Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  I hope that in this New Year, everyone enters into this season of your life with peace and hope.

Michelle MartensDragalin

Response to Julonda Slay's Post

As I read Julonda's post I thought of my comments about online education for students with disabilities.  I agree that we need to have as many ways for our students to access education.  We need to be able to provide them with a way to develop their educational skills.  We need to be able to do with by using all of the tools that available to teachers.

Response to Christina Ransey Blog

I agree with Ms. Ramsey’s ascertain that online education is not for every student. However, I do think that it should be an option for students who do not do well in the physical classroom. There are students who for a variety of reasons have a difficult time learning in an environment that if socially demeaning to them.

In addition, online education should be an option for students who have to travel or move great deals such as students whose parents are in the military or because of business. The children would not lose whatever skills, nor would they have to face the task of starting over socially in a new school.

One idea that was not mentioned in any of the blogs or articles I have read compare home schooling to online education. I do not think that they are the same thing, the reason that I say this because when you look at the curriculum. The home school curriculum mirrors the same format as curriculum in a classroom. As we are learning online education curriculum is different than that of physical classroom.

A Lazy Day reflection

I was able to read the entire newspaper today. I like to read the paper and we have it delivered on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They are the only days that I can spend time to read the paper. Since I do not have class assignments due today, I could examine the columns, travel and topics that I find interesting. I have always wanted to write a column for a newspaper or become a reporter.
Today’s newspaper topics relate to homeless teenagers, online education, China’s second child policy, travel and viewpoints concerning Christmas. I was also very pleased to see the nativity scene in many of the cartoons. I clipped those articles and will probably refer to them in the next week or so as I find time.

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day tomorrow.  I didn't get to the posts that I had anticipated, but I will.  I hope everyone enjoys their holiday!

Grant Writing

My varied interests allow me to excuse the time that I spend surfing the web, reading and writing. Currently, I have the following projects; coursework for my graduate classes, a shawl for my daughter, socks for my husband, afghan for my son, proposal for the church committee, book series on urban animals, AND writing two grant proposals in order to get funds for our special education department.

None of the projects scares me more than writing the grant proposal. Write a grant if you need the money. Easier said than done!! I hope that the grants are approved. We need to buy some technological equipment for our department (docu cam and its accessories, printer, laptops and desktops, iPads, and iPods), as well as, another paraprofessional (or two). The additional para will allow us to provide more individuals instruction and access to the general education classroom for our students.

I want the additional technology because it is a way to keep the students involved and independent in the classroom. In addition, I have been reviewing some books and curriculums that suggest various strategies that we could implement if we have the proper equipment.

Tomorrow and Saturday I will be posting some reviews of the technology, books, curriculums and other blogs that I have been reading. This material is helping to decide what would work in our department and give me information for more articles.

By the way, I am looking for someone to review my grant proposals

EDUC 8842: Module 2 Blog Reflection Assigment

What online tools are available today to facilitate these interactions among learners?

            There are many tools available for individuals in order to interact online in an edifying manner. The tools can be computer, fax, telephone and other wireless forms of technology, such as fiber optic networks. In addition, Skype, email, and instant messaging are used to communicate between the trainer and trainee or educator and students. According to George Siemens (2010), the online tool used is dependent upon the educational needs of the organization that is creating the curriculum. The academic classroom could be in a virtual schools, collaborative systems or mirror curriculum. The business world also uses online tools to train their employee because they are located all over the world.

In education, a virtual school has classroom without walls. School districts have virtual schools for high schools where students can get high school degree. The student would take all of their classes online through the computer, fax, telephone and other wireless forms of technology. The collaborative system utilizes a fiber optic network that connects statewide classrooms, so that educators can share educational resources. South Dakota and Iowa use a fiber optic system in order to consolidate their educational resources and teacher expertise. This allows many schools to pay only a portion of the expense but their students can benefit from the resource. The classroom without walls may actually reflect the same number of students in a regular in a classroom.

The business world would also use the same online tools that are available in the public sector to train their employees. However, distance education and training are more accepted by the private sector because it is cost effective to train their people concerning new policies and skills in this manner. Distance educations in the public sector are encouraged by district superintendents. There is not an online education czar to set up rules and regulations for the use of online tools in the educational world.

Reference

“Distance Education: Higher Education, K12, and the Corporate World”   Retrieved from

            http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?

           CourseID=6200914&Survey=1&47=3369963&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Where Do Students with Educational Disabilities Fit in Online Education?

                All students have the right to be included in any educational setting and receive the same access to the general education curriculum. This includes students with educational disabilities who have an individual education plan who have the right to access the general education curriculum. There is little research to illustrate how to help students with disabilities to access online education, unless there is a paraprofessional and teacher to help read the print.

Student with educational disabilities do not have the necessary skills to access the current educational material that is available online. The materials students can access at their skill level are directed at students who are chronologically younger. Online education can be programmed so that the student can access grade level curriculum at their skill level. My question, why is not there more available for students with exceptional needs? Does anyone know?

