education proved to be an asset to their employer. This is where Screening Theory (ST) comes into play. ST, in addition to the components of HCT, considers natural skills and talents. For an employer, a university acts as a screening device through which individuals with intelligence, stamina, docility, and communication skills can pass.
Another model that we considered to understand the value of education was the Job Competition Model (JCM). This model helps to captures the expansion of education and accounts for a job market that is flooded with college graduates. In JCM, earning a higher education enters an individual into a "job queue" for potential employers. Employers then use individuals' credentials (type of degree, grades earned, etc.) in order to rank the applicants within the queue. This model explains why so many people are willing to pay for higher education even if they do not think it provides educational value; a lack of degree prevents you from even being able to enter the job queue.
It was interesting to see the evolution of theories that attempt to capture the value of education. I personally feel that the JCM makes the most sense since it explains why a degree still holds value for students, even if their educational expectations are not met.
But HCT is limited in its scope. For example, how does HCT account for students that went to university to earn a liberal arts degree in English, but then went on to work for a marketing firm? Even though they didn't study marketing directly in university, they are still valuable to a marketing firm, and their university education proved to be an asset to their employer. This is where Screening Theory (ST) comes into play. ST, in addition to the components of HCT, considers natural skills and talents. For an employer, a university acts as a screening device through which individuals with intelligence, stamina, docility, and communication skills can pass.
Another model that we considered to understand the value of education was the Job Competition Model (JCM). This model helps to captures the expansion of education and accounts for a job market that is flooded with college graduates. In JCM, earning a higher education enters an individual into a "job queue" for potential employers. Employers then use individuals' credentials (type of degree, grades earned, etc.) in order to rank the applicants within the queue. This model explains why so many people are willing to pay for higher education even if they do not think it provides educational value; a lack of degree prevents you from even being able to enter the job queue.
It was interesting to see the evolution of theories that attempt to capture the value of education. I personally feel that the JCM makes the most sense since it explains why a degree still holds value for students, even if their educational expectations are not met.
OMDE 606: Beginning of Module 1 (2/5/2016)
Module 1 is for OMDE 606 is all about the expansion of education and the emergence of the economics of education. The unit will start out with a debate based on the opening chapter in Wolff's (2002) Elixir or snake oil? Can education really deliver growth? I was assigned the task of being PRO education as a means to promote growth, both for the individual and for a country's economy as a whole. This is an easy position for me to take, as I do see education as a means by which to promote an individual's earnings in the workplace, and thus help boost a country's economy overall.
I am interested in learning about the expansion of education, especially over the past 50 years. I know that the rate at which individuals are gaining access to higher education, especially in developing countries, has been expanding dramatically. I am curious about what the data will say about how this has positively affected countries' economic well being.
In this module we will also be exploring the concepts of Human Capital Theory (HCT), Screening Theory (ST), and the Job Comparison Model (JCM). All of these are theories that attempt to understand how and why education leads to increased earnings for an individual. Also discussed will be determining how to measure the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and the Rates of Return to Education (RORE). These calculations will analyze the value gained from investing in education.
I am interested in learning about the expansion of education, especially over the past 50 years. I know that the rate at which individuals are gaining access to higher education, especially in developing countries, has been expanding dramatically. I am curious about what the data will say about how this has positively affected countries' economic well being.
In this module we will also be exploring the concepts of Human Capital Theory (HCT), Screening Theory (ST), and the Job Comparison Model (JCM). All of these are theories that attempt to understand how and why education leads to increased earnings for an individual. Also discussed will be determining how to measure the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and the Rates of Return to Education (RORE). These calculations will analyze the value gained from investing in education.
OMDE 610: End of Module 5 (4/18/2015)
Module 5 served as a good way to move in to the final weeks of class. Based on class discussions, it seems like many of my classmates agreed that theory does not always determine what is done in practice. In fact, one of the instructors for the course echoed my thoughts that practice typically informs theory more often than not. Another good thing about this module is that it helped me to prepare for Assignment 5. I plan on creating an eLearning course/video on best practices for a Connectivist online university. I will be posting my project to the Artifacts portion of the website.
OMDE 610: Beginning of Module 5 (4/14/2015)
The course is beginning to wind down now and we are entering into the homestretch. So far, we have covered most of the major learning theories: behaviorism, cognitivism, contructivism, online collaborative learning, and connectivism. For this module, the goal is to see how we can take what we have learned about those theories and how we can develop best practices based on them. I am interested to see what my classmates will have to say about this topic, as best practices are usually dictated by specifics (i.e., audience, content, method of delivery, etc.).
Another one of the learning goals for this module is to discuss how theory does or does not inform policy in the DE organization. As I have contended all along, I think that theory does not necessarily inform policy, but rather the opposite. While I’m sure that my professor might disagree, I think that effective online instruction doesn’t have to begin with a consideration of theory. Most often, online instruction that results in learning can be attributed to a certain theory in retrospect, based simply on the fact that learning took place. I’m curious to see what the reading materials and my fellow classmates have to say that might make me think otherwise.
But all of this is not to say that theory doesn’t have its place in the DE organization. A consideration of theory before developing and delivering content will almost always result in a more consistent, and better thought out end product. Considering and applying a learning theory to the DE organization is certainly a best practice, but not one that I think is necessary for positive results.
Another one of the learning goals for this module is to discuss how theory does or does not inform policy in the DE organization. As I have contended all along, I think that theory does not necessarily inform policy, but rather the opposite. While I’m sure that my professor might disagree, I think that effective online instruction doesn’t have to begin with a consideration of theory. Most often, online instruction that results in learning can be attributed to a certain theory in retrospect, based simply on the fact that learning took place. I’m curious to see what the reading materials and my fellow classmates have to say that might make me think otherwise.
But all of this is not to say that theory doesn’t have its place in the DE organization. A consideration of theory before developing and delivering content will almost always result in a more consistent, and better thought out end product. Considering and applying a learning theory to the DE organization is certainly a best practice, but not one that I think is necessary for positive results.
OMDE 610: End of Module Four (4/7/2015)
Module four was a nice review of connectivism, MOOCs, and a new term for me - OCoPs. An OCoP is an online community of practice, and while I struggled a bit with the concept at first, assignment four (found in the Artifacts section of this portfolio) helped me to better understand. An OCoP is a place where people in similar professions can come together to discuss problems and share knowledge online. By building a community through discussion forums, interconnected blogs, and/or a place to share content and ideas, an OCoP is built on constructivist and connectivist learning theories. Learning takes place when users establish connections and networks with other professionals in their field. Those that have questions learn from those with more experience, and the more senior members of the community have a place to share new ideas and push the limits of the community further.
For assignment four, we had to research an OCoP, and I was originally a little bit uninspired because many of the OCoPs I found online were related to traditional education (K-College) professionals. As an e-learning professional, I wanted to find something that I could really take advantage of. Then it occurred to me, and this was the big "A-ha" moment for this module, that I already am a member of an OCoP! I actively post to, as well as beg, borrow, and steal from E-Learning Heroes. As an avid user of Articulate e-learning software, I go there all the time to ask questions and browse the various resources that are available. It was kind of fun to research the community, and analyze all of the different ways that it functions per Harasim's (2012) reading.
Harasim, Linda (2012-03-22). Learning Theory and Online Technology (p. 149-153). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.
