On the Characteristics of the Demand for On-line Higher Education*
|
|
- Shawn Randall
- 6 years ago
- Views:
Transcription
1 Studi e Note di Economia, Anno XIV, n , pagg GruppoMontepaschi On the Characteristics of the Demand for On-line Higher Education* MARIO ALLEGRA**, GIOVANNI FULANTELLI***, VITO PIPITONE**** Despite the growth of e-learning, in Italy the number of students enrolling in university on line courses still remains very low. In this paper we report on the methodology and the results of a survey carried out at the Institute for Educational Technology of the Italian National Research Council, involving 1100 students in the final year of secondary school. The investigation was aimed at analysing how high school pupils perceive e-learning, how many of them really consider on line courses a valid choice for their university study and the reasons of their vision. (J.E.L.: I21) Introduction How do high school pupils view on-line degree courses? How many students really consider choosing one of these courses? These are a couple of the questions which the present paper will try to answer in order to understand the real growth potential of the market for on-line university education. The laboratory used for this analysis is Italy, a country which has experienced a radical upheaval of its university system over the past ten years, and in which e-learning is a rapidly developing phenomenon. The spread of new educational methodologies using ICT (Information and Communication Technology) has developed in Italy through a bottom-up type of process, often the result of the innovating initiatives of individual teachers. A more widespread use of new technologies in education has been impeded by cultural resistance by considerable number of Italian teachers who have to some extent refused to accept the integration of traditional teaching methods and new technologies. This refusal is probably due to the relatively static situation which for * Paper accepted in June ** Italian National Research Council, Institute for Educational Technologies, Italy; allegra@itd.cnr.it *** Italian National Research Council, Institute for Educational Technologies, Italy; fulantelli@itd.cnr.it **** Italian National Research Council, Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, Italy; vito.pipitone@cnr.it Corresponding author: Vito Pipitone.
2 68 Studi e Note di Economia, Anno XIV, n decades saw teachers adopting the same unchanging teaching methods. It is only in the last few years that a serious rationalisation of the episodic nature of e-learning activities has taken place with two out of three universities today having an e-learning policy (Fondazione CRUI 2006). Now that the cultural resistance to the use of new educational technologies has diminished, Italian universities are turning their attention to new problems, such as the search for new financial resources to create and offer teaching modules on the web, the protection of intellectual property of educational on-line material, the definition of a new relationship between technology and pedagogy, and the setting up of societies involving the world of production. Meanwhile, at a technological level, there is a rapid diffusion of university e-learning centres using technological platforms which are either open source or developed on site, and so better able to meet specific local needs (Liscia, 2005). The dynamic growth which has taken place in Italian universities may appear excessive when one considers the number of actual on-line students is no more than 5% of the total number of students enrolled (Fondazione CRUI 2006). At present, the use of the web and modern digital technologies seems to be directed more to improving the quality of traditional teaching situations rather than to attracting new kinds of student (for example workers, the disabled, pensioners etc). Thus, while on the one hand, e-learning in Italy is expected to grow since there are large sections of the population which, in the medium term, could enrol in distance learning courses, on the other hand we need to consider why the current demand for such courses is still so restricted. Our challenge in this paper is to try to understand the causes of a certain persistent resistance in adapting to the new technological context of the demand for higher education in Italy. To achieve our aim, let us start from the decision making process of students choosing whether or not to go to university and the role that information and previous educational experience play in this process. We will draw a theoretical picture of the problem, analysing empirical evidence in Italy. We then present the methodology used in our investigation and describe the basic characteristics of the sample used. Afterwards we present the results of the survey and put forward some considerations about the Italian case. Finally, we draw some general conclusions. Between theory and evidence: the Italian laboratory According to human capital theory (Campbell and Siegel 1967; Mincer 1974; Becker 1975), people consider education as an investment in human capital. The investment is attractive if the value of the expected benefits exceeds the costs of education. The expected benefits are typically expressed in terms of wage premium connected with the education program, whereas the costs are a broad and loosely defined category including tuition fees,
