Distance Education

Distance education is a growing trend in education and training and is therefore, rapidly transforming the field of training that companies will offer their employees as well as, education for students birth to 100. The defined of distance education “as institution-based, formal education where the leaning group is separate, and here interactive telecommunications systems are used to connect learners, resources, and instructors (Simonson, Smaldiino, & Zvacek, 2015) provides a basis for what distance education. However, the definition should also include “separated by geography and sometimes time (Laureate Education, n.d.)”. As both a student and my career as an educator has been impacted by distance education. 

The four components of distance education:
A. Instructionally based
B. Separation of Teacher and Student
C. Interactive telecommunications
D. Sharing of data, voice, and video experiences (Simonson, Smaldiino, & Zvacek, 2015)

Are part of my experience in education, first as a student I received my degree in special education by attending weekly classes at a local school, where the instructor was visible to us on a large screen. Not only did he instruct our group of students, but another group of student in another city. We all received the same lecture and as stated in the definition, we received the same resources. If a student wanted to speak during the discussion or ask a question, we had to push button that allowed both groups and the instructor to hear the comment or question. The class was conducted in real time. All of our assignments were sent via email and tests were in the classroom or via computer.

Next as a freelance educator, I conduct lessons with individual students or groups of students in real time, but they are in another part of the country and world. In addition, all other communication is completed via email or a special app. I develop curriculum and work as an adjunct professor for a institution in Florida. I developed the material for the class and recently did a Facebook live as an introduction to the class. Methods of delivery do not limit themselves to a large screen or a video camera, but also Google hangout, zoom, and Facebook just to name a few. In addition, I have conducted webinars (both synchronously and asynchronous ly) as part of professional development for other educators in the US. 

Distance education provides a cost effective means for individuals to learn and study at their own pace, with the assistance of real time instructor who can answer questions, provide materials and help them to progress with their education or training. I think Dr. Simonson is correct in his view that distance education will become the “traditional method” of education and training for the next generation.

References:

Distance Learning Timeline Continuum. Laureate Education (Producer) n.d. Distance Education: The next 

generation (Video file) https://class.waldenu.edu


Simonson, M., Smaldiino, S., & Zvacek, S. (2015) Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance 

Education (6th Ed) Information Age Publishing, Inc. 

Week in Review

💁Did you set your clock ahead ONE HOUR?

Daylight Savings Time Begins😏

Colossians 3:8   But now rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene (abusive, filthy, vulgar) language from your mouth.

These things mentioned in Colossians are stuff that weighs a person down, hard.  Unfortunately, these are the items that live in the emotions and stay there, they come out at the worst possible times.  They also cause a situation to become worse if they are not dealt with or they just cause pain.  So take some time this week and remove them from (or at least find the cause) your life.

Online Working Tips:

I teach online about 6-9 hours a day as an independent contractor.   In addition, I write,  write curriculum, design instruction and write non-fiction which means I spend a lot of time sitting and in front of a computer.   One of the problems that developed right away was weight gain!  It doesn’t help that I have a hypothyroid that I take medication to control, plus a few other side effects courtesy of cancer treatment.  Prior to my career change, I was a brick and mortar teacher in a public school.  At least there I was walking around and not sitting all day and the refrigerator was not a few steps away.
There are five things that you need to do if you spend a lot of time at home, working online:

1. Get up and move
2. Drink plenty of water
3. Meet with people in a live environment
4. Get plenty of sleep
5. Move away from the Computer

Source: EdNews Daily (2017) Education meet Innovation.5 Ways Online Teacher Can Manage Stress http://www.ednewsdaily.com/5-ways-online-teachers-can-manage-stress/

March Events

(more events at The Teacher's Corner: https://www.theteacherscorner.net/calendars/march.php)

National Pi Day
National Woman History Month
St. Patrick’s Day
World International Prayer
Good Friday

Contract Online Teacher

I have officially started making my living online!!.  I am very excited and nervous about the situation. In the next 60 days I need to renew my teaching certification and attain my TESOL certification so that I can continue with this job!  For a very long time I have wanted to make my living online.
The whole purpose is to make a living, but as long as I have a stable Internet connection I can work out of our mountain cabin and our travel trailer.