For assignment four, we had to research an OCoP, and I was originally a little bit uninspired because many of the OCoPs I found online were related to traditional education (K-College) professionals. As an e-learning professional, I wanted to find something that I could really take advantage of. Then it occurred to me, and this was the big "A-ha" moment for this module, that I already am a member of an OCoP! I actively post to, as well as beg, borrow, and steal from E-Learning Heroes. As an avid user of Articulate e-learning software, I go there all the time to ask questions and browse the various resources that are available. It was kind of fun to research the community, and analyze all of the different ways that it functions per Harasim's (2012) reading.
Harasim, Linda (2012-03-22). Learning Theory and Online Technology (p. 149-153). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.
OMDE 610: Beginning of Module Four (3/23/2015)
In module four, we will be learning about communities in online learning, connectivism, and MOOCs. In OMDE 601, I enjoyed learning about connectivism. Now that the theory has been about for more than a decade, it may not be as hotly debated as it was before, but I liked to read the arguments between academics over whether or not it was really a learning theory. As you can probably tell from all of my previous posts, I tend to have a preference for the modern, cutting edge learning theories, so connectivism intrigues me. Our world is changing so quickly, specifically because of the internet, and I think it is important to ensure that online access to information and people is being considered in theorizing about the way we learn.
I am also interested to see what we will learn about MOOCs. So far, I haven’t really seen evidence of the great impact they are supposed to have on moving the field of education into the future. While it seems great to provide open access to educational materials (lectures, readings, and problem sets), to reference the COI, there is a lack of teaching presence in MOOCs that makes them ineffective. While forums and discussion threads can help students to learn from one another, I think the feedback from a teacher or instructor is important for learning to take place. Although, I am admittedly unaware of recent developments in MOOCs – maybe things have changed? We’ll see.
I am also interested to see what we will learn about MOOCs. So far, I haven’t really seen evidence of the great impact they are supposed to have on moving the field of education into the future. While it seems great to provide open access to educational materials (lectures, readings, and problem sets), to reference the COI, there is a lack of teaching presence in MOOCs that makes them ineffective. While forums and discussion threads can help students to learn from one another, I think the feedback from a teacher or instructor is important for learning to take place. Although, I am admittedly unaware of recent developments in MOOCs – maybe things have changed? We’ll see.
OMDE 610: End of Module Three (3/21/2015)
Module three ended up being my favorite module so far in this class. I really learned a lot about constructivist and online collaborative learning (OCL) theories, which seem to align closest with my own personal theory of learning. My favorite reading was E-Learning and Constructivism: From Theory to Application, by Koohang, Riley, and Smith. It was a really helpful reading that gave several examples of different learning activities based on constructivism. The different learning activities provided varied from research assignments to human computer interaction assignments. The article also gave student feedback from each of the lessons. I think I will definitely refer back to this article for lesson development ideas, especially the corporate performance management assignment.
For module three's assignment, I chose to develop a lesson based on OCL that incorporated the use of a webinar and a wiki. In my current position, we often have to train our members how to use the online system that we have developed. The problem is no two members use the system in the same way, and it is difficult to train towards certain processes and best practices. I decided that I could use OCL to address that issue and allow the different users of our system to teach each other their work processes and best practices. By creating a lesson where we as the company teach our members about the basic functionality and capabilities of the system through a webinar, and then allowing the learners to document and share their own use of those capabilities through a wiki, I feel like I am full embracing the OCL; people learn from each other by sharing experiences, specifically through and online medium.
Looking forward to next week where we will be focusing on connectivism, communities of practice, and MOOCs.
For module three's assignment, I chose to develop a lesson based on OCL that incorporated the use of a webinar and a wiki. In my current position, we often have to train our members how to use the online system that we have developed. The problem is no two members use the system in the same way, and it is difficult to train towards certain processes and best practices. I decided that I could use OCL to address that issue and allow the different users of our system to teach each other their work processes and best practices. By creating a lesson where we as the company teach our members about the basic functionality and capabilities of the system through a webinar, and then allowing the learners to document and share their own use of those capabilities through a wiki, I feel like I am full embracing the OCL; people learn from each other by sharing experiences, specifically through and online medium.
Looking forward to next week where we will be focusing on connectivism, communities of practice, and MOOCs.
OMDE 610: Beginning of Module Three (3/11/2015)
The focus of module three is on constructivist and online collaborative learning (OCL) theories. I am looking forward to this module because in the beginning of the class, we had to decide which learning theory we thought would best fit for 21st century distance education. I chose OCL for what I thought were fairly obvious reasons – it is a new learning theory, and the word “online” is right in the title! But outside of that, I tend to believe that learning goes on best when people learn from each other and they share their experiences. OCL is based on this concept, and stresses the importance of the Internet as a means for people to interact with one another and transfer knowledge to one another.
Another objective for this module is to explore the ways that social technologies can affect or contribute to online teaching and learning. I am interested to see what we will learn about with regard to these technologies. I have had to use them in my own education, and even implemented them when teaching high school English, both with varying levels of success. I would like to implement the use of Web 2.0 technology into more of my company’s online training, so I will want to see what other people in the class have done too effectively leverage social technologies.
Another objective for this module is to explore the ways that social technologies can affect or contribute to online teaching and learning. I am interested to see what we will learn about with regard to these technologies. I have had to use them in my own education, and even implemented them when teaching high school English, both with varying levels of success. I would like to implement the use of Web 2.0 technology into more of my company’s online training, so I will want to see what other people in the class have done too effectively leverage social technologies.
OMDE 610: End of Module Two (3/8/2015)
Module two was definitely a bit of a struggle for me. The one discussion that I enjoyed the most was the thread about online teaching philosophies. It had been a while since I seriously reflected on my teaching philosophy, and I do think that it is an important aspect of being a reflective educator to consider and modify your teaching philosophy as you continue to learn and grow. What was nice about this discussion was that it was directed by a reading by Kanuka that helped to classify all of the different theoretical teaching philosophies that are out there. Then, the reading goes on to explain how those philosophies may be guided by or associated with certain views on technology in education. I found myself aligning with a more Progressive teaching philosophy because of my more humanistic and philanthropic views on education. And in terms of technology philosophies, I tended towards Uses Determinism because of its stress on the importance of asynchronous technology. For me, these two philosophies working hand in hand could really help to spread the reach of meaningful educational opportunities across the world.
I was definitely challenged by the rubric portion of this module. While I use rubrics in my own teaching practices, I find their development to be tedious and boring. Analyzing a rubric isn't much more exciting. However, I think that it was a good experience to take close look at the ROI and QM rubrics for online education. There were criteria used to evaluate online courses that I would not have thought of myself, but are definitely important, like "Faculty Use of Student Feedback" in the ROI rubric: how well an online course allow students to provide feedback to faulty, and what the faculty does with that feedback. This is something that I find very valuable as an online student but might have overlooked as a DE expert evaluating a course.
Finally, I feel like my suspicions about the validity of behaviorism in online instruction seem to have been proven right. I was hard pressed to come up with an engaging eLearning lesson that was rooted in behaviorist learning theory. I ended up doing a fairly simple flashcard vocabulary and quiz interaction that only really engages learners at a very low level of learning. I am looking forward to reviewing my classmates' portfolios to see what they have posted for this assignment. Perhaps I will be proven wrong?
