Elements of Distance Education Diffusion

Online communication is a growing phenomenon in society. Practically every human being has a cell phone, computer or laptop at his or her disposal. The use of email is sharing the same space of letter writing. Cell phones are not becoming popular, not for the accessibility to actually talk to someone through voice communication, but because of their social networking features. The trend of blogging, texting, and using Face Book are taking over the way we communicate via cyber space. Over the past 10 years, traditional educational systems has advanced in its efforts to communicate student's progress or general communication about school events via email. As stated before email is becoming a dinosaur of communication, while testing, bloging and Face Book are the waves of the future. Roach (2006), conducted a study which engaged social networking technologies in education, and found that over half of the students respondents would "read a blog authorized by a faculty member" that pertained to course information and school activities. Therefore, it is time for the education system as a whole to embrace online communication as it relates to distance education programs.

Because of the increase of online communication in society, we are seeing a growing acceptance in distance education programs (Siemens, 2010). The introduction of Web 2.0 technologies has helped society overcome its fear of technology. Lots of companies are jumping on the communication bandwagon by offering applications to access their sites via SMT (Smart Phone Technologies). Because I have an I-Phone, I live by the phrase "there's an app for that". I can check to see how much money I have in the bank, find out the nearest restaurant wherever I am at, email the location to my friends, and GPS the directions so I will not get lost. Now that's all access communication at your fingertips!! But it does not stop there. Walden University has joined the world of SMT applications. Distance education at your fingertips. Because of the advances in technology, I can now access my classes via my I-Phone. Now that is taking education to the next level.

Overall, the education system need to pay close attention at how society is evolving in the world of online communication and continue to incorporate these technological advances in the way we deliver instructions to students.

References:
Siemens, G. (2010). The futuer of distance education. (internet Video Presentation). Laureate Education, Inc.

Roach, R (2006). Prospective college students receptive to electronic social networking recruitment methods, survey finds. Diverse Issue's in Higher Education online December 2006 edition

The Next Generation of Distance Education

One key concept that I would like to point out as it relates to the next generation of distance education is how this type of education process has been around for years, but with the introduction of the internet there has been an increase interest in the idea of distance education. And through that interest has spawned a greater interest in advancing these types of programs not only in a college setting, but possibly in the K-12 environment as well. As my research interest looks to explore ways to incorporate social networking technologies in the classroom in the K-12 environment, I am a strong supporter in the push to move distance learning/education to the next level

Elements of Diffusion

There is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage than creation of a new order of things... Whenever his enemies have the ability to attack the innovator, they do so with the passion of partisans, while the others defend him sluggishly, so that the innovator and his party alike are vulnerable.

Niccolo Machiavelli