I’ve been doing some research on distance learning content and some of the methods used in today’s online schools.  Today’s primary methods of delivering content includes the web, e-mail, chat rooms and more.  I have believed for a long time that at some point, the content delivery will have to morph into something more than it is now.  I don’t want you to think that I am knocking what’s out there now.  I think what schools are doing is great.  Most of what I’ve heard is that the schools who take distance learning seriously are employing the latest technology available.  At the same time, remember that no matter how advanced or “on the ball” a school is, distance learning technology is in its infancy.  

As every semester or quarter passes, schools should grow as the demand for educated workers grows.  The methods employed by distance education institutions should be able to adapt to the needs of the students and the needs of the job market.  Part of that growth will be the needs of people to have the ability to work as a team, collaborate on projects, and manage people.  

Introduce eLearning 2.0.  eLearning 2.0 represents a new generation of distance learning based on Web 2.0 and emerging trends surrounding the whole concept of distance education.  In order to understand eLearning 2.0, you need to know what Web 2.0 is.  Web 2.0 is the ongoing transition of the World Wide Web as we know it today (a collection of websites) to a full-fledged computing platform serving web applications to end users. Ultimately Web 2.0 services are expected to replace desktop computing applications for many purposes.

Web 2.0 in conjunction with eLearning 2.0 presents an environment where online students can create content, collaborate with peers through web applications and other tools that will ultimately form a network of collaboration with distributed content creation and distribution of responsibilities.  

eLearning 2.0 will also help to consolidate resources, provide an environment where content can be shared among schools, and increase the number of tools people can use in order to learn.  For instance, if Harvard University had content that Walden University wanted to share, this data would be made available through a common, shared application that any student could access.  

The part I like the most about this concept is the collaboration that will occur among students.  One major complaint from those people who are not so much in favor of distance learning is that this method of learning lacks the human interaction that a traditional campus offers.  I completely agree.  I do think that being able to collaborate with others would enhance the overall experience.  But today’s delivery methods are not built for collaboration.  They are designed for self-starters and independent people who can learn with little direction.  By enhancing this experience with collaboration, I think that the learning process will not only be enhanced, but also help to build a level of acceptance in academic circles.  Adding social networking to the learning process will be the ultimate addition to any process currently employed by online schools.

In the years to come, distance education is going to grow beyond belief.  It is going to be more and more important to be able to interact with others in the classroom setting.  I am hoping eLearning 2.0 solves this dilemma.   For those interested in distance education, I believe this is a topic you should keep up with.  It is promising to be the next generation in distance learning.