Framework Implementation Network Alexander Hotel – 24th Feb 2010 Realising lifelong learning: Online and distance education Seamus Fox Oscail - DCU FIN -24Feb2010

Outline Distance Education & Technology Lifelong Learning Growth in Online Education Situation in Ireland Potential in Ireland Barriers Conclusions FIN -24Feb2010

Distance Education & Technologies Correspondence Broadcast Multimedia (Text, Video, Audio, CBL) Telelearning (Audio & Video Conf) Resources & Asynchronous CMC Synchronous & Asynchronous CMC [Immersive?] FIN -24Feb2010

Online Technologies Paper – The eLearning Technologies Large Number of Technologies & Growing History of Technology in Education Beware Hype of ‘Latest Fad’ Three Key Technologies Online Journal Databases Virtual Learning Environments Synchronous Web Conferencing Online Administration FIN -24Feb2010

Lifelong Learning Portmanteau Term Education and Training Education Educational Disadvantaged Personal interest/’Folk’ Colleges People with Disabilities Upskilling of workforce Mature Students/’Second Chance’ FIN -24Feb2010

Growth of Online Education United States Over 800 colleges offering at least one fully online UG programmes Almost 600 colleges offering at least one fully online PG programme Almost 4m students taking at least one fully online course Australia – dual mode embedded? Canada – Athabasca & large providers FIN -24Feb2010

Total and Online Enrollment in US HEIs Total Enrolment At least 1 fully online course Online as % Total 2002 16,611,710 1,602,970 9.6% 2003 16,911,481 1,971,397 11.7% 2004 17,272,043 2,329,783 13.5% 2005 17,487,481 3,180,050 18.2% 2006 17,758,872 3,488,381 19.6% 2007 17,975,830 3,938,111 21.9% 2008 18,199,920 4,606,353 25.3% FIN -24Feb2010

Course Classification % Online Type Descriptions 0% Traditional Course with no online technology used 1 to 29% Web Facilitated Course that uses web-based technology to facilitate what is essentially a face-to-face course. 30 to 79% Blended Course that blends online and face-to-face delivery. 80+% Online Course where most or all of the content is delivered online. FIN -24Feb2010

Reasons for Growth Rising Cost of Higher Education Traditional HE Highly Inflexible (“Corralled Education”) Online/Distance Education Time Place Workload/Credits Equivalence of Awards Fits Adult Work/Family Commitments FIN -24Feb2010

Rhetoric OECD (2006): Equity of Access, Lifelong Learning HEA’s Strategic Plan(2008): Flexibility, P/T, Distance Learning National Access Plan (2008): Mature Students Smart Economy (2009): Flexible Learning for Upskilling FIN -24Feb2010

Ireland Population (Total) – 4,239,848 Population (15+) - 3,375, 399 F/T Education Ceased – 2,850,333 No Third-level Qualification – 1,890,994 Upper 2ndry Highest – 803,498 Upper 2ndry (20 to 44) – 477,841 At University/3rd Level – 349,596 Policy Anomaly (Source: CSO 2006) Each HE student in Ireland gets approx 10,000 in 2006 in public – 7,600 excluding research – say 8,500 now means approx 30m on f/t students while p/t students have to pay fees. FIN -24Feb2010

Who are they? Highest Upper Secondary (2006) Employers/Managers/Professionals – 22% Non-manual & Manual Workers – 63% Entrants Higher Education (2004) Employers/Managers/Professionals – 41% Non-manual & Manual Workers – 30% Sources: CSO 2006 & O’Connell et al 2006 FIN -24Feb2010

Government Funding of Students on Level 8 Courses - Universities Core ‘RGAM’ Pay Fees Full/Time Y Part/Time Y [FTE] N Distance Education “Socialism for the rich, capitalism for the poor” G Vidal FIN -24Feb2010

University Sector Full Time U/G Part Time U/G 2008/9 (P) 70,802 6,705 2007/8 70,464 8,016 2006/7 68,039 8,506 2005/6 66,834 8,742 2004/5 65,300 9,727 F/T – plus 8% and p/t – minus 31% (minus 18% to 2007/8) FIN -24Feb2010

CAO Net Acceptances Level 8 % Level 6/7 Total 2007 27,848 12,058 23+ 2007 2,784 10 1,418 12 Total 2003 23,935 14,398 23+ 2003 1,872 8 944 7 Total 2000 20,786 16,739 23+ 2000 812 4 689 FIN -24Feb2010

In Summary Funding mechanisms are undermining (rhetorical?) policy objective of promoting lifelong learning. Exception - Labour Market Activisation Scheme FIN -24Feb2010

Other Barriers Institutional structure of Irish Universities Incentive systems Scepticism about fully online & reluctance to move/change face to face model Academic cultures which adapt online T&L technologies to replicate/support existing pedagogies, not to disrupt them Requires policy drivers FIN -24Feb2010

Cultural Change Status of Teaching Move of Full-time Staff to Academic Manager role Focus on Assessment & Quality Assurance Highly Trained ‘Adjunct’ Staff Incorporation of eLearning (Admin, Library, etc as well as Teaching) FIN -24Feb2010

Conclusions Lifelong Learning - Portmanteau Focus on ‘nearly readies’ & high-level upskilling Online education highly appropriate for these groups Need to (1) Change funding policies and (2) Change culture of HEIs FIN -24Feb2010

Seamus Fox Academic Director & Chair-IT Programme Oscail, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland Tel: -353-1-7005502 E-Mail: foxs@dcu.ie Website: http://www.dcu.ie/~foxs/ FIN -24Feb2010

IoT Sector Full Time U/G Part Time U/G 2008/9 (P) 52,295 12,961 2007/8 49,048 12,997 2006/7 51,322 - 2005/6 51,517 13,228 2004/5 50,424 14,088 F/T – plus 8% and p/t – minus 31% (minus 18% to 2007/8) FIN -24Feb2010