I was definitely challenged by the rubric portion of this module. While I use rubrics in my own teaching practices, I find their development to be tedious and boring. Analyzing a rubric isn't much more exciting. However, I think that it was a good experience to take close look at the ROI and QM rubrics for online education. There were criteria used to evaluate online courses that I would not have thought of myself, but are definitely important, like "Faculty Use of Student Feedback" in the ROI rubric: how well an online course allow students to provide feedback to faulty, and what the faculty does with that feedback. This is something that I find very valuable as an online student but might have overlooked as a DE expert evaluating a course.
Finally, I feel like my suspicions about the validity of behaviorism in online instruction seem to have been proven right. I was hard pressed to come up with an engaging eLearning lesson that was rooted in behaviorist learning theory. I ended up doing a fairly simple flashcard vocabulary and quiz interaction that only really engages learners at a very low level of learning. I am looking forward to reviewing my classmates' portfolios to see what they have posted for this assignment. Perhaps I will be proven wrong?
OMDE 610: Beginning of Module Two (2/25/2015)
I am interested to see how Module Two will shape up. The objectives state that we will be exploring how behaviorist and cognitivist learning theories can be best applied to online learning. From what I understand and have read in our Harasim text, it seems like these two theories have the least application to online learning. I am almost certain that my presumption is wrong, so I am curious to learn how the course readings, instructors, and my fellow students help me to change my position. I am especially interested to see how a behaviorist learning theory applies to online learning; how can the classic stimulus-response association effectively be made from a distance? Do we still really think that learning is just being able to alter a learner's behavior? At the end of the module, I will try to answer these questions.
OMDE 610: End of Module One (2/20/2015)
Module One proved to be a bit of a review for me, but it was one that I needed. I originally learned about learning theories like behaviorism, coginitivism, and constructivism when I earned my teaching certification from Ramapo College. And to be honest, I hadn't given those theories much thought as a professional when when developing high school English lessons or eLearning modules. Like I mention in the post below, educational theory certainly applied to the things I was doing as an instructor, and can be used to analyze and interpret my work, but I rarely ever sit down and contemplate, "Which learning theory will I use to develop this learning activity?" For me, it's not really a chicken or the egg type of thing; the practical always comes before the theoretical. But I digress; this is exactly why module one was important for me. As a DE professional, I should be considering theory as I develop my work.
In this module, the "big idea" that really struck me was Harasim's (2012) concept of the Online Collaborative Learning (OCL) theory. Similar in many ways to Siemens' (2004) concept of connectivism (another theory that I support), it emphasizes how learning in the 21st century takes place based on an ongoing social discourse. This seems evident in the way we learn online: through forums, Web 2.0 technologies, and distance education courses. As we have seen by looking at the history of learning theories, I am sure that both OCL and connectivism will change and adapt as technology advances, but for now, I think that I will begin to use those theories as a basis for much of my work as a DE professional.
Harasim, Linda (2012-03-22). Learning Theory and Online Technology (p. 13). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.
Siemens, G. (2004). A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved March 26, 2007 from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
In this module, the "big idea" that really struck me was Harasim's (2012) concept of the Online Collaborative Learning (OCL) theory. Similar in many ways to Siemens' (2004) concept of connectivism (another theory that I support), it emphasizes how learning in the 21st century takes place based on an ongoing social discourse. This seems evident in the way we learn online: through forums, Web 2.0 technologies, and distance education courses. As we have seen by looking at the history of learning theories, I am sure that both OCL and connectivism will change and adapt as technology advances, but for now, I think that I will begin to use those theories as a basis for much of my work as a DE professional.
Harasim, Linda (2012-03-22). Learning Theory and Online Technology (p. 13). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.
Siemens, G. (2004). A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved March 26, 2007 from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
OMDE 610: Starting Up Again (2/12/2015)
So it has been a while since I have posted to this learning journal. A lot has happened. I have changed jobs, taken a year off from the program, bought my first house with my wife, and I am expecting twins in April! Needless to say, it is both exciting and a bit nerve-wracking to be starting up in the OMDE program again. I am looking forward to being one step closer to my Master's degree and continuing to grow my expertise in distance education and eLearning. However, as my life is changing and moving forward, I now have new responsibilities and commitments, so time management will be key. I am only taking one course this first semester to make sure that I can give the OMDE 610 the attention it requires.
OMDE 610: Teaching and Learning in Online Education is proving to be a theory-heavy course. Theory is traditionally a weak spot for me in almost any pursuit, educational or otherwise. Like most people, I understand things better when I can be hands-on and "learning by doing." I often feel that many theories, especially outside of "hard sciences," work backwards to try and explain why things work the way they do. Theorists want to apply labels and structure to what might be considered common sense. For example, we know that people learn; it is pretty self-evident. But theorists need to find a reason why and how we learn. I can respect the fact that those theories can help us to improve the ways we teach, and ultimately better inform our practices, but part of me can grow frustrated with the abstract when I am really interested in the practical.
Nevertheless, I would be a bad educator and trainer if I didn't realize that the best learning goes on where it isn't easy, so I look forward to pushing my boundaries with this class.
OMDE 610: Teaching and Learning in Online Education is proving to be a theory-heavy course. Theory is traditionally a weak spot for me in almost any pursuit, educational or otherwise. Like most people, I understand things better when I can be hands-on and "learning by doing." I often feel that many theories, especially outside of "hard sciences," work backwards to try and explain why things work the way they do. Theorists want to apply labels and structure to what might be considered common sense. For example, we know that people learn; it is pretty self-evident. But theorists need to find a reason why and how we learn. I can respect the fact that those theories can help us to improve the ways we teach, and ultimately better inform our practices, but part of me can grow frustrated with the abstract when I am really interested in the practical.
Nevertheless, I would be a bad educator and trainer if I didn't realize that the best learning goes on where it isn't easy, so I look forward to pushing my boundaries with this class.
OMDE 603: Learning Reflections Blog
As part of the requirements for course OMDE 603: Technology in Distance Education and E-Learning, I have set up my learning reflections for that class on a separate blog. You can access it by following this link: OMDE 603 Learning Reflections.
OMDE 601: Final Reflections (11/26/2013)
As OMDE 601 comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the class as a whole. Overall, as my first online course at UMUC, I am pleased with how things went. I really did come into the class with very little background knowledge of the subject, and I feel that I have a much greater understanding of what distance education is all about now. I initially signed up for the program with an interest because I knew that distance education was the future of education. Now that I have been exposed to the existing theories and hear about experts' predictions, I am even more sure about how distance education will continue to evolve and shape our world. One of the things I enjoyed learning about most was how distance education is helping developing countries to close the "learning gap" between them and the rest of the world. I hope that the other courses I take for the MDE are as fulfilling as this one was.
OMDE 601: Reflection (11/25/2013)
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 think that the grid was a great way to achieve many of the objectives for this class. It helped me to identify the different waves of distance education, the social and political influences that led to each wave, key theories and methodologies used, and the authors responsible for advancing distance education theory. By breaking up the history and evolution into waves, it helped to properly "chunk" the information into manageable portions that were easier to understand. I feel that now that I have completed the grid, I can confidently answer the question, "What is distance education?" I have a firm background in the most important aspects of the subject, and I have a visual breakdown of what fits into each category,
What aspects of the course have influenced you understanding of DE?
