Running Head: Final Summary

EDIT 5370 FINAL MODULES SUMMARY AND REFLECTION

Paul Robert Munshower Jr.
Texas Tech University

Final Summary
EDIT 5370 FINAL MODULES SUMMARY AND REFLECTION

This course has provided me an opportunity to reaffirm my existing knowledge of

distance learning, as I understood them in a flipped classroom context, take a second look at
resources I may have overlooked in the past, and gain new insight into the many facets of
distance learning I was ignorant to. The course also provided guided explorations of foundational
knowledge and resources in distance learning. Modules 6-10 provided me with numerous
opportunities to grow and learn personally and professionally by providing experiences in
instructional design of distance education, student perspective of distance education, teacher
perspective of distance education, management of distance education, and ethics and copyrights
of materials used in distance education. Reflection of my current situation and these experiences
provided in this course will instill a conceptual change that is relevant and useful to me.
Module 6
Instructional Design
There are four models for designing distance-learning courses: linear-designed
instruction, branch-designed instruction, hypercontent-designed instruction, and learningdirected design (Simonson, et.al, 2011). Module six provided an opportunity to compare and
contrast two of these instructional design models and had a greater emphasis on theory than
practice. All instruction, regardless of method it is delivered, must be carefully planned and
designed to ensure its effectiveness in aiding students in reaching learning objectives. Using a
flipped classroom method in my current classroom, this helped to understand the importance of
design and the different types of models there are. I explored two similar design models: Dick &
Careys Model of Systematic Instructional Design (Simonson, et.al, 2011) and the ADDIE
Model (Branch, 2009). The models are very similar to one another, though the Dick & Carey

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Model is more detailed than the ADDIE Model. As with any model, these two models emphasize
the importance of the need for instructors to carefully analyze the learners in the course to
determine the appropriate context for the course learning objectives. Assessments are designed to
determine how students will show their ability to meet learning objectives and goals. Instructors
choose appropriate instructional strategies and materials in order to provide students the learning
opportunities necessary to promote mastery of the concepts. The instructional process must
provide numerous and diverse embedded opportunities for the instructor to formatively assess
student progress towards the learning objectives. Course evaluation and modification is vital to
the learners success (Branch, 2009; Simonson et.al, 2011).
Upon reflection, I realized that the current practice that I use, although I dont
know if it has a formal name, is very similar to what I currently do in my classroom. Identifying
goals and objectives with the end in mind, creating various assessments, designing instruction
and selecting curriculum seem to be the standard for any model used. If this is the case, why then
do distance education programs, and in my case a flipped classroom, have the negative stigma of
not being as rigorous, not being valid teaching methods, by our peers and colleagues in the
traditional high school setting? Recognizing that both the traditional lecture classroom that is
synchronous and face-to-face and the more progressive distance education program follow
similar instructional design principles is a vital step to breaking down this negative conviction
currently held by many.
Unit-Module-Topic Breakdown
Comprehending and implementing the unit-module-topic breakdown method is crucial to
help teachers grasp the challenging step of how to sequence and chunk instruction for effective
delivery (Simonson et.al, 2011). A course is divided into units, which are in turn composed of

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smaller modules. Each module is similarly composed of smaller topics the each include various
learning opportunities for students. This hierarchical design gives courses a well-defined
structure that will not only assist instructors in providing a coherent course design to learners, but
it will also aid students in comprehending the course expectations and goals. This additional
structure provided by this model is useful to ensure the success of a course meeting all learning
objectives.
Effective instructors must carefully and intentionally select learning activities for their
students. Online courses, as opposed to traditional lecture classrooms, should use significantly
more media in order to deliver the necessary content with a similar level of effectiveness
(Simonson, et.al, 2011). The vast amount of information available on the Internet provides
incredible opportunities for learning experiences that are often inaccessible in traditional
classrooms. Web 2.0 tools, and many other educational tools explored in earlier modules, offer
rich opportunities for student interaction, collaboration, and communication with one another in
meaningful ways not only in their classroom but also around the world.
Distance educators must also make a crucial decision as to how to present the content,
whether asynchronous or synchronous. Will the activities be accessed at a students leisure or
completed at the same time, regardless of the students geographic location or relative time zone.
This is an important thing to consider as the instructor analyzed the students taking the course. In
our current situation with our doctoral program, we are all working and it would be very
inconvenient, maybe even impossible, for all the students to participate synchronously, even
though the personal connections and relationships are important. In my current teaching
situation, I have a different problem. I have a blended, or hybrid, approach in which the lecture
is asynchronous while the labs, activities, and projects are synchronous. As I design future

