The Unisa Cambridge Conference in Open, Distance and e-Learning 2013

Change and Continuity

The Role of Regional Networks in Online and Distance Learning

Anne Gaskell and Roger Mills

OUTLINE

• Change and continuity• Distributed systems in distance education• Regional centres and their function• Change in organisations with regional and

local structures• A case study of change and continuity in the

Open University UK• Issues for discussion

CHANGE AND CONTINUITY

EVOLUTIONARY – natural selection

• Gradual• Cataclysmic• Punctuated

Direction of change – trends can be reversed

www.cals.ncsu.edu

Distributed systems in distance education

• Never established e.g University of Phoenix, University of London

• Established but abandoned early e.g Athabasca• Franchised systems for student support e.g

Fernuniversität• Development of regional autonomy e.g. Open

University of China• Significant change OUUK• Steady development IGNOU and NIOS

The Functions of Regionsin Distance Teaching

• Regional and local academic, learning and teaching support

• Regional and local administrative activities• Regional and national economic growth• Civic and community engagement• Regional autonomy

Unisa Regional Centres

Directions to our centres

Maps of our facilities

Unisa Regional Centres in:Eastern Cape

The Open University UK

BelfastBirminghamBristol CardiffCambridgeEast GrinsteadEdinburghGatesheadLondonLeedsManchesterMilton Keynes (HQ) NottinghamOxford

13 OU regions

The Open University of China

Change in organisations with regional structures

• Banks

• Bookshops

• From the high street to online…and back?

Regional Change in the OU UK 1971-2009

• 1971-1975 Growth in regional activityAppointments of academics as Staff Tutors and Senior

Counsellors

• 1975-1990 Development and consolidation• 1990-2002 Devolution to regions of

administrative, marketing and business/community development activities

• 2002 Centralisation with the development of ICTs

Issues for discussion• What is the future for regional networks in dedicated distance

education institutions with increasing developments in ICTs? What is the impact of social media such as Twitter and Facebook?

• How would institutions quality assure face-to-face local

tuition (where offered) if there were no regional centres?

• How important is it for national distance teaching institutions to have a regional presence for community engagement, publicity and economic development?

• What are the opportunities for distance teaching institutions

to franchise some of their tutorial and student support work to other organisations?

Thank you for your attention

Anne Gaskell afg25@cam.ac.uk

Roger Mills arm50@cam.ac.uk