A combination of contributing to the (r)evolutionary gird, doing the assigned readings, and the last two writing assignments have really helped me to understand distance education better. As mentioned above, contributing to the grid really helped me to gain a "big picture" sense of what distance education is and where it is going. The last two writing assignments allowed me to delve into greater detail based upon my interests. My second paper (posted to the Artifacts page on this site) had me comparing two distance education institutions - one from a developing country, the other from a developed country. Writing this paper gave me the opportunity to conduct independent research and really explore what the possibilities and limitations of distance education are in real-life situations. My most recent paper on Connectivism gave me the opportunity to research and explore a developing educational theory that I personally find very interesting. By reflecting on the assigned readings, the grid, and my essays, I feel I have a very good grasp on the basics of distance education.
Consider the overall course objectives. Were all or most of these objectives achieved? If so, in what ways and to what degree?
I feel like this course did a good job of achieving all of the course objectives. Especially compared to some of the other classes I took this semester, OMDE 601 was very rigorous. Each week there was a wide variety of tasks and readings to complete. Discussions were rich and the assignments were meaningful. The instructor provided timely and thorough feedback. The group grid especially helped me to gain exposure and mastery of most of the objectives. This e-portfolio is one of the best things to come out of this class. I would have never taken the time to create one on my own, so I am glad that it was a part of the course requirements.
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?
While I found the content and work required to complete the grid was beneficial, working with a group to do so was frustrating for me. I took the lead in the beginning of the project thinking that we would take turns, but ended up being the ring leader the whole time. This leadership role came with far more work than what I feel my fellow partners had to do. I set up the Google doc, I invited everyone to access it, I was often the first (and sometimes only) person to post to the discussions, I incorporated most of the instructor's comments, and I was the one who always ended up submitting the grid by the deadline. Also, when comparing the sections of the grid assigned to me to those of my partners, I feel that my work was more thorough and of higher quality. On top of this, a few of my group members never really got on board with the technology of Google docs until the very end, and I would end up having to re-format or enter their contributions at the last minute. Overall, I'm glad that the group grid was a part of the class, but I would have rather done it on my own. For members of my group, I am sure it was good experience for them to participate in a discussion group, learn about collaborative documents, etc., but since I am already fairly comfortable with the process, it was tiresome to try and get everyone on the same page.
I think that the grid was a great way to achieve many of the objectives for this class. It helped me to identify the different waves of distance education, the social and political influences that led to each wave, key theories and methodologies used, and the authors responsible for advancing distance education theory. By breaking up the history and evolution into waves, it helped to properly "chunk" the information into manageable portions that were easier to understand. I feel that now that I have completed the grid, I can confidently answer the question, "What is distance education?" I have a firm background in the most important aspects of the subject, and I have a visual breakdown of what fits into each category,
What aspects of the course have influenced you understanding of DE?
A combination of contributing to the (r)evolutionary gird, doing the assigned readings, and the last two writing assignments have really helped me to understand distance education better. As mentioned above, contributing to the grid really helped me to gain a "big picture" sense of what distance education is and where it is going. The last two writing assignments allowed me to delve into greater detail based upon my interests. My second paper (posted to the Artifacts page on this site) had me comparing two distance education institutions - one from a developing country, the other from a developed country. Writing this paper gave me the opportunity to conduct independent research and really explore what the possibilities and limitations of distance education are in real-life situations. My most recent paper on Connectivism gave me the opportunity to research and explore a developing educational theory that I personally find very interesting. By reflecting on the assigned readings, the grid, and my essays, I feel I have a very good grasp on the basics of distance education.
Consider the overall course objectives. Were all or most of these objectives achieved? If so, in what ways and to what degree?
I feel like this course did a good job of achieving all of the course objectives. Especially compared to some of the other classes I took this semester, OMDE 601 was very rigorous. Each week there was a wide variety of tasks and readings to complete. Discussions were rich and the assignments were meaningful. The instructor provided timely and thorough feedback. The group grid especially helped me to gain exposure and mastery of most of the objectives. This e-portfolio is one of the best things to come out of this class. I would have never taken the time to create one on my own, so I am glad that it was a part of the course requirements.
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?
While I found the content and work required to complete the grid was beneficial, working with a group to do so was frustrating for me. I took the lead in the beginning of the project thinking that we would take turns, but ended up being the ring leader the whole time. This leadership role came with far more work than what I feel my fellow partners had to do. I set up the Google doc, I invited everyone to access it, I was often the first (and sometimes only) person to post to the discussions, I incorporated most of the instructor's comments, and I was the one who always ended up submitting the grid by the deadline. Also, when comparing the sections of the grid assigned to me to those of my partners, I feel that my work was more thorough and of higher quality. On top of this, a few of my group members never really got on board with the technology of Google docs until the very end, and I would end up having to re-format or enter their contributions at the last minute. Overall, I'm glad that the group grid was a part of the class, but I would have rather done it on my own. For members of my group, I am sure it was good experience for them to participate in a discussion group, learn about collaborative documents, etc., but since I am already fairly comfortable with the process, it was tiresome to try and get everyone on the same page.
OMDE 601: Connectivism - Complicated vs. Complex (11/20/2013)
Part of the activities for class this week was to watch this Interview with George Siemens on YouTube. I have been interested in Siemens' concept of Connectivism since I learned about it in my other class, and you can read my initial reflection in my OMDE 603 Learning Reflections blog.
The part of the interview I found most interesting was when he described the difference between "complex" and "complicated" with regard to his theory. He gives some nice examples. For Siemens, performing a repair on your car is something that is complicated. Each little part has its own function and place, and unless they are put back together correctly, the car will not work. Other complicated tasks might be memorizing a list, solving a long math equation, or putting together a puzzle. Alternatively, an example of a complex system would be the weather. One can understand and analyze the different warm and cold fronts, previous weather patterns, and radar predictions, but it is still very difficult to say exactly what will happen with the weather in the future. Another example would be the stock market: even though we have many different indexes and polls to help guess what will happen, it is still a very unpredictable and surprising system.
Siemens claims that his theory of Connectivism is one that is "complex" in nature, and it is in these complex interactions between different "nodes" that learning takes place. What is interesting, though, is that he acknowledges that since these interactions or connections are complex, it makes it difficult to predict what will happen or take place between them. This is the part of Connectivism that makes it hard for me to relate to in a concrete way. While I understand and can appreciate how learning and education certainly does take place in the way we interact with different people and sources of information, it is this theoretical and complex "gray zone" that can baffle me sometimes.
The part of the interview I found most interesting was when he described the difference between "complex" and "complicated" with regard to his theory. He gives some nice examples. For Siemens, performing a repair on your car is something that is complicated. Each little part has its own function and place, and unless they are put back together correctly, the car will not work. Other complicated tasks might be memorizing a list, solving a long math equation, or putting together a puzzle. Alternatively, an example of a complex system would be the weather. One can understand and analyze the different warm and cold fronts, previous weather patterns, and radar predictions, but it is still very difficult to say exactly what will happen with the weather in the future. Another example would be the stock market: even though we have many different indexes and polls to help guess what will happen, it is still a very unpredictable and surprising system.
Siemens claims that his theory of Connectivism is one that is "complex" in nature, and it is in these complex interactions between different "nodes" that learning takes place. What is interesting, though, is that he acknowledges that since these interactions or connections are complex, it makes it difficult to predict what will happen or take place between them. This is the part of Connectivism that makes it hard for me to relate to in a concrete way. While I understand and can appreciate how learning and education certainly does take place in the way we interact with different people and sources of information, it is this theoretical and complex "gray zone" that can baffle me sometimes.
