EducationAre we ready for it?

Brian MulliganInstitute of Technology, Sligo, Ireland.

HEAnet National Networking Conference 

Kilkenny, 15th – 16th November 2007 

Hypothesis

• Educational media now cheap to store and transmit.

• Ease of production is the key to increased adoption.

But what if it was extremely easy to produce?

In the near future• Every classroom equipped with:

– PC and data projector– Microphone– Interactive whiteboard– Internet connection

• Easy – web-casting

• screen, whiteboard and audio

– recording– publishing

• No need for camera or technical help.

Implications

• No need for students to attend class

• Easy access for lifelong learners

• Strain on infrastructure?– Let’s do the sums

Sums

• 100,000 students

• Each student downloads 1 hour per day (100Mb)

• 100Mb x 100,000 = 10 Terabytes per day

• 116 Mb/sec = 925 Mbit/sec (average)

• 16 Gbit/sec = (peak)

But how soon will this happen?

• Let’s look at one small Department– Dept. of Mechanical and Electronic

Engineering, IT Sligo– Online Distance Learning

• Years: 2002 – 2007• Students: 5 – 275• programme years: 1 – 10• Hours recording per week ~ 50

– “mainstreamed”

How was this growth achieved?

• Using a communications based approach– Content generation optional

Interactive class website(asynchronous)

Live class broadcasts(synchronous)

Content not necessary

IT Sligo’s Rapid Development Model for Online Learning

Evening Classes - online

• Live classes over the Internet– Reduced hours; recordings also available

• Textbook• Handouts

– Existing Word, PPT + websites

• Independent Learning– Assignments, support, feedback

• Communication via LMS (VLE – Moodle)• Examination and Accreditation

Advantages

• No investment in content.

• Very few new skills for lecturers

• Less time to delivery

• Human interaction– Process familiar to learners

Communication NOT Content

Could distance learning disappear?

• OR could all education be available as distance?– Take 1 daytime module– Add lecture broadcasting + recording– Add independent learning activities– Mix well in your VLE

Any course can be a distance education course!

But are we ready for it?