Innovations in distance and e-learning: options and bottlenecks

1. Innovations in distance and e-learning: options and bottlenecks Dr András Szűcs Secretary General, European Distance and E-Learning Network Director, Center for Learning Innovation, Budapest University of Technology

2. EDEN in nutshell • The largest such professional association in Europe • UK based, launched 1991 - 20th Anniversary in 2011 • Active, developing community - Membership in 2010: • 195 institutions – universities, national associations, research bodies, companies • 1150individuals • 400+ institutions represented from 56 countries • Involvement in strategic, innovative EU initiatives 180 institutions as project partners in the past 10 years • EDEN conferences: major academicand professional events in Europe; • European Journal of Open, Distance and E-learning

3. Factors influencing E-Learning • Learning – in the age of massification, digitalisation, and marketization • Accelerated technical-economic development, globalisation: • performance pressure at universities, • strong competition for their „social space” • Enormous changes in user habits and expectations • Higher performance, meanwhile easier access and affordability of new ICT - it becomes natural commodity • Migration of ‘knowledge construction’: away from traditional educational institutions

4. E-Learning – persisting problems • Slow advancementinprofessional consolidation, because of: • Rapid technological progress, • Increased economic pressures, • Inconsistent government policy measures • Staff and students: • Resistance of teachers, culture of innovation and service- awareness needed • Digital competence problem: gap between students’ and teachers’ approach • Students usually seek for efficiency gain, rather than exploring the pedagogic opportunities • „E-learning adaptation has often rather reinforced than disrupted conventional educational practices” Conole, 2012

5. Bibliographic analysis of distance and e-learning research • Levels of research: • Macro level: distance education systems and theories, • Meso level: management, organization, and technology, • Micro level: teaching and learning in distance education • Research methods • Qualitative research is predominant • Authors’ nationality • More than 80% of all articles coming from authors of only five countries: USA, Canada, UK, Australia, and China. Olaf Zawacki-Richter et al.: Review of Distance Education Research The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning (IRRODL), 2009

6. Where is the more and new research needed in e-learning? Macro level: • Systemic and social roles of education in society. • Role of culture, intercultural communication • Comparative research on learning systems Meso level: • Leadership in distance education and e-learning • Management of change and innovation • Effectiveness of interventions, diversity management • Economics of e-learning • Methodology support of learners • Change of users’ habits • Faculty support, teachers’ professional development • Quality assurance

7. Advise on relevant themes to researchers, PhD students • Democratization of learning • Social inclusion and transformation • Role of state and scale of educational interventions • Change management and organizational development • Financial models for Higher Education • Sustainability, scaling & transferability of projects/initiatives • Research effectiveness of learning • Digital identity, legacy & heritage • Go beyond learner’s cognition into motivation, emotions, attitudes, values, social & societal contexts • Multilevel perspectives: learning groups & communities, learning societies and their interactions

8. Down-to-earth questions • Simple questions need to be continuously re-investigated: • What works? • What fails? • How can we do our best for the students? • How to facilitate student engagement?

9. What matters according to the successful actors?The research of the MEGATRENDSEU Leonardo da Vinci project European large scale e-learning success stories • Are thare really large European e-learning providers? • Success factors – How do they do it ?

10. Summarized rank Built on standard technology Support from the senior management Emphasis on quality High ICT competence On-line strategies in support of education Governemental strategic background Rank at universities Built on standard technology Organic development Support from the senior management On-line strategies in support of education Emphasis on quality Governemental strategic background MEGATRENDS Success factors What is needed to the successful e-learning development...?

12. Thank you! www.eden-online.org