Learning at a Distance IS @ FSU
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Barry W. Shields is currently enrolled as a student in the program in instructional systems with a major in open and distance learning offered at FSU. The program is offered entirely online, allowing people like Barry to grow professionally and academically without having to commute to classes.
Barry can be reached at bws9009@garnet.acns.fsu.edu . This is what he has to say about the program, and about his experience as a distance student.
What is the value of the FSU ODL program? 1. The FSU program focuses on instructional design as an emerging profession. It's an excellent foundational program. It's flexible, includes an appropriate amount of the right content, and it's very interactive. The program is allowing me to become a thought leader within NCR as we move closer to becoming an organization that has all business units following our tailored course development model. I can now explain to leadership team members in my business unit how instructional design is a critical function within NCR that will and does affect both the top line and the bottom line. The FSU program has impacted my performance immediately. 2. Sometimes we are so focused on our own job/life that we never see the tremendous talent that surrounds us. The FSU program gives us the opportunity to engage in high quality learner-learner interaction. I am able to interact with other practitioners who have years of experience from many different areas of the country. I can use them as resources, explore their unique approaches to instructional problems, compare their approaches to instructional theory, and then create more effective learning programs at NCR. 3. The FSU program also provides experience working on virtual teams. That will be extremely important moving forward. We all are going to be required to work on teams that include people who are located in different areas of the world. We will communicate and work virtually more and more. We need to learn how to make virtual teams work. Programs like NetMeeting allow students and virtual workers to communicate virtually. This will be extremely important in the future. 1. Attending the best Instructional Systems program was extremely important to me. I was accepted into the University of Georgia Instructional Technology program, but I chose Florida State because of the strength of the program and its reputation. I couldn't move to Tallahassee, but the IS program could be delivered to me. 2. My life style, learning style, and so forth matches the DL approach. I've been developing Web-based learning programs since April 1998. I spend a great deal of time on the Internet, and I simply don't believe in completing an education program that is delivered 100% through traditional classroom methods. I'm not interested in what a professor has to say at 6:30 P.M. on a Wednesday. I believe in working smart. I may want to view an instructor's presentation, but not at 6:30 P.M. I may want to interact with the course content 20 minutes at a time, every 3 to 4 hours. The students who complete my Web-based learning programs guide their own learning and I want to guide mine. The ODL program allows me to do that because it is so flexible. 3. Florida State has taken a highly respected Instructional Systems program, combined it with the Internet, and delivered instruction to students in many different geographical areas. That's exactly what we do at NCR University. We offer the same open learning environment for our students that the ODL program offers. One of the reasons I chose FSU is because the ODL mission is so similar to the NCR University mission. 2. Distance Learning requires more time and effort, and mistakes, miscommunication, and frustrations will occur. Distance Learning and life in general is about building relationships. It is very important to seek opportunities to improve existing relationships, build new relationships, and recognize when some relationships are just not going to develop. 3. It's important to recognize that everyone has different personal learning objectives, different motivations, and a different amount of time to spend on the instructional materials. We need to accept these differences and work to be responsible for our own learning and responsible for the learning of others at the same time. This is our opportunity to make a difference. We can make a difference in our own lives and the lives of others. A positive attitude and an understanding of the needs/wants of others is very important.
"What I wish" as a Distance Learning student: 2. There are several students in the program who continue to have computer anxieties. We need to find a way to reduce those anxieties. Computers and the Internet are simply tools. You can break things with a computer, but you can also break things with a hammer or some other tool. We need to not be afraid of breaking things. Just break it, apologize, move forward, and learn. |
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