Scenario 3

         The tool that I would use first to set up the entire program would be BlackBoard 9.0. This distance education tool enables an ID to create an entire learning experience which encompasses different learning modules and therefore can cover a variety of topics and in the case of this company I think that this would be the best program to use to include all that one would need to do this sufficiently.
    I would use a series of learning modules, each of which would include a different topic which would need to be covered. I might use letters or numbers to show the sequential order that they should follow.These could range from safety issues to safety procedures to the step-by-step priocesses which go into the everyday operation of this company.
   I would hope to find a logical starting point and might even set up my learning modules in a manner where each group covered certain areas within smaller lessons which were quite specific within each one. Some means of coherence should be used to connect one module to the next in a logical order.
   Using this program would also allow me to add a short test at the end of each module to ensure that students were retaining the information and not just going through them for the sake of doing so. I feel that this would add an extra measure of accountability to the program as a whole.
  Another good thing about using this version of BlackBoard is that it shows student's last sign in, as well as time spent on task.  Also it could be made available to students both from work or their home computers because the program can be used remotely in either place as long as there is internet access.
   Also this program could be helpful in making the information more interesting by using colored fonts and graphics to pep up the modules a bit more.
 
    A second distance education tool that I would use to enhance each of my learning modules would be flickr.com. With this tool I could add engaging videos, which would enhance the topic covered in each module, and this would also ensure that the students/workers would hopefully find this means of adding to the basic information both interesting and informative so as to add a little spice to the information that they were learning from each module. One's favorite cartoon characters, such as the Simpsons, could be used here to enhance the learning module.
  Another reason to use this tool is so that the learning experience is not just a series of lecture notes typed into this format. I feel that while that could be beneficial for some learners it would definitely hold a majority back, as they not only might find this boring but also montonous on many fronts as well.
  My examples as to how these two tools could be used well together for distance learning are the ways that they are used at Cleveland Community College in the developmental education department. Both of these were used as a part of the new English 85/95 format that I have helped to design for my college.

Mind map

http://mywebspiration.com/view/534900a36e95

This is the link where where my mind mapping exercise can be found.

Distance Learning

 Distance education is one of the best things to happen to education since the printed book. It allows students to gain degrees and certificates on their own time and at their own pace. It has opened a whole new world to many individuals.
  The great thing about distance education is that it puts a semblance of control into the hand of the each and every student. For example, if they are working in a self-paced course then they have the option of finishing early, or even in a hybrid course they can complete a majority of their work outside the classroom on their own time frame.
 I feel that the definition of distance learning is forever changing because distance learning itself changes everyday as well. With the advent and incorporation of new technological advances distance education programs are becoming more common on most college campuses. I feel that the first thing that pushes this metamorphosis is the sheer number of students who are taking part in these programs nowadays. This forces us, as educators, to have technology that can handle a larger number of users at once.
 A second change that I feel is related directly to the users is that its designers now work to make this software more navigable, manageable, and easy to use because so many who are attempting to use distance education are doing so with less and less technical knowledge before hand.
  Also this is a type of double-edged sword, as we now have software which is easier to use, but for example in developmental because of the advanced ages of some of our students we still must bridge this technological gap. So even though we now have better technology than ever before we are also faced with less experienced students, at least in this manner, who are now attempting to use it.
 In conclusion, technology is a great thing and thus so is distance education for many, many reasons, but I think the best part is the promise that it holds for all students to learn and further their own personal storehouse of knowledge.





With the above considerations in mind, post to your blog a 5- to 6-paragraph description of the evolution of distance learning as it relates to your own experiences. Be sure to include the following in your post:



Your personal definition and observations of distance learning

Hello All from EDU 6135

Hello All! My name is Wes Anthony and this is my blog. I haven't used it for a while, but this is it!
I teach English at CCC in Shelby, NC. I've recently published my second novel-Binger and Stumpy(Strategic 2010).
More to come.