The Role of Virtual Universities and Distance Education In the Formation of New Generations

Dr Muhammad Khan HOD, International Relations

NDU Pakistan

LiteracyLiteracy means, to be able to read and write. It used to be the privilege of a few.

Today education comprises more years of life, more days per year and more hours per day for more people than at any time before.

Free education is a human right for all, but not a reality for all.

The potential of the latest information technologies for expanding opportunities for education are immense.

There is little doubt that the World Wide Web (WWW) bridges barriers of time and space in the delivery of knowledge through online instruction.

Concept of Virtual University

A student in Mauritius sitting an exam set by the University of London might not sound especially remarkable these days. But it certainly was in 1865, when the citizens of the Indian Ocean island became the first to host a University of London examination outside of London and, by extension, the world's first degree-level distance learners.

Concept of Virtual University The term "virtual university" is used to describe any organization that provides higher education programs through electronic devices such as the computer.

Virtual universities are increasingly meeting the educational demands of students in various parts of the world.

Since its inception, virtual universities themselves have experienced growth and improvement owing to a rapid advancement in technology.

Their growth amongst other things offers benefits such as providing own Satellite TV Networks, Lectures CDs, pre-developed Notes, best possible exams systems, and above all providing Distance Learning System.

Virtual University of Pakistan

Virtual University of PakistanVirtual University (VU) of Pakistan is the country’s first university based completely on modern Information and Communication Technologies.

Brainchild of Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rehman.

Virtual University of Pakistan started in 2002 with 18 campuses. Now there are over 200 campuses of VU of Pakistan all over the country.

Its mission is to provide extremely affordable world class education to aspiring students and flung areas of the country.

Virtual University of Pakistan…. Continued

Currently around 85,000 students are enrolled in the VU, where two top disciplines are related to Management and Computer Sciences.

The enrollment grew in unpresidented way from about 34,000 in 2008 to 85,000 in Spring 2012

More than 15,000 students are awarded degrees.

Globalization

Gobalization in the context of Distance LearningGlobalization is the increasing flow across borders and boundaries – whether national, economic, cultural, technological, goods, services, ideas, information, images and values.

The global gaps in virtual educational opportunity are enormous, and reducing them is an amazing task.

Among the other important challenges are:

Reducing negative impacts of the brain drain from the poor to the rich countries and from disadvantaged to advantaged regions as the market for students also becomes globalized.Reducing inequalities, poverty and marginalization.Widening technological and knowledge gaps between industrialized and developing countries.

Gobalization in the context of Distance Learning....continuedReducing the widening digital divide between rich and poor nations, lest the know-nots remain have-nots;Making access to learning and educational resources via the internet more equal among countries.Increasing the number and proportion of people with a capacity to access and transmit the new knowledge being created, which requires large investments in higher education and specialized training.Increasing the number and proportion of people who can apply and advance knowledge so they can gain access to creative knowledge networks;Preventing poor countries from becoming mere spectators and obedient recipients of innovations developed in the industrialized world by boosting their capacities to contribute.

ODL Contributions towards Pakistani Society The country's ODL sector made enormous contributions in terms of the number of graduates that the Virtual University have produced and injected into society over the past 10 years.More than 50 % enrolment in virtual university of Pakistan is full time employees. Establishing better links between education and the local economy.Pakistan constitutes more than 65 % youth and without ODL, large number of young people of the country would have been marginalized.70% of people studying through distance learning are females.

United Nation and Distance Education

United Nation and Distance Education

Distance education can be closely related to ‘’sustainable development’’.The human development balance sheet still indicates deprivation. In 1996, millions of children were still out of school – 130 million at the primary level, and 275 million at the secondary level. In 2002, 113 million school-age children are not in school, 97% of them in developing countries. The 2002 Human Development Report indicates that 93 countries, with 39% of the world’s people, do not have data on trends in primary enrolments. 60% of children not in primary school worldwide are girls. Of the world’s estimated 854 million illiterate adults, 544 million are women (Elliot, 1999,UNDP, 2002).

Coursera Five prestigious U.S. universities created free online courses for students worldwide through a new, interactive education platform dubbed Coursera, announced in early 2012. Now the number of universities have increased.

Coursera.org currently teaches 1.3 million students within six months of its launch.

Coursera ….continuedIt is envisioned by many scholars where a future where the top universities are educating not only thousands of students, but millions. The technology enables the best professors to teach tens or hundreds of thousands of students.

Formation of New Generations through Open Distance Learning

The major social benefit of higher education is that it produces individuals with knowledge and skills that are valuable to society.

The following is a listing of some of the functions Virtual Universities have been doing over the years; Cultural transmission of values Social integration Promoting personal and social change Establishing social networks Offering extracurricular activities and social services

The Way Forward Open and Distance Learning, evidence shows, a better approach in Pakistan in democratizing education, poverty alleviation and the empowerment of the marginalized groups, especially women. Distance education policy needs to integrate relevant institutions’ interest, to develop strategic alliance among supporting institutions and to create collaborative networks promoting consortium of degree-granting institutions.

The Way Forward …. continuedEducational policy needs to promote “the quality education for all” to transform the developing countries into more equitable nations. With the rapid expansion in the past ten years of Virtual Universities around the world, questions remain about accreditation, assessment and reputation for quality. Not all Virtual Universities are created equal. Accreditation by a governing body is needed to assure students that the online institute has certified online instructors who have the expertise and educational qualifications to design and carry out the curriculum.

The Way Forward …. continuedCurrent distance education policy is still fragmented and utilize conventional strategy. This policy is outdated and overlooked the exiting potentials to achieve betThe governments must continue to generate research and indicators on the social impact of the Internet. ter quality of distance education system.

ConclusionIt is envisioned by many scholars where a future where the top universities are educating not only thousands of students, but millions. The technology enables the best professors to teach tens or hundreds of thousands of students.