DISTANCE LEARNING IN CRISIS: To be rediscovered…

1. EDEN Open Classroom Conference Athens , 27-29 October 2011 Organised in collaboration with Ellinogermaniki Agogi

3. DISTANCE LEARNING IN CRISIS: To be rediscovered … UNIVERSITY OF THE AEGEAN COSTAS TSOLAKIDIS

4. 1. CRISIS !!

5. In Athens …

6. In the rest of Europe and the world . . . Maybe not exactly so!!!!

7. 1.1 WHAT IS A CRISIS? It denotes the presence of threat and instability in some or in all economic parameters. It is when the level of economic activity in a country dips down to dangerously low levels. Crisis is usually an economic crisis. It is: A negative and dynamic phenomenon. A compulsory and violent change A discontinuity A transient between two states The link between two different theories

10. 2. EDUCATION DURING A CRISIS

11. Social Changes Financial Changes – Competition Changes in attitude of contemporary people + Evolution of Information Technology Development of Communications Development of Technological Culture = Need for more knowledge – Wider knowledge Need for more specialization – Deeper knowledge Need for life long education and training – Continuous knowledge The situation up to now . . . More Subjects Specialization Lifelong Learning Volume of Education needed in society is increasing

13. UNESCO “The global economic and financial crisis in 2008-2009 risks depriving millions of children of an education, in the world’s poorest countries. With 72 million children still out of school, a combination of slower economic growth, rising poverty and budget pressures could erode the education gains of the past decade. ….” According to Education International “ The crisis will affect all sectors, including education. Such worrying concerns are clearly expressed in the USA and Norway, but also noted by some other European countries”.

14. However, in the “developed or developing” world, (State Education) even if education is short in funding in times of crisis, there could be a lot more demand for education – 2.2. POSITIVE EXPECTATIONS The reason is obvious : Good education and skills are crucial to improving a person’s economic and social prospects In other words education is necessary for anyone to show that she/he is well qualified so as to Find / keep a job

17. Tertiary level educational attainment for age group 25-64 As a percentage of the population in the corresponding age group 2006

18. Percentage of increase of graduates (1999-2006) OECD 2009

19. Expected hours over working life in all non formal education and in job-related non formal education 2007

21. 3 . DISTANCE EDUCATION TO CURE THE CRISIS?

22. A Working Question Can DE satisfy the quality and cost criteria to improve education under the financial constrains that are imposed by the crisis? The quality and the cost of DE are to be discussed briefly In some cases, especially in the past, DE was met with preoccupation and prejudice as a second class education

24. Various studies were published indicating that results using DE are not any worse that results obtained using CE Apart from that one has to look at the basic theories for DE and to make some elementary thoughts about DE and CE

27. ANTICRISIS CHARACTERISTICS OF DISTANCE LEARNING Sustainable S Interactive I Self directed S Individualized I Recognized R Convenient C Inexpensive I Technology based T New Methodology N Adult friendly A

28. Cost Infrastructure _ Buildings Transpotation - commuting Personal Computers Internet connection The cost issue Infrastrucure Equipment Electr. appl. Staff Material DE      CE      No of learners TE DE No of learners Cost CE DE

29. 4. CONCLUDING . . .

30. The crisis is a messenger of change. The pain for the crisis is a pain of birth. Next stage could bring better conditions if . . . To minimise the effects of the crisis: Productivity, Innovation, Use of technology are needed to form a protective shield Theses qualities are inherent and embedded in the DE methods and techniques The crisis affects education in Europe and the world.

32. In Greece the system is centrally run it is easy to institutionalise and to apply DE methods (teacher training etc) All of the above can be developed on a substrate of the country’s: a. communication infrastructure b. ICT penetration to society As technology evolves, the capabilities are improving resulting in changes in attitude. Social Networks What is needed is pedagogical research in class application of DE

33. We discussed a few proposals on how education can be transformed to tackle the crisis. We pointed out the dynamics of distance education that can possibly offer solutions to problems of education What about other sectors in life? How can they tackle the crisis? Distance Education can offer new ideas in methodology and a new paradigm to other disciplines so that they can find their own “Distant Education” methods

34. What we actually need: A fresh look on the basic ideas and standards of education A reorganization of the beaurocracy of education Application of distance learning on more levels of education We need daring policies for Distance Education An open and adaptive attitude towards DE As to learn how to learn And this is a lot!!

35. PSERIMOS A small island in the Aegean ~ 30 Inhabitants

37. Tuesday 16 June 2009 From the last Teacher Every pupil and every teacher has left in this classroom a part of her soul. . . These parts form a sweet story that I hope will not be forgotten. Joy

39. Thank you very much !