Distance Education

According to Duffy and Kirkley (2004), the quality of distance education depends on the design of and the students’ engagement in the learning environment. From a design stand point, and instructional designer must create a learning environment that shifts learning to student centered discussions and learning tasks. Students must be able to clearly understand text in the learning environment to accomplish learning goals. I once took an online course where the learning environment was cold because students had too many tasks to complete without deep understanding of difficult material. My frustration with this particular course caused me not to fully engage in the learning environment because my peers and I felt rushed and confused about key concepts and our discussions lacked depth. I think that many instructors feel that giving loads of work in an online learning environment is necessary. I feel that an online environment should give students clear directions and constructive tasks to accomplish learning goals. I feel that portfolio assessment is crucial in this type of learning environment so that students have record of their growth as a tool of reflection. This would help students stay interested in the online learning environment in which they are participating.