Rodulf Mandred Delling (1985) stated that distance education "is a planned and systematic activity that comprises the choice, didactic preparation, and presentation of teaching materials".
Before making a final decision on which technology to use, an instructional designer must "assess available instructional technologies". To assess these technologies, we "must determine the level of lowest common technologies, which means that the sophistication of the computer and software of all learners and the instructor should be determined". (Simonson, et al) A "critical part of this process is to consider the components to ensure a successful learning program".(Dick et al., 2004)
My course development plan will include incorporating the three types of context: orienting context, instructional context and transfer context. "Orienting context refers to the students' reason for being in the course; instructional context addresses the learning environment, e.g., WebEx and SharePoint along with the scheduled time and dates; and finally the transfer context which refers to the way in which the knowledge will be used". (Morrison, Ross & Kem,2004). This information is valuable to the learner in order to allow him/her to perceive the information as useful, and ensure transfer of learning. (Simonson)
WebEx will be used for several reasons, it allows the instructor to connect with anyone, anywhere, in real time; it combines desktop sharing through a web browser with phone conferencing and video, so everyone sees the same thing during the instruction. All the learners need is a computer or wireless device such as a Smartphone with an Internet connection; an audio connection - either through your computer or phone and a webcam which is optional. Web conferencing provides the ability to provide training implementing "Equivalency Theory", in a equivalent method as a face-to-face instructional course. For example, the instructor can go through the training presentation, provide remote support and have ongoing collaboration during the training.
The WebEx Conferencing provides the instructional designer the ability to meet the training criteria established by the client which was "to implement a training workshop for offices in different location; and, to encourage staff members to share information with screen captures and documents, as well as to participate in ongoing collaboration. Two good examples of major corporations implementing WebEx for distance learning are:
Fidelity, a WebEx customer since 1999, has built a sophisticated, well-received distance learning program for partners and staff that optimally blends power and ease of use. They have saved $350,000 using WebEx to conduct their training. (Fidelity Case Study); and StratX, which adopted WebEx as a new e-learning distance learning tool, which offers shared documents, software application and a whiteboard in real time to the employees in order to teach market-focused strategies to "classes of individuals in remote locations", via the internet. (WebEx Case Studies)
Developing the content in a PowerPoint presentation facilitates the instructional designer's ability to train learners using WebEx conferencing, as well as offering it as a reference tool for future use. Using SharePoint as the technology tool to maintain the recorded presentation, learners can not only refer back to the training course, but can also use it when collaborating with other employees.
SharePoint is a multi-purpose platform; it allows for managing and provisioning of documents and presentations, collaboration spaces, and social networking tools, among many other business intelligence tools. (SharePoint Website) Providing the learners with asynchronous learning using SharePoint will provide easy to use and ongoing access to the instructional course from anywhere, and any time through the Internet. It will facilitate the learners' ability to achieve the learning objective, which is "to learn a new automated staff information system".
Summary
In summary, as mentioned in the "Foundation of Distance Education" (Simonson) more often than not, corporations are "using technology to increase the access of the distant learner to improve access to resources, and to make the experience of the remote student comparable with the experience of the loacl learner, Equivalency Theory. (Keegan) Using WebEx allow the instructional designer to have the equivalency of a face-to-face training using the internet. Sharepoint allows for continued collaborations using the social networking tool, as well as a centralized location to maintain training courses, precentation and printable documents for learners to use as an ongoing reference tool. Since this training will be developed as a "blended course" providing approximately 80% synchronous and 20% asynchronous, it will offer the learners "realistic practical opportunities for all learners to make learning independent, useful, sustainable and ever growing. (Graham)
References:
Dick, W., Carey, L., Carey, J.O. (2004) The systematic design of instruction (6th ed.)., new York, Longman.
Graham, C. R. (2005). "Blended learning systems: Definition, current trends, and future directions.". In Bonk, C. J.; Graham, C. R.. Handbook of blended learning: Global perspectives, local designs. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer. pp. 3–21
Internet Website: http://sharepoint.microsoft.com/en-us/Pages/default.aspx Accessed 5/19/11.
Internet Website: http://www.webex.com/overview/index.html Accessed 5/17/11
Internet Website: http://www.webex.com/pdf/casestudy_fidelity.pdf and http://www.webex.com/pdf/casestudy_stratx.pdf Access 5/19/11
Simonson, M. Smaldino, S. Albright, M., Zvack, S. (2009). Teaching and Learning at a Distance. Foundations at Distance Education. 4th Edition. Pearson