I come from a developing country with an adult literacy rate of 71.5% as at 2012 (unicef) and an Internet penetration rate of 40.7% as at November 2013 (Kunateh). Thanks to major advances in Internet technologies and some forward thinking institutions I am able to access a program of my choice which is not readily available in the traditional universities in my country assuming I had the luxury of taking time off work to pursue my education full-time. As rightly put by Dr. Siemens, a few years ago the thought of holding web conferences and accessing instant messaging platforms was considered as not easily accessible if not impossible but all of that has changed now.
Distance learning is still finding its place especially in places like Ghana where most distance learning is defined not as by distance between learners and the use of technology (Simonson, n.d.), but simply as a means of replicating on-campus learning experiences at another physical site which is at a distance from the main campus. As rightly put by Dr. Siemens, as people become more comfortable as digital natives and immigrants in the online environment, the thought of studying online will not be something akin to a repulsive thought. I think that as people appreciate the benefits of being able to communicate with a diverse group of persons who can bring depth and breadth to discussions, the richness of an online learning experience will be appreciated.
There are other aspects of changing perceptions, which can only be done by graduates of online learning, and instructional designers like myself. Although “students perceive that Online Learning has a significant relative advantage to traditional methodologies” (O’Malley and McCraw, 1999) a poorly designed online learning experience can create a negative perception. Instructional designers must apply sound theory and employ the appropriate tools and learning objects in meeting an online learning need. Having had my first experience of using various tools to model a distance learning experience, I learnt some very important lessons. Working together with my possible clients, I will continually seek to apply my learning and experience in building confidence in the benefits of Online Learning.
Distance learning has a great future with the benefits it brings including flexibility and access. Even with very poor quality courses and oversubscribed programmes, enrolment continues to rise. I personally think that some accreditation is needed to standardize quality and to guide the design and development of distance learning experience. I think knowing the theory and knowing that they have to be applied is great but a collective effort is needed to ensure quality. Distance learning will not varnish like some innovations. It is here to stay be it fully online or applied in a blended experience.
Reference:
Kunateh, M. A. (2013, November 8). Ghana’s Internet Penetration Inches To 40.7%. The Chronicle. Retrieved
April 27, 2015, from http://thechronicle.com.gh/ghanas-internet-penetration-inches-to-40-7-2/
O’Malley, J., & McCraw, H. Students Perceptions of Distance Learning, Online Learning and the Traditional
Classroom. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, II(IV). Retrieved April 27, 2015,
from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/omalley24.html
Simonson, M (n.d.). Distance Education: The Next Generation [Online video]. Walden University. Retrieved
January 6, 2013
unicef. (2013, December). Statistics. Retrieved April 27, 2015, from
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/ghana_statistics.html