Reshaping Distance Education

Previous issues

INITIATIVES
Academic Commandos

RESEARCH
Open Research Day
Dealing With Stress, the Natural Way
Setting the Computer's Sights
Democracy is Not the Key to Peace in the Middle East
Islam and Christianity
Punctuating Mozart
Reshaping Distance Education

TECHNOLOGY
E-reader
Hybrid Books

GRADUATES
Prof. Gidi Gross: Cancer Researcher
Israel Adam: From Slum Alcoholic to Honors Student and a Master's Degree
All Doors Opened to Elishai Ezra
The Open University as His Greatest Challenge in Life: Sharli Afanger

STUDENTS
Walking in Their Footsteps in Ashdod
University Student Since 8th Grade

MILESTONES
Prof. Hagit Messer-Yaron
Prof. Ron Weidberg
Dr. Yuval Eylon
Dr. Adia Mendelsohn-Maoz
Prof. Aviva Halamish
Dr. Ophir Munz-Manor
Dr. Baruch Ziv
Dr. Milly Perry
Dr. Yoav Yair
SuperBrand University

EVENTS
Dance with Your Fears
Heavens Above

RESEARCH
Reshaping Distance Education Hybridization Outside of a handful of online universities around the world – such as the Open University in Catalonia – distance education providers are offering a balance of off-campus and on-campus education. UMUC (University of Maryland University College), for example, the largest distance education provider for higher education in the US, began by exporting its courses to soldiers stationed around the world. Today, UMUC continues to offer face-to-face tutorials to various constituencies in locations across the globe, alongside on-line courses, and a hybrid model combining both online and face-to-face tutorials. The Open University of Israel is no different in this manner. In addition to face-to-face tutorials, the University's Ofek Project makes use of a wide and diverse range of technological applications including synchronous teaching, web conferencing, video taped lectures, etc. Sarah calls this new manifestation of a hybrid model of distance education as the leading current model of distance education. And, with these new realities, come new responsibilities for distance education providers. Challenges and Opportunities Challenge One: Distance educators need to lower the cost of development of educational materials per student. "The Open University of Israel," Prof. Guri-Rosenblit explains, "has already begun to move in this direction by expanding its global collaborative efforts. Our membership in the international OCW consortium (we are the only Israeli university to be a member) allows us access to Open Course Ware from other universities and vice versa." Prof. Guri-Rosenblit also suggests developing course materials with other universities. "With online customization capabilities (Stage III of the Pe'er Project is an ideal example) you can adapt courses from other universities and tailor make them to the Open University's needs." Challenge Two: Broaden the pool of students. One way of broadening the pool of students is by developing local niche or specialty markets. In recent years, the Open University of Israel has created unique programs to meet the needs of the ultra-Orthodox and Bedouin students, for example. Academic Commandos is a new project conducted in coordination with the Israel Defense Forces enabling soldiers to begin higher education studies during their last year of army service. Developing programs in collaboration with local corporations and other partners (such as municipalities) is another direction to explore. "The Open University of Israel has successfully opened a number of programs in Yokneam (a city in northern Israel) and Ashdod (in southern Israel) which are clearly enabling the University to expand its services." A third opportunity for broadening the pool of students is for universities to extend their global markets in areas where they are particularly strong. In the case of the Open University of Israel, Prof. Guri-Rosenblit remarks, "There is already interest in our courses on Israel and Jewish studies, Israel and Arab filmmaking, business entrepreneurialism, and teaching English as a second language from universities in Malaysia, Japan and China. We are talking about a new pool of students accessing our materials." A Distance to Go While, "distance education still has a 'distance' to go" the new developments underway are exciting. "There will always be students who prefer the campus experience," Prof. Guri-Rosenblit reflects, "but the use of technology provides endless opportunities for enhancing, enriching and engaging students, wherever they may be and at whatever stage in life they are." Page: 1 2

RESEARCH

Reshaping Distance Education

Hybridization

Outside of a handful of online universities around the world – such as the Open University in Catalonia – distance education providers are offering a balance of off-campus and on-campus education. UMUC (University of Maryland University College), for example, the largest distance education provider for higher education in the US, began by exporting its courses to soldiers stationed around the world. Today, UMUC continues to offer face-to-face tutorials to various constituencies in locations across the globe, alongside on-line courses, and a hybrid model combining both online and face-to-face tutorials.

The Open University of Israel is no different in this manner. In addition to face-to-face tutorials, the University's Ofek Project makes use of a wide and diverse range of technological applications including synchronous teaching, web conferencing, video taped lectures, etc.

Sarah calls this new manifestation of a hybrid model of distance education as the leading current model of distance education.

And, with these new realities, come new responsibilities for distance education providers.

Challenges and Opportunities

Challenge One: Distance educators need to lower the cost of development of educational materials per student.
"The Open University of Israel," Prof. Guri-Rosenblit explains, "has already begun to move in this direction by expanding its global collaborative efforts. Our membership in the international OCW consortium (we are the only Israeli university to be a member) allows us access to Open Course Ware from other universities and vice versa."

Prof. Guri-Rosenblit also suggests developing course materials with other universities. "With online customization capabilities (Stage III of the Pe'er Project is an ideal example) you can adapt courses from other universities and tailor make them to the Open University's needs."

Challenge Two: Broaden the pool of students.
One way of broadening the pool of students is by developing local niche or specialty markets. In recent years, the Open University of Israel has created unique programs to meet the needs of the ultra-Orthodox and Bedouin students, for example. Academic Commandos is a new project conducted in coordination with the Israel Defense Forces enabling soldiers to begin higher education studies during their last year of army service.
Developing programs in collaboration with local corporations and other partners (such as municipalities) is another direction to explore. "The Open University of Israel has successfully opened a number of programs in Yokneam (a city in northern Israel) and Ashdod (in southern Israel) which are clearly enabling the University to expand its services."

A third opportunity for broadening the pool of students is for universities to extend their global markets in areas where they are particularly strong. In the case of the Open University of Israel, Prof. Guri-Rosenblit remarks, "There is already interest in our courses on Israel and Jewish studies, Israel and Arab filmmaking, business entrepreneurialism, and teaching English as a second language from universities in Malaysia, Japan and China. We are talking about a new pool of students accessing our materials."

A Distance to Go

While, "distance education still has a 'distance' to go" the new developments underway are exciting.

"There will always be students who prefer the campus experience," Prof. Guri-Rosenblit reflects, "but the use of technology provides endless opportunities for enhancing, enriching and engaging students, wherever they may be and at whatever stage in life they are."

Page: 1 2