For learning and competence

Upper Secondary Distance Learning

Kimmo KoskinenArion Study Visit12.5.2006www.oph.fi

Students’ comments:

”Upper secondary distance school is the best thing ever!”

”Better to be a ‘distance student’ than a ‘distance mother’!”

”Distance studying without staring at your watch or calendar.”

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What is Upper Secondary Distance Learning?

Upper secondary school level education as distance teaching is offered by adult or regular daytime upper secondary schools (about 1/3 of schools)

Upper secondary distance school operations are open to all education institutions. Distance learning can be started by a decisions made by the maintaining body of the school.

According to the High School Act (629/1998), upper secondary school education can be partly arranged as contact or distance teaching. Teaching can also be arranged as various multiform contact and distance teaching

All regulations that apply to “normal” upper secondary school education should be applied to upper secondary distance school education.

The aims and content of the teaching, as well as the different compulsory subjects and courses, are the same in distance education as in other teaching.

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Upper secondary distance learning– for whom? 1

Upper secondary distance school makes studying possible in particular when someone’s family situation, long distances, a job or health reason prevent a person from participating in contact teaching.

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Upper secondary distance learning– for whom? 2

Anyone who has completed comprehensive school, or has a comparable school leaving certificate, can apply to become a distance student

A student can complete the upper secondary school syllabus or he/ she can take individual courses

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Upper secondary distance learning – for whom? 3

adults who wish to update and supplement their general education, but who can’t utilize the conventional education system

employed or unemployed adults young upper secondary school students in support of regular

upper secondary school studies and to supplement course provision

students at vocational institutions (such as those taking the upper secondary school matriculation examination and a vocational qualification in parallel)

polytechnic/ university students for remedial and refresher study

comprehensive school pupils as additional studies and as an introduction to upper secondary school studies

people temporarily residing abroad

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Some background information of distance students (Source: FNBE’s questionnaire, 2004)

Women 74 %, men 26 % Certficate-oriented students 78 %, students taking

individual courses 22 % Averige age 37 years, nearly 50 % under 30 years Comprehensive school diploma 52 %, some studies in

upper secondary school 28 %, elementary school diploma (before the comperehensive school reform) 13 %, upper secondary school diploma 7 %

College-level training 39 %, vocational school 28 %, some vocational course 16 %, higher vocational diploma 4 %, other 13 %

Labour market situation at the beginning of studies:employed 58 %, unemployed 16 %, entrepreneur 6 %, taking some other training 6 %, elsewhere 14 %

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Why distance education?

30

38

56

8

9

9

5

9

7

9

8

8

12

12

8

35

24

13

0 % 20 % 40 % 60 % 80 % 100 %

Because of my work, distance education was theonly way to study in upper secondary school

(n=346)

Because of family reasons, distance educationwas the only way to study in upper secondary

school (n=344)

Because of long distance to closest uppersecondary school, distance education was the

only way to study (n=344)

Strongly disagree Disagree a lot Disagree quite a lotAgree quite a lot Agree a lot Strongly agree

Source: Student questionnaire, 2003

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Distance between home and school

%

35

19

11

21

9

5

0 10 20 30 40

under 5 km

5-10 km

10-20 km

20-50 km

50-100 km

over100 km

Source: Student questionnaire, 2003

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Background of Upper Secondary Distance School in Finland

1

The Pilot Project 1997-1999 The upper secondary distance learning project was

launched in 1997 as a joint project between the National Board of Education and the Finnish Broadcasting Company, YLE. The project was partly funded by European Social Fund (ESF).

The main aim was to expand and diversify the method of modern distance education. The idea was also to expand adult upper secondary school education available equally in all parts of Finland.

Eleven education institutions were chosen as pilot project schools

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Background of Upper Secondary Distance School in Finland 2

The Upper Secondary Distance School Project 2000-2004

It was decided that development work for uppersecondary distance schools was to be expandedbetween the years 2000–2004 to all provinces of Finland.

The main aims:–to develop learning methods utilizing ICT–to produce study materials (Internet, TV, radio) –to develop regional collaboration of distance learning between

schools

In 2004, there were around 100 education institutions involved in the project.

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Statistics of the project 2000-2004

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The Upper Secondary Distance School Project 2000-2004

The Finnish National Board of Education was responsible for the co-ordination and administration of development work for the upper secondary distance school operations during the upper secondary distance learning project.

