dwainwright
Distance Education
Reflective Summative Statement
While performing online research about distance education, I noticed the large number of typical online educational programs for undergraduate and graduate level degrees; however, the Master of Distance Education (MDE) at University of Maryland University College (UMUC) was a program focused on the pedagogy in addition to the technology of online e-learning. I was impressed with the program and justified participation within the corporate education tuition reimbursement process. After being accepted for the MDE program, I realized that the core required courses provide a sound foundation in the pedagogical, costs, leadership, technology, and management of distance education programs. This was a revelation regarding the depth and complexity of distance education, because I was slowly becoming aware of the opportunities that the MDE program would provide for a lifelong career.
In 2003 I began to develop courses and instruct synchronous training sessions on network equipment for my employer. These classes consisted of a corporate developed textbook, lecture, and practical configuration and trouble resolution labs. The lab environment provides actual brand specific network communications and termination equipment with simulated network scenarios. After being in the UMUC MDE program for a couple of years, I began to envision my company profiting from online e-training versions of the current training courses. I owe this vision to the MDE program elective courses that have been the primary support for my goal of developing online network engineering courses. The reason for this assessment is because they addressed teaching, learning, training with multimedia, intellectual property and copyright issues as well as the business of distance education.
Overall, I now understand that the UMUC MDE program is worth much more than I originally expected. The added value that this degree brings to my life is a career of leadership in the management of distance education programs as well as a lifelong instructor as an online e-learning and e-training “guide on the side”.
OMDE 601 - Foundations of Distance Education
Beginning the UMUC MDE course of instruction, I was intrigued by the online program; however, I was also tentative in my initial interaction with the students and instructor. Learning about the theory and philosophical foundation of distance education, I was intrigued by the concept of transactional distance and the seeming simplicity that separated the synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning. I was also very enthusiastic about the visiting professors Borje Holmberg and Otto Peters. In my educational experience, I had never been able to interact with a primary source of significance such as these two philosophical and theoretical pillars of distance education
As my confidence grew my interaction skills were enhanced and expanded to accommodate both the instructor and the student. An additional personal benefit resulted with the need for interaction to occur using the written word. In attempting to interact through writing, within the asynchronous classroom environment I better understood the benefits of online learning such as flexible time schedules based upon my requirements.
OMDE 603 - Technology in Distance Education
Initially, I thought that my knowledge of distance education was in the technology such as synchronous ISDN switched network videoconferencing and asynchronous Internet based LMS and CBT delivery methods; however, I was not aware of the history of technologies or the major differences between asynchronous and synchronous delivery methods such as correspondence or teleconference. In addition the course effectively gave a macro level understanding of all the components such as software, hardware, and the access needed to implement and maintain distance education projects and programs.
The primary concept that I learned from this course was that introducing distance education into an organization requires an individual who understands the correct fit between technology and educational strategy. Therefore, the right technology in the current situation must also address the educational goals of the future.
DEPM 604/OMDE 604 - Leadership in Distance Education
The course on leadership in distance education was especially important. Until taking the course, I was unaware of the need for leadership in this area as I was naïve about the efforts required in the administration and management of distance education. It was interesting to learn and understand the overall dynamics of organizational behavior and how the relationship connections between management and labor motivate toward a goal within an organization.
The Leadership in Distance Education course was valuable in that I learned there are more aspects of introducing distance education into an organization than I initially thought. Topics such as faculty, staff, course development and technology converge in an organization and require leadership skills and abilities to establish a new distance education program or maintain an existing one.
OMDE 606 - Cost and Economics of Distance Education
Upon beginning the Cost and Economics of Distance Education course, I was intimidated by the accounting factor and my perceived methods of determining costs in the distance education field. Topics such as cost benefit analysis, variable, and fixed costs were defined and applied in a format that was easy for me to learn and understand. Given the detail of the costing models, I was able to recognize the relationships between the fixed and variable costs in order to determine an order of magnitude in the monetary management of a distance education event or program.
One of benefits of this class was the attention to detail in cost methodology prepared in a spreadsheet. This knowledge allowed me to take a macroeconomic viewpoint of the costing model, where before I would get stuck in the detail of all the component pieces. Also, this class was a great learning lesson in how to enter numbers and formulas with meaningful outputs into a spreadsheet.
DETT 607/OMDE 607 Instructional Design and Course Development in Distance Education
This particular course was about an interesting subject in the distance education curriculum. Instructional design and course development focus on the details, issues, and obstacles involved with this educational process. The course introduces the design and development process in a way that can be applied to any educational environment. The course emphasized that the design and development processes are dynamic and do not necessarily have a predetermined set of beginning and end points.
