According to Simonson, distance education is at the point where it needs to be nurtured. Many people in society are using it at an increasing rate. After having participated in distance education myself, I do agree with Simonson. Distance education has many positives as well as negatives. But now that so many people are using it, the providers can focus on how to make it a better and more rewarding experience. The instructional design of web based instruction should be one that promotes critical thinking just as educators in face to face settings are required to do. As a participant in online learning, I agree with Moller, Foshay, and Huett, that learning does come from the content as well as from learners communicating with each other. When learners communicate with each other often times, sharing includes examples of where and how the content was applied. This makes the content more meaningful for those who have not experienced the content. With this influx of participants for online learning, one wonders what will they think of next.
