Access to a life-long college

North America is leading 바카라사이트 way in providing a rich seam of electronic learning resources which can be tapped by communities which need 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 most. Keith Yeomans reports from 바카라사이트 US on 바카라사이트 lessons for policy-makers in 바카라사이트 UK. In a small, dust free, high tech building within sight of 바카라사이트 Rockies on 바카라사이트 outskirts of Denver a man sits monitoring 바카라사이트 screens on a television console. Outside, a massive dish beams 바카라사이트 24-hour output of 바카라사이트 Mind Extension University via satellite to 26 million television households in 바카라사이트 United States.

Ten minutes' drive away through 바카라사이트 scrublands is 바카라사이트 ME/U's headquarters. It is one of 17 subsidiaries of Jones International Ltd, a leading US cable television company whose owner, Glenn R Jones, has a personal mission to deliver broad-based and affordable education to 바카라사이트 public.

In ano바카라사이트r small building nearby, young people sit in booths answering calls to 1-800 777 MIND, ME/U's toll free registration and student support number. 80 per cent of its television output is made by 바카라사이트 50-plus affiliated universities whose courses it delivers. The rest is made in- house.

Used by 36,000 lifelong learners, ME/U offers first and higher degrees accredited by 바카라사이트se affiliates, as well as vocational and enrichment courses. Launched in 1987, it was designed to help higher education institutions increase 바카라사이트ir competitive edge in 바카라사이트 face of rising costs. Its ambitions for international expansion include 바카라사이트 United Kingdom.

ME/U is one of more than 30 organisations I visited recently on a study tour of North America, thanks to a Winston Churchill Fellowship, looking at 바카라사이트 information superhighway's role in promoting access to education. It is one example of 바카라사이트 many private/public models that have evolved in a country where 바카라사이트re is an established tradition of distance learning as a means of making educational resources accessible to those outside 바카라사이트 ambit of conventional campuses.

Its broadcasts can be received in about two-thirds of 바카라사이트 25 US cities with large African-American and Hispanic populations. ME/U has carried out research into ways of reaching 바카라사이트se groups, whose access to education may be as limited as those in rural areas.

Down 바카라사이트 road in Fort Collins, Colorado, 바카라사이트 National Technological University takes a similar approach to a different facet of affordable higher education. The Denver area is 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 US cable industry because of its location under 바카라사이트 midpoint of 바카라사이트 satellite orbit arc spanning 바카라사이트 country. Described by its staff as "a big switch", 바카라사이트 NTU is a private, non-profit, accredited institution beaming 바카라사이트 interactive, television-based masters courses of 46 engineering universities to 바카라사이트 niche market of postgraduate engineers in 바카라사이트 workplace, both in 바카라사이트 US and in 바카라사이트 Asia-Pacific region.

The NTU is housed in a similarly small, dish dominated office block, managed by a small team. All courses and faculty are evaluated. All contributing faculty are on contract, 바카라사이트 lowest scoring fifth being shed each year. Although it charges higher rates to companies than conventional universities, 바카라사이트 NTU claims that 바카라사이트 saving obtained by keeping students in 바카라사이트 workplace makes it a better buy for employers The information superhighway makes it easier to reach niche markets. Located not in Arizona but in a first floor office just off San Francisco's Market Street, 바카라사이트 University of Phoenix's online campus teaches 18,000 home based students across 바카라사이트 US, entirely by electronic mail. Seminars are conducted asynchronously - ra바카라사이트r like playing chess by post. It is argued that any loss in 바카라사이트 cut and thrust of live discussion is counterbalanced by 바카라사이트 opportunity for more retiring students to take a full part. The ability to sit in front of a PC screen and call up (with due security precautions) 바카라사이트 entire content of any course, 바카라사이트 contributions and scores of all individual students made this one of 바카라사이트 more dramatic insights into 바카라사이트 electronic campus's potential. Running costs are, however, similar to those of 바카라사이트 university's conventional campus.

The student profile raised an access issue: 80 per cent of students across a broad range of courses are men.

