Debra Farmer

Reflections Trends Group 1 Grid Final

OMDE 601
In your e-portfolio (learning journal), please respond to the questions for reflection for
current trends:
1. 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?
Group 1 Final Grid pdf: See e-portfolio/learning journal (Artifacts) section.
Group Grid as a learning tool

Points out the elements of the larger context of how distance education began.
Contextual factors that influenced the growth of DE.
Factors of advancement of DE Waves throughout its evolution.
Helps to break down the changes in the conceptualization of the DE practice.

The use of the grid was a form of analysis that focused on the impact of how technology changed
over time and how teaching and learning roles has progressed as a result of the evolution of DE
theories. The grid process broke down the DE Waves into sections and showed the context for
learning during those DE Wave periods, and what the future trends will do for DE.
2. Go back to your original definition of DE. What aspects of the course have
influenced your understanding of DE? Based on what you have learned in the
course, revise your original definition accordingly---and explain why you have
changed (or not changed) your definition in the way you have.
The aspects of the course that has influenced my understanding of DE are as follows:

Changes in ideology 2nd Wave shift in the focus to lifelong learning, autonomous
learners; learner-centered education.
DE gave individuals an opportunity to improve their lives by providing a second chance
to education at a distance which all began through the development of correspondence
education and later evolved into technology and media and an online format.

I have not changed my definition based on what I have learned in this course, but as the distance
education waves continue to progress new trends and theories will be developed and
implemented into our online educational standards and rubrics. Teachers, instructional designers,
managers and supervisors will have to become skilled and able to facilitate learning and building
of knowledge in order to give sufficient instruction to support an online environment.
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My Original Definition of Distance Education

Defining Distance Education (Class Discussion on
Holmberg (2005) points out that in order to define Distance Education one must consider
all aspects of what Distance Education encompasses. Distance Education encompasses
interaction of learning between teachers and learners. All types of media is used to
communicate learning over a distance.
The earliest that I can remember DE is when I ordered a correspondence course through
the mail. At the time mail correspondence courses were popular and there was a wide range
of correspondence schools offering Diplomas and Certificates in sewing, knitting, how to be
a designer, if you wanted to get a high school diploma and various forms of studies. It was
the way to go. This mail order correspondence was the answer to learning at a distance. So
self-study programs were all over the place.
Mail correspondence or self-study has not gone anywhere it is DE that has evolved. Right
now we still order our text books and some online study materials through the mail. We
print out our syllabus and have e-books that instruct us in our learning and teaching
methods.
DE later evolved into the use of computer technological advances. In order to interact with
each other more effectively, this computer technology has enabled us to correspond to
discussions as well as submit assignments through a different type of media which we call
electronic media.
DE can be defined as comprehensive correspondence education that has continuously
evolved from a mail order learning self-study process that still exists, with added
dimensions of technological media outlets of expanded learning. Utilizing the group
communication process or the private study process, which is still an evolution of the mail
order correspondence process.
Reference
Holmberg, B. (2005). Concepts and terminology - Student bodies. The evolution, principles,
and practice of distance education. Oldenburg, Germany: BIS-Verlag der Carl von
Ossietzky Universitt Oldenburg (pp. 9-11). Available from
http://www.box.com/shared/y97qyc7m0t

3. Consider the overall course objectives (see the Course Syllabus). Were all or most of
these objectives achieved? If so, in what ways and to what degree?
See below: (Source: Course Content OMDE601 Syllabus).

Course Objectives:

COMM TECH INFO KNOW THIN

Identify the unique characteristics of distance

education

Describe the major influences in the evolution of

distance education social; economical; and political
from its early beginnings to the current IT-based
practices

Identify the key authors and theorists in distance

education and analyze their contributions to the field

Describe how distance education methodologies have

changed over time, in particular how the role of teacher
and learner have evolved

Describe various types of distance education

institutions and the relevance of a systems approach to
teaching and learning

Analyze the impact of technological changes on the

nature of teaching and learning in distance education

Navigate and use an online learning environment,

shared virtual spaces, and social media for the purpose
of learning, documenting learning, and creating
content (e.g., learning management system, maps,
charts, wikis, Google docs, Weebly, Twitter, blogs,

Diigo, Vimeo)

Master and apply research and writing skills for the

purpose of critically analyzing issues and topics
discussed in relevant literature, synthesizing findings,
and communicating ideas and arguments with
supporting evidence

Learn collaboratively by using social media and other

shared virtual spaces to create content and successfully
complete assigned team projects

Reflect on learning and articulate changes in thinking,

feeling, behavior

The overall objectives for this course were achieved through the following:
COMM: Written Communication written essays by applying research and writing skills in
order to analyze supporting evidence of concepts, theories and textual information. Online
discussions with peers and instructors in an OCL process. Using critical thinking and
synthesizing of ideas.
TECH: Technology Fluency skill building exercises were utilized in various online learning
environments showing how to navigate and use these social media to discuss collaboratively and
share distant educational resources and articles; while building an online community.
INFO: Information Literacy- various descriptions of distance education supportive reading and
learning activities as well as assignments were utilized in this course to engage students in
discussions and commentary using visiting scholars to provide and enlighten discussions from
previous experience in the DE field.
KNOW: Program Content Knowledge content knowledge built on each theory and described
how the DE methodologies have evolved over time and what may happen in the future.
THIN: Critical Thinking was applied by using analysis and research to master and discuss
relevant topics through literature and supporting evidence on the topics of DE. Each skill builder
was a catalyst to support critical thinking in the research and analysis of DE topics.
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4. 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?
With any work group there are always some type of challenges to overcome within any group
online or face-to-face. Students are expected to work together cooperatively, and treat fellow
students and faculty with respect, by showing professionalism and courtesy in all interactions
(Classroom civility, Course Syllabus OMDE601).
We as students should never bring our assumptions to the work environment because what we
think of others is our opinion and should be kept as such. Our Group had a communication
problem where we could not all meet at once. So we decided not to let that problem become an
issue and went forward with our work and discussed online through the Group discussion area.
There were some time zone challenges and issues were discussed regarding who should take the
lead for each portion of the waves but we met up to those challenges forged ahead and presented
a wave document for each assignment. This was my first time working on a grid document
online with a group and it was good experience, in case I have to do another one in the future I
can say I am proficient at working on a grid. Our group could have tried to get a time to meet all
at once but due to time constraints it never came to pass. Time is always an issue in an online
group process. I also think we couldve taken more time to adjust to other time zones to fit it into
our meetings. The benefits of an online collaborative group is that the group can rely on each
other for information and learning new technological skills; also the group can develop an online
community through each other. Learning to work as a team is a requirement of working in most
corporations and businesses. The drawbacks is that personality issues may arise at the worst
time in the project causing scope creep the slowing down of the project. There are many issues
that can cause a project to slow down or come to a complete halt. In our case we kept moving
forward.
The activity could be improved by making sure each group understands the requirements of the
project before starting. All group members must know their assigned task. And always ask
questions if you do not know the correct answer. And if a group member claims to know
everything then that group member should train the other group members so the group can be
strong. Any weak link in the chain makes the group weak. If I feel confident in my knowledge
about a particular thing, then it is my responsibility as a professional to pass on that knowledge;
not make others feel that they are not worthy of learning the new knowledge. Thats what team
work is all about.