Best Practices and Current Trends in Distance Learning

Best Practices and Current Trends in Distance Learning • 20 Years in Information Technology • 15 Years with UT Distance Education and Independent Study • Infrastructure Design – PEMBA (M.B.A.) • Technical Support Architect – W.VA. M.L.S. • Technical Support Manager – Engineering Management (M.S.) William R. McNutt Jr., CNA, MCP • mcnutt@utk.edu

What Distance Education Is • Learning that occurs when the learner is not local to the instructor. • Convenient to the learner • Flexible • Multi-channeled • Re-usable • Portable

What Distance Education is Not • Cheap – Distance Education adds an additional layer of technology to the education process, and that costs money. • As good as bricks and mortar techniques • Effective for all learners

What does D.E. Look Like in A.E.? • Technologies • U.S. Postal Service • Video Check Out • Broadcast Video • “Static” Web Pages, or “Click to Learn” • Chat rooms and Instant Messaging • Virtual Classrooms • Administration • Cost • Logistics • Acceptance • mcnutt@utk.edu

Benefits of DL for AE Programs • Time Saved – The ability to learn from the home or office eliminates time spent in travel for training • Cost Containment – Depending on the DE technology applied, the cost of DE can actually be less than the cost of travel • New Audience – DE does not cut into the learner base for standard training. • mcnutt@utk.edu

Where does DE fit in AE? • Professional Development • Administrative Streamlining • Adult Learners • Screening • Orientation • Accountability • mcnutt@utk.edu

Barriers to Implementing DE • Cost • Access to Technology • Instructor Resistance • Administrative Resistance • Certification Agency Resistance • Accountability • mcnutt@utk.edu

Surmounting Cost Issues • Write specific grants • Partner with other programs • Partner with local business • Partner with local community colleges • mcnutt@utk.edu

Local high schools Local military facilities Local community colleges Loaner equipment Large businesses (Beware of hidden costs) Access to Technology • mcnutt@utk.edu

Overcoming Instructor Resistance Bribe Them Cash Prestige Extra time to plan Better, newer equipment Free training Wait for them to retire Make DE a factor of the job for new hires • mcnutt@utk.edu

Overcoming Administrative Objections • See over-coming cost • Self-documenting features of many DE packages • Note time saved and travel eliminated • Note cost saved by portability and re-use • mcnutt@utk.edu

Over-Coming Agency Resistance • Persistence – Don’t give up • Resolve accountability concerns • Take advantage of automatic tracking features • Maintain logs • Start with small pilots • mcnutt@utk.edu

Resolving Accountability Concerns • Self-reporting • Averaging • In person check-ins • Telephone check-ins • Proctoring • Local high school guidance councilors • Military education officers • Local community colleges • Churches • mcnutt@utk.edu

The US Postal Service • Old Fashioned Correspondence • Cheap • Largest Reach • Requires no additional technological resources • Requires minimal level of literacy • mcnutt@utk.edu

Video Tape Checkout • Can be done through the mail • Minimal administrative costs • Requires minimal access to technology • Works with lower levels of literacy • Low cost content is available • mcnutt@utk.edu

Broadcast Video • Free air-time is often available • Some content is available cheaply or for free • Not flexible for time slots • Can be an administrative headache • Often requires technical skills or special training that can be time consuming • mcnutt@utk.edu

The Learning Manager • Multiple resources collected under a single interface to simplify the distance learning experience for both the instructor and the learner. • Very aggressively priced • Web-based directed learning environment designed to simplify putting course content on the internet. • mcnutt@utk.edu

Centra Conference • Shared Whiteboard • Aggressively priced for lease • Real-time interaction • Minimal bandwidth • Two-way audio • Synchronized Slide Presentation • mcnutt@utk.edu

Best Practices and Current Trends in Distance Learning