Road to horizon in e-learningRoad to horizon in e-learning

Włodzimierz SobkowiakWłodzimierz Sobkowiak

IFA, 15/3/2007IFA, 15/3/2007

SummarySummary

Status quo: Status quo: Online education in the US, 2006Online education in the US, 2006 Road ahead: Road ahead: TThe horizon reporthe horizon report, 2007, 2007 Technologies to watchTechnologies to watch User-User-ccreated reated ccontentontent Social Social nnetworkingetworking Road beyond horizonRoad beyond horizon

Making the GradeMaking the GradeOnline Education in the United States, 2006Online Education in the United States, 2006

Has the growth of online Has the growth of online enrollments begun to enrollments begun to

plateau?plateau?

Nearly 3.2 million students were taking at Nearly 3.2 million students were taking at least one online course during the fallleast one online course during the fall 2005 term, a substantial increase over 2005 term, a substantial increase over

the 2.3 million reported the previous year.the 2.3 million reported the previous year.

What types of institutions What types of institutions have online offerings?have online offerings?

More than 96 percent of the very More than 96 percent of the very largest institutions have some online largest institutions have some online

offerings.offerings.

What are the barriers to What are the barriers to widespread adoption of widespread adoption of

online education?online education?

Nearly two-thirds of the academic Nearly two-thirds of the academic leaders cite the need for more discipline leaders cite the need for more discipline

on theon the part of online students as a critical part of online students as a critical barrier.barrier.

Faculty issues, both acceptance of Faculty issues, both acceptance of online and the need for greater time and online and the need for greater time and effort toeffort to teach online, are also important teach online, are also important

barriers.barriers.

THE HORIZON REPORTTHE HORIZON REPORT

The environment of higher education is changing The environment of higher education is changing rapidlyrapidly. . Costs are rising, budgets are shrinking, and the Costs are rising, budgets are shrinking, and the demand for new services is growing. Student enrollments demand for new services is growing. Student enrollments

are declining. There is an increasing need for distance are declining. There is an increasing need for distance education, with pressure coming not only from education, with pressure coming not only from

nontraditional students seeking flexible options, but from nontraditional students seeking flexible options, but from administrative directives to cut costs. The “shape” of the administrative directives to cut costs. The “shape” of the

average student is changing, too; more students are average student is changing, too; more students are working and commuting than ever before, and the working and commuting than ever before, and the

residential, full-time student is not necessarily the model residential, full-time student is not necessarily the model for today’s typical student. Higher education faces for today’s typical student. Higher education faces

competition from the for-profit educational sector and an competition from the for-profit educational sector and an increasing demand by students for instant access and increasing demand by students for instant access and

interactive experiences.interactive experiences.

Technologies to watch (1)Technologies to watch (1)

The technologies featured in the The technologies featured in the 2007 2007 Horizon Report Horizon Report are placed along three are placed along three

adoption horizons that represent what the adoption horizons that represent what the Advisory Board considers likely Advisory Board considers likely

timeframes for their widespread adoption timeframes for their widespread adoption on university campuses. The first on university campuses. The first

adoption horizon assumes the likelihood adoption horizon assumes the likelihood of broad adoption within the next year; of broad adoption within the next year;

the second, adoption within two to three the second, adoption within two to three years, and the third, adoption within four years, and the third, adoption within four

to five years.to five years.

Technologies to watch (2)Technologies to watch (2)

User-created content (adoption horizon: 1 User-created content (adoption horizon: 1 year)year)

Social networking (adoption horizon: 1 year)Social networking (adoption horizon: 1 year) Mobile phones (adoption horizon: 2/3 years)Mobile phones (adoption horizon: 2/3 years) Virtual worlds (adoption horizon: 2/3 years)Virtual worlds (adoption horizon: 2/3 years) The new scholarship and emerging forms of The new scholarship and emerging forms of

publication (adoption horizon: 4/5 years)publication (adoption horizon: 4/5 years) Massively multiplayer educational gaming Massively multiplayer educational gaming

(adoption horizon: 4/5 years)(adoption horizon: 4/5 years)

User-User-ccreated reated ccontentontent

It’s all about the audience, and the “audience” is It’s all about the audience, and the “audience” is no longer merely listening. User-created content no longer merely listening. User-created content is all around us, from blogs and photostreams to is all around us, from blogs and photostreams to wikibooks and machinima clips. Small tools and wikibooks and machinima clips. Small tools and easy access have opened the doors for almost easy access have opened the doors for almost anyone to become an author, a creator, or a anyone to become an author, a creator, or a

filmmaker. These filmmaker. These bits of contentbits of content represent a new represent a new form of contribution and an increasing trend form of contribution and an increasing trend

toward authorship that is happening at almost all toward authorship that is happening at almost all levels of experience.levels of experience.

Social Social nnetworkingetworking

Increasingly, this is the reason students log on. Increasingly, this is the reason students log on. The websites that draw people back again and The websites that draw people back again and again are those that connect them with friends, again are those that connect them with friends, colleagues, or even total strangers who have a colleagues, or even total strangers who have a

shared interest. Social networking may represent shared interest. Social networking may represent a key way to increase student access to and a key way to increase student access to and

participation in course activities. It is more than participation in course activities. It is more than just a friends list; truly engaging just a friends list; truly engaging

social networkingsocial networking offers an opportunity to offers an opportunity to contribute, share, communicate, and collaborate.contribute, share, communicate, and collaborate.

Road beyond horizonRoad beyond horizon

"This Polish syndrome gets worse with age. With growing "This Polish syndrome gets worse with age. With growing age young Poles trust each other and cooperate less and age young Poles trust each other and cooperate less and less. Current research demonstrates very well that the less. Current research demonstrates very well that the level of trust, to be followed by readiness to level of trust, to be followed by readiness to common activity, is impressive with younger teens, but with older teens goes down gradually to that of adults" (Szkoła bez przemocySzkoła bez przemocy project, November 2006 - March project, November 2006 - March 2007, prof. Janusz Czapliński)2007, prof. Janusz Czapliński)

Thank you!Thank you!

This presentation is available at:This presentation is available at:

http://ifa.amu.edu.pl/~swlodekhttp://ifa.amu.edu.pl/~swlodek