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The NKI Internet College Based on 30 Years of Research in Distance Education

ICDE Prize Lecture

December 3rd 2001

Torstein Rekkedal

Director of Research and Development

at NKI, Norway

Development of distance education

Main factors contributing to the international development of distance education in the 70’s and 80’s:

development of new media and communication technologies increased attention, experience and possibilities in designing printed

media increased insights in methods for development and design of

teaching/learning systems – included instructional technology systematic development of support, counselling and guidance

systems development of distance education as a distinct area of research

the establishment of the British Open University

NKI

The NKI Group – a non-profit foundation in education:

NKI Distance Education: Each year around 15,000 active students 100 programmes and 400 courses 60 programmes and 250 courses on the Internet

The Polytechnic College (DPH) The Business Training Centre (NA) NKI Publishing House

Bates, 1994:

“...I believe that increasingly the distinction between distance education and campus-based education will disappear as a consequence of technology developments, and because there will always be some time of one’s life or studies when campus-based studies will be important, the advantage in the long run lies with conventional institutions. However, given the slowness of most post-secondary institutions to respond to change, those currently working in distance teaching institutions have no need to fear for their jobs before they reach retirement!”

Keegan, 2000:

“The position taken up here is that web based education is best regarded as a subset of distance education and that the skills, literature and practical management decisions that have been developed in the form of educational provision known as 'distance education' will be applicable mutatis mutandis to web based education. It also follows that the literature of the field of educational research known as distance education, is of value for those embarking on training on the web.”

Research activities at NKI

Moore, 1985:

“Distance education is an applied professional field, and such fields - like medicine - need two kinds of research. Obviously it needs research which helps solve problems, but it also needs basic research - that is, research which tests and extends basic knowledge which is helpful to us all - and that is the theory.”

Survey and drop out studies

Survey and drop out studies – some results Drop out from distance study is larger in the initial phases of study than later A considerable number of students do not submit one single assignment There is a positive correlation between the age and success There is also a positive correlation between level of previous education and

all measures of success in distance study, and a negative relationship between time since last school experience and success

Reasons: External factors – Internal factors – Interactions

Measures taken to improve teaching and support services do have effects

Moore, 1985:

“If we want to know the effect of a particular teaching technique, the researcher must control the effects of other conditions and manipulate the technique in question and see the effect on the learners. This is the only sure way of evaluating practice, yet it is very seriously neglected in distance education.”

Experimental design

R : E X1 O1 R : C X2 O2

R random selection into groups E is experimental group C is control group X1 stands for the variable that is examined, while X2 stands for the treatment given to the control group O1 and O2 stand for measures of results, such as

achievements/study success/completions

Experimental studies – examples

Turn-around time Systematic follow-up and introduction to study techniques Pre-produced tutor comments Telephone tutoring The use of fax in two-way communication

Personalizing teaching in a large-scale system

Aspects included in the experiment:

Online teaching and learning

The conversion from traditional distance education delivery to online delivery and services

“The real revolution (in remote/independent and self-directed learning) comes with the emergence of a number of projects and experiments based on the combined use of these three technological experiments (broadcasting, telecommunications and the computer)” (Pomonti 1979)

NKI and Online Education

NKI Distance Education/NKI Internet College Online distance teaching since 1987 In continuous operation Integrated research/educational development/technological

development ’Mainstream’ technology

3000 students in 15 countries

  250 courses/60 study programmes  

4 phases of development

The Development of NKI Internet College – 4 ’Generations’ of Systems

1987 -1994: 1. Generation – based on the ’EKKO’ conferencing system

1994 -1995: 2. Generation – ’The Open Electronic College’: Philosophy: Constructing a

system as ’open’ as possible in relation to external networks and services, based on the Internet, e-mail and Listserve conferencing system

1996-2000: 3. Generation – ’from small scale to large scale’ and permanent operation based

on the WWW

2001- : 4. Generation – Introduction of a fully integrated system for development and

administration of teaching/learning, logistics, invoices and salaries to handle ten thousands of students in flexible learning on hundreds of courses, programmes and tutors

Demands on a ‘virtual school’

The Electronic College:

It should emulate all the main tasks of a school: teaching, administrative and social.

It should be generally available concerning geography, technology, economy and student competence.

It should be independent of time, i.e. continuously available and accept asynchronous communication.

It should emulate the different needs of human communication, one-to-one, one-to-many and many-to-many.

Aspects increasing quality

Efficient distribution of updated information Two-way communication between tutor/counsellor/administration

and student A substitute for face-to-face teaching, introduction of group

discussions and project work and cooperative learning The public tutorial Peer counselling and support Free-flow discussion, academic and social meeting places The electronic library Registration, administration, teacher conferences etc. Team development of teaching materials User directory with lists of class members and fellow students

Elements of Internet based learning

The elements of the distribution and communication system of Internet based learning

Pedagogical challenges

Models of teaching and learning Distance Education:

Individualised Flexible Teaching

or Teaching in ’The

Extended Classroom’

Pedagogical challenges

Tutors and teaching

Teacher training for online tutoring

eLearning, mLearning and views on knowledge and learning

Student support

Student support

John Bååth:

”We have four categories of students; there are

students who need student support services but don’t want them students who need student support services and want them students who don’t need student support services but want them students who neither need nor want student support services.”

Pedagogical challenges

Tutors and teaching

Teacher training for online tutoring

eLearning, mLearning and views on knowledge and learning

Student support

The development of learning materials for online students

Access to online resources

Communication and collaboration with fellow students

Student activity and contributions

Student activity in conferences and contributions to discussions

A question of writing A question of content reproduction or problem based discussions A question of achieving A question of getting response A question of teacher activity A question of time A question of free progression

Students’ attitudes

Students’ attitudes towards online learning Why choose online study? Flexibility

Some other aspects Very important:

Less important:

the quality of the study guide individual reading/study work on assignments the tutor’s comments individual communication with the tutor individual flexibility

social and academic communication with fellow students social and academic conferences cooperative learning

Quality of Learning on the Internet

Their enrolment was made easier because the course was offered on the WWW

They would enrol again in a WWW based course They would encourage a colleague or friend to enrol in a

WWW based course It is fully possible to achieve excellence in courses that are

taught on the WWW

Why have we succeeded?

High Level of Competence in Distance Education and IT Enthusiasts Believing in the Idea Applying Standard Available Technology Flexibility Based on Students’ Needs and Priorities Individualised Start and Progression Schedules Cost-Efficient Teaching and Administration Research/Development – National/International Projects with External

Funding Flexible and Adaptive Organisation Broad and Comprehensive Catalogue of Courses and Study Programmes Collaboration Credibility and Trust by The Educational Market and Legal Authorities Internet Development and Teaching Fully Integrated in an Operative

Distance Teaching Organisation Evolutionary Development of Personnel, Organisation and Administrative

Systems

Thank you! NKI Internet College Web

Pages: http://www.nettskolen.com/in_english/

Powerpoint Presentation: http://www.nettskolen.com/forskning/ICDE Prize Lecture.ppt

Lecture in Acrobat format: http://www.nettskolen.com/forskning/ICDE Prize Lecture.pdf