The Australian and New Zealand Keynote Panel presentation by Emeritus Professor Bruce King for the DEHub/ODLAA Education 2011 to 2021- Global challenges and perspectives of blended and distance learning the (14 to 18 February 2011).
A Critique of the Proposed National Education Policy Reform
The distinctiveness of australian distance education – the
1. Bruce King The distinctiveness of Australian Distance Education – the present and the next decade
2. Plus ça change ... “The Australian education scene has been subject to almost continuous change over the last decade, and distance education has been affected as much as any sector” Keith Harry, 1999 – government policy Equally true 2011 – technological change Predicting 2021 – defensible guesses, likely to fall short of actuality Question: Should we be optimistic or pessimistic?
3. Distance education? Totality of arrangements made by institution For students separated from teachers For whom some resources & arrangements have to be prepared in advance These might involve special systems & processes Students require well-organised support Includes institutional attention to logistics of communication
4. My bias ... Distance education is a purposeful, values-driven enterprise “The arrangements” should follow the purposes of the program They should not undermine values base of what we do DE not synonomous with online or e-learning although they have enormous potential to enhance what we do
16. Changes in context of universities Changing government attitudes Massification Accountability and standards Internationalisation and competition Resources and staffing Impact of technology
17. Is there a distinctive role in future? If there is, it will be because of we refocus on the needs of off-campus and regional students Need to understand and accommodate their learning milieu Should not just be good followers of technological developments but investigate potential to support distinctive needs of students Focus should be less on teaching and more on student support
18. Will we retain parity? Only if we avoid cost saving strategies that diminish DE experience Must avoid disaggregation of academic functions, especially assessment Will be faced with real competition over performance
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20. A sense of personal deficiency impacts on all professional functions
21. In mixed mode, too few have teaching qualifications on-campus and DE adds to personal difficulties
22. Rate of change of technologies can compound sense of under-performance