Distance Learning in Today’s Digital Age

Jennifer Shtutman
Distance Learning in Today’s Digital Age

For a while now I have been particularly interested in the reasoning and workings behind distance learning. Before starting the Adult Education program at Fordham I had not really had much experience with this recent phenomenon, however, since taking quite a few classes where I was introduced to this method, I see it has extreme benefits as well as many aspects the instructor must be aware of. The onset of technology and the escalation of globalization and the new age of modernity we all find ourselves in, is making distance learning a necessity for today’s lifelong learners. It is the belief of many that unless we include millions of adults around the country in higher education and job readiness skills, we will lose our viability as a strong economic force in the world economy, as well as our credibility as a democratic nation. (McCain, 2009) Distance learning has become a huge industry, and with it, learning theory, cultural awareness, and technological proficiency has jumped into new levels which need to be explored.
It is estimated that within the next few years up to 70% of all jobs will require some form of technological literacy training/knowledge. (McCain, 2009) This shows the need we have for proper education and the availability for education for all. There are so many places in our country where technology access just isn’t available. There are families living in rural communities where they have to walk three miles before they can even access the nearest school, and even then, the education available to them may not be suitable. The issue is clear, as adult educators it is our duty and responsibility to allow all people a chance to make the most of their lives and intelligence and one way this can be achieved is through distance learning. Distance learning institutions and universities were created in the 1970’s and aimed at promoting social equity. They were created for those people in remote areas, or having family constraints, health issues, serving in the army, or any other number of reasons that prevented them from directly attend the existing institutions. (Rosenblit, 2009).
Distance learning and e-learning are terms that are often interchangeable, however they should not be taken to mean the same things. E-learning can certainly be a form of the modern distance learning, but there have been found extensive letters of education since the ancient times. (Rosenblit, 2009). Originally, distance learning was used to spread the word of god, and interpret different meanings that can be taken from scripts and bible readings. Distance learning in the sense that I view a deep interest in it today, is to be taken from the standpoint of corporate enrichment and the ability to train employees and adult learners new products and programs that will help advance their careers. One of the ways distance learning helps students achieve their business goals, is through less costly education. Institutions are set up on the basis that self study course packages are created by experts and these are accompanied by actual teaching from large pools of educators. The more students sign up for a program, the less costly it is. Students engaging in distance learning are often maintaining full time careers simultaneously as well as raising families. Distance learning allows for adults to have the flexibility to live their lives while gaining certifications and higher degrees.
Because of the self directed nature of distance learning, I find as an educator it is crucial to have a very present role in the student’s learning process. Not only should the course be about the pre-made syllabus, but it should involve meaningful discourse and critical thinking to evoke a constructivist environment. The learners are forced to construct meanings from their observations and from the course materials. The original ideas for constructivist education stem back to Dewey, who believed that students should engage in activities which induce them to create meaning. (Thanasoulas, 1998). Distance learning can be implemented in this quest for meaning making through podcasts, online forums, message boards, social networks, webinars, and countless other new media and technologies coming out today for these purposes. As an educator, distance learning is not something to be taken lightly. Students need encouragement and reassurance that they are not alone in their quest for knowledge, but that they are actually a part of an institution and a team working towards a common goal. The internet has globalized us as a nation, but it also has the danger of keeping people in their own bubbles. One can easily get lost in the milieu of information involved in an online class so keeping in contact with each student will ensure they stay on track even if they are miles away is essential as well as creating forums for debates and reflection.
Of course, being a world phenomenon, there is the question of culture that comes into play when involving adults from all different areas of the world and our own country. Distance learning by its own definition will include people from all different backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, family units, and industries. One classroom can be a veritable melting pot of sorts, such as our own classroom here at Fordham. Distance learning educators, and the programs they create, are not only dependent on uses of available technologies, but also of the cultural representations both learners and teachers bring to the environment. In his essay on Culture in Distance Learning, Uzunar writes and explores about how cultural hegemony can also exist in distance education. One of the main findings in the research Uzunar found conducted by Zhao and McDougal (2000), was that Chinese graduate students in an online Canadian University were frustrated with inability to understand cultural references in discussions, as well as not having any student to teacher direct communication. “Cultural factors that were found to hinder six Chinese students’ engagement in ALN’s were their conservative, modest, and face-saving cultural traits and their unfamiliarity with the disciplinary cultures of education in Canada.” (Uzunar, 2009). Clearly, an educator endeavoring upon distance learning needs to be aware of their student body, as well as the cultural differences involved.
Our society as we know it today is completely revolving around technology. The average family cannot support itself without having a basic skill set of IT knowledge. The National Commission on Adult Literacy was requested by Congress to create an adult education system to serve millions of adults in achieving skill sets. According to the Commission, “Technology should be used in all its forms to make learning a continuous process of inquiry and improvement that keeps pace with the speed of change in business and society.” (McCain, 2009). The digital divide can only be narrowed if we allow access to the technology so prevalent in our world.
Through the readings I did for this assignment as well as my personal philosophies on education, I would most likely implement a hybrid learning environment in my future as a career trainer. I think that distance learning most certainly has a place in education, and benefits millions of adult learners. The main points I feel are so important are that even when not face to face with a student, educators must still make their presence known. They should act as liaisons between the materials and the students and facilitate an environment which will make everyone comfortable. A learning space should be somewhere that everyone feels nurtured and allowed to be a free thinker. No matter what their culture or where they are learning from, nobody should feel on the fringes of a classroom, and cultural differences in distance learning should be viewed as a benefit. People will be able to learn new things from one another, as well as use this information to bring new ideas into their workplaces and homes. Distance learning allows for flexibility and new ideas to take hold, using the technology that comes out every day as its partner in teaching.

Works Cited:
Guri- Rosenblit, Sarah. "Distance Education in the Digital Age: Common Misconceptions and Challenging Tasks." Journal of Distance Education 23.2 (2009): 105-22. ERIC. Web. 4 Apr. 2010.
McCain, Mary L. The Power of TEchnology to Transform Adult Learning. Rep. no. ED508552. Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy, 21 Oct. 2009. Web. 4 Apr. 2010. .
Thanasoulas, Dimitrios. "Constructivist Learning." Linguistics Issues. Nov. 2002. Web. 5 Apr. 2010. .
Uzuner, Sedef. "Questions of Culture in Distance Learning: A Research Review." International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning 10.3 (2009): 1-19. ERIC. Web. 5 Apr. 2010.