In Anderson's Article Three Generations of Distance Education Pedagogy he examines cognitive- behaviorist, social-constructivist and connectivitist pedagogies during each era of distance education's history. The cognitive-behaviorist approach continues to be applied to training rather than formal education. This leads me to my thoughts on the differences between distance training and distance education. Prior to completing the readings in OMDE 603 I did consider online training to be a form of distance education. However, I have come to realize the importance of an exchange between the learner and the teacher being a key component of DE.
Typically, online practical training for something like a job is a one-way experience. A set tutorial has been created with a series of questions to test knowledge. Therefore, if you take a quiz to test your knowledge and get some of the answers wrong, you don't receive any feedback despite the knowledge that you got it incorrect. Even if there is a brief explanation it doesn't really allow the learner to ask follow-up questions or build from personal experiences.
Through the technological innovations over the past 50 years the amount and speed of exchange has improved significantly. I would venture to say that using a Google doc for a group assignment is almost easier than the days of meeting with your group in a quiet library and trying to put your ideas all together.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Week 3 Reflection
After reading Tony Bates' article OERs: the good, the bad and the ugly I was left with a much more negative impression on OERs than I had in the past. A few months ago I attended a lecture from Dr. Cable Green who is one of the leading voices for OERs. While his main platform is Creative Commons licensing, specifically, he also discussed his passion for the future of education and the impact of OERs.
After ruminating over Bates' comments, I agree with his statement that, "There are costs in the system, and they have to be paid for, one way or another," (Bates, 2012). Despite institutions creating content that is free for all, typically, using that "free" information isn't going to be free. If you only goal is to better yourself and expand your knowledge of a given subject for your own personal enjoyment then OERs are the deal of the century. However, most likely, if you are using an OER such as Perdue Owl, you are attending a university where you pay money. There is a bit of a ruse going on, as Bates points out.
This leads me to another point. Having read a significant amount of material in the last few week on DE and OE, I have come to understand that one of the main purposes for their creation was to provide education to the underprivileged. However, if you look at the cost of many online universities it is often even more expensive than traditional universities. Also, with the boom of online education, there have also been an increase in unaccredited online institutions. Typically, these institutions are very expensive, but lure students in with promises of a fast and easy degree. This is how we got the degree mill. They prey on students who don't know how important certain accreditations can be and don't realize the true cost of that education.
OERs are a good thought, but it will take far more than free resources to truly make education accessible for all. There is indeed a cost for knowledge, and students are paying it.
Bates, T. (2011). OERs: the good, the bad and the ugly. Tony Bates. Retrieved June 17, 2014, from http://www.tonybates.ca/2011/02/06/oers-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/
After ruminating over Bates' comments, I agree with his statement that, "There are costs in the system, and they have to be paid for, one way or another," (Bates, 2012). Despite institutions creating content that is free for all, typically, using that "free" information isn't going to be free. If you only goal is to better yourself and expand your knowledge of a given subject for your own personal enjoyment then OERs are the deal of the century. However, most likely, if you are using an OER such as Perdue Owl, you are attending a university where you pay money. There is a bit of a ruse going on, as Bates points out.
This leads me to another point. Having read a significant amount of material in the last few week on DE and OE, I have come to understand that one of the main purposes for their creation was to provide education to the underprivileged. However, if you look at the cost of many online universities it is often even more expensive than traditional universities. Also, with the boom of online education, there have also been an increase in unaccredited online institutions. Typically, these institutions are very expensive, but lure students in with promises of a fast and easy degree. This is how we got the degree mill. They prey on students who don't know how important certain accreditations can be and don't realize the true cost of that education.
OERs are a good thought, but it will take far more than free resources to truly make education accessible for all. There is indeed a cost for knowledge, and students are paying it.
Bates, T. (2011). OERs: the good, the bad and the ugly. Tony Bates. Retrieved June 17, 2014, from http://www.tonybates.ca/2011/02/06/oers-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/
Monday, June 16, 2014
Welcome to My Distance Education Blog!
The purpose of this blog is to
reflect upon the readings and assignment in OMDE 603. The topics and readings
discussed in this course have already impacted my view of DE as a student and a
professional in the field. I hope that you will share your thoughts, as well.
Before beginning
this course I defined DE as the following:
Distance Education is any type of education or
training where the majority of instruction does not occur in a face-to-face
setting with the instructor and the learner in the same location. This includes
any type of training or teaching and is not limited to secondary or
post-secondary education.
While the bulk of this definition holds true, I have a few thoughts to add. First, for the purpose of this blog I do not consider practical training as part of DE. This is mostly because I have come to understand DE as an "exchange" between a teacher and a learner. Typically, practical training for a profession is one-sided with the learner completing a series of tasks and learning objections. They do not receive real-time feedback and they progress as they would in a DE classroom.
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