OMDE 601: Reflections on Wave 3 (11/8/2013)
Did you experience any "a-ha!" moments during this wave? Tell us more about them and what specifically made them "a-ha!" moments.
An a-ha moment for me during this wave of distance education was learning about the dichotomy of Garrison and Peters' views on how digitized learning is changing distance education. Garrison (2009) maintains that the internet and Web 2.0 technologies have led to a greater ability for collaborative construction of knowledge. Peters (2010), on the other hand, suggests that these same advances in education have led to further supporting self-directedness and self-determination.
Obviously, both scholars' views are valid. Garrison is right because so many Web 2.0 technologies allow us to collaborate with our peers to construct knowledge (discussion forums, wikis, blogs, email, chat messaging, etc.). Yet Peters is correct, as well, because a learner now has much greater flexibility in choosing when, how, where, and what he or she wants to learn about. Learning about both of their views was an a-ha moment for me because I realized that I personally had always thought about the present and future of distance education from Garrison's collaboration-friendly perspective. I always think of the internet as a place where people can come together to share ideas and ask questions. However, the more research i did, and the more I read on the class's discussions forums, the more I found myself agreeing with Peters, as well.
Think of a real-world situation, perhaps your current work environment, where you could apply something that you have learned in this module.
Over the past year or so I have become interested in a new hobby - planted freshwater aquariums. My interest started when I first stumbled upon some images of aquariums designed by Takeshi Amano. His tanks were works of art and I wanted to see if I could create something just as beautiful. To get started with the hobby, I took advantage of many online learning opportunities in a self-directed manner: I found several "how-to" websites, read articles, watched YouTube videos, learning as much as I could on my own. Once I had a general sense of how to set up and maintain a basic planted freshwater aquarium, I then started to engage in the learning process in a much more collaborative manner. When it came time to buy the necessary supplies, order livestock, and select the plants I would grow, I joined a few online forums, started a blog, and began recording my own videos. When I had a question, I would ask it in the forum. Fellow bloggers would comment on the progress in my blog. And I could use my videos to share and get feedback on different obstacles I faced along the way. So even for something as simple as a fish tank, Garrison and Peters' theories on online learning come into play.
An a-ha moment for me during this wave of distance education was learning about the dichotomy of Garrison and Peters' views on how digitized learning is changing distance education. Garrison (2009) maintains that the internet and Web 2.0 technologies have led to a greater ability for collaborative construction of knowledge. Peters (2010), on the other hand, suggests that these same advances in education have led to further supporting self-directedness and self-determination.
Obviously, both scholars' views are valid. Garrison is right because so many Web 2.0 technologies allow us to collaborate with our peers to construct knowledge (discussion forums, wikis, blogs, email, chat messaging, etc.). Yet Peters is correct, as well, because a learner now has much greater flexibility in choosing when, how, where, and what he or she wants to learn about. Learning about both of their views was an a-ha moment for me because I realized that I personally had always thought about the present and future of distance education from Garrison's collaboration-friendly perspective. I always think of the internet as a place where people can come together to share ideas and ask questions. However, the more research i did, and the more I read on the class's discussions forums, the more I found myself agreeing with Peters, as well.
Think of a real-world situation, perhaps your current work environment, where you could apply something that you have learned in this module.
Over the past year or so I have become interested in a new hobby - planted freshwater aquariums. My interest started when I first stumbled upon some images of aquariums designed by Takeshi Amano. His tanks were works of art and I wanted to see if I could create something just as beautiful. To get started with the hobby, I took advantage of many online learning opportunities in a self-directed manner: I found several "how-to" websites, read articles, watched YouTube videos, learning as much as I could on my own. Once I had a general sense of how to set up and maintain a basic planted freshwater aquarium, I then started to engage in the learning process in a much more collaborative manner. When it came time to buy the necessary supplies, order livestock, and select the plants I would grow, I joined a few online forums, started a blog, and began recording my own videos. When I had a question, I would ask it in the forum. Fellow bloggers would comment on the progress in my blog. And I could use my videos to share and get feedback on different obstacles I faced along the way. So even for something as simple as a fish tank, Garrison and Peters' theories on online learning come into play.
OMDE 601: Further Reflections on Wave 2 (10/24/2013)
What aspects of Wave 2 did you find to be the most interesting? Why? What was the least interesting?
The most interesting aspect of Wave 2 for me was the development of open universities. My favorite thing about the open university model is the lack of acceptance requirements; by making educational resources available to all, open universities have made great strides in promoting an egalitarian approach to higher education. The pioneers in this field, namely the British Open University, met with adversity from both the academic and political spheres. Offering affordable and qualified educational resources to just anyone was an absurd idea in the 1960s and 70s. I think that the success, popularity, and credibility of the British Open University has helped to prove the original nay-sayers wrong.
Perhaps the least interesting aspect of Wave 2 was the focus on andragogy. While I can respect and understand the theoretical differences between adult and child learners, it doesn't really create a "spark" in me. I feel that sound pedagogical principles apply to both groups of learners, and andragogy, while valid, is very specific to adult education.
What were your "a-ha!" moments during this wave? What incited these moments and how did they influence your understanding of DE?
An "a-ha!" moment came for me when I first began learning about transactional distance - the mental or psychological distance experienced by students in distance education. Moore (2012) and Peters (2004) both base their understanding of distance education on three pedagogical categories: dialogue, structure, and autonomy. Students enrolled in distance education courses that are rich in dialogue are said to experience a lower transactional distance; they feel closer to the learning material, their instructors, and fellow students. The "a-ha!" moment came when I began to consider the many discussion forums in which I participate for OMDE 601. Initially, I thought this was mainly a way for instructors to oversee student progress and understanding, as well as a forum for students to interact and question one another. After learning about transactional distance, however, I realized that these discussions are a great way to decrease the transactional distance experienced by students in the course, leading to better overall student performance and enjoyment.
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'm not sure I would necessarily change my original definition of DE. One of the reasons I kept my original definition so broad was so that it would incorporate all aspects of distance education. I feel like many of my fellow classmates were eager to try and include many of the specifics relating to today's conception of distance education, but the fact remains the same: Distance education is a form of learning where students have remote access to the instructor, their fellow classmates, and the information being taught. I feel this applies to the second wave of distance education just as well as any other.
Moore and Kearsley's analysis of the systems approach to developing distance education course material was influential for me. Having previously worked in an instructional systems design capacity, I found their application of the Analysis, Design, Development, Implement & Evaluate (ADDIE) model to distance education very interesting. The emphasis placed on pre-panning when it comes to delivering distance education course materials is significant. There is little room for error once a class is ready to be launched, and because of this the cyclical nature of development and evaluation in instructional design is crucial for successful distance education courseware.
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.
It was really cool to have access to Alan Tait in our classroom for the past week. Selfishly enough, my favorite part of his visit was when I had a chance to share some dialogue with him directly. He asked the class why we felt there was no American Open University. While I am sure he wasn't asking out of genuine curiosity (but rather to spark some interesting DE conversation), I enjoyed the challenge of analyzing America's university system and academic culture in order to come up with a response. Luckily enough, he agreed with my assertions and reflected on why it still may be a while until we see the 'American Open University.'
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?
I actually had not taken a look at the learning objectives for this course until just now. Having now read them carefully, I am impressed with the way the course discussions, readings, skillbuilders, and writing assignments have been designed to help us achieve them. I think that the DE Wave Grid is a great tool for helping us to achieve nearly all of the objectives all at once.
