Response to Song and Hill Article

Throughout elementary and middle schooling years, children are taught that that they have to start classes at a certain time, sit in certain chairs or rooms, and learn certain subjects. Then they are pushed on to high school (that is if the teacher has decided that they have memorized enough information taught to them) and are given a slight bit of freedom of choice. This freedom of choice is mostly in relation to the level of motivation and interest each individual has for each subject. After this they are put out into the world to fend for themselves…it is their responsibility to decide whether they wish to educate their brains or leave them to deteriorate. Kind of scary is it not??? For approximately 13 years of our lives we are told what to learn and how to learn it, and then the tables are quickly turned.

After careful reading of this article it has become clear to me that the acquirement of good Self Directed Learning (SDL) skills is a major support to have when encountering an online learning environment. When taking an online course, not only does an individual become faced with an environment (in this day and age) that they are still quite unfamiliar with, but also, they are faced with a situation of finding complete self-motivation and resourcefulness.

The Song and Hill article seems to be on the right path in trying to find a way to show people how to survive in this quickly changing environment. Once research provides people with an explanation as to how an online environment can provide them with many advanced opportunities, I believe that it is human nature for people to want to learn…and thus they will adapt.