opportunities and policy challenges of distance learning in western balkans
DESCRIPTION
CDE seminar conducted by Dr Endrit Kromidha (Teaching Fellow in Technology Information Management and Strategy / International Business, School of Management, Royal Holloway University of London) Many achievements in technology and information systems have made possible the improvement of public services. However, in many countries, education remains behind some other sectors, regardless of its purpose towards future generations or the resources spent therein. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the opportunities and policy challenges of distance learning in a developing region’s context. The discussion will start with a general overview of new democracies and countries in the Western Balkans. Secondly, this study intends to analyse how online distance learning has evolved and can guide educational policy for higher access and development. Finally, the presentation intends to open a discussion on the policy challenges and their implementation in practice. The research is based on specific numbers and figures taken from reports on Western Balkan countries. Alongside the regional perspective, this seminar is aimed at anyone with an interest in the developing context for how information and communication technologies can have a positive impact, and how online distance learning can be related to policies for development.TRANSCRIPT
CDE LUNCHTIME SEMINAR
Opportunities and Policy Challenges of Distance Learning in Western Balkans
Dr Endrit KromidhaCDE Fellow
Royal Holloway University of London
SENATE HOUSE, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON THURSDAY 16 MAY 2013
Wi-fi: UOL Conferences, password “totumo”Twitter: #CDELS13
Structure of the presentationThe Western Balkans: Regional background
Western Balkans and UK distance learning
VLE trends and opportunities
The policy problem and an alternative view
Conclusions and discussion
The Western Balkans:Regional background
Communist past
EU prospects
Middle-income countries
Regional border conflicts
Source: The World Bank
Source: The World Bank
Western Balkans and UK distance learning - OverviewBritish Council country offices: The hubs of distance education
University Qualifications
Professional qualifications: ACCADEMY: For ACCA’s qualifications available at any time, anywhere in the
world. DISTANCE DELTA: Preparing teachers for the Cambridge Diploma in English
Language Teaching to Adults (DELTA). For A level, GCSE, adult and vocational training courses.
LEARN DIRECT, NATIONAL EXTENSION COLLEGE, OPEN LEARNING ACADEMY, OXFORD OPEN LEARNING etc.
Western Balkans and UK education relationships - Free coursesBEGINNERS TUTORIALS - Provides hundreds of free online
tutorials and software applications.
LEARN DIRECT FOR BUSINESS - Taster courses in ICT, Business/Management and Basic Skills. Includes quizzes and games.
NUTROCKER - Free online courses and tutorials on software, programming, etc.
ONLINE WEB PRACTICALS - Software applications, IT and chemistry from Oxford University.
THE WRITERS BUREAU - Home-study courses in creative writing, journalism and poetry.
MOOCs: World and Western Balkans‘1 million enrolled students on Coursera across 196 countries’
From the Balkan countries only Serbia appears in these figures at 0.3% and Croatia at 0.25%
(http://blog.coursera.org/ on 9 Aug 2012)
Online Distance LearningSome figures about MoodleRegistered sites 75,026Countries 227Courses 7,007,818Users 65,205,380Teachers 1,292,504Enrolments 53,966,569Forum posts 116,501,343Resources 62,565,943Quiz questions 143,558,314
Source: https://moodle.org/stats/ as of 8 Feb 2013
Country comparisonTop Countries Moodle
RegistrationsUnited States 12,732Spain 6,503Brazil 5,419United Kingdom 4,105Mexico 3,136Germany 3,096Portugal 2,218Colombia 2,122Australia 1,824Italy 1,787
Source: https://moodle.org/stats/ as of 8 Feb 2013
What matters?
West Balkans
Moodle Registrations
Population in 2011
according to World Bank
Albania 18 3,215,988Bosnia and Herzegovina 62 3,752,228
Croatia 138 4,407,000Kosovo (n/a) 1,794,303Macedonia 38 2,063,893Montenegro 9 632,261Serbia 210 7,261,000
Information technologies and e-literacy
Source: UNPAN E-Government Survey Reports
Technology acceptance and adaptation? In general, not a problem!
Source: https://moodle.org/stats/ as of 8 Feb 2013
‘GO
VE
RN
AN
CE
’The policy problem view
Education Policies
Economic policies
Telecommunication policies
InternetFast and Wireless
DevicesMobile and Smart
Accredited ContentVirtual and OpenAccess
Costs
Resources
Based on some ideas and critique on New Public Management (Margetts 2009, Dunleavy et al. 2006, Pollitt, Bouckaert 2011, Barzelay 2001, Lane 2000, Hood 2000)
An alternative view
Education Policies
Economic policies
Telecommunication policies
InternetFast and Wireless
DevicesMobile and Smart
Accredited ContentVirtual and Open
GOVERNANCE COLLABORATION
JO
INT
PO
LIC
Y-
MA
KIN
G
NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL
Back to a basic problem:Are Massive Open Online Courses and open online
learning the solution for education in developing countries?
My view on MOOCs for developmentYes,
They provide easy access to education.They are ‘free’ for users .They are ‘free’ for governments.
But,Are one-size-fits all, thus missing the local development
context of different countries and learners.There are issues with the intellectual property of the
learning content if blended into local HE programmes.Are not accredited nor recognized yet in the job market.
Some concluding thoughtsIt is not the technology, but the new forms of accreditation, e-literacy, assessment, and policy that are changing online distance education for development.
However, looking towards the future,There should be no surprise if soon we see reverse education via online distance learning and MOOCs from developing to developed countries , as we have seen reverse innovation in business.
Thank you for your attention!