Fleksible læring i praksis et islandsk eksempel

1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. First you need to know a thing or two about the country and the population

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. The real change came ½ century agoDuring the occupation in the2nd World War

9. The present • In the last two or three decades Iceland has become a modern international state • It is now really taking off

10. The demographic changes The population multiplied during the 20th century From 80 to 290 thousand in 100 years

11. The population of Iceland 1900 to 2000 2x 2x

12. They all went to Reykjavík • In the rest of the country the population remained stable • Only Akureyri increased its population somewhat

13. 1996 Reykjavík N.E. 1901

14. 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

15. Population Size Populationdensity

16. 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

18. 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

19. Total

20. 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

21. Example: • The electrical power comes from the glacial rivers • It is necessary to know the glaciers and the rivers

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. Population development in Iceland Iceland Capital area Rest of the country Hagstofa Íslands

26. 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

27. 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

28. Local education centres • Independent, self governing • Basically networks • Participation: • Local industry • Local authorities • Secondary schools • Universities

29. 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

30. 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

31. Contact points

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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?

36. 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 • ......... ?

37. 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

38. Knowledge Centre University Teaching Centre Continuing education Research Distance education Local education

39. How many knowledge centres? ?

40. How is this financed and governed? • The local initiative is of primary importance • Local firms • Schools • Local authorities • The state • ..............

41. 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

42. 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”