The Online Learning and Development in the Workplace course was my opportunity to learn how DE and E-learning may be used in the workplace and, in combination with knowledge gained in other courses in MDE program, how to develop and implement E-learning in that setting. I came to appreciate DE and E-learning from a business perspective, including how implementation of such programs may interface with other components and structures of an organization. I learned the various uses and dimensions of online learning in the workplace including training, performance improvement, and effective knowledge management.

Artifact 1

This is a lengthy research paper that I worked on with a partner. I had heard about connectivism, and had understood it to be a new theory in DE or at least an extension of constructivism. With my partner, we studied connectivism and understood its potential in modern internet-connected environments as a paradigm for learning. We applied connectivism and its various components, as a means of addressing learning and knowledge management needs in a large organization. We added value to our effort by providing recommendations for best practice. Working on this paper further allowed me to understand how the evolution of distance education theory and practice, and the changing technological and informational landscape, may be harnessed to address the needs of a learning organization. The finished research paper is a construct that I may work on further, to use as a model for specific organizational needs.