Online courses – creating divisions in society or creating opportunities?

By: Lindsay Plumpton

Communications Leader

Monday 17 March 2014

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A Cambridge University professor, Mary Beard, has expressed concern that online open courses are in "danger" of creating divisions in society. Professor Beard has said that these courses risk setting apart the "privileged few", who receive face-to-face teaching from the "unprivileged mass" who learn via a screen.

At NCFE, we’re committed to providing learning opportunities to individuals from all backgrounds and we feel that the option of online and blended learning actually helps us to do this by granting a wider access to education and a more flexible approach. That's why we offer distance learning solutions.

Online learning offers a learner-centric approach – every student has their own way of learning and online education means that the learner can go at their own pace and plan a schedule that works for them. Not only that, but a wealth of online course materials can be accessed 24 hours a day.

The pace of technological change is accelerating and it’s vital that the education sector keeps up with this. It’s with this in mind, that we offer online resources such as our newly launched Learning Hub and Collaboration Kitchen.

What do you think? Are online courses valuable to learners who can't otherwise access face-to-face courses, or do you agree with Mary Beard?

Tags:

Technology

Authors

Lindsay Plumpton

Communications Leader
96 posts
David Grailey

Chief Executive
79 posts
Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

Policy Leader
75 posts
Esme Winch

Managing Director
35 posts
Michael Lemin

Policy and Research Manager
25 posts

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