Developing Quality Instructional Programs; Online Learning and Program Evaluation.
As I begin to explore the concept of online learning in various educational settings, I take many factors into consideration. I look at the level of infostructure, professional capacity, skill set of program administrators, and mostly the readiness skills and dispositions of the learners. The use of various mediums within the instructional range is and can be overwhelming for example: multimedia programs and software. In my experiences, there must be a well developed plan to assist new learners with this concept and to support their emergent learning needs. You will find that there are often common concerns among new and veteran learners with these and similar technical concepts.
Within the development processes the instructor must make certain that the learning environment is conductive for all learners. This is going to require that a revisit towards the program outcomes, procedures, communication platforms, etc are constantly addressed. Now, where to you address the program components and in what phase(s). Well, you develop an assessment plan which will serve as a program evaluation component and you will review this feedback on a regular basis. Particularly at the end of each term you and a team will determine where the greater need for assistance has developed. This will enable you to do a follow up with your learners and to provide an outreach to new learners in the beginning of the course and/or program.
When faced with concerns from learners you will find that having access to the programs and educational resources may be an issue. In many P-12 settings to include collegiate settings you will have individual learners who in 2016 that do not have access to the internet to access necessary online resources. In both rural and affluent communities this may be an issue. I am also finding it appropriate to use all modes of communication both online, phone (tele-conference), skype, etc to meet the learning needs of your students. Yet you are developing alternative assessment protocols towards meeting the needs of the learners' instructional, affective, and socio-emotional. needs. When learners have access and are comfortable with their access, true learning takes place.
The development of online learning resources requires extensive training and an appreciation for diversity. In my career, I have worked in many settings and with many people. What I have found to be very true, people (students/learners) respond to what they are either familiar with or what is presented to them in an approachable manner. With this, how you develop your program is a great start; however a better approach is what you develop and how the students receive it. Too often you have the best programs and the wrong delivery which may include personnel. I think we must plan to have the best delivery and the better programs. To do this, it will require more planning and support towards the learner and a more contingent review of the learners pre-learning needs which ultimately affect their outcomes. I hope that I have provided some insight towards what makes online learning a every evolving tasks. It is the perceptions about online learning that makes it difficulty. There has never been a difficulty in the learning and growing process. Programs must change, to do this successfully you have to embrace the feedback from your evaluations. Again, the best programs require retooling. How have you planned to retool your program and its delivery....
Resources:
Fish, W. W., & Wickersham, L. E. (2009). Best practices for online instructors: Reminders. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 10(3), 279-284. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete database.
Ruey, S. (2010). A case study of constructivist instructional strategies for adult online learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(5), 706-720.
Post by:
Melvin Alonza Lowe, III, EdD
Educational Director of Program
Post Doctoral Student
Instructional Design & Technology
MS Program
No comments:
Post a Comment