What plagues a brick and mortar institute? The answer is money. In order for a university to be continuing in research and developing solutions to complex problems, funding is the primary goal. If a university offers courses for 100 percent of the available time in classrooms and has only has funding from students, at some point in their history, the lack of funding will present a problem. The successful universities have recognized this problem a long time ago and have looked for ways that can increase funding and reduce costs. Their answer was distance learning.
Distance learning has grown and changes over the years and the proof is in the large number of brick and mortar universities offering degrees and programs that are recognized by their peers. A very successful example of a distance learning institution in Canada is Athabasca University. I have taken some courses in my undergraduate degree from Athabasca so I have some other distance learning experience.
The key to distance education is discussions and communication. The growth of technology tools available on the internet used to develop and deliver courses for distance education has exploded. The reason, the tools are easy to use and require minimal if any instruction to use successfully. This use of internet has opened a global marketplace for the university. The proof of success is in the courses taken from Walden University and the number of students each session who are located outside the United States (myself included).
Industry has been looking at these tools seriously for the last five years and are developing and using the tools to communicate to their customers via the internet. There is not a fortune five hundred company that does not have an internet presence and does not offer training materials, FAQ (frequently asked questions), and has not posted a presence in social media (twitter, facebook, etc) This is another form of distance learning that is growing.
I feel that as an instructional designer my future is a bright one. I can see many opportunities to develop and grow within the leaning and development community. As business changes and grows so must their delivery materials. I, like my peers, can expect to be busy.
References:
Gambescia, S., & Paolucci, R. (2009). Academic fidelity and integrity as attributes of university online degree program offerings. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 12(1). Retrieved from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring121/gambescia121.html
Schmidt, E., & Gallegos, A. (2001). Distance learning: Issues and concerns of distance learners. Journal of Industrial Technology, 17(3). Retrieved from http://atmae.org/jit/Articles/schmidt041801.pdf
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