The adoption of online learning by the higher education institutions in terms of technology and comprehension of complex information is a profound practice in education affairs. The following is a review of online course structures concerning what I notice, my thoughts on what I got wrong, my imaginations, application of what I have learned in this course, and inquiries that require clarifications.
What I have noticed about online learning is that it is fast advancing form of teaching utilizing both sophisticated technology system and evidence-based structures to make knowledge easily accessible by many. Since nearly all human activities can be carried through the internet, I have realized that massive open online courses (MOOCs) are gaining fame in the education systems utilized by any internet users (Cicco, 2016). Through the creation of inviting blogs, for instance, followers can provide substantial remarks leading to correctional guidelines for open courses, which later can be developed into closed courses. That is why I think authors get it wrong by try restricting online courses to only team-based learning insinuating individual effort is assumed as faculty achievement (Baldwin & Ching, 2019). In addition to accessibility issues, the assumption of a universal course structure to be ultimately serving the interests of learners is a false hope.
Therefore, I wonder until the world is at par in terms of technological wealth, the enrollment programs, amount served, timing is given, the platform reached, and the pathway of disseminating information are all unattainable (Cicco, 2016). The only question is, how will be the future? I think in the knowledge I have gained will help me differentiate if the education systems are entirely online, blended depending on the course structure in use. In so doing, learning management systems will help me use social media as a tool for learning (Baldwin & Ching, 2019). For example, twitter blogs utilize a variety of creativity to merge audio, pictorial, visual aspects when establishing an online software that can facilitate online activities such as storytelling. However, I need clarifications on the pathway to be used to achieve the new social media platform. This immersive world offers close enrollments, via decentralized pathways proving to be new online modality (Cicco, 2016). It can be deduced that all human activities in future will go digital. I, therefore, advocate for more research to be on the online course structures which are best applicable in our higher learning institutions. More human and technological resources should be deployed to empower online learning that is open to diversity and sustaining changes in the education system.
References:
Baldwin, S. J., & Ching, Y. H. (2019). An online course design checklist: development and users’ perceptions. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 31(1), 156-172.
Cicco, G. (2016). Reflecting on Online Course Evaluations: Five Must-Do’s for Faculty and Students. Journal on School Educational Technology, 12(1), 1-7.
