“A practice which is most appropriate under the circumstances, esp. as
considered acceptable or regulated in business; a technique or methodology
that, through experience and research, has reliably led to a desired or optimum
result.”
I took the following concepts
away from this definition—that best practice is defined by the 1. Circumstance,
2. Technique, 3. Experience/Research, and 4. Result. Additionally, Simsonson,
Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek (2012) suggest a theory which states that equivalent
learning experiences be developed for distance education rather than identical
learning experiences to the brick and mortar classroom. (This idea ties nicely
to that of White, Roberts, & Brannan (2003) as described in the assignment
for this blog.) It is essential to apply these ideas to current practices in
distance education to determine the best practices in distance education.
Throughout my studies as a
graduate student, I have been told to examine the needs of the learners before
designing a course and presenting content. This focuses on the circumstances
part of best practices (Horton, 2012).
LaPrade, Marks, Gilpatrick,
Smith, & Beazley (2011) found that the following areas, when consciously
addressed by the instructors and implemented fully, contribute to a successful
distance education course. The five areas are: faculty and learner engagement;
relations and a sense of community within the course; faculty providing
appropriate feedback for students; faculty responding in a timely manner to
student questions; and using effective instructional techniques (LaPrade et
al., 2011).
The technique of distance
education relates to how the content is disseminated to students. Peer-to-peer
interaction is one supported characteristic of distance education within a
learner-centered pedagogy (Simonson et al., 2012), that also helps to build
classroom community. Building a
community of learners is essential to student success (LaPrade et al, 2011),
therefore making it a best practice for technique.
Experience and research go
hand in hand with best practices in distance education. They can be based on
what teachers have experienced and researched with respect to the subject (in
this case distance education), which will significantly impact how they teach. The
research provided in this post barely begins to highlight what exists on the
topic of distance education, but it gives a beginning viewpoint.
Finally, a best practice
focuses on the result. Are the components leading to a desired result? If so,
then maybe a best practice has been discovered. If not, it is suggested that
the other parts of best practice are re-examined to ensure a desirable result.
Dick, Dick, & Carey (2005) suggest a lesson design that gives the teacher a
chance to evaluate instruction and make changes for future success
(Rockinson-Szapkiw, n.d.).
It is my recommendation that all educators engaging in
distance education continue to examine the best practices specific to what content
and which learners they are teaching (circumstance). These teachers need to
find effective techniques through their past experience and research, to ensure
the best and most desirable result. It is my opinion that this is the best way
to find the best practices in distance education.
References:
Rockinson-Szapkiw,
A. (n.d.) Module 2: Theories and
foundations of instructional design [PDF document]. Retrieved from Liberty University Blackboard: http://amandaszapkiw.com/resources/tutorials-and-instructional-materials/principles-design-management-distance-education/.
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M.,
& Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance:
Foundations of distance education. (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn &
Bacon.
