Cost effectiveness and/or cost efficiency in distance learning is an important subject area.
In his book “The Costs and Economics of Open and Distance Learning”, Pr.Greville Rumble exposed this evidence matter, in institutions teaching by digital means. He proved by measures and a case study on Open University that using distance learning not only saves money but also improves the learning experience.
As many researches explored these subjects, USA's politicians from Jeb Bush to President Obama seem to like hyping the revolutionary power and cost-effectiveness of digital learning.
On November 19th, 2014, the White House published a fact sheet stating that “President Obama hosts school leaders and educators from across the country at the White House for “ConnectED to the Future,” a day-long convening to explore the potential of education technology and the innovations needed to bring America’s schools into the digital age.”
At the event, the President expressed his will to make the necessary effort to assist school leaders in their transition to digital learning. This support and interest follows his plan “to connect 99 percent of America’s students high-speed broadband internet in their schools and libraries”. The President will applaud superintendents across the country that will collaborate with students, educators, and parents to become “Future Ready.”
Quotes
“ways that digitality works to cross the boundaries within and across traditional learning institutions. How do collaborative, interdisciplinary, multi-institutional learning spaces help to transform traditional”
Cathy N. Davidson,
The Future
of Learning
Institutions
in a Digital Age
IS DIGITAL LEARNING / EDUCATION
EFFICIENT?
But the US NEPC’s (National Education Policy Center) new study “Report urges Caution on Approaches Equating Technology in Schools with Personalized Learning” (Nov. 24, 2014) suggests, in many cases, that digital learning is neither more powerful nor cheaper than old-fashioned teaching.
In fact, Noel Enyedy, UCLA researcher who performed this study, supported his position by explaining that “Lots of different kinds of digital initiatives are already in use but in most cases researchers don't really know what works and what doesn't. That means the consumers — local school districts — are buying blind. Making things even harder for those districts are buzzwords like "personalized instruction" and "personalized learning" that sound great — particularly to a superintendent worried about missing the digital bandwagon — but are a bit nebulous, like an "organic" label.”
As part of his work, Enyedy looked at two types of digital learning: online-only and blended learning.
Blended learning is an approach that combines digital innovation with traditional teaching.
Presenting a MOOC on blended learning, the MOOC platform Coursera introduced this type of learning as “a new educational model with great potential to increase student outcomes and create exciting new roles for teachers.”
More specifically, Margaret Driscoll, Consultant at IBM, who’s known for her work on Digital Learning and who published the second edition of her book “Web-Based Training”, said that “One of the topics that required updating was blended learning”. She thus gave a clear and concise definition of blended learning:
“blend·ed learn·ing v.
1. To combine or mix modes of web-based technology (e.g., live virtual classroom, self-paced instruction, collaborative learning, streaming video, audio, and text) to accomplish an educational goal.
2. To combine various pedagogical approaches (e.g., constructivism, behaviorism, cognitivism) to produce an optimal learning outcome with or without instructional technology.
3. To combine any form of instructional technology (e.g., videotape, CD-ROM, web-based training, film) with face-to-face instructor-led training.
4. To mix or combine instructional technology with actual job tasks in order to create a harmonious effect of learning and working.”
A good example of blended learning would be the use of BL at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Below a way chart on how they use BL at MIT.
Dr.Enyedy, drawing on various studies, claims that online-only learning had no effect on student accomplishment but more importantly sometimes had a negative effect. The impacts of blended learning were more mixed, however in situations where it enhanced student learning, it likewise cost more than regular teaching methods.
Exploring key influencers who are in favour of using technology for learning, I came across the website: www.gettingsmart.com and learnt about Tom Vander Ark, author, CEO of Getting Smart, an education advocacy firm and partner in Learn Capital, an education venture capital firm investing in edtech startups.
Watch this TED talk from Tom Vander Ark
Takeaway:
Digital Learning is changing the way we see schooling and teaching and moreover, training employees.
It’s evident that in order to get the most of both learning methods, we need to invest in infrastructures, in training teachers and in changing mindsets.
But how much time, money, energy and skills do we have to invest in order to create the future of learning? and are we even going to get to an equal result worldwide? how fair this will be? are children in Sierra Leone going to have the same qualitative learning as in the United States? are employees at an European Group will be trained like employees in a Thai one? Obviously no.
“FACT SHEET: ConnectED to the Future.” Whitehouse.gov. Accessed November 28, 2014. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/embeds/footer>
“Report Urges Caution on Approaches Equating Technology in Schools with Personalized Learning | National Education Policy Center.” Accessed November 28, 2014. <http://nepc.colorado.edu/newsletter/2014/11/Personalized-instruction>
Huntsberry, Will. “Is Digital Learning More Cost-Effective? Maybe Not.” NPR.org. Accessed November 28, 2014. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2014/11/25/366401940/is-digital-learning-more-cost-effective-maybe-not>
“Blended Learning at MIT,” n.d. <http://web.mit.edu/training/trainers/resources/blended_learning_at_mit.pdf>
Driscoll, Margaret. “Blended Learning: Let’s Get Beyond the Hype,” n.d. <http://www-07.ibm.com/services/pdf/blended_learning.pdf>
Mikropoulos, T.A. “ON THE PEDAGOGY OF OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING SYSTEMS,” n.d. <http://earthlab.uoi.gr/earthlab_files/articles/ODLPedagogy.pdf>
Gibbons, Heather S., and George P. Wentworth. “Andrological and Pedagogical Training Differences for Online Instructors.” Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration 4, no. 3 (September 15, 2001). <http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall43/gibbons_wentworth43.html>