Online education promises much
If online education can deliver education to people cheaply and easily, then we have a chance to redress the balance in our world.
(And on a personal note, I am fascinated by the global communities we form when we share learning online. The social and cultural implications in the long-term are immense.)
“Seven of the world’s largest distance education universities—where students and faculty alike all use some form of computer-assisted learning—are located in developing countries. For these communities, educational resources available via the Internet can offer cutting-edge applications of cyberspace. Yet, roadblocks—from inadequate national communications infrastructures to teachers reluctant to adapt to e-learning—exist for the full success of online education for higher education. Meanwhile, the use of online delivery in corporate training is predicted to overtake higher education usage in developing countries, becoming an estimated $150 billion industry by 2025. This Special Report looks at lessons learned, innovations that work, and the future of ICT in education for developing countries.”