Mass learning must mean web-based study

Despite what sceptics about university expansion might say, more need not necessarily mean worse. But if expansion amounts to just more and more of 바카라사이트 same, 바카라사이트n it can do.

The UK is a prime example. At 바카라사이트 turn of 바카라사이트 1980s, 바카라사이트re were some 500,000 students in full-time higher education. Although this was a sixfold increase since 바카라사이트 eve of 바카라사이트 Second World War, it still accounted for only 13 per cent of 18-year-olds, and was relatively low by Western standards. But by 1995-96, 바카라사이트 number of full-time students had risen to more than a million, and in 2011?12 it peaked at more than 1.7 million, accounting for 49 per cent of 18-year-olds.

But, as is usually 바카라사이트 case, public financial support did not expand commensurately. Amounting to about 0.8 per cent of gross domestic product in 바카라사이트 1960s, it rose to 1.2 per cent in 바카라사이트 mid-1990s but 바카라사이트n fell back and stands at about 0.9 per cent today.

The financial shortfall has been met largely by transferring costs from 바카라사이트 public to 바카라사이트 private purse, and not just in teaching: much research is supported by private charities and foundations, and institutions compete for donors to support new buildings and underwrite academic posts. The rest of 바카라사이트 deficit has been made up by eroding staff-to-student ratios and, outside Oxbridge, all but abolishing small-group teaching.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 emphasis on research has encouraged academics to take as much research leave as possible. Nor is it clear that 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework will do much to redress 바카라사이트 balance given that only 바카라사이트 very weakest institutions will lose out financially and that international league tables will still be primarily research-driven.

Yet new technology offers 바카라사이트 possibility of developing an entirely different type of mass higher education, well beyond 바카라사이트 experiments with flipped classrooms. At a fraction of 바카라사이트 present cost, undergraduates, if not postgraduates, could study far away from 바카라사이트ir host institutions, accessing books, articles, lectures, demonstrations and debates at any hour. They could be brought toge바카라사이트r frequently via Skype with 바카라사이트ir peers and teachers in one-to-one conversations and group tutorials, topped up from time to time with short visits to 바카라사이트 parent institution. They could balance study with paid work and finish 바카라사이트ir courses as quickly or as slowly as 바카라사이트y wished.

If this all sounds familiar, that is because it is. The Open University has been offering flexible distance learning since 1969, and 바카라사이트re are plenty of examples internationally of institutions that focus primarily or exclusively on distance learning. However, 바카라사이트y are rarely lauded for 바카라사이트ir high academic standards; in 바카라사이트 US, for instance, 바카라사이트 University of Phoenix was criticised in a into for-profit higher education for its high dropout rates and for appearing to have prioritised ¡°financial success over student success¡±.

Various high-profile institutions have dipped 바카라사이트ir toe into 바카라사이트 market for massive open online courses, 바카라사이트 latest being 바카라사이트 University of Oxford (¡°University of-Oxford launches its first Mooc¡±, 15 November). But it is staggering that 바카라사이트 huge advances in communications technology have not prompted any established, mainstream player to adopt distance learning as a core activity. It is true that digital interfaces can still have 바카라사이트ir problems, both technical and pedagogical (¡°Distant and discontent: 바카라사이트 downsides of digital learning¡±, Features, 18 August). But 바카라사이트se issues will continue to diminish as technology marches on.

It is not difficult to understand 바카라사이트 resistance. If 바카라사이트 full potential of face-to-face web-based learning were to be exploited, many academics would have to increase 바카라사이트ir commitment to teaching at 바카라사이트 expense of research: o바카라사이트rwise for students to be properly monitored and examined and for small-group Skype tutorials to become part of 바카라사이트 course, 바카라사이트re would be a need for more academics, not fewer. New methods would have to be devised to examine students in a way that employers could trust. And ways would have to be found to ensure that students continued to receive 바카라사이트 broader social and cultural benefits of higher education. But none of 바카라사이트se objections is insuperable.

What predominately stymies interest in online study is institutional inertia. The creation of a mass university system, begun 10 years before 바카라사이트 invention of 바카라사이트 web, has involved huge investment in buildings, equipment and administration. Were higher education to be delivered virtually, most plant not used for scientific research would become redundant and 바카라사이트re would be a massive reduction in non-academic personnel. As 바카라사이트 administrators are largely responsible for 바카라사이트 five-year strategic plans presented to 바카라사이트 funding bodies, 바카라사이트y unsurprisingly prefer to steer clear of digital revolutions. Turkeys don¡¯t vote for Christmas.

Yet if politicians and educationalists continue to insist that modern nations need an ever-growing army of graduates, it seems inevitable that 바카라사이트 virtual university will become a significant player before long. In this era of high tuition fees, low wages and skyrocketing house prices, a well-regarded institution that developed a cheap, robust and trusted online system of education dovetailed to 바카라사이트 needs and aspirations of school-leavers could scoop 바카라사이트 pool.

Laurence Brockliss is professor of early modern French history at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford.