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Lifelong Learning and Online Education: Trends and Challenges in Ireland

This presentation by Seamus Fox, delivered at DCU on February 24, 2010, explores the landscape of lifelong learning and the growth of online education in Ireland. It addresses the impact of distance education technologies, identifies barriers to access, and highlights current enrollment statistics. The discussion emphasizes the need for cultural change within higher education institutions and the importance of adapting funding policies to better support lifelong learning initiatives. Insights into the evolving educational demands and government strategies are presented.

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Lifelong Learning and Online Education: Trends and Challenges in Ireland

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  1. Framework Implementation NetworkAlexander Hotel – 24th Feb 2010 Realising lifelong learning: Online and distance education Seamus Fox Oscail - DCU FIN -24Feb2010

  2. Outline • Distance Education & Technology • Lifelong Learning • Growth in Online Education • Situation in Ireland • Potential in Ireland • Barriers • Conclusions FIN -24Feb2010

  3. Distance Education & Technologies • Correspondence • Broadcast • Multimedia (Text, Video, Audio, CBL) • Telelearning (Audio & Video Conf) • Resources & Asynchronous CMC • Synchronous & Asynchronous CMC • [Immersive?] FIN -24Feb2010

  4. Online Technologies • Paper – The eLearning Technologies • Large Number of Technologies & Growing • History of Technology in Education • Beware Hype of ‘Latest Fad’ • Three Key Technologies • Online Journal Databases • Virtual Learning Environments • Synchronous Web Conferencing • Online Administration FIN -24Feb2010

  5. Lifelong Learning • Portmanteau Term • Education and Training • Education • Educational Disadvantaged • Personal interest/’Folk’ Colleges • People with Disabilities • Upskilling of workforce • Mature Students/’Second Chance’ FIN -24Feb2010

  6. Growth of Online Education • United States • Over 800 colleges offering at least one fully online UG programmes • Almost 600 colleges offering at least one fully online PG programme • Almost 4m students taking at least one fully online course • Australia – dual mode embedded? • Canada – Athabasca & large providers FIN -24Feb2010

  7. Total and Online Enrollment in US HEIs FIN -24Feb2010

  8. Course Classification FIN -24Feb2010

  9. Reasons for Growth • Rising Cost of Higher Education • Traditional HE Highly Inflexible (“Corralled Education”) • Online/Distance Education • Time • Place • Workload/Credits • Equivalence of Awards • Fits Adult Work/Family Commitments FIN -24Feb2010

  10. Rhetoric • OECD (2006): Equity of Access, Lifelong Learning • HEA’s Strategic Plan(2008): Flexibility, P/T, Distance Learning • National Access Plan (2008): Mature Students • Smart Economy (2009): Flexible Learning for Upskilling FIN -24Feb2010

  11. Ireland • Population (Total) – 4,239,848 • Population (15+) - 3,375, 399 • F/T Education Ceased – 2,850,333 • No Third-level Qualification – 1,890,994 • Upper 2ndry Highest – 803,498 • Upper 2ndry (20 to 44) – 477,841 • At University/3rd Level – 349,596 • Policy Anomaly (Source: CSO 2006) FIN -24Feb2010

  12. Who are they? • Highest Upper Secondary (2006) • Employers/Managers/Professionals – 22% • Non-manual & Manual Workers – 63% • Entrants Higher Education (2004) • Employers/Managers/Professionals – 41% • Non-manual & Manual Workers – 30% Sources: CSO 2006 & O’Connell et al 2006 FIN -24Feb2010

  13. Government Funding of Students on Level 8 Courses - Universities “Socialism for the rich, capitalism for the poor” G Vidal FIN -24Feb2010

  14. University Sector FIN -24Feb2010

  15. CAO Net Acceptances FIN -24Feb2010

  16. In Summary Funding mechanisms are undermining (rhetorical?) policy objective of promoting lifelong learning. Exception - Labour Market Activisation Scheme FIN -24Feb2010

  17. Other Barriers • Institutional structure of Irish Universities • Incentive systems • Scepticism about fully online & reluctance to move/change face to face model • Academic cultures which adapt online T&L technologies to replicate/support existing pedagogies, not to disrupt them • Requires policy drivers FIN -24Feb2010

  18. Cultural Change • Status of Teaching • Move of Full-time Staff to Academic Manager role • Focus on Assessment & Quality Assurance • Highly Trained ‘Adjunct’ Staff • Incorporation of eLearning (Admin, Library, etc as well as Teaching) FIN -24Feb2010

  19. Conclusions • Lifelong Learning - Portmanteau • Focus on ‘nearly readies’ & high-level upskilling • Online education highly appropriate for these groups • Need to (1) Change funding policies and (2) Change culture of HEIs FIN -24Feb2010

  20. Seamus Fox Academic Director & Chair-IT Programme Oscail, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland Tel: -353-1-7005502 E-Mail: foxs@dcu.ie Website: http://www.dcu.ie/~foxs/ FIN -24Feb2010

  21. IoT Sector FIN -24Feb2010

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