The Next Generation of Distance Education

In part one of their three part series, Moller, Huett, Foshay, and Coleman argue that sound instructional design is not typically used when creating online learning experiences, especially in the corporate environment. They suggest that when a needs assessment for training and development is completed that it should focus on the effects that the training will have from the bottom-up starting with the consumer. They also suggest that e-learning should take advantage of technology and learning strategies that would work better in an online environment versus a face-to-face environment. In part two, the authors argue that change is needed in higher education e-learning regarding instructional design. They believe that the change needs to take place at the policy-level to encourage professors to teach e-learning courses. They also point out that both faculty and the learners need to be able to recognize quality instructional design. In part three, they present e-learning in a K-12 format which, to this point has been used to support No Child Left Behind's alternative schooling requirements. This was the part that seemed to be the most relevant to my field as a second grade teacher.In K-12 education, e-learning is used in two ways: either as an addendum to a face-to-face environment (site-based) or virtual learning (non-site based). It needs more research to determine how to effectively use it to educate the younger students while making sure that it addresses other areas of development that traditional schools focus on. In the video by Simonson, he makes arguments similar to those made by Moller, Huett, Foshay, and Coleman stating that the use of distance education will increase and we need to make changes to make it more effective. Simonson also emphasizes that traditional schools will never be completely replaced by virtual learning. I agree with that distance education needs to evolve to the next generation, especially relating to the K-12 setting. I think there is a lot that can be done in K-12 with distance education to help provide enrichment and support for students who may not be able to attend a traditional school or for parents that choose to home school their students using distance education tools.

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