Projections for Content Development for Distance Learning

The other night I had the opportunity to watch a college basketball game on a large-screen HDTV system with surround sound in the comforts of a family room with a fireplace. What a great spectacle, the game was exciting and the quality of the video was outstanding and it brought the game to life.

I could not help but thinking of growing up as a young man with a black-and-white television set that receive one channel 120 miles away. We were connected with the makeshift antenna that had to be turned manually in the backyard. It only took three people to turn the antenna, one to watch the television to see if the snow got better, one to relay the message out the back window, and another one that actually turned the antenna.

To think how far we have come in a short time were now we have hundreds of channels to choose from and even some of those channels have extra high quality audio and video. The other thing that came to mind was that even though we have many channel choices today the content still leaves a lot to be desired.

In our business of distance learning we imagine many propositions, and we frequently over predict when it will happen.

I live with over predictions daily. One of them is to simplify for individuals to produce quality content with the various forms of technology that are available to them today. I've been in this industry for over 30 years and we always thought that the content development process was just around the corner. Eventually it will happen; we will have high quality templates for instructors and corporate trainers to utilize to meet various presentation and learning styles. However, only parts of it are here today.

I would like you to look at our Learning Management Suite because that answers a number of the issues that are involved in content development for distance learning.

Thanks
Lorne A. Parker PhD.
President, eLearning Innovations, Inc.

Distance Learning Content Development Utilizing Research for Children's Programs

Today adults and children have similar learning styles based upon the effects of mass media!

For the past 50 years educational researcher Dr. Malcolm Knowles and his various disciples indicated differences in how adults and children learn. Some of these learning components have been designed into various distance-learning instructional design elements.

In observing the total influence of mass communications on North Americans, it is my observation today that children and adults learn the same. Short learning segments, repetition, visualization, and action learning only to name a few of the ingredients that are built in to our mass media culture today. Dr. Fowler Humphrey, Professor of Adult Education at Idaho State, also agrees with me, but feels that even though adults and children are learning utilizing similar techniques he believes the major differences are how we actually implement the techniques with the various audiences.

After being involved with the parenting process of five children all of Sesame Street vintage as distance-learning designers we might not be able to put all of the production values that Sesame Street uses, but we certainly could utilize the research not only for children but also for adult distance learning programs. Any time I've ever mentioned the fact that we should be looking at the children's television workshop research that was headed by my former Indiana Professor, Dr. Keith Mielke, it is always discussed at the research only affects children.

However if you think about the concept that I have introduced a children and adults are learning from the same techniques today, we should be able to utilize the Children's Television Workshop information in designing our distant learning programs for all ages. The use of rich display of visual and auditory production features can readily be used today in distance learning technologies to teach children and adults even if it is an entertainment value such as music, visual imagery and other techniques that are readily available to us..

I must point out that all of the ingredients to think about utilizing contemporary information such as Sesame Street, and heaven forbid thinking about the research components in Barney and other children's programs such as Mr. Rogers that provide a wealth of information that I'm suggesting should be incorporated into distance learning programs for all ages.

I look forward to your comments regarding utilizing contemporary children's research for distance-learning programs for all ages. Please take time to look at our Learning Collaboration Suite which incorporates all of the ingredients that I have discussed.

I'm looking forward to your comments. Lorne A. Parker, PhD.