As this course draws to an end, I have been asked to reflect on the future of distance learning. As with any changes in today’s society, there will always be people who believe that change is not necessary or change does not bring about improvements. Yet as history has taught us change is inevitable if we as a society want to continue to grow and prosper, we must learn to embrace change. I believe distance learning is an important evolution in education that is not only being accepted but is thriving in our society despite some cynics who will only accept the face to face traditional course as an effective learning environment, but I do not think that this will stop the growth of distance learning. 

Future Perceptions:

Distance education is a dramatic idea. It may change, even restructure education but only if it is possible to make the experience of the distance learner as complete, satisfying, and acceptable as the experience of the local learner (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012). Dr. George Siemens maintains that growing acceptance of distance learning will be occur because the public will naturally increase usage of online communication tools, and become more comfortable conversing in an electronic format. As new technology makes steady gains in popularity, the use of online communication and eLearning tech­nologies is expected to increase dramatically in the next decade.  As stated by (Simonson, et. al 2012), “students of all ages are engaging in distance education.  I predict that in the next 5 to10 years, as more technological resources become available in regards to eLearning, more students will become involved in learning at a distance. Instructional designers should strive to understand eLearning technologies and technological approaches that will make the experience of distant learner positive and equivalent to the traditional classroom. 

How can an instructional designer, be a proponent for improving societal perceptions of distance learning?

When designing distance education the learners characteristics, needs, and expectations should all be taken into consideration since these factors influence a learners motivation to learn, and ultimately the learner success. In addition to factors that should be considered for designing effective instruction in general, several unique elements exist when considering the diversity of the distance learner. In order for an instructional designer to be a proponent for improving societal perceptions of distance learning, they must consider differences in age, experience, attitude, general abilities, prior knowledge, personal responsibilities, and learning styles. 

 As a future instructional designer of distance learning, understanding the design principles of multimedia and how to use the various mechanisms of text, graphics, audio, blogs, wikis, discussion forums, podcast, media sharing sites, animation, video, and web2.0 technologies successfully will help in motivating the distance learner and enable learning in a technological environment. In applying instructional design models such as “ADDIE” I will be able to effectively create courses that have the educational experiences equivalent to the experiences of the traditional learner. In this way, the public and society at large will see that online learning can be effective and beneficial to learning.

Final Thoughts:

In the past week I had an opportunity to interview three people in regards to their personal views of online learning and/or distance learning. I was very surprised that their views were clouded in myths and stereotypes in regards to socialization, communication, and learning in general in regards to online and distance learning. Prior to this experience, I thought that my contribution to educating people on the benefits of distance education was helping to sway the opinions of people close to me; I now realize that I need to work harder at it.  

I perceive that as more people begin to understand and explore the advantages and benefits of distance learning, for example, the convenience of learning in your own home, and the ability to tailor your own learning schedule, more people will move towards this form of learning. 

In conclusion, educational professionals and instructional designers are crucial to the growth of distance education. As people continue to become more comfortable in the use of eLearning technologies, the benefits and advantages of distance learning will become more appealing and more widely accepted. I envision distance education as a leading force in the future education for not just adults but all ages by promoting innovative learning beyond traditional classroom methods.  As I continue my journey towards becoming an instructional designer, I will keep in mind the importance of clear and open communica­tion between myself and all participants within the learning environment, and adhere to a strategic design process which includes critical elements of analysis, design, assessment, and evaluation in order to design effective learning environments. 

 Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.