June 1997 — Features

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The Future of Computers and Learning

U.K. Open University

Perhaps the most famous of the existing Distance Learning Institutes is the United Kingdom's Open University, started in 1968. It has many imitators, mostly nationally funded. Printed material is still the norm, although recent courses have employed increasing levels of technology. There is an interesting list published of the ten leading mega-universities of the world, many with similar structures to the Open University.

Some key factors about the Open University are interesting:

  • Degrees are offered in many areas;
  • Over 200,000 students are involved;
  • Much of the learning is done in the studentís home;
  • Larger "classes" have close to 10,000 students each;
  • Study centers are available for providing individualized human attention;
  • Non-degree courses are now available;
  • Costs per student are far less than in traditional universities; and
  • Graduates compete well with those from traditional universities.
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    New examples, such as the Western Governorís University in the United States, are currently being developed, but so far these examples are not based on highly interactive learning materials. Many are in response to population pressures already being felt. Although distance learning today is mainly available at the university level, other levels are possible, and are likely to become more important in the future.[5]

    Now we consider combining distance learning and highly interactive computer-based learning units.[6]

    HIGHLY INTERACTIVE DISTANCE LEARNING

    Existing distance learning institutions do not make major use of highly interactive learning material. Print and video are the major learning media in the older universities that work this way, and both of these media are non-interactive. Recent attempts to put courses on the World Wide Web differ only slightly from books, as their main form of interaction is pointing.

    This lack of interaction is not surprising; I have noted several times that there is not much highly interactive learning material available, certainly not enough to maintain a full school or university. So we have no experiences or research data with highly interactive distance learning institutes. But the potentialities for a highly interactive distance learning institution are, I believe, great. This direction is worth careful consideration.