10.1. Cultural adaptability to distance learning
10.2. Attitudes towards distance education
10.3. Local point of contact
10.4. Implementation
10.5. Student support
10.6. Qualifications and accreditation
10.7. Good practice in distance learning
The study has identified a range of parameters which need to be satisfied if engineering distance education is to be successful and to provide real solutions to the training needs of developing countries. Some of these issues are identified in each of the individual country reports. Others are more generic and are collectively described in this section.
This is central to the acceptance of distance learning outside the UK. Views on cultural adaptability are very often subjective but some generalisations can perhaps be made.
· In general, people from former British colonies seem to adapt well as they are used to a British style of education and often utilise British systems of engineering and professional formation. Countries not using British systems have to align with their own engineering professional bodies in terms of validation and qualifications, and this can cause problems for some UK-based providers. Commonwealth Bodies however often do line up with the UK· Language is crucial to the success of a distance learning programme, and assuming that the programmes would be delivered at least initially in English, there tend to be fewer language barriers in the ex-colonies. This also applies to industrial sectors: the oil industry, for example, largely speaks English except in the former USSR
· The Chinese, because of their work ethic and book-oriented learning culture, adapt very well to distance learning, although they might have difficulties with some areas such as law
· Eastern Europeans also adapt fairly easily to distance learning with their culture well suited to this form of training.
Distance educator in industrial countries has similarities in its presentation with industrial modes of development, production and distribution. Furthermore, it is historically based on the written word. In contrast, cultural patterns in many developing countries, especially in Africa and Latin America, emphasise communalism and the spoken word. Therefore group learning, face-to-face tutorials and audio and audio-vision gain more importance. This poses some restrictions for engineering training and usually increases the costs of delivery.
Before any engineering distance learning programmes were introduced into a developing country, a substantial amount of work would need to be done to raise awareness of this form of learning and to improve its profile and image amongst engineering employers. Examples of companies already employing such techniques for its employees would serve as an effective model to other organisations and to individuals within the population.
Outside industry, distance learning is a well known process in many developing countries. Specifically, it is well-known within both Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, and there would be less need to raise its image there than in the Czech Republic where there is inherent suspicion of anything vaguely resembling Soviet correspondence education.
The way it should be marketed will vary from country to country. There may need to be more or less emphasis on such aspects as modern technology, the professional qualification awarded, the relevance of the materials, the awarding institution, the convenience of this particular learning process etc. Overall, distance learning needs to be seen to be efficient and to work well in order for it to acquire and sustain a good image: there have to be efficient and maintained networks and training has to be adapted to suit local conditions and to meet community needs.
For a distance learning course to be successful overseas it is seen to be essential to invest in a local point of contact for the students. Student isolation was often acknowledged as a severe problem and a local point of contact can help significantly to alleviate this. Moreover, several of those interviewed felt that the problems related to engineering were often quite formidable and could not be explained just by text: students needed to have someone to talk to, especially if they did not come from a technological background. A local centre or point of contact can also help with practical problems such as obtaining reference materials. Such a solution is, however, expensive. In the view of one respondent:
'In developing countries, the support framework is more difficult and more expensive to put in place. That needs longer term investment ...(It is necessary to) invest in infrastructure, then buy in materials to realise the value of the materials through your asset, the infrastructure.'
From the outset, the planning and design of distance education materials must take into account the end-user: how will the materials be used, by whom and under what circumstances physical location and cultural environment. As Laurillard (1993) puts it:
'The most brilliantly designed educational materials can fail completely if the same care is not given to the way they are used. Research and development projects in educational media pay quantities of hard cash for development, lip-service to evaluation, and no attention to implementation. There is never enough cash to equip a decent programme of piloting, dissemination, and staff training that would be needed properly to establish an innovation. (20)
Not only must the planning process be thorough and comprehensive but resources must be identified for the implementation phase, which includes the important aspect of student support.
The research indicated that student support is crucially important. All respondents agreed that it is as important for the success of a distance learning course as the materials themselves. Effective support is necessary to keep the students motivated and to deal with problems such as lack of time to study, isolation, learning in a language that may not be their first language, concepts perhaps alien to their own culture etc. Effective support can take many forms:
· tutors being easily available to answer queries
· contacting students on a regular basis
· student networks, newsletters, self-help groupings
· well-trained administrative staff
· constructive and encouraging feedback on students work and assignments
· high quality and well-trained tutors
· appropriate facilities
· being responsive to course evaluator and student feedback.
Student support also adds value to a course and may be seen in a commercial sense as customer service, something which potentially distinguishes it from the competitors.
Many UK-based distance learning institutions get round the problem of the lack of appropriate local contact by encouraging a system of mentoring, using mentors from both UK and overseas. Some UK institutions offer training to mentors if required; some vet them; others take a more laissez-faire approach. It is certain however that a mentoring system can be of enormous benefit to students and it can also prove to be a very cost-effective approach. The use of mentoring is growing rapidly among companies in the UK, a trend which may well be followed in developing countries.
The problems which distance learning students face are different from those encountered in conventional learning. The students require a great deal of motivation and discipline and need strategies to deal with the isolation they may experience. They need to be offered guidance and training in the necessary study skills for distance learning to help them get through the course, particularly in the first year when the greatest drop-out typically occurs.
It is also true however that although the students' motivation needs sustaining, a distance learning student often starts with higher motivation than the normal (UK) 18 year-old university entrant. In the British market, mature students perform better in many subjects than their younger counterparts, with those in the 30-45 age range typically doing well. This might not however be reflected in overseas markets where levels of motivation among the various age groups might be different.
In the three countries studied there would be a need to train all three main players: the teachers and trainers, the producers and developers of the materials and courses, and the students enrolled on distance learning courses.
These are universally seen as vital in a distance learning programme, both for motivating students and for providing a target. Many foreign students are keen to get a qualification from the UK, particularly from a well-known university. This helps to "sell' distance learning, showing it to be the equivalent of a full-time course and not a poor relation.
A course is most likely to be successful if there is a perception of application of good practice. This research indicates the following as key elements of good practice:
· production of high quality teaching materials designed to be user-friendly, written by experts and consumer-tested· a clear outline of the specific goals, competencies and learning objectives to be gained from the course
· use of appropriate media to their best advantage
· provision of a dedicated and good quality distance learning administration which is responsive to students and provides local support, good back up, and regular monitoring and evaluation
· personal concern for the students: maintaining contact and checking progress
· clear instructions in relation to assessment - constructive and rapid feedback
· committed and well-qualified tutors, well trained in distance learning techniques
· local tutorial and practical support
· guidelines to students on study skills
· flexibility of study time and opportunities to alter speed of study and allow the possibility of deferment
· careful needs analysis of students and employees before the development of a course
· regular feedback from both students and/or employers during the course.