There are so, so many people who do this . . work online, remote, virtual position where they make the same kind of money that they did when they got up, dressed etc. . and drive to work .  I don't want to do that anymore.  I do want to teach, design instruction, develop curriculum and write . . . all online. However, I have to make sure the internet connection is stable wherever I am.  This weekend i will be checking out the internet connection at the cabin.  The next step is to check out the connection on the RV.  I will have to purchase a internet enhancer!

Technology is great!  However, I am learning one thing about teaching online, the world becomes a WHOLE lot closer.  I teach and work with people who are learning English who are 14 hours ahead of me. I have applied for jobs where the time is local or 1 hour behind me or two hours ahead of me.
I knew this to be true or rather had an idea when I studied online, my study partner (assigned by our teacher) what 7 hours ahead of me.  That was interesting!  Anyway, I will continue because I am getting up at 4:30 to teach online at 5:30.

In the meantime I will could really get used to this . .  working at home.  My schedule is set . . by me. The housekeeping is done, no one listens while I talk on the phone. No students interrupt, because my classes last 45 minutes.

The situation doesn't mean I am completely on my own, I still have to plan, teach, be evaluated, and will eventually get paid, for teaching online.  Also, I do need to dress professionally and keep a clean background.

Let's Salute the Week!

Why this . . . . is a good thing?

This blog title will become a regular title in my blog on this day.  Why this . . . . is a good thing?  The . . . . will be where I put an event, piece of technology or another related item to this blog.  I hoping that I will present a well researched item that works well in the classroom, presentation or some other kind of professional development.

The world, oh the world.  This week I have been Skyping with individuals in Asia.  This means that I am talking in real world time with individuals who live in an Asian country, a place that my daughter travelled literally 24 hours to visit.

I am in the process of turning my skills into something else.  Something that I can do over the Internet in a remote position, where I can earn an annual salary and a bit more.  Not only that but I want to some traveling, but I want to do it six months out of the year and then spend the rest of the year up in the mountains.

God is fighting my battle right now and I am planning on this life!!!

A Little Support . . . A Lot of Hope

When I went to college I was was one of the few people, I knew,  who had not changed their major.  There was no doubt in my mind that I would always work as a teacher, an educator in some capacity. There was no question that I would use technology as I was an audio/visual worker in high school. I have dreamt about working as a preschool teacher, a special education teacher, or elementary AND I WOULD BE GOOD.

My dreams did come true, I have worked at each level of education with the exception of post high school education, but I have conducted professional developments for teacher, online and in person.  I have always been interested in technology and that is why when I renew my license this year I will add that endorsement to my license.

It is the end of the year!  It has been a tough year.    I have thought hard and long that there were ways I could manage each job, I could use technology.  However, since I was not the technology coordinator, I didn't have administrative rights, which made it difficult, if not impossible to use anything that was not school issued.  The end is near.  We have rough 3 weeks of school left this year and I will not return next year.

I subscribe to a blog written by Vicki Smith and she provides links to wonderful sites. She has a site that I would like to be part of my blog, but I also like to give my opinion of various sites.

• Some of you, like me have many days left, prayer is a great way to get through the many days and one day can feel like many.  Join this challenge:  Linda Kardamis' 21-day prayer challenge
• Some of you will end school tomorrow or in one of the many tomorrow, check out this link:
• http://www.coolcatteacher.com/finding-your-beautiful-moment-the-last-week-of-school
• check out the rest of her ideas for ending the year:  coolcatteacher.com/blog

Finally, there are individuals like myself who are sad and happy to see the end of the year.  I will miss the students, this is the first year in a long time where students outside my classroom stop and say hi to me during the day.  Students from past years have stopped me; in a lot of ways it has been ego affirming that individuals know, like and remember me.  However, I have also lost co workers and relatives this year.  It has been a year for reflection. 

This blog will still be about technology, teaching and curriculum, but I want to acknowledge where I am and I don't want to be teaching for the rest of my life in a public or charter school.

Changing Your Position in Education

I recently made the decision that after a  year of learning many lessons about working in a different school environment in four different roles I will not return next year. In 25 days, I will be changing my title to that of an online learning specialist.  I will be working online, full time.

There are so many negative things that I could say and why do negative thoughts come into a persona's mind rather than positive.  Of course there are plenty of people who think positive thoughts right away. In the meantime, I learned that the best thing I could do was to keep my mouth closed.  

Working online should be interesting, I need to learn another set of skills as I work online and earn a living.  I am very excited and grateful to see what God has in store with me.