Distance Learning in the 21st Century, Annotated Bibliography Example

Billsberry, Jon. ‘Moocs Fad Or Revolution?’. Journal of Management Education 37.6 (2013): 739–746. SAGE Journals. Web. 30 May. 2014

Billsberry addresses the advent of MOOCs, noting that MOOCs are a relatively new phenomenon; as such, there is currently a dearth of data that can be used to measure their merits and relative successes. As the latest iteration of a long historical tradition of distance learning systems, MOOCs are seen by some as a positive development, while others raise concerns about their pedagogical value and their long-term impact on traditional systems of higher education. According to Billsberry, much of what is currently being asserted about MOOCs, both positive and negative, is based on conjecture rather than hard evidence.

Cowan, Kristina. ‘Learning Across Distance’. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review 74.8 (2009): 4–8. ERIC. Web. 30 May. 2014

Cowan examines legislation in Florida that mandates making online K-12 education available for students that meet eligibility requirements. As of the 2009-2010 school year, online instruction must be offered by individual Florida school districts that can be used either as full-time instruction for home-schooled students or as supplemental instruction for students who also attend “brick and mortar” schools. The school districts have a number of options in terms of how they offer online instruction, including developing their own instruction systems individually or in partnerships with other school districts, or by contracting with private organizations that offer complete, accredited systems. The availability of such virtual instruction systems has implications for both K-12 education and for higher education institutions; as schools at all levels continue to embrace online educational offerings fort students.

Gaston, Paul L. Higher Education Accreditation. 1st ed. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, 2013: 67-68. Google Books. Web. 30 May. 2014.

Among the issues Gaston addresses in his book, the advent of MOOCs is given considerable attention. Just as others have noted, MOOCs are such a recent development in the context of distance education that it is difficult to accurately assess their overall performance in terms of the quality of content, their ability to meet the needs of students, and the role they should and will play in the future of higher education. Citing Friedman (2013), Gaston posits that MOOCs should be developed around an accreditation system, and that new forms of degrees and certifications should be created specifically to fit the MOOC model. Gaston asserts that distance learning models based on virtual, online delivery systems will become increasingly popular in the coming years, while also noting that it is too soon to tell exactly what forms these systems will take, and which of them will prove to be the most successful. The discussion of MOOCs in is set in the broader context of issues related to accreditation, wherein Gaston addresses concerns about the imbalance between the practical value of higher education for students and the burgeoning costs associated with earning degrees.

Pandza, Haris, and IzetMasic. ‘Distance Learning Perspectives’. Acta Informatica Medica 18.4 (2013): 229. ProQuest. Web. 30 May. 2014

Pandza et al examine distance learning in the Internet age, focusing primarily on some of the practical issues and considerations educators and institutions must face as they adapt to rapidly-evolving technological advances. The authors explore so-called “hybrid” systems, which allow students to meet many of the requirements of individual courses by utilizing the Internet, while occasionally being physically present for exams, labs, and other functions. This article offers a fairly comprehensive overview of how online courses typically operate, including explanations and graphical representations related to how lectures, course materials, tests, and other course elements can be delivered in the online environment.

Ross, Jen, Michael Sean Gallagher, and Hamish Macleod. ‘Making Distance Visible: AssemblingNearness In An Online Distance Learning Programme’. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning 14.4 (2013): 51-66. OmniFile. Web. 22 Jun. 2014.

In this article the authors discuss the concept of “nearness” in education, and consider the ways that distance-learning students face unique challenges that differ from those of students who attend classes in physical spaces. The authors describe the “complex relationships that online learners have with educational institutions,” and assert that these institutions have a responsibility to construct a semblance of “nearness” distance-learning students, and must consider the practical implications of distance learning in shaping a new educational framework for distance learners.

Severance, Charles. ‘Moocs: An Insider’s View’. Computer 46.10 (2013): 93–96. IEEEXplore. Web. 22 Jun. 2014.

The author provides an overview of his involvement with one of the first MOOCs offered by the University of Michigan in 2011. The U of M utilized the services of Coursera, an organization that provides software and other IT which are designed to function as the platform for delivering online courses. The article traces the process Severance used to develop a course using the Coursera platform, and examines some of the significant ways in which the MOOC differed from traditional courses. One of the insights the author gleaned from this endeavor was that both instructors and students involved in MOOCs would have to adapt to these new systems, and he noted how both he and his students became more comfortable in the MOOC environment on a semester-to-semester basis. Overall, Severance had a positive experience with MOOCs, believing they will continue to grow in popularity and quality.

Szente, Judit. ‘Distance Learning’. Childhood Education 78.3 (2002): 160. GALE. Web. 22 Jun. 2014.

Szente discusses the evolution of distance learning in the age of electronic communication, charting the development of courses offered via television as early as the 1960s, to the “videoconferencing” of the late 20^th century, to the advent of online courses and MOOCs that have become widely available in the early 21^st century. Szente further examines some of the specific ways that technological advances are making new approaches to distance learning possible, citing examples that include university students engaged in “virtual observation” of second-grade teacher via video cameras and an Internet connection. This example demonstrates how technology is opening up entirely new opportunities for both educators and students, as the limitations imposed by physical spaces are no longer applicable when students can attend classes, lectures, and other functions in virtual space.