Distance Learning has become a “must” for educational institutions and corporations. 2013 statistics, compiled by certifyme.net, reveal that Distance Learning is now estimated to be a $56.2 billion dollar industry that is expected to double in size over the next few years. Presently, 4.6 million college students are taking at least one course online and it is predicted that by 2019, half of all college courses will be taught online. Corporations have also been quick to embrace this phenomenon, with a reported 77% implementation of online training resulting in an estimated 50-70% cost saving versus the traditional classroom. Additionally, with the demand from a younger workforce attuned to the online educational technology they experienced growing up, corporations need to provide online education to retain these new workers and give them the knowledge tools to advance their careers. More than just a passing fad, online education has been proven to increase knowledge retention by 25-60% while reducing delivery time by 25-60%.

Distance Learning is not new. Beginning with its roots in the 18^th and later in 19^th century, the first “correspondence courses” were implemented by Sir Isaac Pitman using post office “snail mail” to teach shorthand and provide feedback via return mail. As media delivery technologies expanded, the use of training/educational films and television burst upon the educational/training scene. Today, with the advent of internet web-based delivery technology, Distance Learning has integrated itself into the very fabric of learning, from corporate training, to fully accredited online higher education degrees, to K-12 cyber-schools, and more.

Three Delivery Models of Distance Learning

Today we can loosely define Distance Learning as education or training in which learners take courses by accessing information and communicating with an instructor and other students over a computer network. Generally, Distance Learning can be delivered in 3 ways:

• Synchronous Learning refers to a learning environment in which everyone takes part in the learning experience at the same time. Classroom-based lectures and live streaming of lectures via video-conferencing are two examples of synchronous learning.
• Asynchronous Learning refers to a learning environment in which individuals can participate in the learning on their own schedules and not dependent on the availability of an instructor. Self-study via workbook texts is one example and web-based e-Learning courses provide the learner with this scheduling convenience at their own pace.
• Combining both synchronous and asynchronous learning yields a current popular trend known as Blended/Hybrid Learning. This combination of using all resources available for instructing and learning helps to create what many believe is the optimal environment for learning.

Creating a Distance Learning Strategy

Before embarking on a Distance Learning strategy for your organization, a business case needs to be created to obtain the necessary financial and adoption support to reach success. This usually starts with convincing executive level management that there will be a positive return on investment with the implementation of Distance Learning. Business case points can include:

• A reduction in learner/instructor time/expenses: distance learning courses allow students to access content even if the instructor is not ‘present’ at the learning interface; this frees up instructor hours and enables instructors to focus on research and other tasks while students learn independently. This can also significantly reduce everyone’s travel time and expenses while minimizing staff time off of their primary business tasks.
• Economies of scale: distance learning content is massively scalable and can attract and support larger audiences than in-person courses. This gives organizations the ability to quickly recoup course creation costs.
• Modularization of content: distance learning content to be repackaged and reused without significant effort; this cannot happen in the traditional classroom setting, and it enables instructors to offer the exact same course over time and reuse material without devoting time and energy to creation.
• Consistency of content: distance learning also helps ensure that all learners receive the same content that is aligned with your organizational approved learning goals and objectives. This is essential for reinforcing your brand both internally and in the external marketplace.
• Reduced classroom costs: distance learning does not require the same overhead and infrastructure that a traditional classroom course needs – no buildings, classrooms, supplies, and other items that come with large costs and maintenance requirements.

Today there are a plethora of delivery systems that can be employed to implement synchronous distance learning, from the nearly free use of Skype, to the moderate cost of Citrix GoToMeeting and WebEx, to the comprehensive systems video conferencing, streaming and recording systems offered by Vidyo, Polycom, and Cisco. Each system has their own level of quality, feature sets, and financial investment. Here are just a few important considerations to keep in mind when selecting a Distance Learning Video Conferencing System:

• Number of participants and scalability
• Video/Audio quality and ease of use
• Physical data sharing capabilities
• Camera quality, convenience and features
• Mobility and collaboration

Regardless of the technology you use, it should be remembered that the key to making the right technological decisions rests in fully understanding your organization’s learning goals and objectives, your current learning technology base, and your organization’s learning culture. The key to the success of any distance learning initiative goes well beyond technology implementation but remains the creation effective and engaging learning using proven instructional design methodologies and assessment strategies. Navigating the complexities of distance learning can be a daunting task.  IMS Technology Services is an experienced technology and training firm that can make that task manageable and set your distance learning mission up for success.

Article submitted by Louis Stricoff, M. Ed & CTS

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