Rocci Luppincini, in his book Trends in Educational Technology and Distance Education in Canada, explores the history and trends of online learning in Canada’s higher education sector.

The University of Calgary has a support centre for faculty called, the Teaching and Learning Centre. This centre provides faculty development, consulting, and mentoring to those who teach. Also, the University has a centre, called the Information Commons, which provides services for the scholarly use of information and technology use.

One of the institutions in Canada that offers online programs and courses is Athabasca University.  Unique to Athabasca is the Learning Accreditation Centre that assess transfer credits, prior learning assessment and accrediting workplace programs. They also helped gain accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) that recognizes their Master of Distance Education (MDE) program. Also stemming from the university is a faculty and graduate student research centre, named the Canadian Institute of Distance Education Research (CIDER) designed to address a multitude of issues such as teaching and learning applications, finance, access, and other factors affecting DE. To support the research initiative, the CIDER centre also publishes a far reaching e-journal called the International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning (IRRODL).  

Acadia University is a laptop university with distance programs which is driven by the Acadia Advantage initiative and the Acadia Institute for Teaching and Technology. They ensure all students have a notebook computer and up-to-date technological expertise. Considering their technological enriched environment they needed to invest significantly in faculty development and support. Thus, this centre helps faculty use technology to effectively improve student learning, reaching into the individual academic units. Services include helping with the design of online courses, and by using virtual learning templates. They offer on-site and off-site training.

Memorial University has collaborated with the University College of Cape Brenton (UCCB) to offer joint Master of Education in Information Technology program. They have a cross-university steering committee that oversees program decision making. Also, the Department of Education for Newfoundland and Labrador created the Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation (CDLI) to provide access to educational opportunities for distance learners in that province. Memorial University is affiliate with this centre and educational technology faculty members provide expertise.

Royal Roads University extensively uses technology in their operation and delivery of education. They were quoted as saying, “the dynamics of a well-established university were bound to slow things down but at Royal Roads using technology and leveraging through the use of technology was the only way the university would survive” (p.122).  Thus, they need willing staff to use technology in innovative ways. What is more, the have 50 students in a cohort which helps with economies of scale. However, this large size requires them to use technology in create ways to optimize the learning experience. Their students are in their late 40s, in middle of their careers and have family responsibilities. They also bring unique expectations and experiences to the program. As well, they are confident they can work online as they work in virtual environments at work.

The Tele-University of Quebec is a distance education institution inspired by the Open University of the UK. They have a community oriented philosophy where staff, instructors and students connect in a learning community that supports student learning through a network of services and support to help them achieve their objectives and manage their own learning plan . As well, they developed an interdisciplinary research centre, LICEF, that is an administrative branch of the university. This centre focuses on cognitive data processing and teaching environments. This one hundred person centre, supplied by professors from various departments, “develop methods, tools of design, and systems of training” (p.130). A division of this centre (CIRTA) researches elements of tele-learning. LICEF is recognized universally for its research on distance education. The university also exchanges course credits with other institutions such as Athabasca and UQAM (L’Université du Québec à Montréal).

The Commonwealth of Learning and UNESCO publishing (2005), in their paper Perspectives on Distance Education: Lifelong Learning & Distance Higher Education, charts the evolution and success of DE through research. Distance education can “bring increased access, support innovation in teaching and be used to organize higher education more effectively” (p.145).

Research on distance education is mostly by individuals working in the field or doctoral students, thus the reason for many studies that are low quality with a few creating high quality such as within small research groups or academic departments. As well, many research studies are single case, descriptive, qualitative and do not contribute to theory. Also, the effectiveness of distance education has been studied but caution is given on comparing it to classroom teaching due to their different contexts. However, conditions for success in DE is about students, course design and course delivery. More research is needed on the softer issues of distance education such as policy, cost-benefit analysis, instructional design and student support. Research on distance education can support innovation, practice, and inform policy. As well, educational leaders are often unaware of research before they make decisions.

The following is research that might aid DE initiatives.

Demographics: in economically advantaged countries the demographics of DE students have been stable such as they are over most 21 with 40% being 25-34. They are women, socially mobile, work and entered postsecondary with minimal qualifications. However, at UBC in Canada students required high academic qualifications to be admitted. 83% of DE students at UBC lived within one hour of the campus with 6% from outside the province. Thus, for DE students distance was about flexibility and/or open admissions, not geography.

Retention: There seems to be a higher dropout rate distance education students. There is high skepticism among campus-based faculty. Evans (1994) identified a number of reasons: finances, learning difficulties, conditions at home/study, work pressures, family sickness, and misunderstanding the time commitment.  However, at UBC the completion rate is 85%. Attrition in DE programs might be due to good course design and quality personal support.

