þ7#(Ë6N'Ë..5555&5&5&5&5& 50 5:5:5Rx5&5Ê 5ê6$*6N56$5ê:6$6$6N6$6$6$6$6$6$Executive Summary This is Volume 1 of our Final Report of the DELTA "CCAM" Study Contract "Telematic Networks in Open and Distance Learning in the Tertiary Sector". In contractual terms, it forms Deliverable 3 of the Study. The summary that follows covers both volumes of the Final Report. Organisation of the Study The study was carried out by the project office of the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU) under the direction of the general project manager Nicholas Fox. The work was primarily undertaken by two member institutions of EADTU: 1 The UK Open University (UKOU) led the survey, scenario and policy aspects. 2 The National Distance Education Centre (NDEC) in Eire undertook the cost analyses. During the course of the study there was regular consultation with the EADTU Board and with the Media Methods and Technology Working Group of EADTU. The Report is relevant to so-called "traditional" universities wishing to use telematic networks for teaching as well as to "distance teaching universities". (It should be noted that EADTU contains many traditional universities within its organisation as well as open universities and several dual-mode organisations.) Deliverables The project had three Deliverables, produced as a two-volume Final Report: Volume 1 "Scenarios, costs and survey" covers Deliverables 1 and 2 Volume 2 "Rationale and work programme" covers Deliverable 3. Work plan The work plan had six components. In the list below we describe them and give volume and chapter references: a The specification of hypothetical but potentially realisable scenarios relating to the use of telematic networks in tertiary education (by campus-based or distance universities). [Volume 1 Chapter 2] b A postal survey of 760 degree-awarding university-level teaching institutions, primarily in the member states of the European Community (but also some in other parts of Europe), and a subsequent telephone survey of selected institutions. The objective of the two surveys was to identify the potential demand for telematic networks in tertiary education. [Volume 1 Chapter 3] c An economic analysis of the comparative cost of using each of four media within the context of the scenarios (see (a) above), relative to the cost of providing the same programmes through a more conventional mode of teaching. In addition, an estimate was derived of the cost of equipping learning resource centres (Euro Study Centres), based on specifications prepared by EADTU. [Volume 1 Chapter 2] d An analysis of trends in the use of telematic networks in education and training, drawing on a range of sources and in particular on results from the JANUS project. [Volume 2 Chapter 5] e The formulation of policy recommendations for the development of European telematic networks to meet tertiary level education and training needs. [Volume 2 Chapters 6 and 7] f The formulation of proposals for future work both short-term and longer-term. [Volume 2 Chapters 8 and 9] Conclusions The conclusions are in three parts: 1 General conclusions 2 Conclusions on particular media 3 Infrastructural conclusions. General conclusions 1 Our survey work shows interest, but non-specific interest, in the potential of telematic networks 2 Standardisation is required in order to avoid the problems, and associated cost increases, of having to buy different products to fulfil similar requirements. For example: Ð having to buy an extra or more complex satellite receiver because education and training channels are on different satellites [as were EUROSTEP and EuroPACE] Ð having to buy a different type of microcomputer from that used for administrative tasks [for example if teaching needed a PC but administration was done via dumb terminals on Unix]. 3 Media/technologies should be used extensively, if users wish to gain economic benefits from them: Ð both for large numbers of students Ð and for a large number of study hours. 4 Where telematic networks can be developed on existing infrastructure, the fixed costs can be reduced. For example: Ð using mainframe computing power in the evening to support student access [at times when administrative use and staff access is light] Ð using a satellite for which many users already have receivers or could be "easily" persuaded to buy them [such as Astra] Ð use of existing computer networks cost-justified for other purposes such as research [such as the national academic networks]. 5 Even now, little is known about true costs in actual situations. Conclusions on particular media Some of our main conclusions are given below. It should be stressed that our conclusions are mostly phrased in terms of overall system costs including student costs. The issues of who actually incurs the costs and who notices them raise complex organisational and political questions. ¥ Satellite TV in most cases is less cost-effective than postal delivery of videos; but can become cost-effective as the number of students grows large. In addition, given the under-developed character of postal services in some parts of Europe, and the complexity of working with several national systems, satellite TV offers a single integrated solution to the requirement of Europe-wide delivery of video. The apparent cost-effectiveness of this increases if use is made of domestic satellite TV receivers and overnight transmission time. ¥ Computer conferencing has limited economies of scale because of the need for tutor/student ratios similar to conventional tutorials. It is therefore less cost-effective than commonly believed for large numbers of students. However, if students have home or workplace access to the appropriate hardware, software and telecommunications, it can provide an effective method of extending access and support even for small study programmes. ¥ Video conferencing used for video lectures can be cost-effective at relatively low hours usage per year. At present, however, the initial capital outlays required are substantial. A potentially significant factor affecting costs is the decreasing requirement for bandwidth, opening the way to the use of ISDN in video conferencing and substantially reduced charges. If network bandwidth is apparently free (as on many academic networks) this has a substantial effect on apparent costs. Infrastructural conclusions The cost analyses are restricted to a small number of specific scenarios Ð however, these have been chosen to be typical of operational use in North America and operational, pilot and planned use in Europe. They strongly suggest that the common assumption of the universal cost-effectiveness of telematic networks is unsupported, and that the use of these technologies needs to be carefully focused if resources are to be deployed effectively. They also suggest that factors tending towards cost-effectiveness include scale of use, both in number of students and number of study hours, and use of existing equipment and services on a marginal cost basis. But one cannot have marginal costs if there is no basic tier of service on which to add marginal costs. They also bring out that there are many limitations of the analytic method, including the fact that it is in practice impossible to substitute one medium for another (is live television the same as video?) and that there are many factors which are either hard to cost or where users (such as students) make economically unjustified decisions (such as over phone bills, TV costs or car use). And of course it is well known that there are few reliable studies of the cost of telematic networks in operational use. This suggests that: a A number of pilot trials are set up to get better information on the cost factors in the context of educational practice. b A European Telematics for Education Infrastructure is set up so that real-world trials can be undertaken without getting bogged down in heavy start-up costs and complexity. Recommendations In order (a) to make best use of existing infrastructures (run by PTTs, etc.) which fulfil part but not all of the operational requirements for telematic trials and (b) to avoid setting up a new large infrastructure Ð plus organisation to run it Ð which may not (yet) be justifiable, we propose that a small infrastructure organisation is set up as a "telematic network broker". This would operate rather like a package holiday company. It would purchase telematic services from PTTs, academic networks, and others, and supply them on an agreed basis to universities who wish to use telematic services for the provision of programmes for credit. A subsidy for this broker should be available from the EC on the usual matched-funding basis. The broker would be overseen by a board which would include a substantial representation of those universities making use of its services. This scheme would give hard information about the demand for such networks. It would also give universities the experience of using telematic networks with the ease of use and low tariffs which market forces would in the long term produce if only the market were kick-started. The broker would provide telematic services for a number of pilot projects but would not be restricted to these. The pilot projects should include the following six applications: ¥ Video lectures (satellite and ISDN) such as for post-graduate courses for credit. ¥ Voice mail and audio conferencing such as for language teaching. ¥ LAN linking by ISDN such as for support of tutoring in Euro Study Centres. ¥ Two-way video conferencing such as for a "virtual summer school". ¥ Integration of CD-ROM with networks such as a multi-media courses database allowing on-line registration for courses. ¥ User-friendly computer conferencing for home-based users such as with windows-based conferencing software over higher-speed links. These six applications should provide a good range of trials to satisfy universities both in the distance education area and the area of traditional universities considering distance education methods. They also contain relevant trials for our partners in the other sectoral studies. 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