3 M. Allegra, G. Fulantelli, V. Pipitone - On the Characteristics of the Demand additional living costs, books and supplies, additional transportation costs and forfeited labour market earnings (the opportunity cost). Jackson and Weathersby (1975) evaluated seven studies that followed Ostheimer s (1953) pioneering work of estimating higher education demand among potential enrolees. Results showed that the cost to the student is a significant variable with negative impact but the magnitude of the price effect (refers to the tuition fees) was found to be relatively small, ranging from 0.06 to 1.9 percentage points change in the enrolment ratio for each 100 dollars increase in tuition price. Moreover, the absolute magnitude of the price responsiveness decreases with increasing income. In other words, individuals from low-income families are more affected by price changes than are individuals from highincome families. These findings received broad support in the international literature (Funk 1972; Ghali et al. 1977; Kim 1988; Paulse 1988; Savoca 1990; Heller 1997), though it should be noted that international comparison of price elasticity is hampered because of substantial variation in tuition fee levels and tuition fee determined systems. Recent econometric results confirm that students are not responsive to tuition fees and suggest that per capita income, financial support, wage premium and family background are important in the enrolment decision (Dynarski 1999; Paulsen and St. John 2002; Canton and De Jong 2005). The average income in society can influence the demand for higher education when education has a consumptive value. This predicts a positive correlation between university enrolment and per capita income. Besides, financial aid to students reduces the price of attendance and can affect enrolment decisions. Grants lower the net private contribution to the education investment and thereby raise the expected private return from schooling. It should be noted, however, that the student support system could affect study duration. Generous student support potentially increases study duration, due to moral hazard and adverse selection (Belot, Canton and Webbink 2004). It has been also argued that teenagers use information on the current wage gap between recent university and high school graduates to gauge the size of their own expected returns from schooling (Topel 1997; Card and Lemieux 2000). Secondary school graduates are encouraged to enrol at a university when the expected returns from a university program are higher. Finally, another factor with the potential of affecting both educational attainment and school returns is family background. Sacerdote (2002) finds that being raised in a family with high socioeconomic status greatly increases the probability of attending college. The analysis of the Italian situation supports the above findings. In fact, since 2000/01 the organization of university courses has been reformed: a binary one-tier system, characterized by a single educational level with two parallel paths (degree courses and university diplomas) has been replaced by a two-tier system, consisting of a single path on two levels. At the same time,
4 70 Studi e Note di Economia, Anno XIV, n greater didactic autonomy has been introduced in individual universities, allowing for the definition of new courses, methodologies and technologies to be adopted. In the years since the reform was introduced, in , the number of newly enrolled students has already increased by over 11% despite a demographic fall of 12% in the number of nineteen-year-olds; the number of students dropping out of university has fallen from 70% to 35%; and the number of students enrolled but not actively studying has also decreased markedly (Tosi 2005). In this same period, universities have begun to experiment and set up e- learning courses. As a recent study (Pipitone, Fulantelli and Allegra 2005) has highlighted, in only four years from the beginning of the reform, the number of active on line first level degree courses increased from 4 to 73. In a university system like the Italian one, in which the offer of residential places is sufficient for only 2% of students studying away from home (Tosi 2005), compared to 10% in France and Germany and 20% in Sweden, distance learning courses should have had a significant influence on demand, favouring in particular those living in outlying areas who are especially sensitive to additional living costs. Mature students should also have been attracted by the flexibility guaranteed by distance education and, in particular, by a large reduction in opportunity costs. As the experience of the Open University has shown (today it is the biggest university in Great Britain with more than 200,000 students), ICT applied to education is an effective tool for reconciling job requirements and the needs for continuous training. New technologies leave students free to choose the time and place of their education. Despite the cost reduction of university education, due to the growth of the e-learning supply, the number of students enrolling in university on line courses still remains very low. Before asking whether the theory of human capital fails to explain the growth in the demand for e-learning in Italy, it is important to verify whether all the hypotheses underlying the rational choices are confirmed. Do all potential university students know about the e-learning option before making their choice, and do they have the necessary information for evaluating this option? To answer these questions, we carried out a survey among final year students at Italian high schools concerning their knowledge and perception of e-learning. The survey The survey was administered using a web based questionnaire to a representative sample of 1100 students in the final year of secondary school, distributed in 20 Italian provinces. It was a closed answer questionnaire. Students were contacted by means of head teachers and computer science teachers, who were asked to monitor the survey activities.
