Enhancing Participation in Distance Learning Environments Essay

Given the increasing diversity and changes happening in the classroom today, it created new approaches in facilitating education and learning for students. Similarly, with the advent of information technology via the Internet in the late 20th century spurred the creation and design of distance learning environments. These capabilities encourage the development of curriculum created to facilitate the same results in a classroom based setup. It is in here that â€Å"students work on their own, with supplied course materials, print-based media and postal communication, some form of teleconferencing and/or electronic networking, and learner support from tutors and mentors via telephone or E-mail† (Sherry, 1996, p. 1). However, comparing this to the traditional classroom-based setup, there is wide range of problems associated in implementing this objective. â€Å"These include redefining the roles of key participants, technology selection and adoption, design issues, strategies to increase interactivity and active learning, learner characteristics, learner support, operational issues, policy and management issues, equity and accessibility, and cost/benefit tradeoffs† (Sherry, 1996, p. 1). Due to this, there is a need to reinforce strategies that advocates and realizes the importance of participation to cultivate and realize the objectives of any distance learning environment. Objectives: Upon the completion of training, participants are expected to carry out the following objectives and goals: †¢ Understand the functions of every distance learning †¢ Develop strategies for participation †¢ Point out relevant communication mechanisms available †¢ Realize the concepts and ideas presented on a particular subject †¢ Choosing and using adequate information for the topic †¢ Learn new motivational ways to effectively increase participation using virtual environments. †¢ Increase capabilities of participants to practice distance learning with a renewed vigor and determination to create success. Role of the Presenter Given the objectives of these training, it is necessary that the presenter must be adept and adequate to facilitate the needs of participants. Due to these, here are the responsibilities of the presenter: †¢ Present accurate and sufficient data concerning distance learning and participation †¢ Motivate individuals to interact in the discussion †¢ Generate feedback and effective communication among participants and guest speakers †¢ Interact and take part in activities that are designed within the course of the training †¢ Provide interactive slides and presentation data to support the argument. †¢ Extract reactions and checklist to the determine whether or not the objectives of the program were met accordingly Participants The training shall be comprised of students who are specializing in education. The group shall be composed of 20 selected third year individuals who were first to sign up in the sessions that were given one week before the program. In here, everyone shall be expected to attend this whole day event and learn from various speakers who have had experience in the realies of distance learning. Similarly, each individual is expected to bring a positive attitude so as to help facilitators bridge the information accordingly to each one. Schedule of Training In achieving the mentioned objectives and goals of the training, facilitators and organizers shall divide and use numerous programs that will attain this purpose. Kindly refer to index 1 to view the table and see several instructional mechanisms and agenda’s in the one day training. The Training Environment Location and time: It shall take place in a classroom based setup wherein there are 20 seats available for participants and several more for the guest speakers and lecturers who shall facilitate in the process. With this, the duration of the exercise shall begin at 8:00 AM and shall conclude at 5:30 in the afternoon. Snack and Lunch shall be served. Refer to Index 1 for the schedule. Audio-Visual: It is the prerogative of lecturers to use audio-visual equipment to supplement their talk. However, the organizers have encouraged each one to provide one to enhance student grasp of what he/she is talking about. Similarly there are numerous instruments made by organizers to also guide students to (1) familiarize with participants, (2) use their skills in determining solutions and (3) enhancing their grasp of the topic. These things shall be elaborated in the next section. Exercise and Activities Discussion 1: Enhancing Participation Under this section, participants are given numerous tenets and ideas surrounding the distance education practice. It incorporates the processes that correspond to the needs of students and instructors in imparting the needed skills and expertise in a particular subject (Montera-Gutierrez, 2002). In here, students shall be given the idea on how to enhance participation in distance education to supplement the objectives of a particular subject. Similarly, it shall focus on several facets in attaining this mainly increasing motivation, content and communication. Discussion 2: Dwelling into Communication In here, the facilitator shall point out the relevance of available communication apparatuses and mechanisms. By elaborating on these innovations, there is a better way wherein students can express their intentions while at the same time increasing participation. â€Å"If a teacher cannot communicate effectively with his or her learners, it is reasonable to assume that their learners will struggle in class† (Purland, n. d. , p. 1). Also, the speaker can identify several skills necessary to achieve this kind of communication among online students. Lastly, this discussion shall seek to introduce participants in various apparatuses and devices available for each ones use in bridging the gap between student and teacher. Discussion 3: Enhancing Content and Motivation The speaker in this section shall deal with creating and stimulating motivation among participants in distance learning. One initiative that can be made involves creating a good extra credit program to influence students to post in discussion forums and gather information and insights necessary for the class. Likewise, the program can also seek to showcase chat discussions concerning the grading of a paper and how the student can enhance his participation even better. On the other hand, the content must also be attractive to students given a particular subject. In here, the facilitator should encourage future distance learning instructors to try to look outside the box and gather resources that are relatively interesting and stimulates thinking. Here, members shall be given techniques in determining which information is adequate. Moreover, the speaker shall also point out relevant ideas and practices that are supplemental in addressing these situations. In each activity, students shall be divided into five (5) groups composed of four Ice breakers and Activities The design of the activities and ice breakers are deemed to encourage each one to participate with the members of the training. Since there are activities after every discussion to test their understanding and capacity, it is expected that everyone should participate and give out their best in addressing the situations given to them. On the other hand, ice breakers are given before the program and after lunch break. These have their defining purposes as the first one seeks to open up with the people to make the comfortable with each other. The latter addresses the sleepiness and laziness that may be felt after having lunch. Evaluation Tools There are two ways in which the student shall be evaluated in the training. The first part involves each speaker’s comments and response to the required reaction papers given to participants after the duration of the lecture and activities. In here, each one shall be given sets of questions devised by speakers to have them answered accordingly. The second way is via the feedback system given by each student in describing the overall success of the program in general and several insights revolving on what they had learned in the process. Closing At the end of the training, each one is expected to have learned something from the endeavor. It must not only revolve around the idea of distant education, but at the same time understand and comprehend what important facets continue to shape participation of students in the success and growth of interaction between the lecturer using communication, content and motivation.