What do you Believe About Distance Learning? An Assessment Framework to Guide Decisions, Actions & Vision
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
9:30 am - 10:30 am
Description
This session introduces a framework to analyze fundamental beliefs about distance learning. Participants will recognize how their beliefs—which shape decisions, actions, and future vision of distance learning—impact such issues as institutional requirements, technical capabilities, and resource allocation. They will examine their underlying beliefs about variables likely to influence future decision making including socialization, personalization, technology literacy, and resource allocation. By using the framework to recognize patterns of decisions and actions, experienced practitioners will understand how alignment of stakeholder beliefs shapes their campus’ current programs and can impact future direction. They will also be equipped to help faculty examine the variables that impact technology-based course design and implementation and will gain a sharper understanding of the range of worldviews that can
impact the future on their own campuses. Read More..
Presenters
More Information
This session is designed as a reflective and interactive exercise that offers practitioners a framework for analyzing such fundamental beliefs about distance learning as institutional requirements, learner’s needs, technical capabilities, and resource allocations. The process helps participants recognize how their beliefs guide their decisions, actions and vision for distance learning for themselves and their campuses. The framework incorporates such critical issues as pedagogy, course content, learning assessment, interaction, and instructional design.
The presenters will begin by establishing defining questions that give structure to participants’ basic beliefs. Participants will then work in small roundtable groups to examine the assumptions that underlie four paradigms of distance learning: minimalist, traditionalist, opportunist, and futurist. Finally, they will be facilitated through an examination of their underlying beliefs about variables that will likely influence their decision making in the future, including socialization, personalization, and technology literacy.
The entire process is designed to help practitioners better understand not only their own decisions and actions, but also the decisions and actions of others. It will also help them clearly articulate their approach to distance learning to fellow administrators and faculty. By using the framework to recognize patterns of thought and action, experienced practitioners will understand how the alignment of stakeholder beliefs can shape their campus’ future direction. They will also be better equipped to help new faculty examine the variables that impact technology-based course design and implementation.
Participants will be able to use the framework throughout the conference
as they continue to examine their beliefs about distance learning’s role in
higher education in 2020. The outcome will be that participants will leave
the conference with not only a clearer vision of the future of distance
learning, but also a clearer understanding of the range of differing
worldviews that can impact that future on their own campuses and beyond.
