11•

CHALLENGES AND
OPPORTUNITIES

Global changes, and challenges to education

Education has to be considered in its relation to global economic, social and

cultural development. There is now little doubt that major changes are occur­
ring in the world economy, mainly due to the expansion of new information­
bearing teclmologies. ln what has already become known as a knowledge­
based society, economic advantage will accrue to counhies in which the
population acquires competence in processing information into knowledge
and applying it in work and everyday life. The importance of knowledge as
an essential component of the economy has influenced the increasing interest
of govenunents in human knowledge resource development.

The tendency has been evident in developing as well as developed coun­

hies, although the circumstances, priolities and challenges are different. ln
developing counh·ies, human knowledge resource development tlU'ough ini­
tial and continuing education is not only seen as cmcial for economic growth
and competitiveness, but also has far-reaching social impact, for example in
influencing the birth rate, increasing the independence of women, and
improving standards of health and the mral environment.

The resources available for the development of knowledge are far from
evenly dishibuted. ln spite of a considerable quantitative growth in recent
years, there are still intolerable inequalities both between and witlün nations.
There are about 880 million illiterate adults in the world and some 113 million
children between 6 and 11 deprived of any schooling at all. ln lügher edu­
cation also, inequality in opportunities is expected to continue, especially in
view of projected population growth (UNESCO, 2000c). Besides the insuffi­
ciency of opportunity, the low quality of education and its frequently

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OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING
TRENDS, POLICY ANO STRATEGY CONSIDERATIONS

observed irrelevance are also of major concern. Rapid changes in the work­
force, unemployment and uncertainty now demand fast-changing, "just in
time", continuing and lifelong education.

Linked to most of these problems is the problem of financing. Lack of

resources in developing counh·ies is obvious, and becomes more acute as
demographic trends increase the need to expand educational provision. The
'knowledge divide' is, however� compounded by serious situations in cer­
tain regions, and particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. ln this region, the
achievement of education systems is often threatened by a series of other
problems. ln the next few years the most serious of these is likely to be the
effect of the HIV/ AIDS pandemic, followed by the effects of military con­
flicts (UNESCO, 2001b).

Under such conditions, it is umealistic to expect h·aditional educational

shuctures to provide an adequate basis for knowledge development. A devel­
oping counhy has to find new methods that will dramatically improve both
its children's schooling and its continuing education system. New methods
will need new organizational forms, which in turn require re-thinking of edu­
cation and h·aining policies. Sh·ategies that have been reconunended include
the diversification of the resource base by privatizing some educational func­
tions, the use of donations from private sources, and the recovery of costs
from users and participants.

Another strategy is to focus on increasing efficiency within the system.

Future policy will probably involve sh·uctural reform and the limitation of
expenditure in the public sector. lt is therefore relevant to look not only at
new teclmologies but also altemative systemic approaches in pursuit of
increasing access, improving cost-effectiveness and quality, as well as learn­
ing outcomes.

The development of a more knowledge-based and service-oriented econ­

omy leads to important changes in the organization of work and the sh·uc­
ture of skills needed. New jobs tend to demand new and higher levels of
skills, customer-oriented c01mnunication, problem solving and enh·epre­
neurial skills. The emergence of more flexible work organizations is clearly
linked to the development of technology. One of the new challenges for edu­
cation is that high-level skills are needed not only by an elite, but by the
population in general.

Political, economic and teclmological developments make up a sh·ong

movement towards internationalization. lncreasing integration and interde-

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 CHALLENGES ANO OPPORTUNITIES

pendence of national economies are followed by attempts towards economic

integration at regional levels, e.g. in Europe, South East Asia, North and
South America, and East and Southern Africa. International and regional
co-operation in education and h·aining is often included in such efforts. Inter­
nationalization is enhanced by the development of information and co1mnu­
nication teclmologies. Thus, intemational and regional markets for education
and h·aining are emerging. This leads not only to increased international
awareness and orientation in curricula, but also facilitates the exchange and
sharing of expertise and human resources.

Major obstacles to internationalization are found in the barriers to, and

limited recognition of, diplomas and qualifications across national borders.
There are also cultural aspects connected with internationalization.
Increased communication underlines the needs for mutual infonnation and
understanding of cultural and social contexts. Sometimes cultural and eth­
nic forces oppose internationalization, leading to an increase in national,
ethnic and regional consciousness and in the extreme to polarization and
fragmentation. The challenge to education is to prepare citizens for a huly
international conununity, without neglecting the riclmess and the value of
cultural variation.

The potential of open and distance learning

As in every other walk of modern life, the answer to the challenge of edu­
cation for development will include the use of infonnation and communi­
cation technologies, provided the necessary organizational and policy
changes can be implemented to make the teclmologies effective. A range of
technological devices is now widely available and relatively cheap (e.g.
CD-ROM, various Internet services). They are accepted and often available
for domestic use as well as in the workplace. Goverrunents are concerned
that educational institutions become coru1ected to the emerging networks,
that curricula include the knowledge of and acquaintance with new tech­
nologies, and that teachers are prepared and trained to use these new
resources.

Among the benefits expected from new information and conununication

technologies, besides that of outreach, are efficiencies derived from
economies of scale and qualitative improvements such as greater individual­
ization of learning, easier access to information, and more use of simulation
teclmiques. ln addition, the use of new forms of teclmology will have an
impact on the cognitive functions of children and youth.

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OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING
TRENDS, POLICY ANO STRATEGY CONSIDERATIONS

ln efforts to meet the new and changing demands for education and h·ain­
ing, open and distance learning may be seen as an approach that is at least
complementary and under certain circumstances an appropriate substitute
for the face-to-face methods that still dominate most educational systems.
While its benefits can be evaluated by teclmical, social and economic cri.teria,
distance learning methods also have their own pedagogical merit, leading to
different ways of conceiving knowledge generation and acquisition.

To the learner� open and distance leaming means more freedom of access,
and thereby a wider range of opportunities for leaming and qualification.
The barriers that may be overcome by distance learning include not only geo­
graphical distance, but also other confining circumstances, such as personal
consh·aints, cultural and social barriers and lack of educational infrash·ucture.
For the student it is often a cheaper alternative to pursuing a course through
conventional methods. Since many people ca1mot afford to leave their work
in order to study, it is important that distance education and training may be
combined with work. Distance and open learning may also mean a more
leamer-cenh·ed approach, allowing greater flexibility and choice of content as
well as more personal organization of the learning progranune.

For employers, open and distance learning offers the possibility of organ­
izing leaming and professional development in the workplace itself, which is
often more flexible and saves costs of h·avel, subsistence etc. The use of dis­
tance learning often puts both the finn and employees in a position of co­
inveshnent (of money and time) in the pursuit of conunon goals, based on
shared values and culture. It increases productivity and supports the devel­
opment of communication and other work-related skills. With sufficient
numbers of employees being trained, open and distance learning is usually
cost-effective. Other advantages for the employer include the increased avail­
ability of the employee during the course of the h·aining progra1mne, and the
portability of h·aining progra1mnes and processes.

These advantages to leamers and employers are al.so important features from
the perspective of govermnents. Traditionally, govenunents have introduced
distance education provision in order to:
increase access to learning and h·aining opportunity;
provi.de increased opportunities for updating, reh·aining and personal
emichment;
improve cost-effectiveness of educational resources;
support the quality and variety of existing educational shuctures;
enhance and consolidate capacity.

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