Distance Learning, Anytime, Anywhere
Advances in distance learning are changing
the way professors instruct military students.
by Erin Flynn Jay, MAE Correspondent
Military distance learners are connecting with their classes and instructors anywhere at anytime via new technologies and new asynchronous tools. Blackboard, Elluminate and Angel Learning are just a few of the technologies that educators are using to meet distance learning objectives.
“Our programs are mixed format; students are on campus for five weekends a year and the remainder of the time they complete the courses online,” said Dr. Vikram Sethi, interim director, Institute of Defense Studies and Education (IDSE); advisor to the dean, corporate programs and relations, Raj Soin College of Business at Wright State. IDSE starts the process of evaluation of the online and asynchronous formats nine months prior to when these courses are offered. The content, template and verbiage are created by instructional designers.
Sethi said IDSE also uses Elluminate. “It allows us to change the format from asynchronous to synchronous and also allows the building of micromedia capabilities into an asynchronous format,” he told MAE. “It also permits sharing of video and audio. If there are students who choose within that asynchronous format to do a real time meeting, then we can set up sessions for them.”
IDSE recognizes that it is difficult to ascertain if courses are keeping a student’s attention as they are going through them. “We have embedded quite a bit of multimedia and a lot of moving learning activity into the courseware. The combination of all of these items lends itself very well to an interesting and interactive, captivating experience for the students,” Sethi said.
“Blackboard has marvelous technologies, a lot of capability,” said Sethi. “You can do a blank template around which to build your instructional designs and make distance education far more interesting than it could be in any other media.”
IDSE just started an experiment with Second Life and how to deploy them in IDSE education. There are other technologies IDSE is coming to use. “This makes learning at a distance far more enjoyable than the use of just one technology,” Sethi concluded.
The University of Phoenix has its own proprietary online learning system that is asynchronous. It’s a web based platform that you can access from anywhere.
“It’s not so much about the technology as it is about the learning environment,” said Mike Bibbee, vice president/director, Military Division at University of Phoenix. “We’ve found the asynchronous nature is one of things that makes it more valuable for people because it allows them to do it and fit it into their schedule. The second part of that is even though it is asynchronous it is very important for them to get in there and participate.”
BLACKBOARD TEACHING AND LEARNING ONLINE SERIES
Blackboard Inc., a provider of technology to educational institutions, announced in 2006 a new Blackboard instructor certification series titled, “Teaching and Learning Online.” This online training series, comprised of three facilitated asynchronous courses, provides an introduction to the pedagogy of online learning and presents best practices for teaching in both Web-enhanced and distance education environments.
“As Blackboard becomes more ubiquitous in schools classrooms and on campuses across the United States and abroad, there is a real need for instructors to have access to just-in-time training,” said Matthew Pittinsky, chairman of Blackboard. “Clients are developing so many new and innovative uses for Blackboard it is becoming increasingly important that users can access the specific instruction they are looking for at a time and location that is convenient for them. Blackboard training addresses all of these needs.”
The courses are: Building Courses, Enhancing Communication, and Assessing Learners. Participants who complete all three courses in the series receive “Certified Blackboard Instructor” status—a standard helpful to both schools and higher education institutions to determine if instructors are prepared to deliver online courses.
“The teaching and learning online course was excellent,” said Dr. Barbara A. Harper, a professor at Berkeley College who completed the series. “The instructor’s expertise, dedication and selfless guidance were always readily available. The course activities focused simultaneously on the student’s point-of-view and learning style while, at the same time, demonstrating the most highly effective and innovative teaching methods available today. I have not only incorporated these new techniques into my online courses but am also able to utilize some of this new material in my traditional classroom courses as well.”
Participants in the Blackboard Teaching and Learning Online series:
Explore basic instructional design principles
Learn how to create and organize learning materials
Build robust courses
Discuss facilitation and communication techniques
Review methods for assessing student performance
“With the constant innovation in e-learning and the advancement of best practices,” said Russ Carlson, president of North America Higher Education at Blackboard, “it is critical for instructors and educators to be able to tap into training that can help them be more successful in leveraging technology to improve student achievement and outcomes. Blackboard training makes this possible by helping educators more successfully implement e-learning and enhance the effectiveness of online instruction and programs.”
“As Blackboard becomes more ubiquitous in schools classrooms and on campuses across the United States and abroad, there is a real need for instructors to have access to just-in-time training,” said Matthew Pittinsky, chairman of Blackboard. “Clients are developing so many new and innovative uses for Blackboard it is becoming increasingly important that users can access the specific instruction they are looking for at a time and location that is convenient for them. Blackboard training addresses all of these needs.”
The series is delivered in the Blackboard Learning System, the core of the Blackboard Academic Suite which provides an open and flexible platform enabling online instruction, communication and assessment.
ANGEL LMS PILOT
In August, Angel Learning, provider of enterprise course management software and services, announced that Union County College (UCC), Cranford, NJ has adopted the Angel Learning Management Suite (LMS). Focused on ensuring its programs prepare students for the intellectual and technical demands of the 21st Century, Union County College’s Angel adoption provides students and faculty up-to-date technology tools for distance learning and blended and web-enhanced instruction.
UCC is piloting the Angel LMS in the fall of 2008. The college’s Angel implementation will go live spring 2009, replacing the system the college previously licensed. “There’s lots of interest in moving to the Angel platform,” reported Barbara Hollywood, director of Distance Education, Union County College. “Angel is a powerful system. Its robust features provide faculty many different options for delivering both online and traditional instruction.”
Specific Angel features Hollywood identifies as providing extra value include:
Ease of navigation – allows students to focus on content rather than learning how to use the technology.