5 M. Allegra, G. Fulantelli, V. Pipitone - On the Characteristics of the Demand The cities involved are from all the different geographical areas of the country (Bergamo, Milano, Padova, Parma, Piacenza and Torino in the North; Cagliari, Firenze, Latina, Roma and Terni in the Center; Avellino, Catania, Cosenza, Lecce, Messina, Napoli, Palermo, Potenza and Trapani in the South), and present wide cultural and economic differences. The North, in fact, represents the most advanced economic area of the country, while the South is more economically backward, with different infrastructures and behavioural models. The Centre obviously lies in an intermediate position. The sample was composed of 49.7% males and 50.3% females. 82.5% were between 18 and 19 years old, whilst 8.9% were 17 years old, with the remaining percentage over % of the sample attend scientific high schools, 23.6% commercial-technical schools, 15.6 % classical schools, 5.5% industrial-technical schools, 5.1% professional schools, 4.9% linguistic schools and the remaining percentage other high schools. The questionnaire was divided into five parts, with the objective of measuring: a) interest in university education in general; b) level of students willingness to move to another place; c) knowledge about e-learning and the evaluation of its advantages and risks; the questionnaire was also aimed at collecting: d) socio economic data about students and e) information about the courses that they had chosen (if they had already made a choice). The results Demand for university education and willingness to relocate The first part of the questionnaire aimed to analyse students intentions to continue their studies after high school; this was followed by some questions related to the possibility of attending universities away from home and the reasons for this. The first question concerned students wishes to enrol at university; 83.8 % of the sample expressed a desire to go on with their studies; in particular 59.5% of the students were certain to enrol while 24.3% considered it probable. It should be immediately noted that the percentage of positive answers obtained from the sample is consistent with the official ratio between the number of newly enrolled first-year university students and the number of final-year high-school students who obtain a diploma. There are no significant differences in the answers between students from the north, the centre and the south of Italy, despite the socio-cultural and economic diversity amongst these three areas of Italy. We then asked students who are not interested in going to university (i.e % of the whole sample) the reasons for this; the most important reason given was the wish to start work (corresponding to 57.3% of the replies) or, at least, to have a temporary work experience (13.5%), while financial reasons (indicated by 3.4%) seem to play little part in the choice to study at university. It is also interesting to notice that 60.1 % of the students who will enrol in
6 72 Studi e Note di Economia, Anno XIV, n university courses (both certain and probable) expected to attend all classes, 27.7% only some classes, 12% have not yet decided, while only 0.2% of those interviewed did not expect to attend any classes. A more detailed analysis of these data shows that the students who will probably enrol at university are less likely to attend all the classes than students who are certain to go on with their studies (39.7 % v. 68.4%). Consequently, the percentage expressing their wish to attend only some classes is significantly higher (37.1% v 23.8%). In answer to the question concerning students intentions to enrol in a degree course in the area where they live, 51.5% students replied positively, 14.6% expected to enrol in another area, but still in the region where they live, and 16.9% expected to move to another region. Of course, we find a higher percentage of students who do not yet know among those who consider university enrolment probable but not certain (more than 25%), and a higher percentage of students who consider attending a degree course in the area where they live among students who will certainly enrol at university (54.4% v. 44.6%). We also observe that a significantly lower percentage of students in the south of Italy answered yes compared to students in the north (38% v. 54%), and, since universities are equally distributed throughout Italy, the reason is not because there are fewer universities in the south. An analysis of the answers to questions related to the reasons which lead students to enrol at a university away from home shows that 48.7 % reply because the degree course of my choice is not available here, 22.8% want to have an experience away from home, 19.1% state that they are interested in the prestige of the university and, finally, 9.4% have other reasons. In this case there are also significant differences between the north, the centre and the south of Italy: the number of students wishing to have an experience away from home is considerably higher in southern parts of Italy compared to the north and the centre (32% v. 19% and 11%), and students looking for more prestigious universities in other areas are 23% in the south, 16% in the centre and 16% in the north. It seems evident from the answers to this part of the questionnaire that most of the final year high school students consider it almost natural to continue their studies, while a small percentage expect to enter the work place immediately. This choice does not seem to be conditioned by the financial position of the family, while there are significant differences in the various areas of the country. Furthermore, students in the north and in the south of Italy have different attitudes about moving to another area or region to study. Knowledge about e-learning In the second part of the questionnaire we tried to evaluate the level of knowledge of e-learning, the individual wish to enrol in on-line courses and, finally, the factors that could influence the choice of distance learning solu-
7 M. Allegra, G. Fulantelli, V. Pipitone - On the Characteristics of the Demand tions. In answer to the question Do you know what distance learning, commonly called e-learning, is? only 27.7% of the sample answered yes. It is immediately clear that there is a general lack of knowledge about e- learning, that could threaten the growth of the e-learning market in Italy. In addition, this limited knowledge of e-learning is not based on practical experience (only 2.1% of the whole sample has enrolled in a distance course). According to our hypotheses, we expected this result, and the questionnaire already included a brief description of e-learning: by e-learning we mean a method of education which is different from the traditional one, based on classroom lessons with teachers. In distance learning instead, teachers and students communicate mostly on the Internet using web sites and . The lessons and all the teaching materials are provided by the Internet or other multimedia tools (TV, DVD, etc). The presentation of the concept, as well as the style and language used to illustrate it, was not based on scientificallyoriented definitions found in the literature, but rather intended to give students an immediate idea of the concept of e-learning. It should be noted that the definition was also clarified in class by the teachers and experts supervising the administration of the questionnaire. This step was necessary in order to make students aware of e-learning and continue with the questionnaire on its potential. The questionnaire then concentrated on the students specific knowledge of the availability of elearning courses at Italian universities. It is interesting to note that 49.7 % of students declared to know some distance learning degree courses in Italy. This percentage should be related to the data concerning the knowledge of elearning in general that, as previously stated, is significantly lower. In our opinion, even though most of the students do not have a precise understanding of what e-learning is, around half of the sample have a general idea about what it is. A set of questions were aimed at identifying the information channels used by the students to find information about distance learning courses which interested them. The answers have been analysed in relation to the students interest in enrolling in on line courses. In answer to the question If you were interested in a distance learning degree course, which sources of information would you use to make a choice? each student could indicate two choices from a list of available options. 52.1% of the students replied Searching the Internet, highlighting the importance of university websites in choosing a faculty (despite the fact that websites do not always contain the information students are looking for; Pipitone, Fulantelli and Allegra, 2005). It should be noted that this percentage decreases for students who declared they were interested in elearning (44.40%), while it is almost the same for students who declared they were partially interested in e-learning and students who were not interested in it (53.40% vs %). University student help desks received a high consen-
8 74 Studi e Note di Economia, Anno XIV, n sus (47.2%), thanks to the efforts undertaken all over Italy by universities to publicise their courses within the schools. Two other answers were selected by a similar percentage: Advice from teachers at your school (23.6%) and Attending meetings or fairs about university courses (24.2%). The latter was especially preferred by students interested in elearning (37.80%), considerably higher than the percentages of students partially interested in elearning (24.90%) and students not interested in it (22.90%). Following these were Information centre for young people (13.4%) and Guides and publications (11.4%). Finally, Posters, prospectuses and leaflets from the individual universities (9.9%), Telephone number of enquiry services at the individual universities (9.9% for the whole sample, but preferred by only 4.4% of students interested in e-learning) and Newspapers and magazines (8.1%, increasing to 11.1% for students interested in e-learning and decreasing to 6.2% for students partially interested in it) appeared to be the least popular information channels among the students (Fig.1 shows these results). If you were interested in a distance learning degree course, which sources of information would you use to make a choice? It was of concern to note that in answer to the question Have you ever come across information which was principally about distance learning at university? 89.40% of those interviewed replied No, showing the apparent difficulties which the universities have in providing information about their on-line courses. However, an analysis of the data from students interested, partially interested and not at all interested in e-learning, confirms that students are more receptive to information if it concerns a topic which interests them; in fact the percentage of students interested in e-learning who replied No was 64.4%, for partially interested students the percentage rose to 86.4% and for those who were not interested it reached 92.2%. In order to analyse this data more carefully, the students who had replied positively to the previous question were asked where they had seen this information. In this case, too, most of the information had been found on the Internet (43.6%), much further behind were the traditional media of television and radio (18.8%) and newspapers and magazines (16.2%), then posters (13.7%) and school noticeboards (7.7%). There were notable differences among responses from students interested, partially interested and not interested in e-learning. In particular, the Internet was the channel selected by 54% of the students partially interested in e- learning, by 39.2% of the students not interested, and only by 25% of the students interested. The latter selected in the first place posters, indicated by 37.5% of the students interested in e-learning, but this means of information was the least indicated by students not interested in e-learning (9.8%). None of the students interested in e-learning indicated the school notice board. Although the students indicated the Internet as the main source of information used to find out about on-line degree courses, only 10.1% of the stu-
