Week 3 Assignment

Week 3 Assignment: Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

In an effort to improve its poor safety record, a biodiesel manufacturing plant needs a series of safety training modules. These stand-alone modules must illustrate best practices on how to safely operate the many pieces of heavy machinery on the plant floor. The modules should involve step-by-step processes and the method of delivery needs to be available to all shifts at the plant. As well, the shift supervisors want to be sure the employees are engaged and can demonstrate their learning from the modules.

The scenario that I chose to do my blog on is Asynchronous Training safety manual for a biodiesel manufacturing plant. This training manual consists of using the distance learning technologies media sharing sites and concept maps. The media sharing site that is being used is a YouTube. This YouTube is titled, “DIY Biodiesel: Keeping It Safe, Keeping It Legal.” This video gives step by step instructions on how to be safe and legal using biodiesel. The concept map in this training module shows the step by step process on How to Make Biodiesel.

In the video, “The Technology of Distance Education,” it states that media sharing sites are Web sites that assist with sharing content and objects such as text, pictures, videos, presentations, and audio files. Media sharing sites can be viewed all across the country (Multimedia Program, 2012). This YouTube will enable all shifts and supervisors to view this step by step process at anytime of the day and at any location. The concept map is a design that is created to convey complex content in a visual presentation to the learners. The concept maps shows relationships among concepts through visual presentation (Multimedia Program, 2012). This concept map on biodiesel will show the step by step process is of this safety manual. Using this technology will help all shifts and supervisors learn the process for operating pieces of heavy machinery safely. Since people learn in different ways, having multiple ways for people to comprehend is a must in anything that you do.

References

NCATATTRA. (2012). DIY Biodiesel: Keeping It Safe, Keeping It Legal [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3ZwWYtT3dk .

Laureate Inc. (2012). The Technology of Distance Education [Video]. https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_549515_1%26url%3D

Blair, G. (2007). The African Uptimist [Photography]. Retrieved from http://agbe.typepad.com/the_african_uptimist/green_fuels/.

 

Blog Assignment: Defining Distance Learning

Distance Learning involves so many things as society and technology continues to grow. We are in a world of change and in order to keep up with technology we will need to learn to adapt. Distance learning has allowed people the ability to be able to do multiple things without having to be in the stationary. As people’s lives continue to be in high demand, it will help an individual to be flexible and less stressful.

Distance learning has pros and cons, but I feel the pros outweigh the cons. The pros in distance learning are having the convenience of working from a different atmosphere, flexibility to study, self-paced learning, ease of access for those with restricted mobility, and accessibility for those with family responsibilities. The cons of distance learning are not immediate feedback, work on oral communication, and sometimes classes that you need are not offered online.

Distance learning will always change because of the world we are living in. I feel the factors that drive changes in distance learning is the environment and profession. In the past, technology was not as popular and lives were not as busy having flexibility gives an individual the ability to do more and not feel that they need to be in a steady location. It does not matter how much technical knowledge he/she has, distance learning is going to continue to cultivate.

Dr. Michael Simonson stated in the video, “Distance Education: The next Generation,” distance education can be defined as formal education in which the learning groups (teachers, students, resources) are separated by geography and, sometimes, by time. Today, distance education is widely adopted and approaching critical mass in society (Simonson, 2012). I can concur with this statement. As technology continues to grow and society gets more evolved, changes will continue develop. My entire undergraduate degree was obtained online. We can use, for example, here at Walden University how the course management system has change to using Blackboard in its place of the previous course management system.

In my conclusion, I can vision that distance learning will become more evolved than ever. We have so many people that are not able to do things the traditional way so this is much easier for them to be able to have a flexible schedule and not be stressed out. Also, as technology continues to produce, it will allow people the mobility to be able to achieve the goals that they have set aside to accomplish. The most important reason for distance learning is to allow individuals to learn at their own pace or at a time and location that is convenient to them. Some people do not have time or money to come on site.

References

Simonson, M. (2012). Distance Education: The Next Generation. Lectured presented for Laureate Education, Inc. Retrieved May 1, 2012.

Distance Learning Mindmap