Communication

Without a doubt communication has advanced significantly. No longer are there geographical separations in communicating across the room or across the globe(Siemens, 2008). This bridge in contact is due to the increase in tools that make this possible as well as the enhancement in the quality of these apparatus. Through the past decades communication has gone from face to face, to mail by pony, to landline phones, and onto to cellular devices. Now we see people communicating across the web cheaper, farther, and just as efficient if not more. I personally am new to blogs, wikis, Skype and Popcasts but fascinated at the same time. It almost frightens me sometimes to think were all these innovations are going. What will communication be like for my sons of 14 and 6? I remember when I was their ages, not to say I’m getting old or anything….but we mailed letters and made phone calls when we wanted to talk. The long distance relatives’ phone calls were expensive and rare. Now I can turn on Skype and talk with them as much as I want and as far away as I want as long as I’ve made my monthly internet payment.

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Principles of Distance Education, Baltimore: Author.

There is not only a need to evolve distance education to the next generation there is also the need to do so with sound professional design practice in place to do the leading(Moller, L.,et.al., 2009). In the three part article, Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web, I found many beneficial approaches of e-learning that I agree can not be implemented into the traditional classroom. Such abilities as personalization and individualize learning, global collaboration, authentic discussion and dialogue without inhibitions of the f2f, the ability to reach a much larger mass than campus based programs, and instant availability to class are benefits of e-learning capability(Moller,L.,et.al., 2009).
Increased enrollment predictions, competition, increased quality demands for training and instructions are prime examples of why colleges and universities are evolving to new web based environments. This innovation that is very new to some of us is about to take off. Students, staff, and faculty will have to take initiatives to move forward with the technology based instruction of e-learning(Moller, L.,et.al., 2009).
There are unlimited possibilities by using the internet and distance learning but it is necessary to implement the training for both users and facilitators and a need for proven research. The f2f medium can not be the same material implemented over the internet. Many feel e-learning is just an outlet for those who can’t handle the traditional classroom environment. Society wants a quick fix which modality of educating is the best, and the public and our policy makers are expecting a quick fix(Moller, L.,et.al., 2009).
Distance education is becoming a widely popular infrastructure that is expected and respected. Even with e-learning skepticism, the patterns from the past are evidence that growth will continue(Simonson, 2009).

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008, May/June). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 1: Training and Development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70–75. Use the Academic Search Premier database, and search using the article's title.
Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008, July/August). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 2: Higher Education). TechTrends, 52(4), 66–70. Use the Academic Search Premier database, and search using the article's title.
Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W. & Coleman, C. (2008, September/October). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5), 63–67.Use the Academic Search Premier database, and search using the article's title.
Simonson, M. (2000). Making decisions: The use of electronic technology in online classes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 84, 29–34. Use the Academic Search Premier database, and search using the article's title.