This presentation is about trends in ODL in an African perspective. Education and learning is probably that single thing that has the greatest impact on humans and societies, in particular in a long term perspective. Higher education is increasing more rapid than ever, and Africa is a hot spot for future HE. Africa is lagging compared with richer parts of the world, but is catching up faster than many would have believed. However, better integration between education and economic value chains has to be more in focus. For the post 2015 education agenda Quality Open Education Resources and ODL can make dreams come through. In fact, without OER and ODL, dreams about quality education for all might end up as wishful thinking. Not all that shines is gold, and the MOOC hype has been replaced by a good portion scepticism in particular regarding target groups, lack of student success and learning outcomes. However, the driving forces for open knowledge are so strong that we again and again will se waves of innovations riding on online learning and mobile broadband, where Africa will through time will catch up and close the digital gap. Teachers and teachers trainers is the key to educational success for Africa, and competencies and capability to provide quality ODL will be in the core. "If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”, an old African proverb says. And ICDE is prepared to go far together with ACDE.

1. The Global Trends in Open, Distance and
Online Learning - ODL
4th ACDE Conference and General Assembly
Victoria Falls, 7 June 2014
Gard Titlestad
Secretary General
International Council For Open and Distance Education,
ICDE

2. Overview:
What is this presentation about?
• This presentation is about trends in ODL in an African perspective. Education and learning is
probably that single thing that has the greatest impact on humans and societies, in particular
in a long term perspective.
• Higher education is increasing more rapid than ever, and Africa is a hot spot for future HE.
Africa is lagging compared with richer parts of the world, but is catching up faster than many
would have believed. However, better integration between education and economic value
chains has to be more in focus.
• For the post 2015 education agenda Quality Open Education Resources and ODL can make
dreams come through. In fact, without OER and ODL, dreams about quality education for all
might end up as wishful thinking.
• Not all that shines is gold, and the MOOC hype has been replaced by a good portion
scepticism in particular regarding target groups, lack of student success and learning
outcomes. However, the driving forces for open knowledge are so strong that we again and
again will se waves of innovations riding on online learning and mobile broadband, where
Africa will through time will catch up and close the digital gap.
• Teachers and teachers trainers is the key to educational success for Africa, and competencies
and capability to provide quality ODL will be in the core. "If you want to go quickly, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together”, an old African proverb says. And ICDE is prepared to go
far together with ACDE.

3. • The leading global membership organization for open, distance and online
education
• An NGO official partner of UNESCO, and shares that agency’s key aim – the
attainment of quality education for all
• ICDE believes that in pursuing education as a universal right, the needs of the
learner must be central.
• Members in all regions of the world
25 Years Support
From Norway

4. ICDE’s member-driven agenda

5. ICDE OER Chair
– global south
The network of ICDE Chairs in OER
currently consists of five distinguished
and internationally recognized academics
in the field of OER:
• Rory McGreal from Athabasca
University, Canada
• Wayne Mackintosh from Otago
Polytechnic, New Zealand
• Fred Mulder, Former Rector Open
Universiteit, The Netherlands
• Martin Weller, The Open University,
UK
• Maria Soledad Ramirez Montoya,
Tecnólogico de Monterrey, México.
ICDE Chairs in Open Educational
Resources - call for proposals from the
Global South
• ICDE is considering the extension of
the network of ICDE Chairs in Open
Educational Resources (OER).
• The network, where possible, works
in collaboration with UNESCO and
existing UNESCO Chairs in OER.

6. ICDE upcoming events

7. The picture

8. 1,0
1,5
2,0
2,5
3,0
Being Employed High wages Good to
excellent health
Participation in
volunteer
activities
High levels of
political efficacy
High levels of
trust
2 Skills transform lives and drive economies
Odds ratio
Increased likelihood of positive outcomes for adults with higher
literacy skills (scoring at PIAAC Level 4/5 compared with those scoring at Level 1 or below)
Andreas Schleicher, OECD, Wellington, 28 March
Education:
Power to transform

9. THE STATE OF HIGHER EDUCATION:
Selected key findings and rec.
• Findings
• The public and individuals benefit
from higher education, HE, in
financial and non financial ways.
– HE generates positive returns to the
public in general, as well as to the
people who obtain degrees.
• HE without a degree does not boost
earnings.
– Although there are some benefits to
HEparticipation, even if no degree is
earned, drop-outs do not usually enjoy
the same financial returns that degree
holders can expect.