I particularly like this class and learned much from it. I also had the privilege of using the textbook as a practical application toward the introduction of distance education and training with one of the nations leading healthcare entities. The project tasked me to develop and design a distance training course regarding customer claims, benefits, applications, and reimbursement forms. Given the knowledge gained from the course, I was able to perform a needs analysis and applied the design and development process in order to successfully deploy an online e-training course.
OMDE 608 Learner Support in Distance Education and Training
By the time I participated in the student support class, I was well aware of the need for assistance services to students. On the other hand, I was unaware of the depth and breadth of student support services in a distance education environment. My initial thoughts were that the instructor and support services were not mutually exclusive. The course expanded my personal horizons of student support into the framework of a distance education environment to include administrative, tutorial, and research services. In addition, a part of the course was a project to plan, organize, and implement a prototype support model for a distance education project or program.
The most valuable portion of this course opened my eyes to the importance of student support services in online e-learning environments. After taking this class, I understood that student support in an e-learning environment must be aggressive in reaching out to learners through electronic media.
DEPM 609 / OMDE 609 Distance Education Systems
The systems of distance education combined the introduction of the micro issues of design, development, implementation, and maintenance into an overall systematic approach toward online learning. This course covers the primary management functions that a leader in distance education must know in order to successfully direct an online program. It does this through the exercise of a work breakdown structure that compartmentalizes disparate systems into a final product or program.
This course allowed me to use my work experience with technology management and information systems to systematically piece together a distance education program. I hope to apply knowledge gained from this course toward building an online program for my employer.
OMDE 610 Teaching and Learning in Online Distance Education
Online learning and instructing is an active environment that requires the interaction of all stakeholders. The OMDE 610 course introduced learning and teaching theories and supplemented them with their application in the form of practical exercises. The subjects of social presence and collaborative interaction were well defined as structuring a positive learning and teaching experience.
This course illustrated the importance of interaction and social presence within the distance education arena. Personally, after taking the OMDE 610 class, I also became more aware of the need for constructive engagement from a teaching viewpoint and positive participation as a student.
OMDE 622 / DEPM 622 The Business of Distance Education
While participating in the business of distance education course, I was surprised with the global issues that are included in the name of e-learning. Coming from this from the view of an American, it was enlightening to read about the global markets for students and teachers providing distance education services. Also, it was interesting to understand the global distance education initiatives that have been initiated over the years by entities such as the European Union or individual countries.
My participation in this course assisted me in comprehending the magnitude of the global issue of education as a whole. In addition, I learned that there are many aspects of collaboration between countries, programs, teachers, and students.
DETC 620 Learning and Training with Multimedia
This course was a great study in the digital design and development of online courses. I specifically liked this course because it defined multimedia in addition to describing the foundations of student perceptions of training with multimedia in distance education. The realization of the importance of student perceptions in online multimedia courses highlighted my experiences from OMDE 610 Teaching and Learning in Online Distance Education and OMDE 608 Learner Support in Distance Education and Training. I feel that this is important because I can see myself at a higher level of maturity within the distance education field. This resulted in lifting my confidence level regarding my abilities to manage, instruct, and learn online as well s try to create a distance education program with my employer..
OMDE 614 / DETT 611 Intellectual Property and Copyright
Initially, I thought this course would turn out to be an elective that I would soon forget. However, that was a bad assumption because I was unaware of the depth and breadth of intellectual property and copyright laws regarding the specific issues that digital reproduction in e-learning bring to the education arena. Other issues illustrated the complexity of intellectual property and copyright law on educational institutions, instructors, and students. These issues included course ownership and licensing that ultimately affect all aspects of education. After taking this class, I was able to better understand and appreciate the roles and responsibilities of librarians in the educational field. In addition, I believe that this class will assist me in handling copyright and intellectual property issues as a manager, instructor, or student in distance education.
OMDE 670 Portfolio and Project in Distance Education
In preparing for my final MDE course, I was both excited and overwhelmed by the prospect of completing a quality distance education project. This is partially because I had never previously worked on a capstone project and, despite my MDE experience, was not confident in my abilities to perform at this level. On the other hand, the capstone course was well structured to provide the guidance needed for an individual to succeed. The first few weeks allowed me to review all of my distance education experience and research a theme that can be applied to my work and an online e-training prototype network. I felt my confidence building as I began writing the portfolio reflective summative statement and reviewed past MDE courses. This exercise, in addition to the initial assignments was a great guide. It was at this time that I began to understand the way to approach and complete the project.
