Tony Bates Associates Ltd 1 Ministry of Education, Columbia/ Universaria New technologies for education Video-conference from Vancouver 19 August 2008 New technology and strategic planning: the challenge for universities

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 2 Overview 1. Introduction 2. What is e-learning? 3. Why use ICTs for teaching/learning? 4. Meeting the needs of the workforce 5. Strategies for universities 6. Conclusions

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 3 2. Defining e-learning

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 4 What is e-learning? My definition: all computer and Internet-based activities that support teaching and learning - both on-campus and at a distance

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 5 What is e-learning? (Bates, 2005) face- to-face no e-learning fully e-learning class- room aids mixed mode (less face-to- face + e- learning) dis- tance edu- cation distributed learning blended learning lap- top pro- grams

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 6 Propor- tion of courses using each type of e- learning Class- room aids Lab/ laptop classes Mixed mode Fully distance 68% 7% 1% 24% Current proportion of different types of e- learning in North America + Europe (2005) Sources: WebCT, 2003 OECD, 2005 OECD, 2005

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 7 Making choices For any program: Where on the continuum of e-learning should this program be? Should this continuum reflect course sections or students? Who should make this decision? To answer these questions, we must look at the reasons for e-learning

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 8 3. Why use ICTs in higher education?

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 9 Why use ICTs in higher education? 1. Access/distance 2. Access/flexibility 3. Quality 4. Productivity 5. Market positioning

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 10 Access: distance Reach those not served by campus institutions (>75%) open universities: economies of scale - but only for print/broadcasting ICTs: not universally accessible in Latin America (<25%), high cost However, mix of campus/distance? Internet cafes, learning centres

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 11 Access: flexibility UBC: 83% DE students live <1 hour from campus Shift of time/location away from campus full-time students working part time (countries with high tuition fees) full-time students working part time (countries with high tuition fees) part-time students (18-27) part-time students (18-27) older lifelong learners (27+) older lifelong learners (27+) mix on-campus + DE: gas prices! mix on-campus + DE: gas prices!

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 12 Quality Jury still out: depends on: learners (readiness/independence) learners (readiness/independence) subject matter subject matter teaching method teaching method quality standards quality standards major course re-design major course re-design new learning outcomes suitable for knowledge-based society new learning outcomes suitable for knowledge-based society

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 13 Productivity e.g. virtual labs; integration of academic and administrative services (UBC) More administrative than academic Same conditions as quality + strategic investment in ICTs strategic investment in ICTs major institutional re-organization major institutional re-organization

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 14 Market positioning same market, but differentiate from other HE providers, e.g. Tec de Monterrey same market, but differentiate from other HE providers, e.g. Tec de Monterrey to attract new or un-served markets to attract new or un-served markets e-learning not attractive as ‘core’ function of prestigious research universities e-learning not attractive as ‘core’ function of prestigious research universities use of ICTs more important to lower status institutions for ‘positioning’ use of ICTs more important to lower status institutions for ‘positioning’

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd Meeting the needs of the workforce

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 16 Different economies Resource-based: agricultural, mining, fishing: land/sea-based, local Industrial: manufacturing: urban, factories, hierarchical, economies of scale, specialist skills Knowledge-based: financial, bio- technology, ICTs, telecoms, entertainment: ‘virtual’, global, networked, multi-skilled All three economies in parallel

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 17 Shifting economy % share of Canadian industrial employment Services Goods Source: Globe and Mail, 27 April 2006, B9

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 18 Skills of knowledge-based workers problem solving, critical thinking problem solving, critical thinking communication skills communication skills computing/Internet skills computing/Internet skills independent learnersindependent learners entrepreneurial, initiative entrepreneurial, initiative flexibility/adaptability flexibility/adaptability team-work/networking team-work/networking AS WELL AS subject expertise

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 19 Lifelong knowledge workers: a major new market NOT the same market as traditional continuing education on-going education/learning essential for economic survival = 3 months training over five years in Canada, nos. = univ. entrants from school they need access to latest research they do NOT want traditional offers

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 20 Profile of lifelong learners Graduates (already state-subsidized) Working, often with a family Maximum study time per week: 10 hrs Strong life/work experience, specialist knowledge ‘Virtual’ learning essential, from home/work Learners/employers willing to pay

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 21 New programs for lifelong learners Modules, certificates, industry accreditation leading to masters Inter-disciplinary, ‘topic-based’ New knowledge since they graduated Flexibly delivered: Part-time (evenings/weekends/half-days) Part-time (evenings/weekends/half-days) Blended (campus + online) Blended (campus + online) Fully distant (home or workplace) Fully distant (home or workplace)

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd Strategies for universities

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 23 Strategies to exploit fully the use of ICTS for teaching and learning 1. Leadership: review mission; develop a plan 2. Visions for teaching and learning 3. Technology infrastructure 4. People strategies 5. New course designs 6. Learner support

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 24 Strategies to exploit fully the use of ICTS for teaching and learning 7. Sustainable budgeting; new business models 8. Collaboration and partnership 9. Research and evaluation

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 25 Leadership 1. Promote change 2. Review mission: link use of ICTs to needs of country: positioning within HE system; get buy-in for mission change 3. Develop plan for use of ICTs: mandate, deadline, delegation 4. Involve all key stakeholders in the plan

