Starting the MDE
I
began the Master of Distance Education (MDE) program at University
of Maryland University College (UMUC) Fall term 2001. I learned
about the program through several ads and the UMUC Web site.
The
opportunity to return to graduate school came at a turning
point in my
career. I had just completed a series of major projects and
was awaiting a new assignment. Also, I had reached a length
of service that would enable me to take an early retirement
from my government job and start a new career if I wanted
a change. I had been planning to return to school but did not
think it would be possible before I stopped working full
time and could commute to a campus. Online distance education
allowed me to begin preparing for a new direction in my life
while
still
working.
The
MDE was not my first experience with distance education. After
I finished high school, I earned a diploma from a three-year
course of correspondence study in commercial art. The study
was completed on a scholarship I won in national competition
sponsored by the high school periodical Scholastics Magazine.
The learning experience was effective but lonely. I thought
back to it often during my first MDE course, Foundations of
Distance Education, in which I learned how much correspondence
study has been (and still is) used around the world.
The
MDE also was not my first experience in graduate school. I
had already received a Master of Arts degree in English and
had taken additional post graduate work in information systems
technology. Both prior experiences were in the traditional
classroom setting.
I
didn't know what to expect when I began the Foundations course.
My first surprise came when I learned that my instructor was
located in Germany. The next surprise came when I found that
the course would have two visiting professors--the authors
of our text books (Otto Peters and Börje Holmberg). These were
the first of a number of pleasant surprises I encountered as
I proceeded through the program.
Differences
between the MDE and Prior Graduate Program Experiences
In
my two prior graduate level programs, I was a student in a
classroom. Professors were referred to by their titles, and
other students were seldom seen outside the classroom. There
was very little sense of community. I have been truly amazed
at the community experience in the MDE, not only among students,
but between faculty and students. The informality between faculty
and students seems to be highly appropriate for a distance
program, and it has been very effective here. Another new experience
for me was the "extra mile" I have seen faculty
go in trying
to
assist students--and this often from adjunct faculty who are
not highly paid for the dedication. I'll never forget the day
I received a phone call at work from Judy Roberts in Canada.
She was calling to be sure I had not inadvertently left a section
out of my paper. I will also never forget the faculty-student
meetings at UMUC and at conferences. I don't ever recall such
opportunities in any of my other college experiences. This
fellowship within the MDE program has been both enjoyable and
an ongoing encouragement through difficult times. Perhaps the
greatest difference between the MDE and my prior work is the
international aspect of both instruction and student participation.
The UMUC-Oldenburg partnership has provided me with new perspectives
on education that I don't think I could have gotten in any
other program. It has both enlarged my view of the world and
made my planet much smaller. I can now claim friends among
faculty and students literally from around the globe. A few
more comments concerning friendships will be found in the reflections
about relationships below.
Relationships
Throughout
these reflections, there are comments about relationships between
faculty and students and among students. I never expected to
meet the students I encountered in my distance classes. I have
met a number of them in person, and some of these have become
life-long friends. At this moment, I can't even remember the
names of any students in my prior graduate programs. Some of
this can be attributed to my growth as a person and the loss
of shyness that hindered my forming lasting relationships when
younger (although I did form some friendships that persist
today). But it also has to do with the nature of the MDE program
and its atmosphere. My lasting friendships from earlier times
were not formed as a result of my involvement in graduate work.
These new ones are the result of that experience.
Readiness
for Study
With
each new level of education in my life, I have improved in
academic performance. In spite of an absense from university
work for more than twenty-five years, I was better prepared
for the MDE than any prior work because my employment with
the Social Security Administration had given me: a) practical
experience in time and task management; b) years of projects
using the online
environment: and c) assignments that sharpened my intellectual
skills. Unlike my first entry to
graduate level
work, I stepped
into
the MDE program feeling comfortable and ready for the challenge.
In sharp contrast, I never would have ventured past my first
term in a graduate program had I not signed a contract to teach
for a year during my first Masters degree work at Florida State
University. The transition from undergraduate to graduate level
work was a severe shock for me, even though I later learned
how to excel as a graduate student. Remembering how close I
came to giving up has made me sensitive to those students entering
the MDE as their first graduate level experience. A mentoring
program can be very important to new students, and I believe
that mentoring for new MDE students can increase their success
and encourage them to stay in the program.
Course
Work
The
following is a collection of memories and comments about the
courses I took in the MDE program. They are presented in the
order in which I enrolled, beginning in Fall of 2001 and ending
Spring of 2004.
Fall 2001
OMDE
601 Foundations of Distance Education - I was very impressed
with the quality of the first course in the program and with the
teaching
skill of Thomas Huëlsmann. The addition of two "greats" in the
field (text book authors Börje Holmberg and Otto Peters) was an
added bonus. It was apparent that if this course was an indication
of the quality of whole program, it was going to be a wonderful
experience. The one negative feature was my first experience with
MDE study group work. There was one member of the group to which
I was assigned who had the expertise to work collaboratively online.
The others were obviously unprepared and unskilled. That experience
started me on a quest to determine what was needed and what could
be done to prepare students to be online collaborative learners
before they became immersed in a graduate program.
