Regatta for life and learning? Trends and blends in distance education

at the secondary level in Iceland

Presentation Sept 26 2007 at the Cambridge International Conference on Open and Distance Learning,

Sólveig Jakobsdóttir, Iceland University of Education, soljak@khi.is Sigurdur Fjalar Jónsson, Breiðholt College

Thórhildur Elfarsdóttir, Varmár SchoolSigurbjörg Jóhannesdóttir, Iceland Academy of the Arts

Upper secondary schools (high schools/junior colleges) in Iceland

Year of establishe

mnt School

1846 MR

1880 MA1904 IR

1905 VÍ

1928 IH

1953 ML

1966 MH

1969 MS

1970 MÍ

1973 MK

1975 FB

1975 FLE

1976 FSS

1977 VA

1977 FVA

1979 FÁ

1979 KVR

1979 ME

1979 FV

1979 FNV

1981 FSU

1984 FG

1984 VMA

1987 FH

1988 FLAU

1996 BHS

1996 FAS2003 MHR

2004 FSN

2007 MBIceland a country of 300.000 people, 100.000 sqkmCa. 61-66⁰N (map from Landmælingar Íslands)

Age of typical student at that level 16-20, non-mandatory schooling

Iceland, summer pictures

Iceland, wintertime

Iceland – at the top of the world

• Internet users per capita (users per 1000)

• http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/int_use_percap-internet-users-per-capita (statistics from June 2007)

#1 Iceland 854

# 2 New Zealand 777

# 3 Sweden 753

#9 Denmark 688

# 10 USA 682

#11 Norway 678

#14 Greenland 674

# 18 Finland 627

Distance education students in Iceland

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

No. of students

Year

Increase in numbers at first due to increase at the tertiarylevel

Now mainly due toincrease at the uppersecondary level

Number of students by mode of teachingComprehensive schools, Upper secondary level, Course-based

1997 1999 2001 2003 20050

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

Day coursesEvening coursesDistance learning

1997 1999 2001 2003 20050

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Day coursesEvening coursesDistance learning

Grammar schools, Upper secondary level, class-based

(Statice, 2007)

This study

• Study of distance and distributed education (DE) and the blend or mix of teaching methods and technical solutions that are being used in Iceland at the upper secondary school level.

• Attempt to map the fast changes occurring from the standpoint of administrators, teachers, and students.

This study

• Study, part 1& 2 – Administrators, fall 2005 and 2006, in all 29 schools,

– telephone interviews

– overall picture, technology, changes, advantages, drawbacks

• Study, part 3 – Teachers and students, spring 2007, chosen six schools (eight)

– Interviewed mostly through telephone, teachers in one school on site; students mainly in one school with MSN, a few using e-mail

– More in-depth view of teaching and learning

In this presentation

• How large a part is DE in the schools?

• The technology used and reasons why?

• The learners – which fields of study?

• Reactions of learners, reasons, advantages, disadvantages, the CMS

• (Reactions of teachers)

Groups; DE

• Group 1 - Strong DE “stems”: Schools in this group had strong DE “stems”, i.e., with large groups of students registered in DE, and the DE program even about equal to the regular program. It varied to what extent the DE and the regular program is blended or separated.

• Group 2 – Sizable DE programs, but lower % of students than in group 1: Or small program apparently growing at a very fast rate (more top-down).

• Group 3 – Regular school program, but DE starting in some ways for groups or courses and/or time. Some schools started to use course management systems highly and experiment with shorter school days or fewer regular classes as a result.

• Group 4 - Use of learning management systems or intranet were in high use in schools in this group by most teachers/student but attendance, length of school day, and schedule unchanged.

• Group 5 - Learning management system or intranet in use in most or all schools but not as widespread as in group 4.

DE1 DE2 DE3 DE4 DE5

4 8+1 4 4 8

Groups – Dynamic - sailing!

VMA

FASVA

FÁ

VerslóFG

BHSFBMEFÍVFSH

IR

FSUMH

FSN

Hraðbraut

MsundKvennó

MKFlensb.

FSS IHMAMR ML

FNV

MÍ

FlaugFVA

7 6 6-7 3-4 5-6

Technical solutions?

Learning management systems

WebCT MySchool Angel Námskjár Moodle

FA IR FUS FIV FB

VMA FG MH ML VA

Versló Hraðbraut FSN MÍ Borgarh.

MK Flensborg MA IH (FAS)

FAS MS Fr.Laug.

ME MR

Intranet and other

Homemade Sharepoint E-mail Blogg

Kvennó FSS FSH

FVA VMA

FNV

Other technical solutions

Video confer. StudioSpecialized equipment/software

FSH Versló IR

ME IH

VA Borgh.

FAS

FSN

Choosing the system

• Icelandic user interface

• Ongoing development and the possibility of customization

• Importing or sharing information with other systems

• TOC (total cost of ownership)

• Time of introduction (some systems entered this market later than others)

• Market share and reported user satisfaction

Benefits mentioned

• Groups and individuals that could otherwise not study can

• Easier to run courses with few students

• Use of LMS: Very convenient for students and teachers to keep all materials in one location. Much more efficient.