10. THE STATE OF HIGHER EDUCATION:
Selected key findings and rec.
• Recommendations
• Higher education institutions should
help students succeed and graduate.
– Higher education institutions should
ensure that students are informed of
the financial and non-financial risks of
dropping out of higher education.
Effective student support services can
help students succeed and graduate.
• Student aid is important to ensure
cost sharing does not limit access.

11. The BIG picture
• The growth in higher education is massive

12. 20442030
320
400
2007 - 2030
Mill. students
EU/OECD projections
the need for HE
by 2030: 400 mill.

13. The BIG picture
• The changes in higher education is dramatic
Job OK Job ?

14. The BIG picture

15. http://www.africaneconomicoutlook.org/en/
http://www.africaneconomicoutlook.org/en/
Africa is doing better than average

16. http://www.africaneconomicoutlook.org/en/
Many countries have remarkeble
progress on education, on health

17. http://www.africaneconomicoutlook.org/en/
Better integration of education
and vaulue chains needed

18. The BIG Picture
• Online and distance education is steadily
increasing all over the world
India Sweden
Russia
South America
The US
Africa
Australia
China

19. The BIG picture
• MOOC took the world (?) with storm, peaked, and
opened up for massive innovation in education

20. Coursera ”Learning Hubs”
MOOCs trends
Numbers per June 2014

21. Who take MOOC ?
2013 (ECAR)
First generation
MOOCs are primarily
targeting those that
already have – and
not the have not's.

22. Are MOOCs Really Open? MOOC or MOC?
No, all rights reserved.
No, non-OER license.
No, all rights reserved.
Note: some institutions using CC anyway.
Yes, CC BY or CC BY-SA
Partial, CC BY-NC on some
Most MOOCs are open only in the sense of free enrollment.
Paul Stacey, Associate Director of Global Learning, Creative Commons, Oktober 2013
MOOC or MOC

23. Karl Aberer
Pierre Dillenbourg
http://moocs.epfl.ch/eu-mooc-summit

24. Mind to MOOCs
Overview, reflections and brainstorming in whitening water
Think tank 20 October 2013, Open
Universitty of China, Beijing, China
To be reported to the ICDE Standing Conference of Presidents meeting and
Policy Forum

25. Excerpts from ICDE Mind to MOOCs report
A few of the issues and recommendations
Equity.
• Consider this initiative as an opportunity to rethink our role as universities and take
up MOOCs. .
• Integrate open MOOCs in our respective institutions
• National, regional and transnational cooperation is a great opportunity in developing
MOOC and MOOC-alike concepts.
Diversity.
• Undertake contextualized strategies when implementing MOOCs
• Be aware of cultural and language aspects → anglo-centric core, colonialism
• OER and OCW as the basis for MOOC will ease contextual, cultural and language
adaptation
Innovation and Quality.
• Improve and innovate on pedagogical aspects: methodologies, content formats,
assessment.
• Provide learning analytics as a tool for improving the courses. Connect the learning
process and research for new knowledge and improvements.
• Promote research about MOOCs.
• Keep moving towards quality. Beyond quantity of MOOCs and users, the focus on
quality is essential for sustainability.

26. The BIG picture
• Online, Distance (ODL) and on Campus Learning
are converging => Blended
BlendedODL
Campus
• And as a result – an even more diverse higher
education landscape……

27. The BIG picture
• Three streams work in parallel:
– Online becomes mature – and Internet/mobile:
freedom from distance, mobile broadband:
freedom from location
– New methodologies, content and pedagogy – new
opportunities for student supportive teaching
– New knowledge about the brain and learning, new
knowledge in neurosciences

28. The BIG picture
• We are in the beginning (of the beginning) –
example: mobile technology

29. We are in the beginning of the
beginning
State of Broadband Report 2013 www.broadbandcommission.org

30. Libya and broadband
- use your strengths
The digital divide is holding Africa back, but by using
available capacity, like for example mobile broadband, for
selected target groups, for example teachers – Quality Online
Learning can take place despite digital divide.