Final Summary

instruction, I will consider many of my own experiences and allow my students more voice in
deciding what they want to do at home asynchronously and what they want to do in the
classroom synchronously.
Module 7: Student Perspectives on Distance Education
To have a more holistic understanding of the student perspective, it is critical to
understand more about the average distance education student. Most distance learners choose
this method of instruction to balance their responsibilities at home, work, and school and it is
particularly attractive because of its flexible scheduling and self-pacing. Distance learners,
typically, exhibit greater overall motivation for success (Simonson et.al, 2011).
Distance learners have many responsibilities they must fulfill in order to foster success in
a distance education program. Students must be sufficiently familiar with both the technologies
and the specific software and learning management systems used by their educational
institutions. Students also have a responsibility to openly and efficiently communicate with their
classmates and their instructors when concerns arise. Distance learners must be exceptional in
their ability to manage time and set aside time to complete coursework. This is one thing that I
should do better. I am not only a teacher, but also an athletic coach, therefore time is very limited
for me and I have done a poor, extremely poor, job of communicating with my instructor when
there are conflicts with my job and coursework deadlines. I also must focus on the fact that many
things will seem more important than course work in the at the current time, making time
management all the more important than for students in a traditional classroom. Regardless of
the situation, clear communication is an absolute necessity for both distance instructors and
learners. I have learned that this may cost me in ways that I do not want it to but experiences and
reflection cause conceptual change so this is a mistake I will not repeat.

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Instructors also have responsibilities to insure the success of a course. Educators need to
take the time to get to know the students through an introductory activity, such as our Voice
Threads. I know from my own experiences as an educator, that students do not care what you
know until they know you care. This provides students with a feeling of safety and security but
also allows the teacher to understand the attributes and learning styles of all students so that they
can effectively modify the instructional plan to meet all learners needs (Simonson et.al, 2011).
With most students balancing time between school and other things, course instructors in a
distance education setting by choose to be more flexible with deadlines and pacing. This is easier
with asynchronous activities but regardless, I appreciated it, and I am sure, other students do as
well.
Module 8: Instructor Perspectives on Distance Education
Given that the instructors perspective on distance education is primarily concerned with
creating a high quality and equivalent learning experience, this module seems like an extension
of module six. This module called for us to craft learning outcomes and carefully design a
sequence of student-centered learning experiences put into a syllabus. The course syllabus is an
important opportunity for instructors to communicate the course timeline and expectations to
students. This is also important in communicating how student progress will be assessed, as well
as course policies and procedures. This module was the most relevant and useful for me. I
appreciated the opportunity to carefully communicate how my current flipped classroom will
function by updating my current classroom syllabus. This will not only communicate effectively
my expectations to the students, but to the parents as well. This will hopefully ease many of my
pains from this year.

Final Summary
Module 9: Management of Distance Education

Management of distance education programs, like any educational program, cannot be

taken lightly. Administrators have numerous responsibilities that are generally categorized
within five domains or subsystems that must be met to ensure a distance education program is
successful and effective (Simonson et.al, 2011). Regulatory systems must be maintained,
including decision-making, planning, funding, and maintaining the sustainability of the program.
Course systems must be maintained including the necessary learning management system and
the licensing of desired software. Student systems must be provided to ensure that students have
access to the necessary materials for the course. Logistical concerns and training must be freely
available to students and teachers alike. All accessibility concerns must be communicated to
ensure that all students and teachers can effectively use the necessary equipment, regardless of
any conditions (Benson, 2004).
As I am a high school classroom teacher, this module was the most difficult for me but at
the same time is very valuable to me as I not only desire to be an advocate for change in current
teaching pedagogy but also my desire for future career changes. Even though I am looking
forward to designing and implementing flipped classrooms in many of our science classrooms in
the near future, I am still not an administrator so many of the policies are beyond my control. I
will have to rely on the wisdom and experience of my department chair and principals to help
guide me in this transition.
Module 10: Ethics and Copyrights
This module provided a much-needed opportunity to explore fair use guidelines and
copyrights and how they apply to distance education settings, and my current educational setting.

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There are many misconceptions related to copyright, but the most applicable to those in
education is the widely held belief that copyrighted works can always be used for educational
purposes under the fair use clause (Simonson et.al, 2011). The fair use clause is subject to four
essential criteria: purpose and character of use, nature of the copyrighted work, amount and
substantiality of the portion used, and the effect of use on the potential market (Simonson et.al,
2011). The Technology, Education, and Copyright Harmonization (TEACH) Act is also of
significance to distance educators because it includes provisions that allows for the digitization
of materials that would otherwise be available to face-to-face students (Simonson et.al, 2011).
This module was the very relevant to me in both a legal sense of my current practice in
my classroom, as evident by my five scenarios, but also by my current practices as a distance
education student. I habitually use images, content, and media found on the Internet without
thinking about fair use. I must do a better job if I am to produce coursework that upholds the
high standards of ethics and copyright in my coursework. I also must do a better job as to set an
example for my students, if I am to teach them the importance of academic honesty in their own
work. As an educator, I have a responsibility to communicate my own understanding of
copyright and fair use to my students through the classroom presentations I make.

Final Summary
References
Benson, A. D. (2004). Distance education: Ready and willing to serve the underserved?
Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 5(1), 51-57.

Branch, R. M. (2009). Instructional Design: The ADDIE Approach. New York: Springer.
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a
distance: Foundations of distance education. Boston: Pearson.