Drawbacks

• Technical problems e.g. having diffrerent systems communicate (intranet vs. new learning management systems) (however, problems with videoconfencing reduced a lot)

• Some teachers take long to adapt (according to leading-principals)

• There is a lot of work involved for teachers, especially in the beginning and/or when new systems are taken into use.

• Sometimes there is lack of of leadership, policy, actions from principals/adiminstrations (according to pioneering teachers).

Groups of learners

Age: Adult learners Ca. 16-20+ (upper sec. level) Ca. 14-15

General studieschildren, work

Renew old dipl.

Art, ICT, multimedia, library sci.

Health,caring, social

Vocat-ionalseaman

“Regular”Abroad, health probl.

Need to catch up

Grades 9-10, extending subject

FÁ,FGVA, MHFSN, FBVMA

VÍBHSIR

FVAVAFÍVFBFÁ

IRFÍVVA

FÁ VÍFG MEFASVMA

MLFSUMEKvR

FÁVMAFGFÁ

FSUFSHBHS

FSSIH

(ML)(ME)

FSSVÍMS?

FLE,FSU, FASFÍV, VÍ

Teaching and learning

Study, part 3 participants (all 18+)S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6

DE-group

1 1 1 2 4 4 All

CMS

Video-conf.

WebCT WebCT Moodle

x

WebCT Moodle Námskjár Home made

Location C C R R C R 3:3Grade or course-b

C C G C C G 4:2

Teachers

no.

F:M

4

3:1

2

0:2

5

2:3

4

2:2

6

3:3

4

2:2

25

12:13

Students

No. 8 9 10 5 11 10 53Mean age 28 30 27 19 21 20 24Age range 23-35 19-50 19-58 18-20 19-29 19-20 18-50

F:M 4:4 6:3 9:1 3:3 3:8 7:3 34:23

Interview questionsStudents Teachers

Kind of study? What do you teach?

Experience of DL - describe Experience of DT – describe?

Why choose DE How did it come about – teaching that way

Organization of DE teaching, learning, assessment

Organization of teaching, learning, assessment

How do you spend time otherwise used for attending classes?

How do you spend time otherwise used for classroom teaching

Attitudes towards Teaching, Learning? Assessment?Main advantages, disadvantagesImprovements?

Attitudes towards Teaching, Assessment?Main advantages, disadvantagesImprovements?

Communications between? S-T, S-S Communications between? S-T, S-S, T-T, T-A

How is the CMS used in your study?Differences between coursesMain advantage , disadvantagesImprovements of use?

Use of CMS in your teaching?Differences between courses ?Effects on teaching or learning?Main advantages, disadvantages?Improvements?

Other kinds of technologies? Other kinds of technologies?

Reasons for DEAvailability, education, combinations

• Not available in regular class• Only thing available• Not available in my school/location

• Want more education• To help get into university/college• To be better prepared for university (business)• Was put in, had been abroad• Courses left to take

• Part of the teaching, set up this way, attend all classes

• Combine with other study• Combine with work

Reasons... Flexibility, home-family, cost, performance, phys., soc

• Good convenient• Use time when abroad w spouse• Don't want to move• Keep up when exchange student abroad• Control own schedule• Higher course load/otherwise not fit in schedule)• Home, Family, Children• Could not afford otherwise• Drop-out problems• Was put in from another school because of drop-out• Physical problems (hearing)• Difficult to wake up• Feel bad in regular class, anxiety, social problems• Never succeeded in reg.

Student interviewsmain advangages and disadv. of DE

S1, country S2, country S3, R-area S4, R-area S5, country S6, R-area

1 1 1 2 4 4

Email, webct 100% online

Videoconf.Moodle

WebCT100% online

MoodleCampusBlended

Námskjárstarting to offer on individual basis

Home made system

FreedomFlexibilityIndepend.Work+school

Work+schoolDon’t have to moveWider selection

FlexibilityNo attendanceProblemFree of crowds, immature students

Flexibility Easy access

Easy access to assignments and to turn them inMore time for difficult subjects

Information access to notes, better to prepare for testsQuicker feedback in online tests

Impersonal not enough contact with teachers and other students, cost (S3)Self discipline needed

Having to use computers/technology out of school (S6)Some subjects not suited (S5)

Students and teachers

• Some preliminary results....

Discussion

• Education vs. Just-in-time learning?• Too much emphasis on the individual? • Too little emphasis on community building, social elements?• Effects of the CMS?• What is happening elsewhere at this school level?

Picciano, A. G. og Seaman, J. (2007). K-12 online learning: a survey of U.S. school district administrators. Needham, MA: Babson Survey Research Group, Hunter College - CUNY, The Sloan Consortium. Sótt 31.júlí 2007 af http://www.sloan-c.org/publications/survey/survey06.asp

Should I continue this study and how?