One objective that I feel I have been "slacking" on is the objective to "Navigate and use social media for the purpose of learning, documenting learning, and creating content." I have set up my Twitter account and have been following a few scholars, but I have not re-tweeted any information as of yet. This was a good reminder for me to continue to pursue that objective,
Moore, M. G., & Kearsley, G. (2012). Distance education: A systems view of online learning. USA: Wadsworth-Cengage Learning.
Peters, O. (2004). Learning and teaching in distance education: Analysis and interpretations from an international perspective (pp. 28-54). London & New York: RoutledgeFalmer.
The most interesting aspect of Wave 2 for me was the development of open universities. My favorite thing about the open university model is the lack of acceptance requirements; by making educational resources available to all, open universities have made great strides in promoting an egalitarian approach to higher education. The pioneers in this field, namely the British Open University, met with adversity from both the academic and political spheres. Offering affordable and qualified educational resources to just anyone was an absurd idea in the 1960s and 70s. I think that the success, popularity, and credibility of the British Open University has helped to prove the original nay-sayers wrong.
Perhaps the least interesting aspect of Wave 2 was the focus on andragogy. While I can respect and understand the theoretical differences between adult and child learners, it doesn't really create a "spark" in me. I feel that sound pedagogical principles apply to both groups of learners, and andragogy, while valid, is very specific to adult education.
What were your "a-ha!" moments during this wave? What incited these moments and how did they influence your understanding of DE?
An "a-ha!" moment came for me when I first began learning about transactional distance - the mental or psychological distance experienced by students in distance education. Moore (2012) and Peters (2004) both base their understanding of distance education on three pedagogical categories: dialogue, structure, and autonomy. Students enrolled in distance education courses that are rich in dialogue are said to experience a lower transactional distance; they feel closer to the learning material, their instructors, and fellow students. The "a-ha!" moment came when I began to consider the many discussion forums in which I participate for OMDE 601. Initially, I thought this was mainly a way for instructors to oversee student progress and understanding, as well as a forum for students to interact and question one another. After learning about transactional distance, however, I realized that these discussions are a great way to decrease the transactional distance experienced by students in the course, leading to better overall student performance and enjoyment.
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'm not sure I would necessarily change my original definition of DE. One of the reasons I kept my original definition so broad was so that it would incorporate all aspects of distance education. I feel like many of my fellow classmates were eager to try and include many of the specifics relating to today's conception of distance education, but the fact remains the same: Distance education is a form of learning where students have remote access to the instructor, their fellow classmates, and the information being taught. I feel this applies to the second wave of distance education just as well as any other.
Moore and Kearsley's analysis of the systems approach to developing distance education course material was influential for me. Having previously worked in an instructional systems design capacity, I found their application of the Analysis, Design, Development, Implement & Evaluate (ADDIE) model to distance education very interesting. The emphasis placed on pre-panning when it comes to delivering distance education course materials is significant. There is little room for error once a class is ready to be launched, and because of this the cyclical nature of development and evaluation in instructional design is crucial for successful distance education courseware.
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.
It was really cool to have access to Alan Tait in our classroom for the past week. Selfishly enough, my favorite part of his visit was when I had a chance to share some dialogue with him directly. He asked the class why we felt there was no American Open University. While I am sure he wasn't asking out of genuine curiosity (but rather to spark some interesting DE conversation), I enjoyed the challenge of analyzing America's university system and academic culture in order to come up with a response. Luckily enough, he agreed with my assertions and reflected on why it still may be a while until we see the 'American Open University.'
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?
I actually had not taken a look at the learning objectives for this course until just now. Having now read them carefully, I am impressed with the way the course discussions, readings, skillbuilders, and writing assignments have been designed to help us achieve them. I think that the DE Wave Grid is a great tool for helping us to achieve nearly all of the objectives all at once.
One objective that I feel I have been "slacking" on is the objective to "Navigate and use social media for the purpose of learning, documenting learning, and creating content." I have set up my Twitter account and have been following a few scholars, but I have not re-tweeted any information as of yet. This was a good reminder for me to continue to pursue that objective,
Moore, M. G., & Kearsley, G. (2012). Distance education: A systems view of online learning. USA: Wadsworth-Cengage Learning.
Peters, O. (2004). Learning and teaching in distance education: Analysis and interpretations from an international perspective (pp. 28-54). London & New York: RoutledgeFalmer.
OMDE 601: The Second Wave of DE (10/10/2013)
The second wave of distance education is marked by its development and acknowledgement as an educational science. Academic researchers and scholars like Otto Peters and Tony Bates helped to establish distance education as its own unique form of education outside of the traditional classroom. Previously, distance education may have been considered a curious offshoot or by-product of mainstream education, but during the second wave it gained an independent status as an entity unto itself.
During the first wave, distance education was developed in order to meet the needs of those who had no other way to access education. In the second wave, the establishment of open universities designed with the sole intent of delivering distance education came into being. Adult learners were targeted and in the case of the British Open University, political support came from the idea that "people could improve themselves by studying and working hard and getting on" (Bates, 2011, p. 3). This ideal, combined with top notch academic faculty and materials designed explicitly for distance education, led to the rapid development of distance education.
The second wave of distance education was also characterized by a systems view of development. Large groups of academics that were specialists in different fields would work together with technical specialists, instructional designers, and administrators to develop and deliver course materials (Moore & Kearlsley, 2012, p. 101). Courses were no longer developed and maintained by a single academic mind. This systems view also lent itself to the use of new technologies like television and radio, which were used to deliver education while taking advantage of economies of scale.
This increased access to education for all also led to a change in social perspective with regard to education. Up until the second wave of distance education, higher education was only pursued by the upper classes. In many countries, education at the undergraduate or graduate level was highly exclusive. But with the second wave of distance education, access to education was made available to larger portions of the population, helping to diminish the divide between the privileged upper class and a rising lower-middle class.
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
Moore, M.G, and Kearsley, G. (2012). Distance Education: A Systems View of Online Learning. (3rd ed., p. 101). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
During the first wave, distance education was developed in order to meet the needs of those who had no other way to access education. In the second wave, the establishment of open universities designed with the sole intent of delivering distance education came into being. Adult learners were targeted and in the case of the British Open University, political support came from the idea that "people could improve themselves by studying and working hard and getting on" (Bates, 2011, p. 3). This ideal, combined with top notch academic faculty and materials designed explicitly for distance education, led to the rapid development of distance education.
The second wave of distance education was also characterized by a systems view of development. Large groups of academics that were specialists in different fields would work together with technical specialists, instructional designers, and administrators to develop and deliver course materials (Moore & Kearlsley, 2012, p. 101). Courses were no longer developed and maintained by a single academic mind. This systems view also lent itself to the use of new technologies like television and radio, which were used to deliver education while taking advantage of economies of scale.
This increased access to education for all also led to a change in social perspective with regard to education. Up until the second wave of distance education, higher education was only pursued by the upper classes. In many countries, education at the undergraduate or graduate level was highly exclusive. But with the second wave of distance education, access to education was made available to larger portions of the population, helping to diminish the divide between the privileged upper class and a rising lower-middle class.