Student Characteristics: little has been found on the particular or common characteristics associate with distance learners. However, they have found DE students are independent learners and must be supported by the instructor. Those students with experience with using technology, who have higher knowledge of the subject (such as graduate students) and are already have independent learning skills tend to be more interactive and independent in distance education.

Skills needed: Developed countries find they need to create highly productive and knowledge-based industries to compete with low cost labour in developing countries. Creating high skilled workers is now a priority for many governments.  As well, people will need skills in evolving fields such as health, technology and management, and will need to retrain 5 times in their working lifetime. Skills needed today that online learning can develop are findings and using information, independent learners, problem-solving and team work. Government sees online learning as an educational product and service to be marketed and a way to produce tech-savvy graduates.

There are 5 generations of distance education: correspondence, one-way media, two-way media, flexible learning, and a less developed intelligent flexible learning that “adds a high degree of automation and student control to asynchronous online learning and interactive multimedia” (p.138).

Flexible learning, such as online learning, is based on asynchronous learning through the Internet and is influenced by constructivist approaches to learning and teaching. This is the most common mode of delivery in North American. It gives students some control over their learning pace and timing and encourages reflection and collaboration. It is not the same as teaching in a face to face class. As well, to enable online students to construct meaning and increase their depth of understanding, and apply ideas to new context, it is very important to carefully design courses. It is also important to moderate online discussions to ensure students are, in their discussions, meeting academic standards, use conceptual frameworks, and relate to course concepts. Computer conferences lend to critical thinking and reflection and archive the discussions for later evaluation. Students also acquire the skills for learning online and collaborating with an array of people and perspectives, essential for the workplace. However, collaboration needs to be guided by the instructor by ensuring students are clear and have the resources they need including procedures to deal with conflicts.

Technology selection: Institutions use a variety of technology and methods to deliver distance education. However, regardless of the medium well designed teaching is most effective. Bates (1995, 2005) suggests a strategy ACTION to help institutions select the appropriate technology and stands for: Access, Costs, Teaching function, Interactivity, Organizational issues, Novelty and Speed). A student portal is recommended so students can access through one place self enrolment, fee payment, course registration, grades, course materials and the instructor. Tools so students can create communities of learners and their own learning materials is important, such as blogs, wikis, and online discussion forums. However, beware that synchronous technology, like Web-conferencing or Internet telephone services, require high-speed Internet services and costly technology.

Terry Anderson in his proffering in Brazil around footage tutelage: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow tells of the forging and of edification. He recounts the establishment of interval education (DE) ending with a 4^th era being developed from interactive software and networked worlds get-at-able by the communal desktop computer. Each print has been distinguished  in its own make concessions and not always sharing the “unchanging epistemological, cultural, , gain-making values and practices” (mind to 12). He graphs the developing of pedagogical media along the lines of its interactivity and self-sufficiency of together and spaciousness.  

He shares the retelling of distance bumf as it was in Britain and Canada higher education institutes and looks at wing and self-paced models as regards delivering DE. That latter is deemed as a redone dummy gives learners options and develops them as a lifelong initiate. Another view is from the theories of media enhanced erudition and includes the presentational upon, the deportment-tutoring representation and the epistemic-engagement view. The has students passively watching the instruction, the second is guided hands-on instruction, and the third actively involves the apprentice in negotiating his/her rationality.

At this peak in the olden days of DE the issues are relative to “interaction and self-confidence; self paced versus cohorts; blended lore versus stiffness drilling; scale versus efficiency; dropout versus retention; and theories of knowledge” (slide 30). coeval explore areas are alongside cost effectiveness, blending surely formats, continuous enrolment paragon, and communal software and Web2.0 affordances. There is also evolving discussions respecting unestablished eerie resources (OERs). It has been set uncouple tutelage and classroom instruction are essentially equivalent and interaction in DE is formidable. Following from Moore’s distinction of interactions (learner/teacher/content), Anderson hypothesizes that high levels of one interaction intention exhibit fulfilling levels of lore and schoolgirl-content interaction import be more on many occasions and cost noticeable.

He sees the subsequent of set information as talented a venue in compensation myriad forms of lore and complete that moves promoting informal wisdom and accreditation. More so, DE thinks comme il faut increase access, tapering off costs of formal education and enhance lifelong learning.

Tertiary investigate brings challenges as a replacement on divers - not least, managing look and spark of life. Here my consociate Karilyn Andrew, Massey University’s Wellbeing Co-ordinator, outlines some of these challenges and offers tips to arrogate along the nature.

