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Fleksible læring i praksis et islandsk eksempel. dr. Rögnvaldur Ólafsson Islands Universitet Globalt Utdanningsmarked – Nordisk Utfordring Nordisk Ministerr åds temakonference om fleksible learning Hotel Loftleiðir, Reykjavík 23.-24. sept. 2004. I want to tell you a story.
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Fleksible læring i praksiset islandsk eksempel dr. Rögnvaldur Ólafsson Islands Universitet Globalt Utdanningsmarked – Nordisk Utfordring Nordisk Ministerråds temakonference om fleksible learning Hotel Loftleiðir, Reykjavík 23.-24. sept. 2004
I want to tell you a story • The story of a grass-root movement that is changing important aspects in Icelandic education • Tell you what effect this has had • Try to explain why it happened and why it is successful • Tell you how the new technologies arrived just in time to make change possible
The local education centres • The centres were established in 1998 and have grown since • They are: • now well established in the Icelandic education scene • beginning to have an effect on the Icelandic regional politics • based on the new technologies
First you need to know a thing or two about the country and the population
Only 290 thousand people T • The population is small • 290.490 • Iceland is basically a micro state • But a state with an ambition • to be an educated, internationally minded society • The long literary traditions help
We think Iceland is a large country • But that is not really true: • Three times the size of Belgium • Bit bigger than Austria • Two and a half times Denmark • The third of Finland • Much of it is inhabitable
The way of living has changed • Until the 2nd World War Iceland was a farming community • In the beginning of the 20th century the industrial revolution in fishing and fish processing reached Iceland • but in a rather limited way • It started the change from farming community to an industrial community
The real change came ½ century agoDuring the occupation in the2nd World War
The present • In the last two or three decades Iceland has become a modern international state • It is now really taking off
The demographic changes The population multiplied during the 20th century From 80 to 290 thousand in 100 years
They all went to Reykjavík • In the rest of the country the population remained stable • Only Akureyri increased its population somewhat
1996 Reykjavík N.E. 1901
Iceland and the Nordic countries • Much fewer people in Iceland • Much lower population density • Very low density outside the Reykjavík area • Only one town with more than 10 thousand inhabitants outside the Reykjavík capital region
Population Size Populationdensity
But what is even more important • There is only one densely populated area in Iceland, the capital region around Reykjavík • A very large portion of the population lives there • Much larger portion than in the other Nordic countries
But the capital region is in fact larger • With better roads the capital region has in effect increased in size • It reaches: • From Akranes in the west • through Keflavík in the south • to Selfoss in the east • All are within an hours drive from Reykjavík
In Iceland it is necessary to keep the countryside populated • The land is used for: • Fishing • Farming • Tourism • We depend on the land and its resources • We need to be knowledgeable about land and nature
Example: • The electrical power comes from the glacial rivers • It is necessary to know the glaciers and the rivers
This was the story of the populationLet us now take a quick look at the industry and how it has changedWhat effect it has had onthe attitude towards education
The situation some decades ago • Plenty of jobs in the basic industries that did not require education • Plenty of possibilities and plenty of money for hard working, uneducated people • Consequently • neither need for education • nor was it highly regarded • This has to be taken with a grain of salt
Huge changes in the last 20 years • Fundamental changes in the labour situation • A new fishing quota system • Mechanization of the fish processing • The abundance of well paid unskilled jobs disappeared • With rationalization the skilled jobs tended to be transferred to the capital region • People moved to Reykjavík as never before
Population development in Iceland Iceland Capital area Rest of the country Hagstofa Íslands
Great difference in educational level • People with university degree: • About 25% in the capital region • About 15% outside the capital • The need for education is recognised
A grass root movement was borne • For increasing the availability of education • By using the possibilities of the new technologies • Internet, ADSL, Video conferencing • Local education centres were established in all regions • They were outside the official educational system • They got special finance through the local parliamentarians
Local education centres • Independent, self governing • Basically networks • Participation: • Local industry • Local authorities • Secondary schools • Universities
Their emphasis • The emphasis varies according to local needs and circumstances • All levels of education • Continuing education • Secondary education • University education • In Iceland the individual pays for his continuing education
The facilities • Video conferencing • The larger centres have good access to internet through a net set up with the assistance of the Ministry of Education • Reading facilities • Facilities for group work • Student assistance and advice • Cooperate with the universities running a video bridge
The present state • Considerable demand for the service • Lack of courses from the universities • The centres are financed by a yearly fixed contribution from the ministry of education • The amount is not related to “output” • Decided from year to year
Need to take into account: • The secondary school will probably be shortened from 4 to 3 years • The future of universities, colleges, education centres • Necessary to allow for development of universities and new methods of teaching
Education and research • The local education centres are beginning to function well • The next logical step is to increase local research and development work • This phase is now under way
Knowledge activities in the regions • Branch offices of research institutes • Marine Research Institute • Icelandic Fisheries Laboratories • Agricultural service institutes • Regional Environmental Research Institutes • Business and Regional Development Centre • Local Education Centres • ................ How can this activity support research, education and development in the regions?
Why situate research in the regions? Some important research is better done outside the capital region • Land use and preservation • Forestry research • The effects of glaciers • Research on birds • Snow avalance research • ......... ?
More reasons for knowledge centres • A small nation needs all the human capital it has • The centres allow: • Specialists in the regions to teach to the whole country • Integration of education and research f.ex. in master education
Knowledge Centre University Teaching Centre Continuing education Research Distance education Local education
How is this financed and governed? • The local initiative is of primary importance • Local firms • Schools • Local authorities • The state • ..............
The future • At the moment unclear • Many things to consider • The minister of education has set up a working party to consider how to finance the centres
Nordic possibilities • There are interesting Nordic possibilities • Small countries have difficulty with the necessary know-how • This applies to the Nordic countries in many fields • With the new technologies cooperation is possible • NORFA has recently established so called “Forskerskoler”