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
Moore, M.G, and Kearsley, G. (2012). Distance Education: A Systems View of Online Learning. (3rd ed., p. 101). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
OMDE 601: Thoughts on Otto Peters (10/2/2013)
So far in class, I have enjoyed having the opportunity to read and learn about Otto Peters' theories on distance education. Peters' theory that the “industrial process serves as a metaphor for the interpretation of distance education” was especially interesting to me, (2010, p. 20). This idea struck a chord with me because one often hears about schools that are 'diploma mills' or the diminishing value of a degree today. For me, this industrialization of education can be a scary thought, especially when up until now, so much emphasis has been put on the importance of social interaction and personal attention in traditional education. However, Peters puts a more positive spin on things, saying that “distance education was something special, with its own possibilities and circumstance” (2010, p. 13). I think that part of these unique possibilities and circumstances is that distance education allows governments to overcome educational "emergency situations," (Peters, 2004, p. 16). There are so many populations that have little or no access to education, and distance education serves as a platform to reach those populations. Right now, through things like open educational resources (OERs) and open universities, free education is available to anyone with an internet connection. I hope that this trend continues, and as resources get better and access to technology becomes more universal, Peters' positive outlook on the nature of distance education can be fulfilled.
Peters, O. (2004). Growing importance of distance education in the world. In O. Peters, Distance education in transition: New trends and challenges (4th edition). Oldenburg, Germany: BIS-Verlag der Carl von Ossietzky Universitat Oldenburg.
Peters, O. (2010). The theory of the "most industrialized education". In O. Peters, Distance education in transition: Developments and issues (5th edition) (pp. 11-32).Oldenburg, Germany: BIS-Verlag der Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg. Available from: http://www.box.com/s/ktx7ipccetotqrr11mct
Peters, O. (2004). Growing importance of distance education in the world. In O. Peters, Distance education in transition: New trends and challenges (4th edition). Oldenburg, Germany: BIS-Verlag der Carl von Ossietzky Universitat Oldenburg.
Peters, O. (2010). The theory of the "most industrialized education". In O. Peters, Distance education in transition: Developments and issues (5th edition) (pp. 11-32).Oldenburg, Germany: BIS-Verlag der Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg. Available from: http://www.box.com/s/ktx7ipccetotqrr11mct
OMDE 601: Wave 1 Reflections (09/25/2013)
What was your initial definition of DE?
This is my initial, personal definition of distance education from the beginning of class: Distance education is a form of learning where students have remote access to the instructor, their fellow classmates, and the information being taught.
How has your understanding of DE changed after the first two weeks of class?
My understanding of DE still remains close to my initial definition. I think it is important to not over-complicate a definition, and I think that my definition gets at the heart of what distance education is all about. However, I failed to address the format of the remote access I discuss. Or, in other words, the mode of communication. After reading some of the comments added by my classmates, it is clear that distance education has always used some form of technology or media to communicate. This is true as far back as the correspondence courses of the 18th century all the way to online courses of the 21st century.
What is your view of yourself as a learner? As an online learner? How prepared are you for online learning?
I view myself as an apt learner. I have always done well in school, and I enjoy having an educational task assigned to me. Even when I am not actively involved in a course of study, I am always finding new hobbies to pursue that require some form of self-education or research (aquariums, motorcycle mechanics, fishing strategies, new songs on the guitar, etc.). I have taken a few courses online in the past and have always fared well. According to the Distance Education Aptitude and Readiness Scale (http://www.adprima.com/dears.htm), I scored a 60. This means I "should have no difficulty with distance education courses and I have a pronounced sense of autonomy and self-direction." While I don't consider the results gained from these types of quizzes to be particularly valid, I would agree with the results of this quiz. I like online learning, and I am able to task myself effectively.
How has your view of the MDE changed?
My view of the MDE has changed in that it is perhaps a bit more work than I was initially expecting. There is a lot of required reading, and I struggle to keep up with all of it. Also, learning APA style is proving to be a challenge after having worked primarily with MLA in the past. The content has been more interesting than I first thought it would be, which is refreshing. Also, the LEO learning management system is powerful and helps making connections with classmates easy, which is nice.
This is my initial, personal definition of distance education from the beginning of class: Distance education is a form of learning where students have remote access to the instructor, their fellow classmates, and the information being taught.
How has your understanding of DE changed after the first two weeks of class?
My understanding of DE still remains close to my initial definition. I think it is important to not over-complicate a definition, and I think that my definition gets at the heart of what distance education is all about. However, I failed to address the format of the remote access I discuss. Or, in other words, the mode of communication. After reading some of the comments added by my classmates, it is clear that distance education has always used some form of technology or media to communicate. This is true as far back as the correspondence courses of the 18th century all the way to online courses of the 21st century.
What is your view of yourself as a learner? As an online learner? How prepared are you for online learning?
I view myself as an apt learner. I have always done well in school, and I enjoy having an educational task assigned to me. Even when I am not actively involved in a course of study, I am always finding new hobbies to pursue that require some form of self-education or research (aquariums, motorcycle mechanics, fishing strategies, new songs on the guitar, etc.). I have taken a few courses online in the past and have always fared well. According to the Distance Education Aptitude and Readiness Scale (http://www.adprima.com/dears.htm), I scored a 60. This means I "should have no difficulty with distance education courses and I have a pronounced sense of autonomy and self-direction." While I don't consider the results gained from these types of quizzes to be particularly valid, I would agree with the results of this quiz. I like online learning, and I am able to task myself effectively.
How has your view of the MDE changed?
My view of the MDE has changed in that it is perhaps a bit more work than I was initially expecting. There is a lot of required reading, and I struggle to keep up with all of it. Also, learning APA style is proving to be a challenge after having worked primarily with MLA in the past. The content has been more interesting than I first thought it would be, which is refreshing. Also, the LEO learning management system is powerful and helps making connections with classmates easy, which is nice.
OMDE 608: End of Unit 1 Reflections (10/8/2017)
- What did you learn in this unit? I have learned about the development of learner support systems, including the rationale for learner support in distance education. I've also learned a lot about tutoring, advising, and counseling in an online environment. Most recently, I've been learning about library and other administrative services and how they contribute to a positive and supportive learning environment.
- How did you learn the material? I learned primarily from the reading the required resources for the course. The study questions posed by the instructor also helped me to think critically about the information that I was presented with. Reading through my classmates' posts in the discussion forums also helped me to better understand things.
- How confident are you about your knowledge of this unit? I am pretty confident about my knowledge of this unit. Based on what I can see from what my classmates are learning and discussing, I would say that I am on par with them.
- What was challenging for you in learning the material? The most challenging part of learning the material was really just trying to stay on target in terms of keeping up with all of the readings. Some of them were very technical and academic in nature, and it can be difficult for me to read all of it and retain the information. Certain articles were definitely harder to read than others, and I found myself re-reading the same paragraph over and over trying to understand the message.
- What strategies helped you learn the material? The best strategy was really jut blocking time on my calendar to sit and focus on the materials. In the past, I could usually get most of my work done while on the train or during breaks at work. I've found that since the class is more challenging than others I have taken in the past, I really need to dedicate a focused time and environment to reading and understanding the content.
- What changes will you make in your approaches to studying for the upcoming unit? I want to try and participate more in the Discussion Forums. So far, I have not been able to meet the minimum requirements of meaningfully responding to my classmates' posts. I think this will help me to better engage with my classmates and better understand the material by engaging in a dialogue.