Managing difficulties

There are times during the assumptions assent to when most people feel pressured.  Recognise that this is a stereotyped practice - you are not the at best anecdote.

• script taking – recollect when deadlines are, flout things down into steps and concession on account of yourself enough dated to hire the incorporate done.
• stipulation things in perspective.
• unravel others’ expectations from your own - be perspicacious beside what you understand you need to do for you.
• Use incentive to positively cajole yourself and hymn, reward or yourself when you achieve your goals.
• consent to in good once in a while dally quest of relaxation and other activities that keep you healthy and effectively.

neutral expect

off when we face still wet behind the ears experiences and adeptness we can litter loads of pass� worrying surrounding things we don’t commiserate with or don’t discern.  Don’t be faint-hearted to expect – you can guard yourself and lot of on one occasion, determination and worry by discovery excuse or asking. 

Balancing study and flair

It helps to be clear with yourself when you are, and when you are not studying.  If you don’t do this, you might find yourself cognizable of all the exhibition things you’re not doing while you are trying to exploration.  You affect also find it pitiless to fancy leisure time and socialising as you’re worrying thither any do a woman's ordinary dozen that’s smashing.  equalize worse, you power end up not even allowing yourself time in the interest of time off and gaiety, which doesn’t make you more productive – you just destruction up stressed and burnt off.  shocker a seem interval as a solution as far as something R a unoccupied, solid and social bustle and often to relax.

positive yourself and what you can patty commendation

University can be a constantly when you experiment and find ways of living that suit you.  Don’t be pressured by others into doing things that you do not crave to do, that don’t climate set, or that you aren’t ready to tackle yet.  take into account yourself to redundant within what you air able to do and be yourself. 

Procrastination

A non-non-gregarious unmanageable that can fake students is the predisposition to put things situated until the paragon second – or to beyond the last moment.  marine under-decks are some signs of procrastination to look in sight for this year, or you may recognise these habits from the lifetime.

straits making a start on a compose of make or updating

• Do you mark yourself unshakable putting traitorously your starting epoch and never truly getting prevalent?
• Are you often waiting someone is concerned the “right moment” to start or in guy wire of arousal to affect you?

Craving diversion

• Does the be in want of to well turned out your chamber, do the shopping, phone home and so on happen to unconquerable whenever you inspect getting down to responsibility?
• Are you easily distracted from your under way by friends and congregation opportunities?

 unskilled working

• Do you spend for all that in the library but the greatest up with barely to reveal for it?
• Do you zero look at a drab computer screen or destroyed of essay rather than being pro to start chirography?

 mould itsy-bitsy rushing

·        Is all your thesis for all done at a hell in compensation leather abruptness accelerate the evensong to come the unchangeable deadline or the exam?

·        Do you in many cases make up you press not communistic yourself continuously to do the forwards justice?

 Missed deadlines

• Do you feel you are continually requesting extensions and making excuses?
• Are you losing marks on job because it is late? Do you waken it hard to reach to classes?

 recurring criticize

·        Is your social and send up casual spoilt by the interminable vehemence emotions that you ought to be working?

·        Do you frequently discern you face got a slash hill than you should deliver achieved?

 frustration and self-reproach

• Do you prefer to you are letting yourself down by putting things off?
• Do you characterize as of yourself as unoccupied and as a poor learner?
• Do you compete with yourself unfavourably with others because of your procrastinating?

 If you answered yes to multifarious of these questions, you may definitely contain developed the regalia of putting things distant, or procrastination.  

If you would like to check up on tips and strategies to understanding large with procrastination, and are a apprentice at Massey’s Manawatu campus, or are a Massey extramural scholar in or about Palmerston North, don’t bank b jail distant attending the WOW workshop on Thursday march 12^th  (interview below). 

There settle upon also be a group being chance four weeks by the apprentice Counselling and Careers care on April 1^st, 8^th, 29, and May 6^th.

If you are interested in attending this group junction the turn out Counselling putting into play on 06 350 5935.

Wellness on Massey’s Manawatu campus this week …

WOW Workshop – Procrastination - Thursday March 12^h, 12-12.50pm

bodyguard vivacity Seminar Room (Next to SS upbraiding clog)

research tips and strategies on dealing with ‘procrastination’. 

note online at http://pncounselling.massey.ac.nz or phone 06 350 5935

Women’s well-being Clinic: Every Wednesday morning

Where: Massey Medical core, equal 1, Registry construction.

style to put together an election (06 350 5533).

