Hi everyone,
I'm really learning a lot!
Here's what I learned this week.
I read an article about Distance learning technologies and from this article I learned that there are two types of Distance learning technologies: synchronous (Events occur in real-time) and asynchronous technologies (learners and the instructor are separated by both time and space).
Early technologies such as print, radio and television can be considered as asynchronous technologies because the communication is not interactive, and allows for only one-way communication. 
Later technologies were more student friendly because they have the advantage of being relatively inexpensive and more accessible. 
For example internet Technologies such as email, web-based learning (often through course management systems such as Blackboard), and live internet conferencing (such as webinars) can be either synchronous or asynchronous, and have led to a tremendous growth in distance learning over the past decade due to accessibility and relatively low costs.
Social Learning facilitated through the internet, is still in the early stages, but is predicted by some to become more widespread because it is more informal, and utilizes tools such as Twitter, Elgg and Facebook to become a very-highly interactive environment where participants discover and create much of their own knowledge.

Teachers are starting to explore the potential of blogs, media-sharing services and other social software - which, although not designed specifically for e-learning, can be used to empower students and create exciting new learning opportunities. However the traditional approach to e-learning is too often driven by the needs of the institution rather than the individual learner.

I have also discovered the potential of blogging as a journal to keep a record of what I'm learning during this distance education course and receive feedback. 

As my "Technology/Tool that can be used in Distance Education" I chose Blackboard collaborate because we were going to use it in one of the activities from the section we were busy with.

Blackboard is a Learning System created by Blackboard Incorporated. Founded in 1997 by Michael Chasen and Matthew Pittinsky, Blackboard Inc. was an educational consulting company, interested in creating and providing a user-friendly platform whereby educators could house course information, resources and assignments, provide reference sites and Internet links, as well as be connected to their students. With a vision “to empower our clients, our partners, and learners everywhere by making education immediate, direct, and personalized" (http://www.blackboard.com/About-Bb/Who-We-Are/At-a-glance.aspx) 

Advantages

Blackboard Inc. learning platforms allow for integration of both LMSs and CMSs, but most academic institutions utilize either Blackboard Collaborate or Blackboard Learn as their chosen management system.
 An LMS is software that allows administration “to plan, implement, and assess a specific learning process” (http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/learning-management-system) which generally includes content delivery, student participation and assessments of student performance.
A CMS, on the other hand, is a system which typically only manages the contents being placed on a web site, and does not allow for many of the capabilities listed above (http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/learning-management-system).

With the incorporation of WebCT’s technology, Blackboard Inc. could provide students and educators with many solid benefits for using their system, including increased access and availability to course materials, immediate automated or timely teacher feedback, improved communications using announcements, discussion forums, virtual classrooms and email, plus student tracking, assignment downloading/uploading, and knowledge building (Bradford et al., 2007). Post merger, Blackboard Elluminate could also offer the capability of virtual, synchronous classrooms. This advantage allows educators to house all the tools needed for an eLearning classroom environment into one manageable space. Blackboard Elluminate can be used by a variety of computer types and platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, Solaris) and with a variety of internet connection speeds (lan, cable modem, DSL, dial-up). It also works well with tablet PCs and their pen-based technology (Kohorst and Cox, 2007).

Disadvantages

Despite the advantages, Blackboard Inc. have also struggled with some disadvantages, both pre- and post-merger with Elluminate Inc. Students and faculty alike found Blackboard platforms difficult and challenging to learn. “Faculty members found course management systems ‘time-consuming and inflexible’”(Bradford et al., 2007, pg 4) and many students didn’t have proficient enough technology skills for easy navigation. On top of these challenges were the technical challenges of Internet service and speed, differences in computer operating systems, and quality of hardware devices. Possibly the biggest disadvantage was to the licensee, the cost of the licence, implementation and yearly maintenance fees (Bradford et al., 2007).

One aspect of Blackboard that appealed to me is its ability to effectively meet the different modality types of learners. Blackboards’ learning systems offer faculty the ability to tailor their courses. Educators can add text based notes and audio recordings, links to animations and videos, discussion forums, assignment exemplars, and a variety of activities and quizzes, depending on the needs of the learners and the content and requirements of the particular course (Bradford et al., 2007). (https://www.elluminate.com/downloads/whitepapers/Top-Ten-Benefits-of-Using-Elluminate-Live.pdf).

 

If I look at the advantages of Blackboard I am tempted to give this technology a big tums up! But when I looked at the disadvantages the biggest for Suriname will be the cost of the licence and yearly fees. In Suriname we have small educational institutions and most are government run or subsidized. Thus I'm afraid we have to look for other technologies which are simpler end less expensive. 

My question to my fellow DE students is did you encounter any alternatives for institutions with limited funds and a relatively small student population in your research?

Your feedback will be greatly appreciated!