Spring 2002
OMDE
602 Distance Education Systems - Since systems is a fascinating
subject for me, I anticipated that this course would be comparable
in many ways to my 601 experience. It was very different. First,
the lack of a text book was disappointing. On the other hand, I
found this to be an opportunity for a future project for which
I have begun work. Another negative was a heavy emphasis on study
group work and a second unpleasant experience with unprepared students
(further incentive for me to pursue work in this area). 602 was
also my first course with Yolanda Gayol. I found the assignments
in 602 to be very challenging, with the last two offering considerable
opportunity for creative expression.
OMDE 603 Technology in Distance Education - I found this
course to be a good companion to 602. It was also extremely demanding.
While word limits had been a difficult aspect of essay assignments
in 601, Judy Roberts' expectations for both quality and conciseness
made me become the "master of a few words." Judy's requirements
have been the subject of many lunch table conversations at conferences
I have attended with other MDE students; however, I believe that
the standard she sets is no less than what a graduate student should
produce.
Summer
2002
OMDE
606 Economics of Distance Education - I saved this course for a
shortened summer term because I thought it would be both easy and
fun. It was (except once again for student group work which I found
unsatisfying). It was easy because it was the kind of work I had
been doing in my job for a number of years, and it was fun because
I could apply the concepts to distance education. Thomas Huëlsmann
was excellent, as before, and the addition of Greville Rumble as
a
guest professor
was another
wonderful surprise. I would like to see an advanced level course
in the economics of DE. This one just whetted my appetite.
Fall
2002
OMDE
608 Student Support in Distance Education and Training -
Here was yet another course taught by a true expert in her field.
Jane Brindley provided a clear understanding of how important student
support is for the distance learner. This course, combined with
my earlier experiences in the program, helped me develop a keen
interest in this area of distance education.
OMDE 623 Web-based Learning and Teaching and the
Virtual University - This may have been the most demanding
MDE course in terms of workload. It was also the most intellectually
stimulating and rewarding on several levels. Yolanda
Gayol created a course that was enlightening, challenging, colorful,
and fun. Everyone in the course complained about the workload.
Everyone in the course was both exhausted and delighted at the
same time. It was also in this course that I experienced the epitome
of study group work. Our six member team fit very well together.
We were mutually supportive, taking over for one another when circumstances
kept one or another of us from full participation. (One of our
members studied from the United Arab Emirates and frequently experienced
technical issues in Internet access.) We collaborated. We challenged
one another. We trusted one another. It was wonderful.
Spring
2003
OMDE
604 The Management of Distance Education - I came into
the MDE program from a background as a manager. I found the application
of management principles to distance education interesting. Ted
Field and Merrily Stover team-taught the course; however, it was
divided so that Ted taught the first half and Merrily taught the
second. Since their teaching styles and backgrounds were so different,
the division caused something of a disconnect in the course.
OMDE 632 Advanced Technology in Distance Education 2 -
Asynchronous Learning Systems -
This must have been a very difficult course to design because of
the difference in backgrounds of the students. I have a strong
technology background, yet I found much of this course
to
be almost overwhelming. I can only guess what students with no
technology background experienced. On the other hand, I was very
glad for the opportunity to learn technical details of networks
and have used the knowledge to good advantage since then. I also
enjoyed the opportunity to hear from instructor Rob Sapp, the "guru
of WebTycho."
Summer
2003
OMDE
607 Instructional Design and Course Development in Distance Education -
This course was fun because it encourages creativity; however,
it was a revisiting of things I had already learned in 623. It
should be taken before 623. I was glad to learn the formal instructional
design process, but I found that its linear process was contrary
to the way I had learned to design computer systems. I had discovered
that viewing and working on a system holistically gave a better
result, and I found myself using that technique in my prototype
course. This was my first course with Gene Rubin, although I had
talked with Gene many times at UMUC and at conferences.
Fall
2003
OMDE
620 Training and Learning with Multimedia -
Olaf Zawacki-Richter and Hilko Donker team-taught this new version
of the multimedia course. Rather than split the course, they shared
teaching responsibilities. It worked very well because they have
similar styles and knowledge. The course overcame significant difficulties
in trying to provide exposure to multimedia in a limited environment.
Tom Brown of Pretoria, S.A. was an outstanding guest lecturer.
His extensive interactions with the class were both informative
and graced with good humor.
OMDE 622 The Business of Distance Education -
I had been looking forward to taking this course from the time
I first saw it on the list of offerings. This is not a course for
the student who needs structure. It is a good graduate seminar
course. Gene Rubin offered his expertise and insights along with
a challenge to the class to "go forth and discover the business
world of distance education." We were also fortunate to have an
excellent guest lecturer in Anne Forester of Australia.
Spring 2004
OMDE
690 Seminar - I had been thinking about the 690 course
from the beginning of the program and, based on good advice from
instructors along the way, had been preparing. However, nothing
could have prepared me for the unanticipated events that occurred
during the term. During the preceding summer, I had decided
to take an early retirement from my job and enter a doctoral program
at Florida State University. That meant selling my small farm in
Maryland and relocating to Florida. I started early on the relocation
project; however, everything came together at the same time. My
farm finally sold a few days before the 690 spring term began.