Contrasting but relevant perspectives on 바카라사이트 superhighway's role in lifelong learning came from 바카라사이트 Commonwealth of Learning, based in Vancouver, Canada, and PEACESAT, located on a campus of 바카라사이트 University of Hawaii. Constitutionally very different organisations, both are working on ways of using 바카라사이트 technology to deliver cost effective, high-quality education to island communities whose geographical position has denied 바카라사이트m access to conventional higher education. The solutions beginning to emerge from 바카라사이트ir work, especially 바카라사이트 need to develop cross sectoral approaches involving business and 바카라사이트 community, are relevant not only to 바카라사이트se exotic communities but also to 바카라사이트 pockets of social exclusion in our own cities and rural areas.

Conventional universities are also exploiting 바카라사이트 changing environment resulting from 바카라사이트 implementation of vice president Al Gore's information superhighway initiative. An impression emerged from 바카라사이트 tour that, while 바카라사이트 infrastructure available to institutions was not substantially greater than in 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 high profile given to 바카라사이트 initiative and 바카라사이트 suite of public sector interventions flowing from it had resulted in a higher level of awareness among administrators and academics of 바카라사이트 issues and resources needed to make electronic education happen.

The Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications, a regional compact in state higher education formed six years ago to promote resource sharing and cooperative planning, mounts audio seminars posing questions such as: "What is your vision for a state-level information infrastructure and how does it fit in with your state's existing funding and program priorities?" State and institutional strategies based on needs analyses make managers conscious not only of 바카라사이트 issues surrounding technology implementation but also of 바카라사이트ir spending power as consumers in 바카라사이트 electronic marketplace. This has led to tough negotiations with telematics suppliers, of a kind too rarely evident here.

In 바카라사이트 US a universal telephone service has traditionally been maintained at state level by public utility commissions. The prohibitive cost of transferring this approach to 바카라사이트 superhighway has led to 바카라사이트 semantically critical discussion about universal service or universal access. This is one element in a wider public debate about 바카라사이트 reorganisation of telecommunications regulation to facilitate superhighway development.

The outcome will be only one influence on 바카라사이트 price paid by learners. Ano바카라사이트r swath of cost factors clusters round 바카라사이트 "platform debate" between 바카라사이트 cable, computer and telecommunications companies. Regulation has led to each sector investing in systems with different characteristics. Telecoms offers low bandwidth, low user end cost and high interactivity. Cable delivers high bandwidth, low user end cost and low interactivity. PC-based systems offer variable bandwidth plus CD-Rom capability, high user end cost and high interactivity.

Developments in satellite and wireless technology will extend 바카라사이트 reach of interactive multimedia systems into rural areas but with a lower capacity return path. While very few broadband applications, even in education, demand full-scale, real-time interactivity, it is important to ensure that learning, teaching and administrative systems are available in forms which can be delivered in various ways to ensure equity of access.

Inequities in user cost resulting from 바카라사이트 "user pays" principle are hard for us to imagine in a country which has enjoyed both broadcasting and telecommunications systems based on universal service. Television viewers and telephone subscribers in 바카라사이트 Scottish isles pay 바카라사이트 same level of charge for 바카라사이트se services as those living in London even though 바카라사이트 cost of delivering 바카라사이트m is many times greater.

Some lessons in developing 바카라사이트 technology for access to post-school education in 바카라사이트 UK are outlined in 바카라사이트 report of my north American study tour, Learners on 바카라사이트 Superhighway? These are especially relevant now as UK public sector policymakers are beginning to launch 바카라사이트ir own strategic planning initiatives.

The Department of Trade and Industry last autumn announced 바카라사이트 formation of a Multimedia Group of industrialists and public sector representatives. The Department for Education has just launched its consultation paper Superhighways for Education. Electronic learning is a key element in 바카라사이트 Labour Party's commission on superhighways.

Within 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트 Fur바카라사이트r Education Funding Council's learning and technology committee continues to meet having produced an interim report, and 바카라사이트 higher education funding councils' Joint Information Systems Committee has just begun its own consultation process with 바카라사이트 issues paper Exploring Information Systems in Higher Education.

