Introduction:
Distributed On-line Learning is the perfect solution to break the barriers of inequity that are standing in the way of Brunhilda accessing the higher learning she desires. There is a distributed learning program available for Brunhilda at the same university she completed her teaching degree. Brunhilda will be able to access a completely online distributed ELL course that uses Moodle as the Learning Management System. The instructor has autonomy over the course design and requires a text, but the online nature of the course will allow Brunhilda to access Open Educational Resources for additional readings and research. While there are required readings Brunhilda will have to do, the required text has a digital copy available should Brunhilda choose to use a “text-to-speak” tool. Each week, the instructor has a video seminar link so that Brunhilda can watch and take notes at her convenience. The course is asynchronous which will allow Brunhilda to take care of other important commitments, such as the daily running of her farm and tending to her children. Since Brunhilda is taking a distributed learning course designed for other teachers, Brunhilda will be able to connect with other like-minded individuals to work towards a common goal for collaborative projects and forum discussions. Finally, the Moodle has built in organizational features that will help Brunhilda succeed. The course syllabus is easy to find in the Moodle links and all the required readings and materials needed for each week are clearly organized. The Moodle has a built-in calendar where Brunhilda can put important due dates and reminders to stay on track. Each assignment can be submitted through the Moodle so that Brunhilda can keep track of what assignments she has already done and what she still needs to do. The smaller class sizes in Brunhilda’s distributed program means that she is able to contact her instructor for individualized support and receive meaningful support and feedback on her learning.
Access:
It is very likely that Brunhilda will be successful in her program because this particular distributed course incorporates many features of UDL (Universal Design for Learning). For example, the assignments in Brunhilda’s ELL course are designed to offer choice and flexibility (CAST, 2018). While the learning outcomes are predetermined, Brunhilda ultimately gets to choose how she demonstrates her learning. The organization of the Moodle with schedules, calendars, and chronological lists of assignments and activities “increase the predictability of daily activities” to help Brunhilda stay focussed on her learning (CAST, 2018). Each week the course materials are provided in multiple modalities, such as charts, diagrams, videos, and text to provide “options for increasing the perceptual clarity and salience of information” (CAST, 2018). The inclusion of a digital textbook also allows all learners to interact with it. Brunhilda will be able to use a text-to-audio feature with her digital textbook and also highlight text and take notes the same way she might interact with a traditional textbook. With the built-in UDL features of accessibility, Brunhilda is guaranteed to succeed in distributed learning.
Engagement:
In terms of engaging our learner, we decided that the distributed model of learning would be best suited to achieve a better level of interaction from Brunhilda. The distributed model would have lessons due at the end of each week, with the course material being broken up into smaller, manageable weekly blocks. With these smaller weekly learnings and assignments, Brunhilda won’t be overwhelmed by her course work since she has a week to complete tasks and can work at her own pace. All of these things are important to a learner like Brunhilda who might not be able to dedicate hours of time to working on a course. As discussed in Claire Howell Major’s book, several courses that follow this distributed model still have high engagement levels from students, all while allowing students to have more control and flexibility in their learning. We want this learning environment to encourage collaboration and a sense of community by giving learners like Brunhilda more say in how they contribute and engage with their course. This model of learning still produces high levels of engagement while simultaneously letting students learn in a way that works best for them, with still a comfortable amount of course structure.
Expression:
Having effective communication skills is an essential part to finding success in any learning environment. We believe the distributed model of learning allows for students to express their thinking and ultimately their understanding in many different ways.  Having already completed a bachelor’s degree in education, it is clear that Brunhilda already possesses strong communication skills. According to Drexel University, there are 5 types of communication; verbal, non-verbal, written, listening and visual communication. As a distance education student, the three that stand to have the greatest impact on her educational experience are the written communication, verbal communication and listening. Her written skills must give her the confidence to get her point across to the reader. Furthermore, since she will undoubtedly be part of many online and virtual meetings so her verbal and listening skills must enable her to accurately describe her thinking as well as take in the information being shared. She has adequate computer skills and is comfortable sharing her thoughts through e-mail, texting or social media. She has also stated that note taking is not one of her strengths therefore,  an audio to text application such as Dragon Professional, Verbit or Speechmatics would be of great help to her. Applications such as these would allow her to dictate her notes and have them be generated into text form automatically. We believe the distributed model of learning will allow her to confidently express herself, her thinking and ultimately her understanding using multiple methods of expression.
Works Cited:
CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org