Three interesting things I Learned

Three interesting facts I didn't know about Distance Learning (prior to reading Dr. Saba's article) would have to be the following:

1. The origins of SCORM. I encountered this acronym early in EDTEC 540 - but really had no frame of reference for it. What were learning objects, anyway? Why would we need a standard?

2. Seeing Sesame Street through a new lense. I certainly grew up watching Sesame Street (and the Electric Company before that!), but didn't really even think about the effectiveness of television to teach me and millions of other children. I just took for granted that this was entertaining television (which it was). However, I can still remember some of the things that I learned, like "One of these things is not like the other." Perhaps one of the most helpful segments taught me what a word looked like and how to pronounce it. Anyone else remember this one? There were two shadowed heads. The first syllable of a word came out of the first person's mouth and onto the screen. You heard it and saw it at the same time. Then, the second syllable (or last part of the word) came from the other person's mouth onto the screen. Again, I heard the word and saw the syllables. Finally, the word came together on the screen, and both people pronounced the syllables together.

3. Correspondence study as a distance education. Many moons ago, I remember hearing about other high school classmates who were taking correspondence courses. I remember that my reaction was one of horror. Without the daily interaction, and someone dictating what they learned and how, how did they stay motivated to complete it? The irony for me now is that my best learning is self-directed. I learn the best when it is a topic that I find valuable - to my job or my future or whatever. I seek out others who know what I want to learn, ask them what resources I should check out, and get on it. Today, I find myself resistant to "required reading!" I want to want to learn it. Then - I really get it!