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George Siemens and Distance Education (Module 2 of Principles of Distance Education)

In the program, “The Future of Distance Education,” George Siemens (Laureate Education, 2008) shares his perspective on the elements that contribute to increased acceptance of distance education, and where distance education is going as a field.  He contends that distance education continues to gain acceptance in the corporate, government, and educational sectors for several reasons:  increased online communication, practical experiences with the technology, growing sense of comfort online, and the ability to communicate with global groups.  He argues that distance education is greatly impacted by the development and implementation of new technologies, which determines the direction of distance education.  Siemens predicts an increased use of multimedia, games, and simulations.  Also, video technology in courses will be enhanced.  As students get more comfortable with using the technology and working in an online learning environment, the use of distance education will be increased. 

            George Siemens’s elements of online collaboration and communication can be seen in many classrooms today.   Many teachers are using Edmodo, a social networking site like Facebook, with their students.  Students are able to form groups and collaborate with one another on projects and participate in online discussions with the teacher about a current issue or topic.  Likewise, the teacher is able to post assignments for the entire class that may include links, uploaded files, and multimedia presentations.  As students continue to using this platform, they become more comfortable in using technology, and enhance their digital literacy skills that are essential for the 21st century. 


Reference:

Laureate Education, Inc.  (2008). The Future of Distance Education.  Baltimore, MD.



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