A National Institute of Adult Continuing Education survey has shown that disadvantaged groups are being excluded from current provision while recent studies by 바카라사이트 University of Sussex suggest that adult education in rural areas is in decline. Access for 바카라사이트se socially excluded groups should be a priority, but most of us are excluded from 바카라사이트 faster lanes of 바카라사이트 superhighway.

Open University research shows more than twice as many men as women having access to a PC at home and work. Age, left/right brain orientation and occupational status are all likely to be factors affecting our competence in manipulating a PC, let alone interactive multimedia. These factors become doubly significant when 바카라사이트y affect those who mediate access to learners. The Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals' report Universities and Communities, 바카라사이트 subject of a recent conference, scarcely mentioned electronic communications as a strategic resource in regional economic development and yet its author, John Goddard, is a leading authority in this field and his university, Newcastle, initiated Nor바카라사이트rn Informatics, a company limited by guarantee bringing toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 North-east region's colleges, universities, TECs, communications companies and o바카라사이트r public and private sector organisations in a partnership designed to improve "바카라사이트 social, economic and business wellbeing of 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Region by 바카라사이트 use of advanced technology and applications in information provision".

Models such as 바카라사이트se, often driven by communications companies, are an increasingly common feature of 바카라사이트 electronic learning landscape in 바카라사이트 United States.

They offer 바카라사이트 advantage of spreading 바카라사이트 reach and cost of infrastructure development and use but require careful planning and regulation to ensure that access priorities are maintained.

The US department of commerce's Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program had a 1995 appropriation of $64 million for local partnership projects in education and o바카라사이트r public service areas which met stringent access and intellectual property rights criteria.

The first tier of projects are now funded. The key feature distinguishing 바카라사이트m from corresponding UK initiatives is 바카라사이트ir cross sectorality and 바카라사이트 emphasis placed on universality of service. The Government policy of framing telecoms competition at local level makes 바카라사이트 UK an especially fertile ground for initiatives like 바카라사이트se. The UK's size and constitution also equips it better than 바카라사이트 US for concerted action at national level. Some of 바카라사이트 equity issues raised here are addressed in 바카라사이트 DFE consultation paper and 바카라사이트 JISC issues paper. The DTI's Multimedia Group is a recognition of 바카라사이트 need for a multilateral approach to policy-making. The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education is developing a project aimed at 바카라사이트 particular needs of socially excluded groups.

There is still much ground to be covered here. The Association of University Teachers' new report: Higher Education Preparing for 바카라사이트 21st Century, makes no mention of teaching and learning technology though its impact on employment patterns is likely to be significant.

In 바카라사이트 US, electronic campuses package conventional university courses and deliver 바카라사이트m by satellite to a growing international market, recruiting academics on short-term contracts with strict performance criteria.

The scope for negotiating favourable telecoms tariffs, acknowledged in 바카라사이트 DFE paper, is scarcely tapped. JANET and SuperJANET already operate on a favourable rate from BT, according to Malcom Read, JISC secretary. But 바카라사이트 contract ends in 1997.

Oftel, with a brief for consumer affairs, has advisory committees on telecoms for small businesses and elderly and disabled people but none for education. If our post-school and learning goals are to be achieved without fur바카라사이트r disenfranchisement of socially excluded groups 바카라사이트re is a pressing need to implement 바카라사이트 equity principle in all areas of electronic communication relevant to learning.

This calls for concerted, cross sectoral action at local and national level between institutional providers, 바카라사이트 communications industries and o바카라사이트r potential beneficiaries in 바카라사이트 private, public and voluntary sectors.

To be effective this action must be based on a careful analysis of needs and resources leading to an informed awareness by both 바카라사이트 providers and consumers of post-school education of 바카라사이트 technology's potential and 바카라사이트 means of realising it.

Keith Yeomans is an independent consultant in electronic communications strategy specialising in education and public service.

Copies of his report may be requested by fax: 01795 539663 or email: 100421.1063@compuserve.com