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The Unisa Cambridge Conference in Open, Distance and e-Learning 2013 Change and Continuity. The Role of Regional Networks in Online and Distance Learning Anne Gaskell and Roger Mills. OUTLINE. Change and continuity Distributed systems in distance education Regional centres and their function
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The Unisa Cambridge Conference in Open, Distance and e-Learning 2013Change and Continuity The Role of Regional Networks in Online and Distance Learning Anne Gaskell and Roger Mills
OUTLINE • Change and continuity • Distributed systems in distance education • Regional centres and their function • Change in organisations with regional and local structures • A case study of change and continuity in the Open University UK • Issues for discussion
CHANGE AND CONTINUITY EVOLUTIONARY – natural selection • Gradual • Cataclysmic • Punctuated Direction of change – trends can be reversed
Distributed systems in distance education • Never established e.g University of Phoenix, University of London • Established but abandoned early e.g Athabasca • Franchised systems for student support e.g Fernuniversität • Development of regional autonomy e.g. Open University of China • Significant change OUUK • Steady development IGNOU and NIOS
The Functions of Regionsin Distance Teaching • Regional and local academic, learning and teaching support • Regional and local administrative activities • Regional and national economic growth • Civic and community engagement • Regional autonomy
The Open University UK Belfast Birmingham Bristol Cardiff Cambridge East Grinstead Edinburgh Gateshead London Leeds Manchester Milton Keynes (HQ) Nottingham Oxford 13 OU regions
Change in organisations with regional structures • Banks • Bookshops • From the high street to online…and back?
Regional Change in the OU UK 1971-2009 • 1971-1975 Growth in regional activity Appointments of academics as Staff Tutors and Senior Counsellors • 1975-1990 Development and consolidation • 1990-2002 Devolution to regions ofadministrative, marketing and business/community development activities • 2002 Centralisation with the development of ICTs
Issues for discussion • What is the future for regional networks in dedicated distance education institutions with increasing developments in ICTs? What is the impact of social media such as Twitter and Facebook? • How would institutions quality assure face-to-face local tuition (where offered) if there were no regional centres? • How important is it for national distance teaching institutions to have a regional presence for community engagement, publicity and economic development? • What are the opportunities for distance teaching institutions to franchise some of their tutorial and student support work to other organisations?
Thank you for your attention Anne Gaskell afg25@cam.ac.uk Roger Mills arm50@cam.ac.uk