To be Good or Bad….. That is the question….

In reflecting on my online/distance courses I have experienced, I realize I have been overwhelmingly lucky in my experiences.  I have enjoyed most of my online class experiences, I was extremely hesitant in the beginning to even begin a program with online classes, but in the end, I went with an EdS program that is completely online.  I have been surprised at the level of discussion, interaction and face-to-face similarities that this program has provided and agree with Moore and Kearsley (2012) in that “where peer interaction is possible, as it is in online courses, students can find it very sustaining.” The variety of interactions through facebook, blogs, pinterest boards, videos and presentations have been what made it so engaging and given me the ability to get to know my peers and instructors as well as “permit extensive student and instructor interaction” (Moore & Kearsley, 2012, p. 111). I have found through this program there can be online classes that are just as involved as face-to-face classes. I also feel like the variety within the program so that I have not been doing the same “all about me” type video or activity has pushed my growth with new types of technology and kept the introductory part of the classes from being boring.  The “ice-breaker” portion of face-to-face classes are never anyone’s favorite and to convert that portion of the online experience into enjoyable activities is a substantial achievement in my opinion.  My earliest experience with distance learning was prior to online programs becoming popular (or even existent) and that would be the only experience I would say I have had that has been negative. The thing about these classes was the fact that there was little to no interaction with classmates or the instructors.  The psychology and sociology classes I took were telecourses (I’m really NOT that old) and they involved videos of lecture and various supplemental programming aired on Alabama Public Television (APT) that I would have to record and watch at my convenience.  I would then be required to fill out open-book test type questionnaires or write papers based on the videos.  I met maybe 3-4 times a quarter with the whole class and instructor just to turn in work and get information about upcoming assignments.  I think these classes could have been better had their been some interaction with my classmates and possibly more discussion with them but as Moore and Kearsley state if “study is limited to recorded materials such as the printed study guide and  audio/video recordings, getting the student to interact with the subject is even more challenging” (2012, p.115)  The times we met, the instructor was very knowledgeable and had great experiences to share as a clinical psychologist, and I think that discussions would have greatly enhanced that class considering the subject area. According to Moore and Kearsley (2012) “the instructor must be able to guide students into being actively involved in the learning process.”  This is something I think that was missing in those early telecourses that I was a part of and possibly a reason for my hesitation in pursing a completely online degree program. But as, I have found with my current program “engaging students as early as possible and keeping them engaged is key” (Angelino, Wiliams, and Natvig, 2007) and I feel that  is what has kept me in the program. Overall, aside from the few early experiences I had with telecourses, my online experience has been a great one and I am glad I decided to pursue it. Distance learning has changed for the better and I believe it can be a tool used by many to pursue their educational goals and achieve them.

References:

Angelino, L. M., Williams, F. K., & Natvig, D. (2007, July). Strategies to Engage Students and Reduce Online Attrition Rates. Journal of Educators Online, 4(2). Retrieved June 27, 2016, from http://www.thejeo.com/Volume4Number2/Angelino Final.pdf

Harynomas. (n.d.). Distance Learning [Cartoon]. Retrieved June 27, 2016, from http://www.toondoo.com/View.toon?param=462104

Moore, M. G., & Kearsley, G. (2012). Distance education: A systems view of online learning. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

S. (2012). What is Distance Learning? - DistanceLearningPortal.com. Retrieved June 27, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6dHK2cXatM