OMDE 608: End of Unit 2 Reflections (11/5/2017)
- What are three things you found out? During this unit I found out the major groups serviced by distance education and training and how a learner support system can be customized for those groups. I also learned about the processes for identifying goals for learner support, as well as the challenges and processes for managing and facilitating learner support in distance education. Finally, I found out about the approaches to quality assurance and evaluation for learner support in distance education, as well.
- What are two things that sparked your interest? One thing that sparked my interest, especially since it was the focus of my work for the group assignment in the course, was professional development for staff that facilitate learner support for an institution. I had never considered the way that even a simple knowledge base or resource center is often lacking from institutional learner support divisions. Many institutions seem to develop a learner support system just to "check that box," but fail to provide the necessary professional development opportunities to keep the program relevant and effective. Another topic that sparked my interest were the different methods of quality assurance used by institutions to determine how effective their learner support systems are. I never really considered the difference between internal and external quality assurance requirements and the different methods that institutions use to meet them.
- What is one question that you still have? What is an example of practical application of the "practicioner as researcher model" when it comes to quality assurance?
OMDE 608: End of Unit 3 Reflections (11/27/2017)
One question I have from a required resource for Unit 3 comes from the Kukulska-Hulme and Traxler (2013) reading. At one point in the article, they suggest that mobile devices provide opportunities for learning that are more personalized. An example of a learning activity that the authors think will “go mobile” soon is the concept of an e-portfolio. My question is, given the usual requirements for maintaining an e-learning portfolio, how would that be better managed through a mobile device? I could understand just posting reflections, but e-portfolios often require the host to upload assignments that include strange file types, as well as link to other external resources, etc. These activities would be particularly frustrating on a mobile device – how would the authors defend this proposal?
Another question I have comes from the Mason and Rennie (2013) reading. In the article, they draw an analogy between the internet and libraries. For the authors, the internet poses threat to formal higher education that is similar to the growth and expansion of public libraries. They posit that libraries (and the internet) are places that are full of learning potential, but it is through formal higher education institutions to use them in a way to “actualize the potential of learners” (p. 154). My question is what, then, do the authors think of MOOCs – where both the information AND the delivery, organization, and assessment of learning are all offered by the internet. This seems like a clear advantage over libraries when it comes to usurping the authority of formal higher education institutions.
My third question comes from the Dron and Anderson (2014) reading. In the article, they assert that we are living in McLuhan’s “global village” (p.293). I looked up the Wikipedia article for what the meaning behind this expression is, but I am still a bit unclear on how it ties to the issues associated with using social software.
I have predictions based on the Kukulska-Hulme and Traxler (2013), which was concerned with designing learning for mobile devices, is that we will soon be able to overcome the issues they have identified in the “Communication” section (p. 189). One issue they bring up is students’ concerns with the financial burdens associated with using cellular devices. I think that applications that allow communication over wireless networks will alleviate this problem. Applications like Skype, Kik, and Hangours allow direct messaging, calling, and collaboration all over wireless networks which are available for free in cafes, libraries, and universities.
I connected to the Dron and Anderson (2014) article when they were discussing privacy in online contexts. I think this will be a key issue moving forward in almost any field that requires you to have an online presence. My wife and I have chosen not to post pictures of our children online until they are old enough to say whether or not they want them posted. I often wonder about my privacy when posting to online forums for class, but I assume that there is some protection by the university since I can’t even access some of my older posts once the class is considered “closed.”
References:
Dron, J. & Anderson, T. (2014). Issues and challenges in educational uses of social software. In J. Dron & T. Anderson (Eds.), Teaching crowds: Learning and social media(pp. 275-298). Retrieved from http://klangable.com/uploads/books/99Z_Dron_Anderson-Teaching_Crowds.pdf
Kukulska-Hulme, A., & Traxler, J. (2013). Designing for mobile and wireless learning. In H. Beetham and R. Sharpe (Eds.), Rethinking pedagogy for a digital age. Designing and delivering e-learning (pp. 180-192). London & New York: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group. Retrieved from http://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/30668884/file1.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ56TQJRTWSMTNPEA&Expires=1470068637&Signature=LEPe8d4vy4ovsEZQdx0lvm3%2B0Uk%3D&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3DDescribing_ICT-based_learning_designs_th.pdf
Mason, R., & Rennie, F. (2013). Constraints on course design. R. Mason & Fr. Rennie (Eds.), E-Learning and social networking handbook (pp. 133-154). London and New York, NY: Tayler and Francis. Retrieved from http://www.bh-mehregan.com/mobina/admin/Files/Books/Elearning%20and%20Social%20Networking%20handbook.pdf
Another question I have comes from the Mason and Rennie (2013) reading. In the article, they draw an analogy between the internet and libraries. For the authors, the internet poses threat to formal higher education that is similar to the growth and expansion of public libraries. They posit that libraries (and the internet) are places that are full of learning potential, but it is through formal higher education institutions to use them in a way to “actualize the potential of learners” (p. 154). My question is what, then, do the authors think of MOOCs – where both the information AND the delivery, organization, and assessment of learning are all offered by the internet. This seems like a clear advantage over libraries when it comes to usurping the authority of formal higher education institutions.
My third question comes from the Dron and Anderson (2014) reading. In the article, they assert that we are living in McLuhan’s “global village” (p.293). I looked up the Wikipedia article for what the meaning behind this expression is, but I am still a bit unclear on how it ties to the issues associated with using social software.
I have predictions based on the Kukulska-Hulme and Traxler (2013), which was concerned with designing learning for mobile devices, is that we will soon be able to overcome the issues they have identified in the “Communication” section (p. 189). One issue they bring up is students’ concerns with the financial burdens associated with using cellular devices. I think that applications that allow communication over wireless networks will alleviate this problem. Applications like Skype, Kik, and Hangours allow direct messaging, calling, and collaboration all over wireless networks which are available for free in cafes, libraries, and universities.
I connected to the Dron and Anderson (2014) article when they were discussing privacy in online contexts. I think this will be a key issue moving forward in almost any field that requires you to have an online presence. My wife and I have chosen not to post pictures of our children online until they are old enough to say whether or not they want them posted. I often wonder about my privacy when posting to online forums for class, but I assume that there is some protection by the university since I can’t even access some of my older posts once the class is considered “closed.”
References:
Dron, J. & Anderson, T. (2014). Issues and challenges in educational uses of social software. In J. Dron & T. Anderson (Eds.), Teaching crowds: Learning and social media(pp. 275-298). Retrieved from http://klangable.com/uploads/books/99Z_Dron_Anderson-Teaching_Crowds.pdf
Kukulska-Hulme, A., & Traxler, J. (2013). Designing for mobile and wireless learning. In H. Beetham and R. Sharpe (Eds.), Rethinking pedagogy for a digital age. Designing and delivering e-learning (pp. 180-192). London & New York: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group. Retrieved from http://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/30668884/file1.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ56TQJRTWSMTNPEA&Expires=1470068637&Signature=LEPe8d4vy4ovsEZQdx0lvm3%2B0Uk%3D&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3DDescribing_ICT-based_learning_designs_th.pdf
Mason, R., & Rennie, F. (2013). Constraints on course design. R. Mason & Fr. Rennie (Eds.), E-Learning and social networking handbook (pp. 133-154). London and New York, NY: Tayler and Francis. Retrieved from http://www.bh-mehregan.com/mobina/admin/Files/Books/Elearning%20and%20Social%20Networking%20handbook.pdf