Education Are we ready for it? Brian Mulligan Institute 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?