Distance Education Research and Practice

Distance education courses are essential to me as a full-time employee and full-time student. They allow me to complete my studies from virtually anywhere in the world, as long as I have an internet connection. I currently work in finance for a political subdivision of the state of Florida, where I’ve gained valuable experience while completing my undergraduate courses. Without the availability of distance education at UF, I would not be in my current position or able to balance work and school effectively. I will graduate with my Bachelor’s degree at age 20 and immediately transition into an MBA program focused on Business Analytics. The online MBA will provide me with the skills to analyze complex data, solve financial challenges, and advance within my current organization.

The field of education has always been dear to my heart. I thoroughly enjoyed this course, which changed my perspective on distance education and its importance. Seeing how far technology has evolved to support our modern-day distance education courses was astonishing. Distance education courses began as shorthand correspondence lessons sent through the United States Postal Service. It was not until almost a decade later that students could start taking classes without attending on campus. The early forms of distance education took place through the radio and television channels. Distance education currently occurs through a learning management system supported by Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet.

This course has greatly benefited me by introducing various educational theories and strategies. Teaching primarily in a distance learning format requires effective strategies and an enhanced teacher presence. I am interested in working full-time as a budget analyst while also serving as an adjunct professor for Introduction to Business courses. Additionally, this course has enlightened me about the key attributes a successful instructor should possess. For instance, an instructor should provide timely, individualized feedback on all assignments so students are aware of their progress in the course. The instructor should also use various media and teaching strategies to enhance student engagement throughout the course. Last but not least, I learned how to create a course within Canvas, a learning management system. This provided me with excellent exposure to utilizing Canvas’s features, such as creating quizzes, assignments, and discussion boards. I had the opportunity to use multiple websites and applications, including Camtasia, Canva, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and QuickTime Player, to develop content for my Canvas course. I am confident that I can apply the skills and knowledge I have gained in this course to become a successful adjunct professor.