Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ The future of the distance education university

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

What would we lose if we lost open and distance universities? This question was posed at a panel hosted by EDEN last week and available as a video here. Sir John Daniel suggests we would lose the inclusiveness agenda, the idea that higher education should be offered wiodely across society. There's also the research in new modes of learning conducted by these universities, says António Teixeira. The instititions are facing challenges from traditional universities offering their own online programs and changing demographics featuring both younger students looking for their first job and older students needing lifelong learning. Panelists also faced questions about the indistrial model that characterizes large open universities ("perhaps we should change from cabs to Uber"). This may require unbundling courses or involving the entire community in a learning network. 

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Dec 23, 2024 07:16 a.m.

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