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The future of Australian e-Learning:
It’s all about access
Lucy Cradduck Faculty of Law
Queensland University of Technology, Australia Email: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
This article clarifies the interdependence between high-speed broadband and e-Learning. It does this by identifying the importance of the internet for Australia’s
education future and the importance of education for the future of the internet. It concludes by confirming the role the NBN will play as an enabler of both; and the need to ensure access for all to appropriate skills, as well as to services.
Keywords: NBN, high-speed, broadband, distance education, e-Learning, digital literacy, internet.
Introduction
“The story of the adoption of technology is as old as humankind itself.
We invent something, we use it, we become accustomed to it…” (Mackay, 1999) Laptops, smart phones and smart devices appear to be everywhere and many universities are gearing their unit content and information delivery to this new technology (Dobbin et al, 2011). Classrooms, corridors and railway carriages are seemingly full of people working, studying or playing using the latest version of their device of choice. Appearances, however, can be deceptive. The simple fact is that some do not have the opportunity or ability, financial or otherwise, to become accustomed to new technology. By extension, this means they do not have access to relevant services and thus their opportunity to learn is greatly reduced. This lack of engagement by a not inconsiderable portion of the Australian population will have a negative effect for the digital economy and the economy as a whole (Cradduck, 2011). The operation of the internet is comparable to the operation of a super-road network. Existing Australian broadband infrastructure, however, is more akin to its disjointed rail networks, where the gauge, and trains, changes at state borders. For Australian broadband to achieve super-road status the National Broadband Network (‘NBN’) must be rolled-out as soon as possible and, until this achieved, existing networks must work in harmony with one another. However, rollout of the network is but part of the access puzzle. Ability to access services also is required. The Australian physical and digital divides mean many have only limited access to infrastructure. Equally, many Australians are neither digitally empowered nor e-literate. This restricts their engagement in the digital economy and learning. Of relevance to the NBN and e-Learning is finding an answer to Mitchell’s (1999) question – “Who will get access, and when?” To this can be added the question – How to enable access?
Of Australia’s 21+ million residents, (ABS, 2012) only 11.6 million are internet subscribers. This figure includes both business and home users. (ABS, 2011) Of these subscribers, 96% have broadband access via either mobile, satellite or fixed line connections. However, almost half a million (473,000) only have dial-up access. Most of these are home users but not all. (ABS, 2011) Appreciating that many persons may utilise one subscription service; this still leaves a sizeable proportion of the population unconnected. Further, slower access speeds impede download and upload ability. In the digital age, dial-up clearly is no longer an appropriate means of accessing the internet and WWW (Cradduck, 2011). In combination with these statistics, available census data shows that less than one quarter of all Australians are engaged in some form of higher education (ABS, 2012). As is discussed below, lack of access and lack of skills can impede e-learning and the adoption of the NBN. It also will negatively affect Australia’s digital economy.
Factors impacting upon internet use and the rollout of the NBN will impact upon e-Learning delivery; this in turn, unless supported, will adversely impact on the adoption of the NBN. As La Rose et al, (2007) asked “how to improve educational attainment without improving educational access through broadband adoption?” (La Rose et al, 2007: 361). In order to give perspective to the issues the paper commences with a brief overview of e-Learning and the importance of the internet for education. The
paper then outlines the importance of education for the internet before identifying issues facing e-Learning and the NBN.
The paper concludes with a discussion of the importance of the NBN to e-Learning, as a means of overcoming the current divides within Australia and reinforces its position as an enabler of access. Matters such as the connection of the technology itself with student learning and success; (Nora & Snyder, 2008) and how to appropriately support students, (Brown et al, 2012) are beyond the scope of this paper. Finally, although not considered here, it must be noted support for e-Learning; (Kanuka, 2009) or acknowledgment of its benefits (Belke & Menchaca, 2008) is not universal.
What is e-Learning?
Distance education is facilitated in many countries (Page, 2006). It gives would-be learners opportunities otherwise not available to them (Brown et al, 2012). In rural areas in particular distance education is well established as an effective tool for enabling the ongoing learning ability of older Australians. (Groves, 1999) What is new is that the internet, while not originally used as a teaching medium, (Ellram, 1999) now is a significant means of course content delivery and interaction (Page, 2006). This is so both for on-campus students and for those in remote areas. For all students, irrespective of location, learning materials now include information provided by a variety of mediums and posted online (DBCDE, 2009).