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 26 The importance of academic departments in change and innovation Two typical approaches to change: top down: Presidents or governments decide a strategy then try to implement it top down: Presidents or governments decide a strategy then try to implement it bottom up: early adopters; individual professors working alone bottom up: early adopters; individual professors working alone

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 27 The critical role of academic departments Academicdepartment Administration

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 28 The importance of the academic department Academic departments determine programs and curriculum Bridge between autonomy of faculty and institutional objectives Place where consensus can be built Academic departments determine the success or failure of e-learning BUT: mandate must be clear: how, not if

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 29 Departmental vision e-learning a tool, not a panacea need to identify where it will bring most benefit depends on type of students, nature of topic departments to develop vision of teaching/learning + role of e- learning that drives funding

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 30 Planning goal for academic departments Academic departments: Each program will develop a vision and plan for teaching and learning, including the appropriate use of e-learning

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 31 Building a planning blueprint Vision Core values and principles Plan Version 1 Likely resources Plan Version 2 Plan Version xx Institutional planning requirements

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 32 Developing vision discipline-based workshopsdiscipline-based workshops show-and-tell brown bag sessionsshow-and-tell brown bag sessions consultants/external expertsconsultants/external experts conferencesconferences

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 33 Current situation: SWOT analysis Strengths/Weaknesses/ (internal) Opportunities/Threats (external) brainstorming brainstorming external people external people leaders leaders Identify issues that MUST be addressed: honesty essential

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 34 SWOT analysis (cont.): some issues students: same or changing? new markets? students: same or changing? new markets? curriculum/employers needs curriculum/employers needs professors’ readiness for e-learning professors’ readiness for e-learning technology (hardware, software) technology (hardware, software) educational and technical support (instructional design, web design) educational and technical support (instructional design, web design) financial: inc. new revenues? financial: inc. new revenues?

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 35 Core values and principles Arise from SWOT analysis: what issues must be addressed if e- learning is to be successful? Example: job losses, extra work, lack of training, no money What core values/principles will address these issues?

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 36 Examples of core values or principles regarding use of e-learning only used when it adds value only used when it adds value e-learning decisions made by academic departments e-learning decisions made by academic departments not to replace professors but to improve learning not to replace professors but to improve learning no extra work by using best practices no extra work by using best practices

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 37 Markets What are your markets? undergraduate undergraduate graduate (research) graduate (research) graduate (lifelong learners) graduate (lifelong learners) men/women men/women Who will benefit most from online learning? Why?

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 38 What teaching roles are suitable for online learning? Face-to-face or online? transmitting information transmitting information collecting data/finding information collecting data/finding information preparation for lab work preparation for lab work designing experiments designing experiments doing experiments doing experiments discussing best ways to do things discussing best ways to do things problem solving……. problem solving…….

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 39 A decision matrix for teaching Identify course Identify teaching activities Activityf2f online online Information transmission x Lab experiments x Lab preparation x Data collection x Data analysis x

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 40 A decision matrix for markets Identify market: Identify best delivery method: Marketf2fonline Undergraduate70%30% Graduate: on-campus 50%50% Graduate: off-campus 10%90%

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 41 For each program: 1. Identify what kind of students to be taught 2. Identify basic content 3. Identify what kind of teaching approach to take 4. Describe how teaching will be delivered and how students will learn using e-learning

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 42 The need for new business models All citizens should have chance of a state-funded higher education Universities designed mainly for young full-time, campus-based students: still this need Graduates need to go on learning Professors don’t want more teaching New models of funding needed

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 43 Where e-learning has succeeded Profit in niche markets, e.g. University of Phoenix Online: 26,000 students, vocational corporate e-learning MBAs (Queens, Athabasca, Canada) Continuing professional degrees A (limited) option for regular students Focus on knowledge-worker market

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 44 Where e-learning has succeeded (cont.) Masters in Educational Technology (for teachers - school or HE) University of British Columbia (public) + Tec de Monterey (private) fully online; international certificates + master (single or joint) 4 ‘core’ courses + 6 electives from 12

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 45 Where e-learning has succeeded (cont.) UBC Masters in Educational Technology certificates since 1996: masters opened students a year: 250 graduates (2007) fee: 675 euro per course, 6750 in total program financed as a loan new research faculty funded from program: full costs recovered

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 46 Where e-learning has succeeded (cont.) Lessons: different financial strategies for different markets economies of scale are important high development costs high development costs lower delivery costs lower delivery costs quality matters new designs to exploit e-learning new designs to exploit e-learning

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 47 Developing a business model for continuing education programs Develop a business plan revenues as well as costs revenues as well as costs project management project management track, allocate and project costs (including time) over several years track, allocate and project costs (including time) over several years identify risks and options identify risks and options evaluate after five years evaluate after five years

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 48 The rationale for e-learning E-learning supports the development of skills needed in knowledge-based societies, e.g. how to seek, organize, analyse and apply information Using technology for learning prepares students for knowledge-based work E-learning is particularly good for lifelong learning

© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 49 Further information Bates, A.W. (2005) Technology, e- Learning and Distance Education London: Routledge OECD (2005) E-learning in Tertiary Education Paris: OECD Bates, A. (2000) Managing Technological Change San Francisco: John Wiley Bates, A. & Poole, G. (2003) Effective Teaching with Technology in Higher Education San Francisco: John Wiley