I was not aware of the value of the capstone portfolio and project until finishing each and realizing that it was a collected review of my UMUC MDE past as well as a prepared guide to future prospects in the distance education arena.
In 2003 I began to develop courses and instruct synchronous training sessions on network equipment for my employer. These classes consisted of a corporate developed textbook, lecture, and practical configuration and trouble resolution labs. The lab environment provides actual brand specific network communications and termination equipment with simulated network scenarios. After being in the UMUC MDE program for a couple of years, I began to envision my company profiting from online e-training versions of the current training courses. I owe this vision to the MDE program elective courses that have been the primary support for my goal of developing online network engineering courses. The reason for this assessment is because they addressed teaching, learning, training with multimedia, intellectual property and copyright issues as well as the business of distance education.
Overall, I now understand that the UMUC MDE program is worth much more than I originally expected. The added value that this degree brings to my life is a career of leadership in the management of distance education programs as well as a lifelong instructor as an online e-learning and e-training “guide on the side”.
OMDE 601 - Foundations of Distance Education
Beginning the UMUC MDE course of instruction, I was intrigued by the online program; however, I was also tentative in my initial interaction with the students and instructor. Learning about the theory and philosophical foundation of distance education, I was intrigued by the concept of transactional distance and the seeming simplicity that separated the synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning. I was also very enthusiastic about the visiting professors Borje Holmberg and Otto Peters. In my educational experience, I had never been able to interact with a primary source of significance such as these two philosophical and theoretical pillars of distance education
As my confidence grew my interaction skills were enhanced and expanded to accommodate both the instructor and the student. An additional personal benefit resulted with the need for interaction to occur using the written word. In attempting to interact through writing, within the asynchronous classroom environment I better understood the benefits of online learning such as flexible time schedules based upon my requirements.
OMDE 603 - Technology in Distance Education
Initially, I thought that my knowledge of distance education was in the technology such as synchronous ISDN switched network videoconferencing and asynchronous Internet based LMS and CBT delivery methods; however, I was not aware of the history of technologies or the major differences between asynchronous and synchronous delivery methods such as correspondence or teleconference. In addition the course effectively gave a macro level understanding of all the components such as software, hardware, and the access needed to implement and maintain distance education projects and programs.
The primary concept that I learned from this course was that introducing distance education into an organization requires an individual who understands the correct fit between technology and educational strategy. Therefore, the right technology in the current situation must also address the educational goals of the future.
DEPM 604/OMDE 604 - Leadership in Distance Education
The course on leadership in distance education was especially important. Until taking the course, I was unaware of the need for leadership in this area as I was naïve about the efforts required in the administration and management of distance education. It was interesting to learn and understand the overall dynamics of organizational behavior and how the relationship connections between management and labor motivate toward a goal within an organization.
The Leadership in Distance Education course was valuable in that I learned there are more aspects of introducing distance education into an organization than I initially thought. Topics such as faculty, staff, course development and technology converge in an organization and require leadership skills and abilities to establish a new distance education program or maintain an existing one.
OMDE 606 - Cost and Economics of Distance Education
Upon beginning the Cost and Economics of Distance Education course, I was intimidated by the accounting factor and my perceived methods of determining costs in the distance education field. Topics such as cost benefit analysis, variable, and fixed costs were defined and applied in a format that was easy for me to learn and understand. Given the detail of the costing models, I was able to recognize the relationships between the fixed and variable costs in order to determine an order of magnitude in the monetary management of a distance education event or program.
One of benefits of this class was the attention to detail in cost methodology prepared in a spreadsheet. This knowledge allowed me to take a macroeconomic viewpoint of the costing model, where before I would get stuck in the detail of all the component pieces. Also, this class was a great learning lesson in how to enter numbers and formulas with meaningful outputs into a spreadsheet.
DETT 607/OMDE 607 Instructional Design and Course Development in Distance Education
This particular course was about an interesting subject in the distance education curriculum. Instructional design and course development focus on the details, issues, and obstacles involved with this educational process. The course introduces the design and development process in a way that can be applied to any educational environment. The course emphasized that the design and development processes are dynamic and do not necessarily have a predetermined set of beginning and end points.