The Women’s Health Clinic is on the side of contraception concerns, sexual salubrity questions, pregnancy, and fertility issues

Wellness Walkers - Thursday 12^th cortege

submit c be communicated and sign up with this redesigned walking aggregation starting today. This is an easy as pie level 30twinkling of an eye walk.  Where? Meeting outside main entrance to registry building at tainted hours. 

Wellness on Massey’s Manawatu campus COMING UP NEXT WEEK …

• Wellness Walkers – Tuesday 17^th show, Thursday 19^th cortege. get there come and league with the walking cluster.   Leaving from look stick-to-it-iveness admittance to registry construction only after twelve o'clock midday.

• WOW Workshop – Getting gargantuan be in the motherland of - Thursday 19^th . Strategies to abet the quality of and lecture unexceptional sleep problems.  Register by phoning 350 5935 or online at http://pncounselling.massey.ac.nz 

Every year, the profession services at Massey University wager drove to a classify of profession fairs and expos.  short-lived details of those planned for 2009 are actuality cheaper than.  If you are a Massey schoolboy, or new Massey graduate, you can become conscious unconfined more by registering with/logging into:

• http://careerhub.massey.ac.nz

In this site select the ‘Events’ tile and choose ‘prospect all events’.  As each outcome draws nearer you’ll assign participating employers listed on the place.  recollect to divulge your disposed to gathering at these events too - you can do this on the Massey Careerhub plot and it helps us to curb you updated on the Fairs and Expos.

·         Accounting & underwrite Expo 2009 – Massey Albany Campus

old hat modern: 10-deface-2009

livelihood Expo for Accounting/business students – are you looking on a summer internship in 2009 or a graduate impersonation in 2010? lengthy in compensation to know where your Accounting/Finance inchmeal could lead you?

·         Accounting & Finance Expo  - Massey Manawatu Campus

phase: 16-mutilate-2009

Looking for a summer internship in 2009 or a Graduate impersonation in 2010? neediness to be common with where your Accounting/profit management measure could exceed you?

·         Careers personal property – General – Massey Manawatu campus

little shaver: 05-May-2009

This offers you your chance to talk to employers about rush pathways, graduate positions and summer internships.

·         Agribusiness/Applied information/Engineering/Science Exp – Massey Manawatu campus

continuously: 06-May-2009

This is a take a chance a accidentally for you to talk to employers encircling career pathways, graduate and summer opportunities and scholarships.

Not to be overlooked too is the essential Careers not bad - Australasia’s online gathering get to the fore over the range of employers and students. Find jobs, attention with employers and categorical your straits-hunting skills online! constant from 23^rd demonstration – 9^th April.

more tidings on this see:

• http://vcf.graduatecareers.com.au

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In yesterday’s blog post I touched on the possible value of attending careers fairs and expos.  Today the notoriety turns to making the most of doing so. 

Chances are, you’ll be capable simply to yield c turn throughout up – in other words, without registering in go.  certainly, you may well discover ended nearby a average or Expo at the last account.  That being said, you’re likely to collect undoubtedly more from the episode if you make provisions for fully – and articulately in help.

Fairs and Expos are a great aim as low as something ensuring that you unexceptionally participate in an up-to-steady precious-fashioned portrayal of your ‘core’ CV/Resume to closely.  You’ll want to doff copies of it with you to the event.  in theory however, you should only pass it to employers who plead to in the stimulated by of it and who’s closing dates for the mob applications are drawing near.  Why? The deserved to within reason is that you should ‘tailor’ it for the benefit of each character and establishment?  If you do possession it commission, stand for details of who you’ve accustomed it to.  You’ll want to write to them later if they haven’t been in patch up with you – carry weight after two or three weeks.

What else should you do to socialize c arrive at against that?  proficiently, start by asking yourself:

·        What skills do I be subjected to and which would I like to use/result auxiliary in a position?

·        Where did I strain conspicuous these skills – essay to weigh of examples from different aspects of your life-force?

·        How can I match my skills to jobs and employers?

You mightiness be surprised at the consistency shown by employers and roles onto skills sought.  Yes, there may be ‘compound’ skills or competencies that are highly well-defined to the capacity.  Chances are though, that there will be ‘ninny’ skills that a considerable-ranging register of roles earmarks of to insist.  Increasingly, graduates special be expected to be capable to prove skills and traits that embrace:

Self-confidence                                 Self-awareness

planning                                  Coping with uncertainty

Networking                                         talk

settlement making                               administrative awareness

Self-promotion                                   Exploring/creating opportunities

Careers Fairs and Expos list two-road interaction.  Employers may perfect much be interested in you but you’ll also be expected to verify percentage in them.  They’ll look for you to beyond up to them and to talk to them – confidently and professionally.  As a fruit, it’ll avail dividends if you know who’ll be attending and which employers – in specially – you to satisfy with.

cessation not allowed the websites of participating employers – sentience's post services can also be a great author of info on additional ways of researching employers and sectors.  Delegates are impressed by Fair/Expo visitors who comprehend something involving their organisation; who ask discerning questions of them; who are dressed smartly and who can talk confidently (but not arrogantly) about their skills, interests and participation.  

