Learning Without Brick and Mortar
Updated: Jan 20
Take it all in, a world that is changing very fast, where what you once thought was innovative is shifting almost daily.
Distance education is no different. I remember the early Y2K years, when computers were evolving, and distance education was primarily asynchronous. Interaction with instructors or peers was minimal, and learning often felt disconnected rather than collaborative. You completed your work independently and hoped you were on the right track.
Now, distance education has changed significantly. It includes journal clubs, learning labs, Slack channels, and both synchronous and asynchronous learning. The beauty of distance education is that you can be anywhere in the world and still be an active participant in a learning experience.
Professionally, working in hospital and healthcare settings, I have seen face-to-face training and instructional design evolve. It's fair to say that it has matured like a fine wine, and distance education has matured alongside it. The flexibility of learning anywhere remains one of its greatest strengths.
I earned two master's degrees through distance education, and without that flexibility, it would have been impossible with family obligations. Both experiences were beautiful, demanding, and challenging, with assignments, group projects, internships, and structured office hours with professors who encouraged real connection, accountability, and academic rigor.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, from the early unknowns to now, I saw distance education explode for medical students, clinicians, and ancillary staff. Now that I'm in a doctoral program, distance education feels heavy. The workload is intense, and screen time is constant. Still, my view is becoming tarnished. Distance education continues to open doors, meet people where they are, and adapt as the world keeps changing. Technology is advancing faster than educators can keep up with updating curricula, providing timely feedback, and realistically accounting for the screen time required to meet instructional expectations. There is no time to flip a coin to see where distance education lands; it's about being as prepared as possible for change.
