What do lifelong learners expect?

Andy DiPaolo from Stanford Center for Professional Development on the evolution of Online Education talked about new players in the mix of the higher education landscape: new universities established playing their own game. This game is get their students "love-live-work". Main challenge: what do lifelong learners and employers need and expect of online higher education providers? So according to Andy, they:

• are busy
• want access everywhere
• want choice
• want bites of learning, not the full packadge
• want engagement
• fast and practice oriented knowledge
• need challenge
• multitasking (hello homo interneticus!)
• blended environment
• TIVO: digital video recorder learning your viewing habits (shiver)
• want mentors
• want social community
• variable pricing (example of iTunes)

Wonder how many of the traditional universities on the old continent know who their learners are and what they need?
After this exciting experience for strategic planning from the other side of the Atlantic ocean, Ciaran Mc Cormack gave an insight into exciting primary and secondary school online multimedia projects showing real-life, already established hands-on examples. If you listened well, you may be in the position to scribble in your iPad a short note on who your students will be in 15 years!

Both presentations will be available later on the EDEN website.

Coffee break now.