31. Image: O3b Networks
Google's Project Loon uses big networked
air balloons to fill internet black holes
Google to launch 180 satellites in
$1bn plan to cover the unwired
Several initiatives for covering
the unwired underway

32. African Undersea
Cables
Picture updated
May 2014
http://manypossibilities.net/african-undersea-cables/
We are in the
beginning of the
beginning

33. The Governments move…..
BIG

34. IOMS(ITOperations
Managementsystem)
ISMS(Informationsecurity
managementsystem)
……
Software & Education resource Services
（ Open, shared, quality and massive education resources
and e-learning software （
Platform Services
（ Portal, CAS, Teaching, Managing, Support service, Research, etc.（
Infrastructure Services
（ IDC, Computing and storage pools, high-speed network （
…
…
…
…
Mobile Internet
Satellite Network
VPN Internet
Networks
Terminals
Cloud
OUC Pad Cloud Desktop Cloud TV Cloud Phone Cloud Classroom
“Cloud-based” technology support model
Ref. Yang Zhijian, president Open University of China, ICDE world Conference, Tianjin, China
October 2013

35. The Governments move…..
Small

36. http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/kd/dep/styrer-rad-og-utvalg/utvalg-om-hoyere-
utdanningstilbud-pa-net.html?id=732679
• The Norwegian MOOC
Commission was
appointed by Royal
Decree on 21 June 2013.
• Final report, green paper,
expected in June 2014.
• A white paper on
structures and financial
regulations foreseen in
2015.

37. The BIGtrends

38. The Open University Catalunia
Innovate from within,
put faculty in the lead
2014 2011
The Innovative University: What College
Presidents Think About Change in American
Higher Education, Chronicle

39. Open
knowledge
Societal needs
Technology
Students needs
and
expectations
OERCost
Trends, within
the framwork of globalisation
and internationalisation
HE needs – 1 U a week
Demographics
Globalisation
Enabling economic growth
Access
Open Access
eInfrrastructures
eScience
Automation
Robots Sensors
2020 – 80% connected
Internet of things Open Research
Open Data
Open Innovation
US quadruppling
Southern Europe….
Developing economies
ICT Habitus
Flexibility
Employability
Lifelong

41. The BERTAproject
Bringing
Educational
Resources For
Teachers in
Africa
ACDE and ICDE:
- a joint collaborative agenda

42. New teachers
needed
in classroom (??)
by 2015

43. And the need
For new teachers
by 2030……….

44. An idea consulted
among stakeholders:
• To develop a high quality Open Educational
Resource, OER, as open online courseware for
training teachers/ faculty in open , distance and
online learning.
• Target group for the project result: Teacher
trainers.
• The first regional area of priority should be Africa.
• A regional focus on Asia will be considered when
the project has delivered.

45. The Consortium
• Fundació per a la
Universitat Oberta de
Catalunya (FUOC) –
Spain
• South African Institute
for Distance Education,
SAIDE, South Africa

46. Idea
Consult
Call
Consortium
1/2012 2/12 1/13 2/13 1/14
Project
Deliver
Implement
2/14 1/15 2/15
Effect
Expand
Cooperation
Awareness
Anchoring
Improvement
Fundraising
Phase 1

47. Taking BERTA to phase 2
• The BERTA project is a symbolic action to demonstrate
the opportunities and potential of Open Educational
Resources and distance education as a concept for
improving the quality of education delivery in Africa.
• A joint agenda for ACDE and ICDE is to see how the
BERTA initiative can be successfully taken to the next
phase and further developed for implementation at
African universities.
• Collaboration on open content, teachers education,
methodology and technolgy can contribute to the
African Education Area.

48. The BIGGERopportunities

49. OER and Open and
Distance Learning can
increase the impact of
investments in knowledge
OER &
ODL
Open Access – open science
Research based OER
Research based teaching
Innovation in education – open innovation
Innovate the learning system – flip the classroom
Knowledge supply for innovation
High quality education
Research based education
Resource based education
Open education

50. Quality OER and ODL
can make dreams come through
- Without OER and ODL, dreams might end up as wishful thinking
Education for all!?

51. an old African proverb
"If you want to go quickly, go alone. If
you want to go far, go together."

52. Thank you!
titlestad@icde.org
www.icde.org