Discussion forums – promote class participation and interaction regardless of students’ physical locations.
Assessments – provide increased browser security including the ability to randomize questions and answers and delay student review.
“It’s often easier to stay with the status quo than to change to a new technology,” said Christopher Clapp, president and CEO, Angel Learning. “We applaud Union County College’s dedication to continuous improvement and are pleased to welcome them to the Angel community.”
The oldest community college in New Jersey, Union County College serves more than 11,000 students online and on campuses in Cranford, Elizabeth, Scotch Plains and Plainfield. A two-year degree from UCC prepares students for jobs or to continue their education at a four-year school.
GROWING INTEREST IN ELLUMINATE
In February, Professor Susan Dooley, program manager of Seminole Community College’s Medical Transcription Program, began teaching her medical transcription courses using only a headset microphone and her computer. Using a Web-based program, SCC students can hear lectures from professors and join the discussion without leaving home.
Dooley said if you walk by her office on Tuesday evenings, you’ll find her sitting at her desk talking to her computer. “I know people will think I’m crazy, but I’m teaching,” said Dooley. “We’re doing something really innovative.” Dooley said her students are thrilled with the course.
“With gas prices at $4 a gallon, this is making students happy,” she said.
SCC piloted a Web-based program called Elluminate in mid-2006. Since then, the program has expanded to include courses in several areas, including health care, English and business.
Using Elluminate, students log into the lecture. The teacher communicates with them by voice, video and instant messenger. Students can ask questions or enter the debate by voice or instant message. There’s even an icon where students can virtually raise their hands to ask questions.
Wilma Hodges, manager of SCC’s Distance Learning Services, said she sees a growing interest amongst students in Elluminate classes. “It brings more of a human element to online learning,” Hodges said. “Elluminate makes the classes more engaging. It provides more of a live classroom dynamic that is sometimes missing in other online classes. Students are able to associate a voice with the instructor and get a picture of the instructor as a person.”
SCC’s Medical Transcription Program began offering classes completely in Elluminate, starting in February. Dooley said it was a little strange at first, but the students quickly adjusted.
“Why would you want to drive all the way to Campus when you can Elluminate?” Dooley asked. “Nobody has complained about not having to drive to class.”
Miriam Calvert-Navarro, a medical transcription student from Deland, said many students appreciate the time and money Elluminate saves. “Many of us have taken traditional as well as online courses through the distant learning department at the college,” Calvert-Navarro said. “This is far superior.”
Dooley said using Elluminate has also allowed her to bring professional guests to the lectures. All the guests need is a computer, a microphone and a Web link. “Even back when we met in the classroom, there was a lot of interaction from health care professionals as guest speakers, but this is the first time we’ve been able to invite people from outside to join us regularly,” she said. “During seminar presentations, I can just sit back, bursting with pride at the fantastic work my students do in their research and presentations.”
Hodges said if students miss the lecture, the entire session is recorded and can be viewed later.
ACCESS TO LEARNING PROJECT
The Presidents’ Forum, hosted by Excelsior College, provides institutions with the opportunity to consider pressing issues affecting higher education, form new partnerships and learn networks to meet the challenges of online instruction. It has undertaken two major projects: Transparency by Design and Access to Learning.
Transparency by Design is an initiative whereby institutional members measure student engagement, learning outcomes, completion rates and costs. Transparency refers to the desire to make this information easily and clearlyavailable so students can make informed decisions about their education.
These results will be published in an annual Learning Outcomes Report, starting in the first quarter of 2009. Schools that currently belong to the consortium are Capella University, American Public University System, Charter Oak State College, Excelsior College, Fielding Graduate University, Franklin University, Kaplan University, Regis University, Rio Salado College, Southwestern College, Union Institute and University and Western Governors University.
The goal of the Presidents’ Forum Access to Learning project is to increase awareness of how online learning helps students and the workforce meet the challenges of a global economy.
WGU WINS DISTANCE LEARNING AWARDS
In April, the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) presented 2008 International Distance Learning Awards in two categories to Western Governors University (WGU) and its executive director of the WGU Teachers College, Dr. Janet Schnitz. Since 1987, USDLA has been a worldwide distance learning association. The USDLA International Awards program honored outstanding individuals and organizations for excellence in the field distance learning, education and training.
WGU received the 21st Century Award for Best Practices in Distance Learning, in recognition for WGU’s achievements as the nation’s first competency-based online university and its success in expanding access to higher education for adults seeking bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Founded in 1996 by 19 U.S. governors, WGU now offers more than 40 programs to more than 10,000 students nationwide.
Dr. Janet Schnitz, executive director of the WGU Teachers College, received the award for Outstanding Leadership by an Individual in the Field of Distance Learning. Since 2004, Schnitz has led the rapid growth and development of the WGU Teachers College, which currently enrolls more than 5,500 students in 22 programs. The college currently enrolls 5,000 students in programs that lead to initial teacher licensure, helping develop highly qualified K-12 teachers in such high-needs areas as mathematics, science, and special education.
“We are very honored to have received these two awards from the USDLA,” said WGU President Dr. Robert Mendenhall. “WGU has been committed to our mission to provide access to higher education through distance learning and our competency-based learning model.”
These prestigious international awards are presented annually to organizations and individuals engaged in the development and delivery of distance learning programs. The USDLA awards were created to acknowledge major accomplishments in distance learning and to highlight those distance learning instructors, programs, and professionals who have achieved and demonstrated extraordinary results through the use of online, videoconferencing, satellite and blended learning delivery technologies. ♦