I particularly like this class and learned much from it. I also had the privilege of using the textbook as a practical application toward the introduction of distance education and training with one of the nations leading healthcare entities. The project tasked me to develop and design a distance training course regarding customer claims, benefits, applications, and reimbursement forms. Given the knowledge gained from the course, I was able to perform a needs analysis and applied the design and development process in order to successfully deploy an online e-training course.
OMDE 608 Learner Support in Distance Education and Training
By the time I participated in the student support class, I was well aware of the need for assistance services to students. On the other hand, I was unaware of the depth and breadth of student support services in a distance education environment. My initial thoughts were that the instructor and support services were not mutually exclusive. The course expanded my personal horizons of student support into the framework of a distance education environment to include administrative, tutorial, and research services. In addition, a part of the course was a project to plan, organize, and implement a prototype support model for a distance education project or program.
The most valuable portion of this course opened my eyes to the importance of student support services in online e-learning environments. After taking this class, I understood that student support in an e-learning environment must be aggressive in reaching out to learners through electronic media.
DEPM 609 / OMDE 609 Distance Education Systems
The systems of distance education combined the introduction of the micro issues of design, development, implementation, and maintenance into an overall systematic approach toward online learning. This course covers the primary management functions that a leader in distance education must know in order to successfully direct an online program. It does this through the exercise of a work breakdown structure that compartmentalizes disparate systems into a final product or program.
This course allowed me to use my work experience with technology management and information systems to systematically piece together a distance education program. I hope to apply knowledge gained from this course toward building an online program for my employer.
OMDE 610 Teaching and Learning in Online Distance Education
Online learning and instructing is an active environment that requires the interaction of all stakeholders. The OMDE 610 course introduced learning and teaching theories and supplemented them with their application in the form of practical exercises. The subjects of social presence and collaborative interaction were well defined as structuring a positive learning and teaching experience.
This course illustrated the importance of interaction and social presence within the distance education arena. Personally, after taking the OMDE 610 class, I also became more aware of the need for constructive engagement from a teaching viewpoint and positive participation as a student.
OMDE 622 / DEPM 622 The Business of Distance Education
While participating in the business of distance education course, I was surprised with the global issues that are included in the name of e-learning. Coming from this from the view of an American, it was enlightening to read about the global markets for students and teachers providing distance education services. Also, it was interesting to understand the global distance education initiatives that have been initiated over the years by entities such as the European Union or individual countries.
My participation in this course assisted me in comprehending the magnitude of the global issue of education as a whole. In addition, I learned that there are many aspects of collaboration between countries, programs, teachers, and students.
DETC 620 Learning and Training with Multimedia
This course was a great study in the digital design and development of online courses. I specifically liked this course because it defined multimedia in addition to describing the foundations of student perceptions of training with multimedia in distance education. The realization of the importance of student perceptions in online multimedia courses highlighted my experiences from OMDE 610 Teaching and Learning in Online Distance Education and OMDE 608 Learner Support in Distance Education and Training. I feel that this is important because I can see myself at a higher level of maturity within the distance education field. This resulted in lifting my confidence level regarding my abilities to manage, instruct, and learn online as well s try to create a distance education program with my employer..
OMDE 614 / DETT 611 Intellectual Property and Copyright
Initially, I thought this course would turn out to be an elective that I would soon forget. However, that was a bad assumption because I was unaware of the depth and breadth of intellectual property and copyright laws regarding the specific issues that digital reproduction in e-learning bring to the education arena. Other issues illustrated the complexity of intellectual property and copyright law on educational institutions, instructors, and students. These issues included course ownership and licensing that ultimately affect all aspects of education. After taking this class, I was able to better understand and appreciate the roles and responsibilities of librarians in the educational field. In addition, I believe that this class will assist me in handling copyright and intellectual property issues as a manager, instructor, or student in distance education.
OMDE 670 Portfolio and Project in Distance Education
In preparing for my final MDE course, I was both excited and overwhelmed by the prospect of completing a quality distance education project. This is partially because I had never previously worked on a capstone project and, despite my MDE experience, was not confident in my abilities to perform at this level. On the other hand, the capstone course was well structured to provide the guidance needed for an individual to succeed. The first few weeks allowed me to review all of my distance education experience and research a theme that can be applied to my work and an online e-training prototype network. I felt my confidence building as I began writing the portfolio reflective summative statement and reviewed past MDE courses. This exercise, in addition to the initial assignments was a great guide. It was at this time that I began to understand the way to approach and complete the project.
I was not aware of the value of the capstone portfolio and project until finishing each and realizing that it was a collected review of my UMUC MDE past as well as a prepared guide to future prospects in the distance education arena.
