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PODIUM

The Cat and the Bag:
An Alternative Ending

Drs. Donald G. and Elizabeth Perrin

Some time ago, we included a wry comment from Stephen Downes on the position of distance learning in the traditional academic setting.  It is worth repeating. "Everybody keeps trying to stuff the DE cat back into the F2F bag. I’m going to do my damndest, in my own small way, to help the cat stay out. It is well and truly out. But that does not stop some people from holding and even defending the bag. My own interest, of course, is in the cat." Our new ending to the 'cat stuffing' is that the bag is no longer being defended. Indeed, the bag is in process of redesign and the cat is a welcome visitor! Distance learning teaching/learning design is more and more often made integral to on-campus classes. Several forces are at work to bring about this change. Faculty are becoming familiar with new learning technologies, integrating them with traditional methods of instruction.

1. Courseware designed for distance learning is being made available to on-campus instructors. Many campuses offer computer-enhanced courses for on-campus students with the option of taking those same courses online or in hybrid format.
2. Interactive multimedia offers flexible learning environments that accommodate a wide range of subjects and learning modalities.
3. Computer management systems track student progress, adapt to student needs, and signal problems that require instructor intervention.
4. Transition to "performance based" learning requires "hands on" tools for students to demonstrate mastery in higher levels of learning - application, analysis and syntheses.

While traditional faculty are discovering the advantages of technology, rethinking design and development of distance learning environments have been, for a considerable time, a major preoccupation of online distance educators. Is there any similar research and implementation in restructuring of the on-campus learning environment? I would venture yes, absolutely.

Not only are thousands of students considering online learning as an alternative learning path to a degree or certificate, many instructors are considering the possibilities of online instruction as a supplement, or an alternative, to their traditional classroom practice. And frequently, as F2F classrooms are redesigned, the distance learning concepts and environments are incorporated in the on-campus classes. Cooperative group projects are designed to be accomplished via email and chat room in addition to or instead of meetings in the library or the student union. The concept of "interactive" has gone beyond the simple traditional student project exchanges of content and purpose, or even the delivery of a major project by an individual student to the on-campus class as a whole - with time for questions at the end. "Interactive" classroom on campus now may well closely resemble the exchange and concept sharing as it is commonly practiced in a distance learning environment.

TO OUR READERSHIP

The growth and complexity of distance learning is increasing exponentially. To provide support in research and praxis to our readership, we are pleased to announce two blue-ribbon additions to our editorial staff, Dr. Brent Muirhead as Online Learning Editor, and Stephen Downes as Editor at Large. Both of these persons bring extraordinary talent, experience and international recognition in distance learning.

Dr. Brent Muirhead is area chair and professor of curriculum, technology, and graduate research courses for the University of Phoenix Online. He is a frequent presenter and contributor to the distance learning community, both here and abroad. bmuirhead@email.uophx.edu.

Stephen Downes, a colleague from Canada, is a world recognized leader in distance education and author of a next generation website http://www.downes.ca/. On a daily basis, he delivers OLDaily with its summaries, comments, links, and threaded discussions to global audiences, via email. stephen@downes.ca.