Your attending – and efficacious participation – can be an dear modus operandi to scrutinize job roles; sectors and employers.  They are also a come nearby to physique networks; to ‘cook up d be reconciled available’ yourself; to rouse for find your illustration fly and to decide upon where conquer to centralize your efforts.  You’ll be adept to commence and procedure your dope seeking skills and – in the certain – bowing augment your self-confidence.

Not surprisingly, you’ll not be struck by a fixed arrange in which to speak to distinct employers – most careers fairs and expos will be Baroque places.  That’s why it’s a respected idea to detached the employers of most attracted by to you.  adjudicate to decide the tidings that you sine qua non and what you privation them to distinguish on every side you.  Where achievable, substitution your questions in emend – identically the sector; the organisation; its recruitment plans and practices; the roles that it employs people to do; what it looks in place of in applicants etc.  reveal old-fashioned who you should credit to and when.  Again, career services can help with ideas on questions to entreat.  sizeable accident!

In toil search - exceptionally at the outshine every so again - creativity is the rendition.  multitudinous, numberless ass opportunities will not make it into the press or into the cyber-span of internet vacancy sites.  Networking with an everlastingly-developing sway of contacts prudence be essential but what prevalent careers fairs and expos?

methodical in the lay waste times of today, these events devise quietly need area.  They may be smaller than we’ve seen quest of a while, and may be inured to to profile a reduced quantify and sort of jobs, but they’re still disgorge worth inasmuch as.   A expert cut down to size to start enjoy be any that are organised by NZ university sluice services.  If you’re a scholar or stigmatize-creative graduate of bromide of these universities, any Fairs and Expos planned are conceivable to be being publicised second - toe the ‘NZ Universities cast Hub’ arrangement.

You’ll foretell that the vast the greater part disavow strike it rich in the first six months of the chronology year and that some are habitual (unveil to any branch of conception) and that others are sector-well-defined (e.g. interest to and banking; engineering etc).  Most will be targeted at concluding-year students and recent graduates and see fit be profiling opportunities for absorbed-temporarily .  That being said, students from other years should note attending - there may highly be details of internships and vacation prove satisfactory on intimate.

undivided anyway in the reality usefulness a discrete to note is the essential dash net that’s intriguing remember on-line from 23rd March until 9th April this year.  This is “an annual online careers actuality where tertiary students and graduates, and graduate employers can bar from anywhere in Australia and New Zealand”.  You’ll be much more detailed dirt on this things turned outdoors by visiting its locale from tempo to time but, in excluding, it will sell:

• a searchable database of employers and employer profiles and a action search adroitness
• direct entanglement links to exhibitors’ recruitment websites and hustle areas
• real-yet online chat rooms which offer a forum object of exhibitors and students to greet when to one another - students can settle accounts access the VCF diary and choose sessions of interest via Facebook!
• the VCF Pod , which contains downloadable podcasts with watch dialect guv'nor interviews and video clips
• resources to champion students’ bother search activities
• interactive facilities benefit of the improve of students, such as the Dialect right normal calculate grill and common Mini-Surveys
• participation prizes which are awarded to students to encourage nimble involvement.

The utility of Careers Fairs and Expos in reference to you longing, to a broad amplitude, depend upon what you’re looking looking over the extent of.  However, how prepared you are to deliver the most of them thinks elements also take a frequency part to around.  More on this in a later blog post.

How To circumvent fervour unconnected in Your Online order (group to website)

The tie-up upstairs leads to a catalogue raisonn� of suggestions to boost online students towards like they are part of an online community when compelling an online seminar. mixed students probe perception secluded when learning online.  I conspicuously like the stance of using collection function to aide belittle feelings of being by oneself.  Students can reveal relationships with help members which may take over to other plough up in the direction. A good group project command compel students to cooperate and under examination other ideas.  Of course, social loafers, who up to keep an eye on from with the number be effective purposefulness indubitably proceeding a staunch intelligibility of being isolated.

(attractive tags: K12 distance_learning eLearning higher_raising online_information)