Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:1175] The impact of online learning
From: Nichol, Cameron B (nichol.cameron.b@edumail.vic.gov.au)
Date: Tue 20 Feb 2001 - 00:25:48 MET
From: "Nichol, Cameron B" <nichol.cameron.b@edumail.vic.gov.au> Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:1175] The impact of online learning Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2001 12:25:48 +1300
Greetings all,
Ian Coward's comment got me thinking (no mean feat in itself) and I thought I'd
to put in my 5 cents worth about the impact of online learning on the future of
education generally.
>After reading the response from Lucia Cucciarelli, from the department of
>lifelong learning, I was given to wondering whether the advent of on-line
>learning could possibly spell the end of traditional education
>establishments....
I believe online learning, at the minimum, will be the toilet (or bathroom for
those in the U.S.) of learning.
When you build a house you have to include a toilet. You may not cook or sleep
in there but you would never consider not having one.
In the wealthier nations I believe every course will have some online element,
it may only be teacher email or course information on a web site. In some
courses the online component will encompass the entire architecture and include
every room in the house including the shed in the back yard.
What is more likely are Hybrid classroom / online courses. These are becoming
more ideologically acceptable as many educators (particularly in the training
field) now have enough information to evaluate the relative strengths of the
newer learning strategies. For many areas hybrid courses potentially offer a
sensible (and defensible) middle way which offers cost benefits while
maintaining a strong (and in many cases stronger) focus on learning.
cheers,
Cameron Nichol
Project Manager - Online Content
Learning Technologies Branch
Office of Post Compulsory Education Training and Employment (PETE)
Phone: 03 9637 3732
Fax: 03 9637 3160
Email: nichol.cameron.b@edumail.vic.gov.au
http://www.otfe.vic.gov.au/learningtechnologies/index.htm
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