Background
The first Pan-Commonwealth Forum on open learning in 2000 engaged participants in virtual conferences. The success of these prompted the use of them again in 2004. They allow those who cannot attend the meeting to make contributions and at the same time identify significant themes to be discussed.
Introduction
This, the last of four virtual conferences, asked participants to consider emerging issues in open, distance and flexible learning. The virtual conference sought to address the question:
"what do you see as the big features emerging in your area over the next 3-5 years, so we can plan our work and budgets in advance?".
Students and educators in the Commonwealth are using the strategies of open, distance and e-learning in ways that could not be envisaged even five years ago. In order for us to be prepared for the medium term future, what do we, as leaders and practitioners in the area expect to be doing in five years? In other words what are the major emerging factors we can identify that will affect how students will learn and how we might prepare ourselves to teach them?
There were about 65 responses to the question over 10 days. The responses covered a range of issues, so the moderator has attempted to assemble the topics raised in the table below. I hope that participants understand that I have not been able to attach a name to each issue. I would like to thank all those who took part in both this and the other conferences. I am, of course, responsible for any errors of omission and commission in the summary. I apologise for the brevity of the summary but other PCF3 matters require some attention just now.
Outcomes
The moderator identified discussion broadly categorised under the following strands: namely, social, pedagogical, technological, economic and policy.
|
STRAND |
EMERGING ISSUES |
|
Social
Access
Equity
Participation |
The main issues arising included the rising demand for educational services in the pre-school, primary, secondary and tertiary sectors, with variations in sector demand across countries. Using ODL to enhance equitable treatment for women, rural people and the disempowered or those living in poverty is emerging more strongly, as is encouraging participation in education in the adult sector. |
|
Pedagogy |
The use of constructivist pedagogy in the ODL combined with discussions and peer interactions demanded careful planning at the teacher or programme level. Retention rates are of concern in the correspondence mode. Reusable learning objects (including text books) help to reduce teaching costs. |
|
Technology |
Eclectic use of technologies makes learning interesting and affordable, ranging from print, audio, video and online learning tools. The online option blended with face to face teaching is emerging as the most affordable option in the West, but correspondence modes continue to function well elsewhere. National technology infrastructure is becoming an issue. |
|
Economics |
An emerging issue is the debate about public and private sector contributions supporting education, particularly in the tertiary sector. In some places, a basic tertiary qualification is becoming standard entry level to work and may become publicly funded for all who want it. In other places, the democratic demand for education is rising ahead of taxpayer ability to fund the service. In both cases, ODL is emerging as the most efficient and effective means of service delivery. |
|
Policy |
At the national level, an emerging issue is that of the debate about education, particularly tertiary education, as a matter either of Private benefit" or is it one of "public good", and if so, who should pay?
At the institutional level, the role of open, distance and flexible learning in expanding student numbers or enhancing face to face teaching is moving in the direction of challenging the paradigm that face to face teaching is the only acceptable form of education. |
Discussion
In terms of emerging issues, the cost of educational provision across the whole spectrum from pre-school to tertiary and an increasing demand for access to learning is challenging the face to face paradigm. Open, distance and flexible learning strategies have demonstrated that they work, for example in workplace education operated by international corporate companies, by tertiary providers in all countries and in school sectors through more traditional distance learning methods. The issue of national communications infrastructure is being considered, most particularly in those countries where online learning is gaining acceptance.
Teaching and learning strategies used in the open, distance and flexible learning modes are finding greater acceptance in the traditional teaching institutions, often with greater emphasis being given to the use of peer to peer learning and mentoring in advancing student knowledge.
Technology strategies are being used more efficiently, where computer hardware costs have fallen dramatically. Growing use of radio communications for messaging and emailing already enhance and simplify communications between people nationally and internationally. Student use of text messaging is an example. Educators may need to focus on how to use these developments to foster learning. On the other hand, "spam" is clogging our communications pipelines and it needs to be brought under control.
At the policy level, countries such as New Zealand have or are developing national "e-learning" strategies and hence persuading governments to invest in online and flexible learning. With these policies come questions about the respective roles of the public and private sectors in educational delivery, particularly when matters of quality are raised.
Finally, economically, many places are not able to afford the costs of meeting rising demands for educational service provision by erecting and maintaining buildings. Open, distance and flexible learning strategies are being considered and used, not as a cheap option, but as a viable way advancing human knowledge, skill and understanding.
-- A Higgins
