Evolution….

Design and support issues with distance learning has been considered in some depth for the past 10-15 years, even before online learning had a firm footing in the world of learning. Reading the article, “Rethinking Learner Support: the challenge of collaborative online learning”, I expected to read something quite different than I did. Considering that this paper was written in 2002, I would not have expected the insights shown in the paper. At first the author passingly refers to “Open and distance learning (ODL)” as being a world where the concern for the student is only to “complement the more interactive technologies of the CD-ROM”. Just the mention of the CD-ROM made me think I was in for a treat s I read about the student support structure “back in the day”. As I continued, I was shocking to me that they considered collaborative learning as the method of instruction in those days. I expected recorded lectures on CD-ROM where professors were able to record themselves in a regular brick and mortar classroom and then use that for online learning. The article continues to say that, “Traditionally, learner support is seen as that which happens after the course materials have been made”. The mantra was “course design first and learner support second”. Evan as early as 1994, Thorpe describes, “Learner support is defined as all of those elements capable of responding to a known learner or group of learners, before, during and after the learning process.” This was a remarkable statement as Thorpe was able to understand 20 years ago the importance of the learner in the process of online learning. In his mind, they were not considered a by-product or a necessary evil they must contend with once the program has been rolled out.  They certainly should not be considered that today.

Although the focus on the student continues to increase, the student focus has been there over time and although somewhat lost in the infancy of online learning, student needs have been considered. Now, with the use of orientations, advising, registration, online libraries and bookstores and many more, there is little doubt that the student is considered first before the program is even begun. In manufacturing, we use FMEA (Failure modes effects and analysis) to predict failures before even a single part is produced. The idea behind it is to identify areas of opportunity and to make the process as efficient and robust as possible before any part is made. In some ways, I see this kind of methodology in today’s online learning environments but there will always be room to improve. As students become more and more tech-savvy and new technology is constantly introduced, online learning must constantly evolve to change with those inputs. If not, a university or college may fail in reaching online students at all as the students are gradually more and more demanding for the user-friendliness and options available to them through any form of technology.