Reflection on the Future of Instructional Design

 Distance learning in the future

I perceive distance learning as growing in the future. George Siemens makes an excellent point in the video. As people communicate online and through video, the idea of distance learning is gaining more acceptance (Laureate Education, nd.). I agree with this statement. Kahn Academy is a perfect example of video being used to teach and tutor concepts. Students can control the video and pause and rewatch as needed. Teachers are implementing a flipped classroom using Kahn Academy (Let's use video to reinvent education | Salman Khan, 2011).  Since 2019, enrollment in online post-secondary courses has jumped from 17.6% to 22.7% (Smalley, 2021).

Instructional Designer: improving societal perceptions of distance learning

I think the biggest thing we can do as Instructional Designers it to create diverse, content-rich, high-quality instructional material. This can be done by sticking with the Instructional Design foundations principles to design and evaluate the content, but also to be abreast of new trends and the data being collected.

Current trends in Instructional Design are as follows:

·       Prioritization of Learners- focus on the needs of the learner

·       Content Curation- high-quality content from a variety of sources

·       Personalized Learning- personalized quizzes and computer-generated feedback

·       Video- mobile learning, microlearning with videos delivering bite-sized pieces of content

·       Mobile Learning- accessibility to courses through the phone or tablet

·       New Learning Realities- Virtual Learning and Augmented Reality

·       Microlearning- small content units for skill-based learning

·       Interactive Learning- online textbooks that incorporate video, drag and drop activities, embedded quizzes

·       Social Learning- discussion boards, class-wide chat

·       Gamification- applying game-like elements to learning such as badges, points, leader board

·       Rapid Development- updating courses frequently

·       Measurement and Analytics- measure and learn from student performance and student surveys to make positive changes within a course (Bates, 2020)

Advocate for distance learning

As an online teacher, I am always advocating for school choice. Online instruction and instructional design are my passion. I speak out for school choice because every learner deserves to have the opportunity to extend their learning and improve their lives through education. I will say that distance learning is not the best choice for every learner and it’s not the best choice for every program, but it does have its place as a valid source of learning and career advancement.

As an Instructional Designer, being an advocate for online learning comes through creating high-quality content and learning modules, social media, and joining professional organizations such as AECT, ASTD, and ISPI (Hancks, 2019). High-quality instructional design learning modules should follow sound instructional design principles. Quality work lends to the credibility and rigor of online programs. Social media, such as LinkedIn, allows Instructional Designers to share reports, research, and program features to the public. This allows individuals to become familiar with distance learning features, interact with content, and have their questions answered through posts and responses. Finally, joining professional organizations lends credibility to the field and allows industry standards to be established and followed by Instructional Designers.


 

References

Bates, A. (2020, December 21). 12 Fresh Instructional Design Trends To Explore in 2021. Skyepack. https://www.skyepack.com/post/instructional-design-trends

Hancks, J. (2019, July 28). WIU Libraries Guides: Instructional Design & Technology: Organizations and Associations. Wiu.libguides.com; Western Illinois University. https://wiu.libguides.com/c.php?g=295373&p=1968978

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). The future of distance learning [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Let's use video to reinvent education | Salman Khan. (2011, March 9). Let’s use video to reinvent education | Salman Khan. YouTube. https://youtu.be/nTFEUsudhfs

Smalley, S. (2021, October 13). New U.S. data show jump in college students’ learning online. Www.insidehighered.com. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/10/13/new-us-data-show-jump-college-students-learning-online#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20students%20enrolled

 

 

Comments

  1. Hello-
    I also just finished the distance learning course and am eager to follow your blog in our project management course!
    Lori Wright

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Leanne,
    I see we are both teachers and both finished distance learning recently. I am looking forward to following you through this course and learning about the case study/project that you are going to manage.
    Amanda Valente

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Leanne, I look forward to reading your thoughts on instructional design and project management!

    Penny Jordan

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Leanne, I look forward to working with you in our Project Management course and reading your blog. -Aubri Strong

    ReplyDelete

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