Hi Paul,
Here we are again after another weekend of mixed ability golfing and
hopefully refreshed once more for the fray .
I think you have pointed to a number of issues which are much bigger
than they appear but certainly I think there is an argument that
might suggest that technology can alleviate, even if not overcome,
less than ideal resource provision. I think as well it does depend on the
perception of what is collectively sought in a given institution
as to how you allocate resources but here is one scenario:
The institution pays for the central infrastructure (networks, spines
etc. ) and undertakes to provide all the required training as well as
specifiying the software requirements. The student purchases or leases the
machine to run it with the prescribed software.
This might then overcome the access problems and possibly even the
performance side of things together with skill problems (I accept
that it might not as well). There are currently various models for IT skills
training even where resource provision is similar so a view of money
and staff alone is not enough either way. As far as web-maintenance is
concerned, this might make it a more manageable job and the savings made on
hardware might allow the purchase of support personnel or their
time to do this kind of thing.
The above scenario does, of course, have implications about student
profiles and issues of affordability, whereabouts of study and
location of access as well as that which is being studied (amongst
other things).
It may well be that your typical student in future is part time, in her
mid 40's and in middle-management needing or deciding to define her
own topics within accountacy or manufacturing etc. It is then a
collaborative effort between teaching staff and the learner to
satisfy the requirements of all concerned. This is one example of
work-based learning or working from home.
It may well be that the future student on a campus-based course aged
19 and attending (or not) a stream of lectures and seminars and
churning out essays on given titles is far less typical.
These are only touching upon some of these issues and are only
showing one approach to resource distribution but it is something
which I believe has no single answer. To some extent I would still
offer a similar answer to that given before in that it depends on
your context and objectives as to the way in which you use resources.
This would apply even when your resource allocation is poor. You
just have to do the best you can within that shifting framework and
for your target audience. Technology can help or hinder some of
that.
Cheers,
Nick
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|