Case Study 5: Internationalisation of Distance Education - University of Southern Queensland

[next chapter] [previous chapter] [contents]

The University of Southern Queensland (USQ), situated in Toowoomba, 100 km west of Brisbane, commenced operations in 1967 as the Darling Downs campus of the Queensland Institute of Technology becoming the Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education in 1970. In 1990 it became the University College of Southern Queensland under the sponsorship of the University of Queensland and was designated as an independent university in 1992. The University became actively involved in distance education initiatives soon after its establishment as a College of Advanced Education and commenced offering distance education courses to fee-paying overseas students in 1985.

USQ’s flexible approach to education is an essential element in its teaching. The University is recognised as one of Australia’s leading Distance Education Centres, delivering quality distance education courses in Australia and overseas. More than two thirds of all students enrolled at USQ study by distance education.

The University has six Faculties: Arts, Business, Commerce, Education, Engineering & Surveying, and Sciences.

In 1996, the University had an enrolment of 17,858 students including more than 4,500 on campus and over 13,000 studying by distance education. There was a total of 2,831 international students with 805 on campus and over 2,000 off shore.

Criteria for the selection of the USQ for the case study on the internationalisation of distance education included:

• its size as the largest provider in Australia of distance education courses offshore;

• emphasis on design of quality teaching materials;

• the use of new technologies; and

• strong support base for students.

The Committee for Quality Assurance in Higher Education recognised the USQ distance education program as ‘a particular example of good practice’ and as ‘multi-disciplinary, highly systematic and strongly based on certain theoretical principles’.

In 1996 there were over 2,000 students undertaking USQ courses offshore in 20 countries but predominantly in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong with smaller numbers in South Africa, the Gulf and the South Pacific. Offshore students are enrolled at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels with most undertaking degrees in Business, Commerce, Engineering, Nursing and Information Technology. Offshore distance education students constitute more than two thirds of the total enrolment.

In accordance with the University Vision to be a leader in distance and international education, its distance education policy is based on the integration of the distance education programs for international and local external students. Offshore students study the same courses and units with the same assessment as local external students and all are supported and coordinated by the substantial infrastructure of the Distance Education Centre (DEC).

The Distance Education Centre (DEC)

Distance education activities are coordinated through the Distance Education Centre which is responsible for:

• instructional design of course materials;
• student support;
• instructional technology;
• production and mailing;
• evaluation and research.

The DEC has a staff establishment of 135, with 30 specialists in instructional design and development including experts in interactive media, research and evaluation; 25 staff in media services including audiovisual production and graphic design; 35 staff responsible for student support services including 27 regional liaison officers; 28 staff dedicated to electronic publishing and a core staff of eight to manage mailing and storage of courseware materials. Of the 16 academic staff members of DEC, seven are qualified at the doctoral level in disciplines related to instructional design and technology.

The work of the Centre is characterised by the course team approach in the production of instructional materials, an Outreach system of student support and extensive use of the new information technologies.

Strategy

USQ bases its distance teaching strategy on a multimedia, self-instructional package which can be used independently of time and place. This flexible delivery approach contrasts with the expanded campus model of distance education in which students receive a minimal amount of instructional materials and in which teaching is largely face-to-face by regional tutors. In the USQ model, students

receive a sophisticated, comprehensive and largely self-contained study package consisting of print materials, audiotapes, videotapes, and computer managed learning packages while face to face contact is minimal and often optional.

Many of the distinctive features of the offshore distance education program are products of the distance education program itself:

• DEC uses the latest instructional technologies including computerised assessment-of learning programs, computer assisted learning programs, and CD-ROM based interactive media courseware;

• USQ uses teams comprised of teaching staff and instructional design and technology specialists to develop materials, an approach similar to that used by the UK Open University. The relevant Faculty is responsible for the academic content of the unit while DEC is responsible for the instructional quality of the materials;

• there is a strong culture of external student support and responsiveness. Support is provided through the Outreach system and the use of communications technologies including telephone tutorials, teleconferences and audiographics; and

• DEC has also developed efficient management information systems in its production and mailing areas to handle large number of students. Monitoring of response times to student enquiries, follow-up advice, early dispatch of course materials, prompt marking of assignments, evaluation and modification of the multimedia materials receive high attention and are part of the quality assurance systems established by DEC.

To support offshore students regional study centres operate in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore with new offices recently established in Indonesia, the Philippines, Korea, Fiji, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. International Teaching Schools staffed by USQ academics provide short periods of face to face tuition in some countries.

The University has developed links with two leading distance education organisations, the Open and Distance Learning Association of Australia and the International Council for Distance Education (ICDE). It hosts the ICDE Australia-Pacific Secretariat, and will host the development of the ICDE WWW Net which aims to link the home-pages of the existing 7,600 institutional members of ICDE. The University is responsible for the publication of two international journals: Distance Education: An International Journal and the Electronic Journal of Instructional Science and Technology.

New Model of Distance Education through the Internet

Students from Brazil, Hong Kong and South Africa are among those enrolled in a new USQ course using the Internet. The students enrol, submit their assignments and gain access to reference material and course brochures through the WWW.

The course - a Graduate Certificate in Open and Distance Learning aimed at staff involved in that teaching mode - was launched in July 1996 and is offered solely by electronic means. The course-ware developed makes extensive use of electronic resources available on the World Wide Web Twenty people from 10 overseas universities are enrolled with students from Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mexico, Solomon Islands, South Africa and the US. The project represents a leading edge development, pedagogically sophisticated and international.

The project is a collaborative effort between the University’s Faculty of Education, Distance Education Centre, main library and information technology services, the Australian Government and the US telecommunications company AT & T.

Factors which have been important in the success of the offshore distance education strategy include:

• a high volume distance education program with a large offshore component;

• a long history in the provision of distance education and a decade of participation in the international arena;

• international connections - role in international distance education bodies ;

• impressive and cost-effective infrastructure support of DEC;

• a wide range of offerings offshore attracting students not wishing to travel off shore for study;

• being a small institution with a cohesive, personalised ethic;

• an advanced pedagogical approach to materials design;

• the evolution of a culture of distance education on the campus; and

• a strong institutional commitment to international distance education.

Planning and Evaluation

The performance of the University’s distance education programs are continuously reviewed by the DEC staff and by the course teams. Evaluation of courses is undertaken at least once every three semesters. New developments arise from the work of the research team in DEC headed by an Associate Professor. The need to update and introduce new ideas is central to the work of the Continuous Improvement Committee of the University. Retention rates of the offshore courses are similar to the courses taken by Australian students at around 78%.

Benefits of the Strategy

Benefits to the students:

• wide range of courses available through flexible delivery in 20 countries, at relatively low cost; and

• opportunities for tertiary studies not otherwise available.

Benefits to the institution:

• impact of DEC multimedia packages across to teaching of on-campus students;

• reputation for distance education technology, delivery systems and research with potential for international consultancy services in distance/offshore education;

• extensive contacts overseas through students, alumni;

• significant economic benefits from fee income from offshore students; and

• the development of new teaching models and communication systems.

Benefits to other universities:

• limited to those with or likely to develop, an emphasis on distance education;

• applicability dependent on high volume, low fees, and broad access; and

• useful model for course delivery on the Internet.

Benefits to the region:

• assist social and economic development through the provision of an alternative mode of education; and

• add a new dimension to technical assistance through the provision of courses on the Internet.