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The role of Finnish NBE

National coordinator

– guiding, informing, planning & development

– finding and sharing of best practices

– evaluation (separate project 2002-2004)

– financing & reporting (ESF etc.)

– co-operation with project partners, interest groups and other virtual school projects

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The role of Finnish NBE

Organizing the teachers’ in-service training, development seminars etc.

Content production with YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company)

–Certificate-oriented learning materials

–Web modules (over 130) updating project 2004-2006

–TV & radio learning programmes (115 TV & 165 radio programmes)

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Costs of distance learning

Fixed costs are larger in distance teaching than in ordinary teaching.

The material produced by the teachers themselves in distance teaching is laborious and expensive. The purchasing of equipment and programmes increase costs, in particular in the beginning stage of operations.

In order for upper secondary distance teaching to be cost-effective, the number of students has to be sufficiently large, and the number of drop-outs has to remain low.

In general, the cost of distance teaching per student is almost as much as that for students in regular teaching.

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Studying in upper secondary distance school- Learning material

Regular upper secondary school textbooks form the basis for upper secondary distance learning studies.

The written material and web-based material put together by the teachers are essential for the distance learning student.

The National Board of Education together with the Finnish Broadcasting Company, produce learning material which supports upper secondary distance teaching and learning.

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Studying in upper secondary distance school

A multiform way of studying is mostly used in upper secondary distance schools. This means one can complete courses in several ways. One can have

–contact teaching

–distance learning independently

–learning via the internet with guidance of teacher

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Contact teaching

In contact teaching (traditional classroom teaching) the more difficult aspects of the courses, as well as any questions that students may have, are dealt with.

The numbers of hours of contact teaching vary according to schools, subjects and courses.

Participation in contact teaching is usually optional for the student.

Video conference teaching is also contact teaching. The schools within an upper secondary distance learning network can basically function as one upper secondary distance school and provide teaching at the same time to students of several schools within the network using video conference equipment.

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Distance learning

Student’s learning materials and equipment:

–books, materials by teacher

–web sites (NBE´s etc.)

–radio and TV programmes

–network-based groupware tools (learning environments)

–email, telephone, mail The guidance provided by the teacher is an intrinsic part of

distance learning. Distance studying is made easier if the student has a computer

with an internet connection.

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”Pure” Internet (web-based) learning

Upper secondary distance learning schools can also provide internet courses that can be completely carried out on the internet.

The internet courses can be restricted to a certain time frame or they can be geared for own-pace study (nonstop-courses).

Internet-based learning programmes and platforms (Moodle, WebCT …) and e-mail are important tools for the internet courses. Skype and other new ways of communication are also used.

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The results and effects of studies

The drop-out rate in distance learning is a little bit higher than in traditional classroom learning

Until now (5/2006) there are approx. 1500 distance learning students who have completed the whole upper secondary school and matriculated

Results in matriculation examination do not differ from other students – they are even better!

About 50 % of the students aim at continuing their studies in the university or in polytechnics

The benefits and effects (according to students) of the studies relate most strongly to increased well-being, language skills, self-confidence and pleasure and less to direct skills in labour market

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Results

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Causes for declining motivation or dropping out

10

10

50

63

66

8

13

17

11

18

11

24

11

7

6

17

20

5

7

3

16

20

10

7

3

38

12

7

7

4

0 % 20 % 40 % 60 % 80 % 100 %

Lack of time (n=123)

Difficulties in arranging my schedules(n=124)

Financial difficulties (n=123)

Illness (n=123)

Deficiencies in using computers (n=124)

Strongly disagree Disagree a lot Disagree quite a lotAgree quite a lot Agree a lot Strongly agree

Source: Student questionnaire, 2003

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Student – what is necessary?

Motivation, commitment

Self-guidance

Clear aim

Realistic personal study plan (time schedule)

Sufficient ICT-skills

Desire and readiness to work, work and work …

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Summary: What is the additional value of distance education for upper secondary school education?

Increases and diversifies the use of ICT in teaching and learning

Develops the working environment of school into more open and flexible direction

Increases networking at regional level, co-operation and willingness for further development in educational institutions

Supports the course supply of small upper secondary schools and preserving of school networks

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Further information

The Finnish National Board of Education– www.oph.fi/etalukio

The Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE/ TV– www.yle.fi/opinportti