Key words: open learning, higher education, knowledge economy, education and technology
Background
An international meeting of Executive Heads from open and distance teaching universities was held 19-22 June in New York, USA, hosted by the State University of New York Empire State College. Leaders representing institutions from 30 countries on every continent held discussions on why universities have not advanced political and societal acceptance for the open and online delivery of education.
The International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) is a network of 100 educational institutions and associations worldwide, and works to promote open and distance learning, and provide opportunities for exchange of educational best practice between countries and regions. The ICDE Standing Conference of Presidents (SCOP) is a unique annual forum for the high level and confidential exchange of information, quality enhancement strategies and policy directions.
The responsibility brought by the developing knowledge economy
Keynote Jagdish Bhagwati of Columbia University and Senior Fellow in International Economics at the Council on Foreign Relations highlighted the role of skills. He said that it is the responsibility of the western world to help meet the demand for skills in the developing world. Countries like his native India and China need to move from cultures of dependence to where they are given skills to create their own future in the knowledge economy. This developmental challenge is mirrored in institutions worldwide. The lecture is now a static resource in the category of the textbook while the responsibility of educators is to teach learning skills. In his commentary, Bruno Laporte, Director, Knowledge and Learning at the World Bank noted that educators are now connectors.
Partnership with faculty
Internal resistance from faculty to embrace technology has yet to be overcome, though criticism should rest with universities. They too frequently fail to seek dialogue with staff and instead attempt to impose the will of the administration, said Michael Fortunato, of SUNY Empire State College. Where incentives are found and faculty is engaged in shared innovation and governance we will start to see results – a culture of partnership not imposition.
Political resistance
The university community also struggles to cope with political realities. Politicians demand an instant return on investment within the period of their political term. Bruno Laporte of the World Bank advised executives to make arguments about social and economic benefits, competitiveness and the political stability that can be derived through greater development of education.
The role of technology
Tension between pedagogy and technology in the learning environment was a further key theme at the meeting which brought in both sponsorship and involvement in the programme of Pearson, CISCO, Datatel and Brite Computers. Adrian Sannier of Pearson e-College delivered a warning that public institutions are falling behind private institutions where the use of innovative technology is written into faculty employment contracts. But a note of caution was sounded by Tian Belawati, Rector of ICDE member institution Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia, that in developing economies mobile solutions and very cheap technology from China is the only means to widening access.
Meeting information, photos and videos: http://choose.esc.edu/scop2011
For information about the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE): www.icde.org/en/about/
For information about the ICDE Standing Conference of Presidents: www.icde.org/en/about/activities_and_initiatives/standing_conference_of_presidents
Contact: Carl Holmberg, Secretary General, ICDE, Mobile: +46 706 034 253, holmberg@icde.org
Contact: David Henahan, Director of Communications, SUNY Empire State College, Mobile +1 518 321 7038, david.henahan@esc.edu
New York, USA, 22 June 2011