A Network of Centres of Excellence in Technology-Based Learning would focus on
the application of new and emerging information and communications technologies
to education, training and management/skills development. The Network would
also research the social impact, effectiveness and economics of such
applications and work with potential users to apply the results of this
research.
Learning opportunities in the home, the classroom and on the job are exploding
as new technologies emerge. Educators and trainers are increasingly taking
advantage of information and communications technologies for distance
education, open learning and workplace training. This trend is being driven by
two factors: the need for a more cost-effective and efficient learning system
and the rapid development and convergence of information and communications
technologies in networked systems.
Schools, homes, businesses, libraries, hospitals, universities, laboratories
and government offices are gradually being linked by communication networks to
the emerging electronic highway. Educational materials (courseware, electronic
libraries) are being developed by local, regional and national interests. More
and more interactive courseware is being produced, using integrated digital
text, graphics. sound, animation and video (multimedia).
Canadians have much to gain socially and economically by applying this
country's strength in communications, software development, educational
broadcasting and multimedia technologies to enhance learning and capture market
opportunities. As well as improving our skills and knowledge, we can take
advantage of the potential for strong Canadian sales to domestic and
international markets for technology-based educational and training products
and services. The Canadian market for new media technologies is estimated to be
$500 million/year. We underinvest in workplace training. but public and private
sector expenditures in this area may reach $5 billion annually in the next few
years, of which $150 million/year will be for technology-based training. The
latter figure could translate into over
l,000 jobs in the advanced technology field, as well as into significant
additional revenues from export sales. It is estimated that American companies
supply up to 90 percent of the electronic course materials used in Canadian
schools, while Canadian software, communications and multimedia companies
export most of their products and services.
Canada's success in a knowledge-based economy depends on the knowledge and
skills of its people, and therefore on training and education. Both employed
and unemployed workers need training and retraining if they are to acquire and
maintain the skills needed to function effectively in a highly competitive and
rapidly changing global marketplace.
A new Network of Centres of Excellence would enhance and exploit the country's
existing R&D in technology-based learning. Research should explore how
people learn and how best to use new and emerging technologies to enhance the
learning experience. Such a network would address key pedagogical and
technological issues such as:
- perception, cognition, natural language processing. speech recognition and
social psychology, to improve the design and application of hardware and
software and facilitate learning;
- identification of categories or groups of learners, tasks, and situations
that benefit most from (or are disadvantaged by) particular instructional
methods or media;
- ways that technology can be used to integrate schools, offices and homes
to encourage communication and cooperation among schools, teachers, and parents
and the working world;
- design of systems to increase the efficiency of training;
- effect of technology on what is taught, and how it is taught;
- impact of automated teaching on learning and retention rates, motivation
to learn and learner preferences in various learning situations;
- application of new technologies to demand-driven and learner-centred
education and training;
- impact of communications and new media technologies on the teaching and
learning process;
- economics of technology-based education and training.
A network would involve collaboration among organizations and individuals such
as the following:
- Researchers in the areas of education, educational psychology, training,
management development, economics, computer science, engineering, social and
health sciences, media and technology, information science, communications,
industrial relations, sociology;
- Educators and educational organizations, including universities, teacher
education institutions, hospitals, community colleges, and provincial
departments of education, school boards, schools and teachers;
- Employers, trainers, business schools, industry and professional
associations, and labour organizations;
- Federal government departments and agencies, including Industry Canada,
Health Canada, Human Resources Development Canada, and Canadian Heritage;
- Industry, including training/educational service providers, related
software and hardware suppliers, and telecommunications and new media companies
and organizations.
NCE
Page,
LINCS
Page,
University
of Calgary Page,
KSI
Page
LINCS@acs.ucalgary.ca 1-Sep-94