What is e-Learning, as opposed to distance education, depends upon the perspective of the discipline and the individual academic (Sangrà, Vlachopoulos & Cabrera, 2012). E-Learning is more than just enabling where and how specific educational materials and/or other information can be accessed. E-Learning can take place by a variety of means, including teleconferencing and collaboration; (Abbasi & Stergioulas, 2011) podcasts; (Kidd, 2011) or through the use of various online systems (Jurado, Redondo & Oretega, 2012; Goyal, Yadav & Choubey, 2012).
For the purpose of this paper, the definition used is that “eLearning is the use of ICT to achieve or enhance teaching and learning outcomes.” (Fivenines Consulting, 2007: 4) This definition recognises that technology, however ubiquitous, powerful or attractive, in the end is a merely tool for enabling learning (Tamim et al, 2012). An assessment still is needed as to the best materials and manner of presentation to engage students and to facilitate their learning (So & Ching, 2011). Similarly to face-to-face learning, successful e-Learning delivery will require the continuing tailoring of materials, and methods of delivery, to suit the individual needs of learners. (Goyal, Yadav & Choubey, 2012) Irrespective of how well designed the e-Learning system, the need for skilled and engaging teachers remains (Tanaka, 2012; Brown et al, 2012). E-Learning requires a different method of delivery from ‘traditional’ learning and a different skill set for delivery (Convergent Consulting, 2009). This is necessary in order to enable teachers to prepare students to operate in the digital age. (Sabry & Barker, 2009) Effective e-Learning by students will require lecturers and teachers with e-Learning expertise (Tanaka, 2012). Effective e-Learning also requires students to be digitally literate with access to technology and the applications and services of the internet.
The Importance of the Internet for Education
Despite the existence of rural and regional university campuses, remote, indigenous and low socio-economic students overall are the least involved in higher education in Australia (Bradley et al, 2008). The internet is a tool for use in the engagement of students. It can be particularly beneficial for those in rural or remote areas, (Groves, 1999) or those lacking the ability to attend classes (Bradley et al, 2008). One benefit of the internet is it enables people to extend, expand and create communities, as well as access information, without the need to leave where they are physically located (Rheingold, 2001). For those with family, work or community commitments, which would be adversely affected by the time involved in travelling to and from your place of study, accessing courses remotely thus can encourage further education (Legg et al, 2007).
“Technology can make learning deeper, faster and cheaper…” (Rodrigo & Tamarkin, 2011: 64). As demonstrated by Odasz’s Big Sky Telegraph in the late 1980s, computer networks have an important part to play in facilitating education (Kollock & Smith, 1999). These networks improve access to information, and each other, for both students and teachers (Ellram, 1999). The internet also enables course materials to be delivered in a more interactive and up-to-date manner (DBCDE, 2009; Legg et al, 2007). Legislation and government policy content changes can be immediately distributed to students by a tap or a click. However, access to education services online will depend on the availability of, and students’ access to, relevant technologies.
Informal learning is an important aspect of lifelong learning; which is an important part of developing and improving Australia’s human capital. Data shows older Australians are more likely to participate in informal learning (ABS, 2009). As a part of the informal learning process, the internet is an important resource (McIntyre, 2003). Lack of familiarity with required technology has been shown to be a hurdle for some older students’ attempts to engage in e-Learning (Brown et al, 2012). Acquired familiarity with the technology and the services of the internet through informal learning therefore may be the kick-start many older Australians require to pursue formal e-Learning. The claim that the internet would enable dramatic improvements in education (Jankowski, 2002) appears not to have been realised. The author suggests this will not be so until all Australians have the means and skills to be able to access the internet from anywhere.
The Importance of Education for the Internet
Before e-Learning can occur, there must be both a means of accessing the related services and the means for ensuring those who wish to access the services have the skills to do so. That is, that they are digitally literate. Increasing Australia’s digital literacy requires an increase in the number of Australians undertaking appropriate higher education and at higher levels than before (DEEWR, 2009) as well as enabling those students to learn (Sabry & Barker, 2009). Familiarity with the tools, information and services of the internet also will be vital. The type of ‘digital information’ now available over the internet includes a variety of content services and applications
(Lovelock & Ure, 2002). The number of these services and the information they provide grows by the minute. It is suggested that, similarly to literacy generally, digital literacy is connected with the ownership and control of this ‘digital information’ (Buckingham, 2007). Mackay (1999) expressed the hope we would not be overwhelmed by this information. This hope has long since faded, as ‘digital information’ is now an in-demand asset (Stein & Sinha, 2002).