One month into the term, I had to go to Florida to locate
a new home, vacate my house, and travel to Germany to participate
in the EDEN workshop.
Upon return from Germany, I was without a home for nearly a month.
Then I spent the last month of the term trying to move into my
new home while I finished my 690 project. This has been the most
physically and mentally difficult time in my whole life! I
include this account to remind myself of the circumstances
when I look back in the future and perhaps question why
approached it the way I did.
The
690 seminar was taught by Gene Rubin, my mentor,
along
with Uli Bernath and Michael Beaudoin. I liked the idea of a
project course, but I found it difficult to draw boundaries
around the subject I selected, distance education systems.
I chose to discuss some applications of the theories of the
"new science" (e.g., quantum theory, chaos theory, network
theory) to distance education systems. I hope to greatly expand
this work into a comprehensive text book on distance education
systems in the future.
Courses
I wish I could have taken: the Library course; Advanced
Technology - Synchronous Learning Systems; Distance Training;
Copyright.
Opportunities
for Contributions to the Program
It
is exciting to be able to join a group of students who have
made contributions to the Masters program of which they are
a part. It is both a way of enhancing one's resumé and "giving
back" to the MDE community. It is also evidence of the "walk
the talk" attitude of MDE faculty who promote collaboration
among both learners and instructors. My contributions include:
a study guide for the OMDE 602 Distance Education Systems course;
a tutorial on assignment planning and completion for the OMDE
603 Technology in Distance Education course; a tutorial on
basic
numerical
analysis for the OMDE 622 Business of Distance Education course;
a published article which I understand has been on the reading
list for the OMDE 608 Student Support course; and work as a
teaching assistant in OMDE 602 and OMDE 622.
Encouragement
to Engage in Professional Activities
From
my early days in the MDE program, I noted that students were
encouraged to become a participant at distance education conferences
and begin making contributions to the field of distance
education by
submitting
papers for
publication
in
journals,
being a presenter at conferences, and taking advantage of other
opportunities as they arise. During my first full year in the
program, I attended the Maryland Distance Learning Association
spring conference and the Sloan-C Asynchronous Learning Networks
conference. I was grateful for the encouragement to participate
and gained much from conference activities. The next year I
was a presenter at both conferences, and the following spring
during my last term in the MDE, I was a grant recipient from
Volkswagen to be part of a team presentation at the Third European
Distance Learning
Networks
Research Workshop
in Oldenburg, Germany. In addition to these professional activities,
I contributed two published articles in the ASF series of books
on distance education, one as sole author and the other as
co-author with Kristen Drago.
These
activities have been both enjoyable and enriching. They have
provided opportunities to meet MDE faculty and students in
person as well as to hear and talk with some of the most noted
practitioners in the field of distance education, including
a number of authors of textbooks used in MDE courses. I think
it is a great credit to the founders and faculty of the MDE
program that students are viewed as budding professionals capable
of making contributions to their field. This atmosphere of
mutual respect and collaboration in learning by both faculty
and students has been a highlight of the MDE program for me
How
the MDE Affected My Plans for the Future
When
I first began the MDE program, I looked at it as an opportunity
to continue in my quest to be a life-long learner. It was the
best new subject choice for me of the group of subjects available
at the Masters level at UMUC. I had no particular plans for
the future based on completing the program. However, the further
I went in taking courses, the more a whole new career began
to open up for me. I was excited by the opportunities distance
education offers so many people today, and I saw significant
needs for trained professionals in the field. I decided to
continue my education to prepare further for a future as a
consultant in distance education. My next work will be a doctoral
program at Florida State University where I have been accepted
into the Instructional Systems department for fall of 2004.
Final
Thoughts
Proudest moment--when I sat
in the audience at the 2003 Sloan-C ALN conference and watched
Gene
and Uli accept
the award for Most Outstanding Online Teaching and Learning Program.
Most
fun memories--the 2004 EDEN conference
socials where we had champagne and dinner in a castle; Otto Peters
danced
the salsa with another keynote speaker; Judy Roberts danced barefoot
all evening along with other notables like Gila Kurtz, Thomas
Huëlsmann, Tom Brown, Uli Bernath, Gene Rubin, and do I
remember Börje
Holmberg dancing with Mrs. Peters? All of this followed an afternoon
of bowling along the roadways in the German countryside with
everyone drinking schnapps--in a snowstorm. And then there was
the evening at the
2003 ALN conference when I went to dinner with 5 other ladies
from UMUC and discovered that I was the only American among a
wonderful
international group in which Mexico (Yolanda), France (Claudine),
Brazil (Stella), Israel (Gila), and the USA (me) were represented.
Last
comment--As I read back over these comments, it sounds like
a record of my accomplishments rather than reflections about
the
program. But then, maybe that is a good statement about the
MDE. The
MDE program and the leaders and faculty who make it up
are the enablers of accomplishment by students. Perhaps it's
not possible to separate the reflections from what has been
achieved. That
might be the highest recommendation for any program.
