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Gordon Suddaby, President 2010-2011, Australasian Council on Open, Distance and E-Learning (ACODE)
What has been the most promising development within ODL in your region in 2011?
There has been considerable activity in the Australasian region in the area of ODL over the past year. In my view there are three areas of real promise that have emerged. The first two follow an ACODE workshop held on Massey University’s Manawatu Campus in Palmerston North in November, 2010, on the theme of Open Educational Resources. At this workshop, the OERu (Open Education Resources University) initiative led by Professor Jim Taylor and Dr Wayne McIntosh gained considerable traction and it is now developing rapidly and involves a number of prestigious universities from around the world as well as UNESCO and the Commonwealth of Learning.
The second initiative that is of considerable interest arises from an ACODE-funded collaborative project, led by Dr Cathy Gunn of the University of Auckland, looking at the sustainability of ‘e’ innovations in learning and teaching. Dr Gunn presented a paper on her project at the recent ascilite conference in Hobart, Tasmania. The whole area of sustainability of ‘e’ innovation is one which is becoming increasingly significant as resources become more limited and technology becomes more accessible. The issue of ‘sustainability’ will continue to be of major interest and Dr Gunn’s report is a significant contribution to this area.
A further major development and a step forward in collaboration was initiated as part of the legacy projects funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) prior to its closure earlier this year. ACODE and ascilite led a consortium of kindred organisations including HERDSA, CADAD, and ODLAA as well as the companies, NetSpot and AARNet, in receiving funding for the development of a ‘National Networking Initiative’ project designed to disseminate, promote, and enhance the outcomes and practices arising from the many projects ALTC has funded over the years. The project will also facilitate the development of a mechanism for those ‘kindred’ organisations focussed on teaching and learning in higher education to work together to establish priorities for the dissemination and operationalisation of research, strategies, ideas and initiatives arising from the ALTC projects. The NNI’s goals include the enabling of a coordinated, collaborative, and integrated approach to enhancing and promoting the vision and goals established by ALTC as well as the development of a sustainable networking accord across the region.
Where do the main challenges lie in your region?
The Global Financial Crisis continues to impact on the financial resources of institutions in the region and this in turn impacts on ODL and in particular, those units that are engaged in supporting ODL within institutions. The rapid changes in technology and the increasing technological capability and expectations of the student body mean that more than ever, institutions need to have clear, robust decision-making processes regarding the selection and adoption of technology solutions for the delivery and support of their programmes, yet budget constraints mean that often, the time and/or expertise required to make these decisions is not available. Financial constraints also mean that the professional development and support required to ensure successful uptake of new technologies by academics and students is limited resulting in outcomes that are less than expected or required.
A further challenge facing institutions in this region lies in the funding models being introduced. Within the New Zealand context, caps on numbers funded by the Government and a focus on younger students and completions will have a significant impact on the availability of higher education for the ‘traditional’ ODL student i.e. older, often second chance, and part-time. In Australia, it is almost the reverse. The effective lifting of caps on students will result in a strongly competitive environment with respect to student recruitment and could threaten those institutions which have traditionally met the needs of distance students as other institutions seek to enter the ODL arena.
Finally, the closure of the Australian Learning and Teaching Council was a major shock to the higher education sector. This came ‘out of the blue’ and generated a vigorous outcry. Subsequently, the Australian Federal Government has established a new entity, the Office of Learning and Teaching within the relevant Government Department to continue much of the work of the ALTC. This organisation is in its very early days and the sector is watching with interest and hoping that it will achieve the success that ALTC achieved.