The ability to access information by itself is not the same as being literate, which to an extent involves the ability to communicate (Cole & Lorch, 2003). Being literate requires more than being able to read and write (Buckingham, 2007). By extension, to be digitally literate, involves more than just being able to log on. In order to be digitally literate it is necessary to learn how to communicate in realm of Cyber Space. This includes the ability to read and contribute to blogs; send tweets; visit virtual worlds; create and read texts and access information. All this is necessary in order to co-exist and communicate with the digital natives (Prensky, 2001; Koutropoulos, 2011) for whom such interaction is the norm (Convergent Consulting, 2009).
Digital literacy and the ability to engage fully with e-Learning will vary depending upon the experiences of the learner with both higher levels of education and the technology used in the process (Brown et al, 2012). Without digital literacy, however, consumers are less likely to need or want the services of the NBN (Cradduck, 2011). The issues impacting upon e-Learning and the successful rollout of the NBN are those of the digital divide and physical divide. These issues also are relevant for the future of higher education generally (DEEWR, 2009).
Issues
Appropriate infrastructure by itself is but part of the solution to addressing the issue of a lack of access. Issues of start-up and ongoing access costs also require attention (Choice, 2012). Appropriate and consistent policies with clearly articulated objectives are needed to ensure vital services such as education are more accessible by, and can more easily be delivered to, consumers (OECD, 2008). The internet via fixed or mobile device is, as a means of facilitating e-Learning, a wonderful tool but only if you have the means and capacity to access it. As Groves (1999) noted the successful delivery of e-Learning is complicated by a lack of unrestricted access to the necessary infrastructure. Despite the advent of high-speed broadband, this issue remains a problem with adverse flow-on effects. Lack of access to the internet at home, even with supportive and educated parents and access at school, can adversely impact upon a child’s performance at school (Macho, 2007). Lack of appropriate access as an adult is equally isolating and restricting.
Lack of access is not an individual problem. Access in many isolated communities still is not consistent. Access may be by means of copper cables; satellite; fibre optic cables; a combination of services; or not at all (ABS, 2011). Factors such as dirt, causing interference with satellite reception; distance, preventing the laying of cables; and diminishing population bases, making it unviable for operators to provide affordable access; limit the ability of many to access, and/or use to fullest potential internet services (Cradduck, 2011). Where physical access is possible, lack of access due to financial or skills constraints remains a concern.
The Australian digital divide
The invention and adoption of digital technology has changed how people interact and how they spend their free time so much so that access to and use of computers and networks is now (almost) ubiquitous (Benkler, 2006). ‘Almost’ because the cost of, (Choice, 2012) and ability to, access the networks remains an issue. Digital technologies have led to the creation of a new type of information – ‘digital information’ (Cradduck & McCullagh, 2005). The Internet enables users to access this ‘digital information’ irrespective of where or how it is located in the system (Slater, 2002) or the intention of its creator (Habermas, 2000).
Improving individual participation remains a concern (La Rose et al, 2007). There is a risk that in forcing a change to high-speed broadband there will be many who are not able to afford to upgrade (Kollock & Smith, 1999). Economic issues must be addressed to ensure that all Australians can afford the necessary hardware; and pay for the relevant services, (Buckingham, 2007) or are appropriately supported so that they can (Cradduck, 2011).
It is important that all members of Australian society have the means of accessing the Internet., In order to ensure this occurs it requires the federal government to make certain citizens have both the technology and the skills to utilise the technology (Cradduck, 2011). Appropriately skilled teachers also are vital. Studies indicate that the overcoming the digital divide is as dependent upon teaching skills and leadership as it is technology (Convergent Consulting, 2009). Appropriate e-Learning delivery training for educators therefore also must be provided as part of the solution to overcoming the digital divide and enabling effective e-Learning.
