1. ONLINE LEARNING…..
…….the way of the future?

2. WHO AM I? ESL teacher (12 years) 3 years teaching ‘online’
Professional Development Officer (Online Learning) TAFE SA
eLearning Coordinator (Douglas Mawson TAFE)

3. THE WAY OF THE FUTURE? Is this a loaded question?
should it be? (force, imposition)
will it be? (acceptance, neutral)
can you influence it? (control)
Do you see the future (change?) as inherently positive?
Do you see the future (change?) as inherently negative?

4. Somewhere something has gone terribly terribly wrong!

6. World Trade Centre Attack
Within 24 hours there were websites for examining the event for students of:
English
Media
Social Work, Community Services, Health
Society, Politics, Law, Economics
Religion, Ethics
Engineering

7. WHAT IS ONLINE LEARNING?

8. WHAT IS ONLINE LEARNING?

9. WHAT IS ONLINE LEARNING?

10. WHAT IS ONLINE LEARNING?

11. ONLINE LEARNING INCLUDES:
Use of to send and receive assignments
using websites in the classroom
doing online assessments in the classroom
using discussion forums between classes
SO, it does not have to be a remote activity

12. So is Online Education dying before it even gets started?
Not really, but it is being transformed
eLearning (includes ON CAMPUS web enhanced instruction)
3 day international conference and not one session on online education as it was initially conceived

13. Why the transformation?
The fully remote model
is expensive and time (and time = money) hungry to establish
requires high degree of technical skill from teachers and students
suits only highly motivated, independent learners
BUT IN THE CORPORATE WORLD:
they have the money
saves travel costs
eg Qantas College Online

14. The Dance with the Devil
Educational institutions have the content, the subject expertise, and want the technology
the corporate world has the money
so…do we dance with the devil?*
*Richard Katz, Educause

15. The Youth Factor
Grange Primary
School

16. The Youth Factor
2004: the first generation of children who have never NOT known the Net reach high school
13-15 yr olds are the ‘most wired’ (the ‘baby boomer echoes’)

17. The Youth Factor
Research* on 7,000 children in USA and 1,000 in Canada revealed:
Most successful students online are the 13 –15 year old group.
78% have used the Internet to do their homework
60% have communicated with teachers online
*Forrester research (

18. OPINION:
“ Does anyone really think they can get a degree online that is the equivalent of getting one from a real university where you can brush shoulders with colleagues in a professional and academic environment? ONLINE EDUCATION IS A SCAM. BIG TIME.”

19. THE REPLY#1
If I hadn’t been able to do my degree online it never would have happened. I was able to do it:
while looking after my family
without childcare costs
whenever I wanted
without stress
with no travel costs

20. THE REPLY #2
I received:
more one to one attention than I ever got in a face to face course
a reply to queries and assignments within 24 hours, and often 12.
=========================
ONLINE EDUCATION IS NO SCAM. IT OPENS DOORS FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME.

21. PERHAPS ONLINE INSTRUCTION SUITS THE DEMANDS OF MODERN LIFE?

22. WHAT IS THE DEMAND? Many students want it:
QLD TAFE survey (1998) - 20%
DMI TAFE survey (2000) - 42%
of students expressed desire to do all or part of their course online.
(1400 students surveyed)

23. POTENTIAL DEMAND FOR SA TAFE
if around 40% of TAFE SA students want online option…..
currently 90,000 TAFE SA students
40% of 90,000 = 36,000 students!

24. Nigel Paine (Chairman of Technology Colleges Trust (UK)):
“The Internet will become the Fifth Utility.”

25. BUT:
Take up of Internet in Australia and the US has stabilised in the last 6-9 months at around 40-50% of households
those without it have no plans to get it

26. TEACHERS USE RESOURCES
4. The Internet is the best resource the world has ever seen. Why would you NOT use it?
(Guess where this photograph came from?)
(flash)

27. THE LANGUAGE AND LITERACY PERSPECTIVE

28. LANGUAGE AND LITERACY PERSPECTIVE
Are we (dis)advantaged??
FACT: the Net is mainly a text medium
FACT: many students love it
FACT: the Net abounds with sites designed specifically for language and literacy students

29. LANGUAGE AND LITERACY PERSPECTIVE
Low level language students love to communicate electronically
Online Chat
Forums

31. DLTeacher:What’s your name?
DLstudent:mieniemisniemesmem
DLTeacher: What’s your first name?
DLstudent: My nname is naim
DLTeacher: hello Naim!
DLstudent: Helolinda
DLTeacher: Hello Naim. My name is not Linda. My name is Linley.
DLstudent: halloi lili havaryutudej yuu
DLTeacher: Hello Naim, I’m fine thank you
DLstudent: helloi lili havarju tudej ju hev gud daj tudaj uat a ju duin tomoro a yuhollidaj

32. DL teacher>>You ask... (How old are your children?)
Student A>>How old are your children?
DL teacher>>(good).. ask about my daughter
Student A>>What?
DL teacher>>ask about my daughter... how old...?
Student A>>I dont understand
Student A>>How old are your daughter
DL teacher>>yes good!
DL teacher>>(How old is your daughter?)
DL teacher>>She is 10 years old. (Now ask about my son)
Student A>>How old is your daughter?And How is yor son?
DL teacher>>How old...?
Student A>>How old is your san?
DL teacher>>son!
DL teacher>>He is 7!
Student A>>How old is your son?
DL teacher>> (yes great!) Excuse my manners.....How old are you?

33. LANGUAGE AND LITERACY PERSPECTIVE
Webheads

34. WHITHER THE FUTURE?

35. Research: students who have access to both online and classroom training do best.
We owe it to students to encourage web based computer/research skills. It is becoming a life skill. (How do you get the cheapest air fares??)
Strategic direction: national (ANTA); state (VLE); institutional strategic plans

36. “Technology will not replace. teachers, but teachers who use
“Technology will not replace teachers, but teachers who use technology will replace teachers who don’t.”

37. Online Learning - the way of the future?
Yes, at least in part.
The Internet is not going to go away.
Essential tool in the kitbag
younger students moving in to higher ed. will expect it, and they will be Web savvy
increasing presence of voice, movies
we will have to ‘dance with the devil’

38. Online Learning - the way of the future?
it will not replace teachers
all classrooms will have computers
teachers will be more “guide on the side” rather than “sage on the stage”
ergonomics consultants will do a boom trade!

39. Online Learning - the way of the future?
Not everyone will want the full online option; my guess: about 40% at most
(80% of all Distance Ed. Students live within driving distance of institution)
but for All of us eventually it will become a daily part of our teaching and learning lives.
BRING THE NET TO YOUR CLASSROOM!

40. This presentation on the web at:
THANK YOU
This presentation on the web at: