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Framework Implementation Network Alexander Hotel – 24 th Feb 2010. Realising lifelong learning: Online and distance education Seamus Fox Oscail - DCU. Outline. Distance Education & Technology Lifelong Learning Growth in Online Education Situation in Ireland Potential in Ireland
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Framework Implementation NetworkAlexander Hotel – 24th Feb 2010 Realising lifelong learning: Online and distance education Seamus Fox Oscail - DCU FIN -24Feb2010
Outline • Distance Education & Technology • Lifelong Learning • Growth in Online Education • Situation in Ireland • Potential in Ireland • Barriers • Conclusions FIN -24Feb2010
Distance Education & Technologies • Correspondence • Broadcast • Multimedia (Text, Video, Audio, CBL) • Telelearning (Audio & Video Conf) • Resources & Asynchronous CMC • Synchronous & Asynchronous CMC • [Immersive?] FIN -24Feb2010
Online Technologies • Paper – The eLearning Technologies • Large Number of Technologies & Growing • History of Technology in Education • Beware Hype of ‘Latest Fad’ • Three Key Technologies • Online Journal Databases • Virtual Learning Environments • Synchronous Web Conferencing • Online Administration FIN -24Feb2010
Lifelong Learning • Portmanteau Term • Education and Training • Education • Educational Disadvantaged • Personal interest/’Folk’ Colleges • People with Disabilities • Upskilling of workforce • Mature Students/’Second Chance’ FIN -24Feb2010
Growth of Online Education • United States • Over 800 colleges offering at least one fully online UG programmes • Almost 600 colleges offering at least one fully online PG programme • Almost 4m students taking at least one fully online course • Australia – dual mode embedded? • Canada – Athabasca & large providers FIN -24Feb2010
Total and Online Enrollment in US HEIs FIN -24Feb2010
Course Classification FIN -24Feb2010
Reasons for Growth • Rising Cost of Higher Education • Traditional HE Highly Inflexible (“Corralled Education”) • Online/Distance Education • Time • Place • Workload/Credits • Equivalence of Awards • Fits Adult Work/Family Commitments FIN -24Feb2010
Rhetoric • OECD (2006): Equity of Access, Lifelong Learning • HEA’s Strategic Plan(2008): Flexibility, P/T, Distance Learning • National Access Plan (2008): Mature Students • Smart Economy (2009): Flexible Learning for Upskilling FIN -24Feb2010
Ireland • Population (Total) – 4,239,848 • Population (15+) - 3,375, 399 • F/T Education Ceased – 2,850,333 • No Third-level Qualification – 1,890,994 • Upper 2ndry Highest – 803,498 • Upper 2ndry (20 to 44) – 477,841 • At University/3rd Level – 349,596 • Policy Anomaly (Source: CSO 2006) FIN -24Feb2010
Who are they? • Highest Upper Secondary (2006) • Employers/Managers/Professionals – 22% • Non-manual & Manual Workers – 63% • Entrants Higher Education (2004) • Employers/Managers/Professionals – 41% • Non-manual & Manual Workers – 30% Sources: CSO 2006 & O’Connell et al 2006 FIN -24Feb2010
Government Funding of Students on Level 8 Courses - Universities “Socialism for the rich, capitalism for the poor” G Vidal FIN -24Feb2010
University Sector FIN -24Feb2010
CAO Net Acceptances FIN -24Feb2010
In Summary Funding mechanisms are undermining (rhetorical?) policy objective of promoting lifelong learning. Exception - Labour Market Activisation Scheme FIN -24Feb2010
Other Barriers • Institutional structure of Irish Universities • Incentive systems • Scepticism about fully online & reluctance to move/change face to face model • Academic cultures which adapt online T&L technologies to replicate/support existing pedagogies, not to disrupt them • Requires policy drivers FIN -24Feb2010
Cultural Change • Status of Teaching • Move of Full-time Staff to Academic Manager role • Focus on Assessment & Quality Assurance • Highly Trained ‘Adjunct’ Staff • Incorporation of eLearning (Admin, Library, etc as well as Teaching) FIN -24Feb2010
Conclusions • Lifelong Learning - Portmanteau • Focus on ‘nearly readies’ & high-level upskilling • Online education highly appropriate for these groups • Need to (1) Change funding policies and (2) Change culture of HEIs FIN -24Feb2010
Seamus Fox Academic Director & Chair-IT Programme Oscail, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland Tel: -353-1-7005502 E-Mail: foxs@dcu.ie Website: http://www.dcu.ie/~foxs/ FIN -24Feb2010
IoT Sector FIN -24Feb2010