The use of technology in education and distance learning are the hot topics on everyone’s lips at the moment. With outcomes of the recent Further Education Learning Technology Action Group (FELTAG) report insisting 10% of the content of all publically funded courses should be solely online by the 2015/16, digital methods of teaching and learning have never looked more appealing.
Opinion on the delivery of qualifications via digital means is divided, however. Some have suggested that distance learning opens doors to learners who don’t have the financial means or physical ability to attend courses at educational institutions, such as Ruth Womak, a learner with physical and mental conditions that made it difficult to take on a full educational course without additional help.
FELTAG supported the validity of online learning, arguing that it aims to “encourage ‘learner presence’ rather than ‘physical attendance’”, emphasising the point that education delivered digitally does not mean a loss of quality. Online learning can be varied and tailored to learners’ needs. It can range from free lectures and webinars, to full FE and HE courses that are accredited and certificated, thus opening the education door to the disadvantaged.
Online courses also have the potential to reach a far wider audience than classroom-based learning, without diluting the course content or treating learners as a monolithic entity (some have expressed concerns about the lack of face-to face-contact). Learners are given the opportunity to carry out the course at their own pace, often with the option to contact a tutor should they need additional help.
Of course, not everyone is in favour of the online approach and it has been argued that rather than offering a solution for disadvantaged learners, distance learning actually widens the gap in society as courses that require physical attendance will be solely for the privileged, while online learning will be a blanket option for the rest of society.
Access to technology is also an issue; there is a correlation between limited access to digital means and technology and low finances. This could potentially exclude learners who are not socially mobile as they may not be able to afford the technology necessary to carry out distance or online learning. In addition, many online course providers are looking to monetise their services; learners can complete the courses for free but may need to pay in order to have their achievement certificated, or pay for additional modules.
There’s no doubt that distance and online learning is a balancing act, and providers must find a solution that aids both them and their learners. It has the opportunity to provide disadvantaged and even housebound learners with an education that they’d otherwise never receive, but also comes with obstacles and pitfalls.
At NCFE, we support online learning technology and are always looking at new, innovative ways to support learners with online resources, online assessment and our recently launched NCFE Learning Hub.
What do you think? Is distance learning a viable solution for learners who can’t take a course at a college, or is it further widening the gap between those who find education accessible and those who don’t?