K-12 Online Education

K-12 Online education

This article “Growth of online education continues to outpace regulation” represents the discussion in my Principles of Distance Learning online class in Module 1 concerning the evolution of online education. In this article, the authors discuss the pros and cons and the growth of online K-12 education. The author discusses how some states do not provide a check and balance systems for online education.. In addition, distance education needs have more trained online instructors, (p. 2, Wyatt and Moreno, 2011).

Although online education is the wave of the future, it is not regularly used for professional training and attaining advanced degrees. Now, more and more k-12 students are attending at least one online class. Some of the schools require students to take courses online.

I think that the authors are correct in their conclusion that online education is going to part of the future of education, at least in a hybrid format. Most students will be required to attend a physical classroom and take an online course. Technology and training do need to catch up with online education, in addition to online regulation, but online education is part of the future.

Reference:

Wyatt, K., & Moreno, I., (December, 2011). Growth of online education continues to

       outpace regulation. SmartBrief on EdTech: the future of k12 instruction. Retrieved

       online at  ABCNew.com.

TT

EDUC 8842: Response to Amanda Langston

I also agree that distance educationa is becoming more and more respectable as a place for higher education and learning.

However, I will note that once upon a time distance education was considered a step child in the world of education.  When I obtained my Master's in an online program I can remember that several people seemed to view this a shortcut.  Now when I state that I am getting my PhD degree online, people nod and wish me luck.

I think that as technology advances, so do the vaious fields associated with it advance in respectability, including education.

EDUC 8842 Response to Cynthia Muna

I think that this is most important statement:  " Since most students are not able to distinguish between good instruction and teaching methodology it is up to the trainer and faculty to ensure this is a part of their program  (DQ, Muna, Dec 2011)."   It reminds me of a quote I heard a long time ago, "I may not be able to tell why it's right, but I can bloody well tell you why it's wrong (a.u., n.d.)."

It is up to us as professionals to understand and know why Instructional Design is working and why it is working for our students.

Nice post Cynthia!

EDUC 8842: Module 1 Blog Reflection Assigment

After reading the three articles by Moller, Huett, Foshay and Coleman, and listening to the Simonson video programs, compare and contrast the reasons these authors believe there is a need to evolve distance education to the next generation. Do you agree with their positions? Why or why not?

            The resource readings made me feel old because I have taken courses through almost every type of distance method. I have taken course through correspondence school, sat in classrooms where the instructor appeared via satellite and now access courses through the internet. The following paragraphs illustrate my understanding on where distance education is utilized in the present time and why more research is needed.

Reasons to evolve distance education

According to the three articles by Moller, Huett, Foshay and Coleman concerning the evolution of distance education are because: a) training and develop sector is expanding, b) higher education and c) K-12 environment is expanding into education.   Distance education is expanding in all of the areas of education and it is acquiring respect and knowledge concerning its development. The three part article reminded me of a science fiction show I watched once upon a time.  The children stayed home in a gated community and were educated online by their instructor. 

Distance education is evolving and used for different typed of learning; The first area is that the business sector is expanding and using e-learning in order to train their personnel and help them develop the skills necessary for promotion and expansion. The second area concerns students like me, who are pursuing their advanced degrees online.  The fact that it is online is the main reason that I am able to complete my Ph.D.  This is not something I take lightly, I have always wanted to get my PhD, and however, I have learned that students my age do have special needs.  We need to have all of the course work outlined in order to understand exactly what is needed to complete the work. The last reason, is that distance learning is expanding and incorporates the fact that most learning is online. K-12 learning in a virtual academy is  now.  I know teachers who are online k12 teachers, teachers who teach in every subject and work with students who have educational disabilities.

Since distance learning is becoming a major factor in all of the areas listed above instruction and design for virtual learning needs to provide the same outcomes as a person would receive in a physical classroom.  However, the format of the instruction is presented in a different manner because the lessons are delivered to different cultures. 

Different cultures are represented by individuals who belong to various ethnic, racial, age and language groups.  All groups have different needs and learning styles.

Position

            My position concerning the evolutionary needs for distance education is that more research needed in the area of education. More research on distance education is needed in the area of instructional design, best practices, presentation and curriculum.  The current generation is used to playing games online and need to have these wonderful visual presentations in order to keep their attention. The students who are currently taking online courses have special needs.

References

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. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

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

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. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database

EDUC 8842. Module 1

EDUC 8842: Module One
The course Principles of Distance Learning is to teach us how to work with students who take virtual classess.
This module had taught me about how to teach students in an online course.  I will be working on  a final vidoe project concerning Adult Learners in the Virtual University.
I am learning a lot about how to use technology in relation to curriculum instruction and design. I am taking this course and others like it because I know that online teaching is the future of education.  The other reason is that as a teacher I am using my voice a lot.
Curriculum and desing is a passion of mind and I want to use it to help train teacher and consult with medical and educational professionals concerning intervention and
transition in working with students who have educational needs.

First Blog

This is blog that I am setting because it is a requirement for one of graduate courses EDUC 8842 Principles of Distance Education.

I will also use it to vent my thoughts on education, write out topics for nonfiction articles and post reflections on what I read.  In addition, it will be used to fulfill the requirements of my EDUC 8842 class. 

However, I will be posting long after the class is completed.