This was an interesting topic to
look at particularly with the MOOCs, but the one thing that I first must
address is the topic of revolution. To many times, some new technology or
introduction of a new way of education comes and we see it as revolutionary and it always ends
in evolution not revolution. That being the case this article does not
necessarily say it will cause a revolution but shows the potential for a
revolution of education. In the article, what stuck with me the most is the
idea that “Student control may be extended and even expanded even as demand for
education increases on a global basis as new technologies associated with
distance learning offer new choices to address an increasingly diverse set of
student needs.” This is an interesting aspect of distance learning that could
come about and one that would hopefully allow students access to course or
resources to be able to give more students a quality education. I say quality
in education in that students would now have an opportunity to be taught by a
higher quality teacher. It also allows for students in lower SES schools, who
we saw in the last readings, that did not have access to classes like statistic
course to now have the option of taking those courses in order to be better
prepared and ready for college. This could be where distance education, but it
also can start an evolution where what we are seeing is more of the same just
in a different format.
How will the curriculum, Pedagogy
and Technology change?
This is an interesting question and
one that depends on just how much distance learning changes education, as we
know it. No matter what the affect of distance education has on education,
distance education will cause a change in pedagogy, curriculum, and technology.
I say that because with the growth of distance education it will cause the need
for a change in pedagogy for online learning and how best to enhance student
learning via the Internet. You cannot just have a talking head and expect
students to watch a 3 hour lecture and have a deep online discussion, the
teachers need to develop the content in ways that keeps the attention of the
students. It will have an affect on curriculum by allowing a wider range of
courses to students which can mean course that other schools offer such as
statistics to students who only had basic math, or it could mean having courses
students are interested in being available at a distance. It will also have an
affect on technology causing technology to evolve or develop to enhance
distance learning and what that depends upon is the pedagogy that develops as
well. These two go hand in hand because with new technology can allow teachers
to do more things and the more teachers want to do or students want will drive
technology into developing tools to meet those needs. The changes that distance learning will cause
will be interesting and it will be interesting to see who controls that
direction as well.
