| At a time when UK university places are seeing | | | | article is the response from one follower in |
| record demand and applications submitted by | | | | Liverpool who argued 'that integrating e-learning |
| older students are increasing, it seems likely that | | | | into the mainstream (and perhaps losing the 'e' |
| over the next few years a typical campus will be | | | | that distinguishes it)' was important. A notion that |
| made up of an even more diverse mix of ages | | | | got me thinking. |
| than it has seen in the past. Recent UCAS data | | | | Surely then, 2009 and 2010 may well be the year |
| highlights just how many older people are applying, | | | | that we really begin to see this happen. E-Learning |
| with an 18 percent rise of applicants aged 25 and | | | | is ear-marked for further funding in light of the |
| over - this has bumped the overall number of | | | | 40th anniversary of the Open University, and |
| extra students competing to get into UK | | | | additionally, the greater reach of online lessons |
| institutions by another 50,000 compared to last | | | | where physical class space and accommodation |
| year. | | | | doesn't have to be considered will no doubt |
| Although this sudden influx of students is no | | | | become more important for institutions and |
| doubt set to strain our recession-hit universities | | | | students alike. |
| even further, as well as making the application | | | | At the same time, I can't help but imagine that |
| process even tougher for those who a few years | | | | the notion of 'adult education' as opposed to just |
| ago would haves secured a place with ease, I see | | | | 'education' is on its way out also - and it is |
| this as a very good thing for education as a | | | | e-Learning technology which is having a hand in |
| whole - and a good opportunity for the UK's HE | | | | that too. Online education is changing the way in |
| institutions to adapt to the needs of a wider | | | | which the individual student interacts with the |
| variety of students and developing technologies. | | | | college in two ways, the first: by offering a |
| When we discuss e-Learning, adult education or | | | | flexible, individually fitted, means to accessing |
| distance courses - if we are not describing its | | | | information and the second: by providing open |
| successes we are usually talking about issues that | | | | content (i.e. texts created by institutions but that |
| people come across when embarking on such an | | | | are available to all). Consequently, once e-Learning |
| endeavour. Steve Wheeler (from his blog: | | | | does become "mainstream" I envisage a learning |
| steve-wheeler.blogspot.com) is aware of this and | | | | environment that has absolutely nothing to do |
| decided to ask his Twitter followers what they | | | | with the age of the student, and everything to do |
| thought the primary issues with, specifically, | | | | with that innocuous vowel - though I'm sure we |
| e-Learning were. What inspired this particular | | | | will have forgotten all about it. |