Flexible Learning in Australasia: Developments, drivers and deterrents

1. Flexible Learning in Australasia: Developments, drivers and deterrents Cathy Gunn University of Auckland ca.gunn@auckland.ac.nz

2. Australasia = • Australia, Tasmania, Malaysia, New Zealand, Melanesia, Micronesia & Polynesia as a biogeographical unit • (loosely) Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand and their island territories

3. HE Directions • No major difference from other western nations - • growing numbers and diversity • decreasing real funding • external pressure & competition • benefits & costs of technology • teaching and learning innovation

4. Australia • Similar in many ways to UK • government funding & student subsidy • AUTC, ASCILITE, NCODE etc • internationalization policies • some commercial ventures • collaboration between institutions • world class standards in education & research

5. New Zealand • Smaller and less well funded • student subsidy • susceptible to change of government • no central funding body • more competition than collaboration • internationalization policies • world class standards in education & research

6. Australasia - general • Embracing technology - with due caution • Pursuing global initiatives • Tensions between rationalist -economic & social - educational agendas

7. Developments • National initiatives - Detya, AUTC.. • Institutional initiatives (e.g. RMIT) • Early adopters • International collaboration • Distance / flexible learning • Research and evaluation e.g. McNaught, C. et al. (1999), Developing and evaluating a university-wide on-line Distributed Learning System: The experience at RMIT University, Educational Technology and Society, 2 (4) October 1999. http://ifets.massey.ac.nz/periodical/vol_4_99/mcnaught.html

8. Developments • Adoption of benchmarks • Institutional support • Course development • Teaching and learning issues • Course structure • Student support • Staff support • Evaluation and assessment Institute for Higher Education Policy (2000). Quality on the Line: Benchmarks for Success in Internet Based Distance Education. Washington DC.

9. Developments • Report on adoption of computer facilitated learning (CFL) • Development of a usable inventory of CFL resources Evaluations and Investigations Programme (2000), Developing a framework for a usable and useful inventory of CFL and support materials in Australian universities, HE Division, Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Australia.

10. Developments • Ascilite CUTSD evaluation project • Mentoring scheme • Evaluation framework development • Evaluators handbook • Staff development guide

11. Drivers • Market forces • Offshore interests - Pacific Islands, Malaysia, Dubai, Hong Kong… • Student demographics • Working, continuing education, diverse needs, dispersed locations • Teaching and learning • Capacity of technology, student centred learning, effectiveness, flexibility

12. 1980 2000 2020 $ $ ? Staff development and support Time Changes to teaching practice & culture Deterrents

13. Greatest opportunities • International partnerships & consortia, U21, GUA… • Understanding the market • Regional collaboration • Teaching excellence • Persistence

14. Useful organizations • AUTC • Ascilite • Uniserve • Ncode • Edna • Odlaa

15. Other comments? • School  university links improve • Innovation not just about $$$ • Pace of change OK -ish! • Staff development challenges • Policy and quality standards