Opportunities in Contemporary Distance Education Trends in Plant Breeding Workshop Lincoln University February 20, 2009 Benjamin Kehrwald

What does distance education look like today?

Profile of a DE learner/teacher Completed 3 qualifications, all while working Have not attended a lecture in 14 years Have not given any lectures in 7 years Taught students on 6 continents from my office Interact with my students far more than f2f teaching staff Provide more targeted, personalised teaching Have met only a handful of my students face-to-face… …but have cultivated lasting relationships with many Above university averages on quality and quantity of feedback and overall satisfaction with my courses.

1.The big picture: trends in higher education 2.Contemporary Distance Education 3.Future-focused: What’s coming? Presentation Overview

Trends in higher education: Student trends Faculty trends Academic Trends Technology Trends Distance Learning Trends The big picture

Changed student demographics Students are ‘shoppers’ Retention rates are important Learner Support Student Trends

Faculty roles are changing Teaching is not what it used to be Increased need for professional development Faculty Trends

‘Traditional’ institutions are being challenged –Today’s uni is not the one YOU attended –Teaching is learner-centred, non-linear, self-directed and demand-driven –Greater flexibility, greater choice for learners –Emphasis on high quality learning experiences Academic Trends (1)

Drive for academic accountability, quality of provision Emphasis on competency over completion Seamless transitions between learning situations Academic Trends (2)

Ubiquitous technology, including networks Mobility, m-learning Technological fluency is a requirement for graduation, employment Openness, sharing, user-creation Technology Trends

Online delivery dominates Distinctions between distance and place-based education are blurring Technology and student expectations are driving re-development of learning designs Distance Learning Trends

So what…? The development of DE is being driven in particular directions, most/many of which benefit learners…

Increased flexibility in all programmes, often with the ‘blending’ of modes of delivery Blending of modes of delivery F2f + distance F2f + online Distance + online The upshot…

More powerful (and effective) DE than ever before Better designs More sophisticated technologies Smarter use of technologies Better teaching The upshot…

enhancement Includes technology as an enhancement Reduces the ‘tyranny of distance’ Promotes interaction Promotes connection/sharedness Supports activity Contemporary DE (1)

Wikis – collaborative authoring tool Shifts learners from ‘consumers’ to ‘producer/consumers’ Gives learners agency, authority Supports developing expertise Example: Wikis

Desktop conferencing tool Text, audio and video Who is online? Reduces cost of communication Creates opportunities for new forms of interaction Increased convenience of interaction Example: Skype

Mobile learning – mobile devices Use of existing wireless networks Mobile devices: phones, palmtops, PDAs, laptops Learning ‘on the go’ Just in time learning Example: m-learning

Is well designed Pedagogically Focus on learner Link to learning theory Alignment Technically Appropriate use of technology/media High quality materials Contemporary DE (2)

Is well supported Teaching Admin support Technical support Affective support Contemporary DE (3)

Supportive learning communities Structure learner activity through Roles Rules Tools Provide social support Create a single point of contact for support Example: Learning Community

Blended learning Open source applications Open educational resources Better transitions through schools, vocational sector, higher education and industry training M-learning What’s new?

Better infrastructure in NZ Web 3.0 Adaptive technologies Personalised learning environments Serious games What’s coming up?

DE and world domination

Thank You Questions?