The pandemic has created a demand for remote learning. This has been good for some, and for others, a real struggle. But the reality is, online learning was trending on the rise before the pandemic was even a thought. I feel the pandemic is ultimately going to speed the trends forward at a faster rate. The institutions that adapt will survive and eventually prosper, but there will be some growing pains. Traditional institutions that rely more heavily on in-person learning and dormitory income will of course have struggles to overcome, but the shift to more online learning availability is inevitable.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have seen a lot of negative criticism hurled at the distance learning model. I would argue that most criticisms against online learning fall into one of two categories -- technological literacy issues, and instructional design issues; with a case also being made for availability issues both in terms of internet reach, and the cost of technology. Though the latter two issues could be resolved on a town-to-town basis with technology grants and funding.
Much of the criticism that is not related to technology literacy or availability, is related to the effectiveness of online learning. I work in the field of instructional design and technology; and in almost any scenario that I have seen where a course is well-developed, properly chunked, and designed using some form of principle of scale, students thrive. In order for students to succeed, instructors need to understand how to use the technology available to them, and also how to teach in a digital environment. I would argue that most of the time, the issues students face with online learning is not the learning medium, but a lack of comprehension of instructional design on behalf of the instructor.
This is not only the case with higher ed. I have read countless horror stories about grade school children struggling with online learning. I am the proud uncle of middle school and high school boys, and my nephews are thriving in their education, which they never have before – and they are completely online doing distance learning while the pandemic languishes on. Last year, when my town’s schools abruptly switched to online learning, it was a disaster. My nephews and myself were both totally lost in the chaos of the switch to an online learning management system (LMS) utilized by the schools, and I work in the field! The reason why: because the school had no plans in place. The courses were a disaster, information was not centralized, and no one seemed to know left from right. Understandable, given the time and issue, but still, the lack of planning was the cause of all the chaos none-the-less.
I keep bringing up words like design or instructional design. So what exactly is instructional design anyway? A question that many people probably asked themselves after seeing the headline of this article. Simply put, instructional designers "design and develop learning experiences" (Tucker, 2007). The job of the instructional designer is to create instruction experiences so students can learn effectively. Through a series of design processes and models, instructional designers analyze a need, determine the best solutions for course design, develop course material based on the needs and characteristics of the students, implement the material, and ideally, evaluate the material to ensure success for the students and instructor.
Learning is not just about the content, learning is an experience, and the chief role of the instructional designer is to design the best experience possible for students – designing material particular to the students' learner characteristics and the environment in which the students operate or occupy. In 2020, the instructional designer profession should be one of the most in-demand jobs on the market given the countless articles of the failures of online learning.
Just how much impact can good instructional designers have on the learning experience? Ask my nephews, they are now straight A students! Over the course of the summer, my town’s school system got to work on fixing the chaos caused by the pandemic in March. My town hired instructional designers and designed immaculate online learning environments for the students. The teachers in my town were also able to get training from the instructional designers on how to use online learning technology, and how to design and teach online. And now this time, with proper planning and good instructional design, the courses are pristine. Everything is very well chunked and easy to find and locate. The material effectively flows and transitions from one unit to the next. It is a truly night and day difference from last March.
There are so many benefits to online learning. The digital paper trail, the ability to digitally view all assignments and grades on the fly, and the ability to read feedback are among the greatest strengths. This type of structure and order has had a transformative effect on my nephews. My nephews have a routine, and they follow the process as outlined in their courses and are thriving in the domain that is distance learning. I sleep well at night knowing I can watch their progress every step of the way with a simple login to their learning platform software.
Not everyone thrives in a classroom. There is a structure and order that online learning affords. I am all for the removal of barriers to education, and if online learning can be a pathway to success, then we should embrace it with open arms. The solution to the problem of poor online learning experiences are instructional designers. If schools do not invest in good instructional design, then we are setting our students up for failure. It’s not the platform, it’s the process.
Reference:
Tucker, C. (2007). 5 Principles of Visual Design in UX. Retrieved from https://www.christytuckerlearning.com/what-does-an-instructional-designer-do/