'All Aboard' the Borderless Education Bandwagon

Tapsall, Suellen

doi:10.1080/02680510125453

Cited by 2 publications

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“…Most Australian and American post-secondary institutions now provide numerous online distance courses and degree programs alongside their resident offerings (Tapsall, 2001). As Internet access continues to expand, online courses and supplements are increasingly offered at both the secondary and primary levels.…”

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confidence: 99%

What are secondary students’ expectations for teachers in virtual school environments?

2009

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A recent evaluation of the new North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) in the USA revealed numerous expectations for virtual school teachers from secondary students. Specifically, students expected their teachers to actually teach rather than moderate a course shell, supplement course shells with content and projects that illustrate relevance, provide for both content and peer interaction, and respond to questions and provide feedback quickly. The data suggest a possible content-related interaction where a limited course shell can be bolstered by a proactive teacher, but potentially flounder among teachers who do not expect or know how to supplement an online course. Data further suggest a potential communication-related interaction where increased opportunities for studentstudent and student-teacher interaction could potentially decrease the actual or perceived need for individualized attention that is particularly challenging for virtual teachers to provide. These results can be used to establish teacher expectations and design professional development experiences that prepare teachers to undertake divergent roles unique to online instruction.

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confidence: 99%

What are secondary students’ expectations for teachers in virtual school environments?

2009

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“…In a 2001 paper discussing the evolution of adult education in Australia, Tennant and Morris (2001) did not mention the term "distance" or "distance education" at all, though the paper includes discussion of demographic and workplace changes, the role of the state in the provision of adult education, the emerging global knowledge economy, and vocational and non-vocational issues in adult and community education, including the issue of access (p. 2). On the other hand, Tapsall (2001), also writing from Australia, vividly describes the global "bandwagon" for "cyberspace solutions," which he concludes too often "marginalise[s] the traditional emphasis within distance education on ... the provision of opportunities for the socially disadvantaged" (p. 35).…”

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Preferences of Residents in Four Northern Alberta Communities Regarding Local Post-Secondary Programming

Fahy

Steel

Martin³

2009

IRRODL

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The western Canadian province of Alberta has used some of the proceeds from exploitation of its extraordinary natural resources to make available a range of post-secondary training and education opportunities to residents. While these provisions appear comprehensive, this study examined how well they actually suit the express needs of the residents of remote, Northern areas of the province, many of them Aboriginal.The literature shows that while Aboriginal people are underrepresented in Canada in university enrollments, they are no longer underrepresented in college or other institutions, suggesting that gains have been made for some residents of rural and remote parts of Canada. Further, when Northern residents (especially Aboriginal males) complete advanced training, Statistics Canada reports they are highly successful in employment and income. Access is the pivotal issue, however: leaving the local community to attend training programs elsewhere is often disruptive and unsuccessful. As will be seen, the issue of access arose in this study"s findings with direct implications for distance delivery and support.This study was conducted as part of Athabasca University"s Learning Communities Project (LCP), which sought information about the views and experiences of a broad range of northern Alberta residents concerning their present post-secondary training and education opportunities. The study addresses an acknowledged gap in such information in relation to Canada in comparison with other OECD countries.Results are based on input from 165 individuals, obtained through written surveys (some completed by the researchers in face-to-face exchanges with the respondents), interviews, discussions, and observations, conducted with full-time or part-time residents of the study communities during 2007 and 2008. The four northern Alberta communities studied were Preferences of Residents in Four Northern Alberta Communities Regarding Local Post-Secondary ProgrammingFahy, Steel, and Martin 2 Wabasca, Fox Lake, Ft. McKay (sometimes MacKay), and Ft. Chipewyan, totaling just over 6,000 residents.While respondents had varied backgrounds in relation to training and education, consensus emerged on several points: training in the studied communities must be flexible to be realistic; the negative emotional and economic impacts on families and individuals when they are forced to leave the local community to take training can be enormous; alternatives such as distance education may now be acceptable to and technologically feasible for many; and certain subjects (especially business-related courses, pre-employment preparation, such as safety and computer skills, trades training, and basic skills upgrading programs in essential skills such as math, English, writing, and life skills) were of broad interest to these residents.The LCP was cautioned that future programming inspired by this research should avoid mistakes made by others in relation to northern learners and their local realities: not considering students" preferences for...

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'All Aboard' the Borderless Education Bandwagon

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

What are secondary students’ expectations for teachers in virtual school environments?

What are secondary students’ expectations for teachers in virtual school environments?

Preferences of Residents in Four Northern Alberta Communities Regarding Local Post-Secondary Programming

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