Evolving Distance Education to the Next Generation

The authors, Moller, Foshay, Huett, Coleman identify e-learning trends that relate to training, post-secondary education, and the K-12 arenas. The authors present a three-part seried article: The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications of Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web.
Part I gives insight into the training and development trends of distance education. What I found most intriguing about this part is when the authors spoke of cynical practitioners maintain that "managers or customers care only about the "appearance of training"of designed distance education environments which thereby gives an appearance of learning. This opinion gives a less tha professional attribute to e-learning. It characterizes e-learning as only being a vehicle for desemination of information--no actual learning takes place because the training is "judged solely by the number of learner hours logged or by pure appearance." The authors contend that instructional designers need to focus more on quality, need assessment, rate of return, training performance support, improved instructional design methods, and revised learning models. If these are adequately implememted then the distance education arena would present a much more professional and educationally sound appearance--rather than merely being considered alternative education.
Part II of the series focused on e-learning within the higher education sector. It was astonishing to note where the author's mentioned that the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) predicts that within the next five years there will be a more than a 300% increase in students enrolled in distance education. If this figure is correct, then there definitely need to be some transformation within the distance education arena at all levels. There needs to be an overhaul in student and faculty perceptions and expectations.
Pat III of the series focused on distance education within the K-12 environment. The authors note that more state supported institutions are moving toward a virtual enviornment with giving equivalent funding as the traditional classroom. I propose that a virtual enviornment at the k-12 level would benefit from more funding than traditional classrooms in order for the students to be adequately served and offered the full advantages of distance education. I'd have to agree with the authors in stating that one important drawback of a virtual school at the K-12 level is the lack if social interaction that this enviornment affords. I believe it to be crucial for students at this level to collaborate and socially interact as opposed to working independently. This is essential for the betterment of their growth and development.
The Simonson video presents ideals on the next generation of distance education. Simonson contends that distance education has become so widely accepted and adopted to the point now that it has reached "critical mass" wherein it no longer needs to be promoted but nurtured as it moves into the next generation. I disagree with Simonson to some degree in his view. I do not believe that distance education has evolved and widely accepted to the point where it only needs nurturing. There is still much to do in this area of education--more guidelines and parameters must be set and acceptable protocol must be established to define a framework of distance education that meets the standards for quality education.