The Australian physical divide
Australian space (Bradbrook, MacCallum & Moore, 2007) and distances both within Australia, and as compared to the rest of the world, are unique. As Battersby (2006) noted “this reinforces the importance of accounting for the “tyranny of distance” ... that Australia faces ... when ... defining appropriate policy solutions” (Battersby, 2006: 207). How did Australia become so? Geographic location in comparison to the rest of the world is one thing but internal geography is another. Rural land holdings of the mid-1800s were based on the English feudal system of land ownership. (Butt, 2006) Together with the gold rush of the 1850s (Waterhouse, 2003) and the
topography of middle Australia, this land ownership system resulted in dispersed, often remote, population bases.
While Australia’s size is comparable to that of Europe, its population density is not as its population is 30 times smaller (Islam, Selvduari & Town, 2008). The percentage of the population choosing to live in cities is constantly increasing while rural and regional populations decline. (ABS, 2012) In the 21st Century therefore, in addition to
being “exceedingly distant” (Capling & Nossal, 2001: 448) from the rest of the world, internally Australia is “… sparsely populated and very large [which] makes servicing … [some] population centres… relatively costly.” (Battersby, 2006: 209) The consequence for many rural or regional areas is that there is not the collective mass necessary to make the commercial provision of internet services viable.
The internet does not eliminate distance even as it makes communication easier. (Capling & Nossal, 2001) Ensuring access for all must be a priority. (White, 2004) Unfortunately, the availability of broadband in rural areas generally occurs later than it does in urban areas thus affecting the speed of take-up of broadband by the community as a whole. (Roberts & Spurge, 2006) As well, this can lead to a feeling of disconnectedness by the rural population.
The Importance of the NBN for e-Learning
Seamless delivery of, and demand for the information and services of the internet, requires full interoperability of systems to ensure smooth delivery of materials to users (Abbasi & Stergioulas, 2011). A benefit of the NBN is that it will enable better access to the services and applications of the internet. In particular, access to high-speed broadband can have noticeable positive impacts for those in rural areas (Tanaka, 2012; Cradduck, 2011). Broadband makes “the Internet and World Wide Web run faster and jump higher for you and your computer.” (Gaskin, 2004: 3). Faster and more reliable access will enable consumers to undertake a variety of tasks not previously possible (Cole & Lorch, 2003). The internet can facilitate the distribution of learning materials quickly and cheaply (Fivenines Consulting, 2007). In particular, some systems, which are otherwise quite expensive to operate, now may be operated more affordably through the cloud (Manro, Singh & Joshi, 2012). This reinforces the need for ongoing, supported access for all to high-speed broadband. The benefits of broadband access range from the increased ease of the individual’s ability to make and share information; (Slevin, 2000) through to maintaining contact with friends overseas, whether by easy access to email, or through social networking sites and blogs (Quiggan & Potts, 2008). It also includes enabling easier access information for health, government and education purposes; (Kollock & Smith, 1999) and provides economic benefits to business by means of greater ease of access to, and by, potential customers. Or, to put is more simply the benefits of accessing high-speed broadband can be categorized as belonging to one of four groups - societal, communal, individual or commercial (Middleton, 2007). Metcalfe’s law provides that “the value of a network grows with the square of the number of members.” (Murdoch & Anderson, 2007: 3). For e-Learning this means all current and potential learners (i.e. everyone) need access to high-speed broadband and the skills necessary to engage with it and they need these now.
Conclusion
Smart devices can aid those with limited finances to access the internet (Rodrigo & Tamarkin, 2011). In Australia, however, where the cost of access is considerably more than other regions, (Choice, 2012) the availability of smart devices to those with restricted circumstances is limited. As more universities gear their systems to engage with students by mobile/smart devices (Dobbin et al, 2011) the need for ensuring ubiquity of service and access ability becomes a priority. If all do not have equal access to information the risk is that a new underclass of disadvantaged students will be created.
Support for e-Learning environments includes the adoption and ongoing development of underlying standards and associated practices (Jurado, Redondo & Oretega, 2012). A complicating factor for education delivery in Australia is that its delivery is shared between the State and Territory, and Federal governments. What is clear is that without certainty of access for consumers and the skills and support to do so, e-Learning will not be as utilised or as effective as it could be. It needs a coordinated approach by all levels of government to ensure e-Learning is effective.
High-speed broadband access enables an individual to obtain information, maintain contact with friends and gain information for health and education purposes. A delay in implementing, and ensuring access for all Australians to appropriate online content will restrict consumers’ abilities, education levels and digital literacy generally. It also will impact negatively upon e-Learning and the adoption of the NBN. There are many possible futures for Australia but this should not be one.
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