Best Practice Guide to Convert to a Blended Learning Format

Best Practice Guide for the Trainer

The Influence of Open Culture-An Alternative Learning Forum

There are so many opportunities to experience distance learning.  Open courses is one example of how learners can educate themselves on free topics by using the web 2.0, multimedia designs and other technological forms.  Have you ever asked yourself what goes into planning such an arena of learning?  “Instructional design should consider all aspects of the instructional environment, following a well-organized procedure that provides guidance to even the novice distance instructor” (Albright, Simonson, Smaldino & Zvacek, 2000-2012, p. 151).  Are all distance-learning programs engaging to learners?  Do they have all of the mechanism that goes into producing quality work for cyber learners?  As I analyzed some of the open courses, I immediately searched for some topics that interest me, then I proceeded to look at the material.  Some of the programs did not grab my attention.  Maybe the format could have been more appealing for a distance-learning course and/or the topic did not interest me.  As I searched for a revelation, I wanted to review courses that were designed for a distance-learning environment and engaged active learning.  Some of the courses did have some characteristics of a good online module.

Art and visual thinking have always fascinated me.  Therefore, I decided to view some classes on visual thinking using art forms as displays.   I used Open Culture (Open Culture, 2006-2012) to find some courses on visual thinking.  One of the free classes I found interesting was Practice of Art 8-Introduction to Visual Thinking (UC Berkeley, 2011).  This open course uses art to analyze by just looking at different types of artwork.  The instructor engages learners and shares their viewpoint on many different artifacts.

This course has 10 lectures, and I reviewed most of them.  As we know art work does not contain much words but it allows learners to use visual senses to interpret art.   The classes gave a lot of informative information regarding the subject.  It also displayed many interesting graphics, which aided to the learning.  The instructor clearly understood the learner characteristics and how to apply the information to the learners (Albright, Simonson, Smaldino & Zvacek, 2000-2012).  I think the media selection was also beneficial for asynchronous learners.  The instructor used YouTube to display the classes.  I think this is an excellent platform for learners.  It is global and virtually used by many people.  “Too often, instructors do not place enough emphasis on designing and using quality visual material” (p. 159).  For this course, I can tell the instructor planned a good medium for the class.  The media is clear and provide alternative viewing methods.  Learners can share the video and place the embed code in a web document or blog.   The audio was mostly clear.  I did hear some noise and static during the videos, but this was minor.  Most of all I think this course designer did plan for distance learning by using Web 2.0, multimedia designs, audio, and video.

Internet based distance learning has to engage learners and provide a medium that is welcoming to adult learners.  There are people who have not experienced the wonderful world of cyber learning.  Open courses provide free online courses for learners to be acclimated with an innovative way of learning.  How can learners know if a course was pre-planned for distance learning?  How can learners know if they are benefiting from cyber learning by using new technologies and online materials?  Online courses should promote active learning by appealing the audience.  Audio, graphics, video, and lectures should promote learning by the audience.  The instructional designer has to provide an avenue of learning that is conducive to the learning audience this includes, designing and developing a module that includes a course management system or a forum for viewing materials such as YouTube, or Wiki sites.   Open Culture provides a forum to review free courses using modern technology.  Learners can experience the virtual world of learning and all of the benefits it has to offer.

References

Albright, M., Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., & Zvacek, S. (2000-2012). Teaching and learning at a distance foundations of distance education. (5th ed., pp. 150-192). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Open Culture. (2006-2012). 500 free online courses from top universities. Retrieved from http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses

UC Berkeley. (Producer) (2011). Practice of art 8 - lecture 1 introduction to visual thinking [Web]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/n0jmaarz2RY

Choosing Technologies for Asynchronous Training

An Asynchronous-learning environment has to be able to connect e-learners new information using multimedia designs and the web 2.0.  For this training, the learning audience must be able to understand systematic procedures on how to operate the different types of machinery on the plant floor.  The training must be available to all employees regardless of work availability.  As an ending result, the employees should also be able to demonstrate work based on what they have learned from the training system, and view work from other employees.  How can all of these measures be accomplished with distance learning?

Course management systems are very fundamental to training, but there are other technological tools that can also be useful. The learning system or module must be able to connect to learners through blogs, discussion boards, and media sharing tools.  There are several types of sharing tools available for trainers.  Adobe Connect, Acrobat, Camstudio, blogs, and Wikispaces are a few tools that could be used for this training.  Blogs and Wikispaces seem to be the best format.  With Wikispaces, students can share online file storage space and review each other’s work.  “Users can in tern comment on the presentations and share their own ideas thereby providing feedback that may assist presenters in enhancing their content” (Walden.edu, 2012).   Wikispaces also promotes learners engagement in the lessons by group collaborations and communications on projects.  For a sample look at the benefits of wikispaces click on A-KLAS Consulting Group.  A-KLAS used wikispaces to collaborate on a project.  Students were able to engage in the lesson and assist each other with their project assignments.  The professor was also able to communicate changes and monitor the progress of the group. 

Blogs can also be used for initial training, feedback and collaboration also.  Instructional Designers can provide links in blogs to wikispaces to provide a venue for learners to demonstrate what they have learned and communicate with one another.  Both media sharing tools can conjoin with each other to benefit learners.

Web 2.0 technologies are becoming an educational alternative to learners.  Blogging, Wikis, Podcasting, Social Bookmarking, Social Networking, and Virtual Worlds are all incorporated into course management systems (Albright, Simonson, Smaldino & Zvacek, 200-2012, pp. 128-131).  Depending on the training the ID is performing, can depend on what multimedia sources the trainer will utilize in the learning management system.  Sometimes training can utilize the web 2.0 for instruction, collaboration, demonstrations, and feedback.  The training class for a biodiesel manufacturing plant utilizes several training modules that can be incorporated into a wiki.  This platform provides many facets of multimedia designs including links, videos, collaboration, and on-going feedback from the professor.

References

Albright, M., Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., & Zvacek, S. (200-2012). Teaching and learning at a distance foundations of distance education. (5th ed., pp. 127-132). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Common Craft. (Producer) (2007). Wetpaint wikis in plain english [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7BAU2XX5Ws

Waldenu.edu. (Producer). (2012). The technology of distance education. [Web Video]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=/webapps/blackboard/execute/launcher?type=Course&id=_1341074_1&url=  

A Mind Map of Distance Learning