Distance Education: A

Changing Agenda
Shayne Baker
Principal
Brisbane School of Distance Education
www.brisbanesde.eq.qld.au
 Shayne Baker: A brief biography

• 1992 - Implementation of videoconferencing

across 4 campuses in south west Qld
• 1995 - Introduced audio-graphics delivery
between Kingaroy & Warwick of information
technology courses
• 1997 - Awarded Staff Scholarship for Flexible
Learning Study tour of North America (8 weeks)
• 1998/9 - Development of Early Childhood
program via the Internet (USQ)
 Shayne Baker: A brief biography
• 1999 - Secured funding from re-framing the future,
learnscope for professional development of teaching
staff (Certificate course in Retail developed for
online learning)
• 2000 Awarded Flexible Learning Fellowship (ANTA)
- undertook national study tour and visit to Canada
• 2001 Developed Change Management Plan for
increased uptake of flexible learning across all
faculties
• 2002 - secured Learnscope funding for Hendra
Secondary College to develop Certificate I in
Literacy in an online format
Distance Education: A Changing Agenda

• Contributing to the implementation of

government policy
– ETRF
– middle phase
– rural & remote
– ICT & learning
• liaising with state & non-state schools
• growth in alternative education
• adoption of key learning areas
 Distance Education: A Changing Agenda

• determining educational needs of students

• the measurement of performance
• partnering with parents
• marketing the benefits of distance and online
learning  
Distance Education : A Changing Agenda

  “The greatest difficulty in the world is

not for people to accept new ideas, but
to make them forget about old ideas.” -
John Maynard Keynes, economist  
 Managing the Change

Old Content + Old ped/tech = No Change

Old content + New ped/tech = Min Change

New content + Old ped/tech = Min Change

New content + New ped/tech = Radical Change

 
 

 
 Online Learning

• Catchcry or reality
• Information era “talk & chalk” is being replaced
by “point & click”
• Information & communication technology (ICT)
is being taken up by ALL schools
 Change to Flexible Learning

the successful management of change

associated with flexible learning will be
dependent on how well we manage the three
capabilities of “engagement, development
and performance management”. (Turner &
Crawford 1998)
 Change to Flexible Learning

1. Engagement - getting people informed,

involved, committed and motivated to act
2. Development - developing all the resources –
personal, physical, technological and
systems
3. Performance Management - managing the
factors that drive the process of change”
(Turner & Crawford 1998)
 Developing the Capability

• Provision of on-line learning & support

• Distribution of information and developments
• Professional development
• Technology infrastructure
• On-line resources
• Research & continuous improvement
 Creating the Vision

Provide an accessible, user-friendly teaching

and learning environment that supports a
range of teaching practices that utilises
information & communication technology to
enhance the learning experience
 e-learning

• access to on-line resources

• learner to learner & teacher to learner
communication via chat rooms, bulletin board &
email
• on-line assessment & feedback
• on-line support
 Managing the Change

• Conduct staff forums on flexible and online learning &

survey students
• build understanding with various stakeholders
• Publish articles highlighting flexible learning
achievements of staff & students
• Educational Technology Website to showcase
technological resources available
• recognise innovative educational solutions for
students
 Learning Objects

A learning object is an electronically developed

animated activity that can be used (& reused) to
enhance, reinforce or extend the learning activity