9 M. Allegra, G. Fulantelli, V. Pipitone - On the Characteristics of the Demand Fig. 1 - Sources of information used by students to get information about distance learning degree courses. dents has searched the Internet for online degree courses available in Italy, showing how this channel is in fact not exploited by the students. Even though the percentage doubled for students who indicated an interest in e- learning (20.2%), it was still quite a low figure. Finally, in order to understand the possible causes for this reluctance to search for information on the Internet, students who had actually used the Internet to look for online courses were asked if they were satisfied with the information found. The answers showed that the information available on most university web sites is confusing or satisfies students only partially (56.8%). We should, however, make a distinction between how the quality of the information is perceived by students interested in e-learning, those who are partially interested and those with no interest: 44.4% of the first group said they had found all the information they needed and were therefore satisfied, compared with an overall average of all three groups of 27.9%. The attitude to enrolling in on line courses Focusing on the analysis of the students interest in following on-line courses, we asked them if they would consider enrolling in this kind of course in the coming year. 62.4% of students replied negatively to the question, 33.5% answered maybe and only 4.1% answered positively. The percentage of students in the South of Italy who answered yes was double that of students in the Centre (6% vs. 3%). In order to try and understand the motivation for this rejection of on line
10 76 Studi e Note di Economia, Anno XIV, n education, the students who answered negatively were asked to list their main reasons (2 choices allowed amongst a list of 8 answers): The lack of direct student/teacher contact and interaction (69.8 %) and The absence of relationships and interaction with other students (56.4%) are given as the main reasons, followed by the idea that distance courses are of inferior educational value (29.3 %). It is notable that the educational model that emerges from the answers broadly reproduces the rites of secondary school: face to face lessons, different kinds of interaction with teachers and other students, physical presence in all lessons or at least in some of them. At the same time, we have also tried to analyse the motivation of the choice of the students who (lower percentage of the sample) declared their interest or partial interest in e-learning; in particular, these students were asked to list their main reasons for choosing a distance learning course (2 choices allowed); 58% of the students said: I will begin working, consequently I won t be able to attend traditional university courses ; the second most popular answer (40.6 %) was It s a feasible way of attending prestigious universities without moving to another town and, almost as popular (40.1%) was I think it will be a less expensive solution yet allow me to get a degree. There are no significant differences between students interested in e-learning and students partially interested. We eventually asked all the students to list the three main reasons that could positively influence their choice of enrolling in an on line degree course. Students not interested in e-learning focused their attention on Personalization of study programmes (37.2%) and after this, with an equal percentage of 35.4%, Degree of flexibility and Ease of finding study materials. Students who were partially interested in e-learning highlighted the Ease of finding study materials (40.4%), and the Personalization of study programmes (39.8%). Finally, students who were interested in elearning focused on the Ease of accessing the technology used for the course from home (42.2%), the Degree of flexibility (35.6%) and finally, with the same percentage of 33.3%, on the Ease of finding study materials and on the Use of tests for self evaluation. Students perception of university on-line courses (the evaluation of their advantages and risks) Concerning students perception of potential advantages of on-line courses, we asked What are, in your opinion, potential advantages of on-line degree courses?. It is notable that most students consider the main advantage The possibility to plan their study schedule independently (61.7 %) followed by It is not compulsory to attend the lessons (47.1%). This highlights the fact that absence of time and space constraints is the most attractive feature of e-learning. We have also to note that the third answer given by
11 M. Allegra, G. Fulantelli, V. Pipitone - On the Characteristics of the Demand Fig. 2 - Students perception of the potential advantages of on-line degree courses. students was Fewer costs (40.3 %). An in depth analysis of the answers given by students interested in e-learning compared to those of students who are not interested shows that The possibility to interact on line with teachers is seen by the interested students as an advantage (35.6%), while only 10.8% of uninterested students consider it a positive feature (Fig. 2) We tried also to analyse the students perception of the potential disadvantages of on-line courses, asking them What are, in your opinion, the potential disadvantages of on-line degree courses?. In this case the Lack of real interaction with teachers, was indicated by 71.4% of the sample, with a small difference between students interested and uninterested in e-learning (66.7% vs. 74.5%). The second most frequent answer was Lack of exchange of experience/competences with other students (60.9%), and in this case it is a problem perceived more by interested students than by uninterested students (62.2% vs. 56.4%). At the same time, we have tried to analyse the kind of interaction preferred by students in a distance course; responses indicate that there is a slight preference for the synchronous mode of interaction (38.4%) followed by the asynchronous mode (36.5%), while Satellite Television was preferred by only 10.9% of students. In this case, we observe a significant difference: asynchronous interaction is preferred by 44.4 % of students interested in e- learning, while it is preferred by 32.1% of those uninterested. We also asked the students Do you know anybody who has enrolled in an on line degree course?, 95% of the whole sample replied No and only 5%
12 78 Studi e Note di Economia, Anno XIV, n Yes. The percentage of Yes answers was significantly higher among students interested in e-learning (20%) compared to uninterested ones (2.9%). Students who knew people who had enrolled in on line courses were asked if they knew whether they were satisfied with this choice; 61.8 % of the students replied Satisfied, and 10.9% very satisfied. It is interesting to notice that 22.2% of students interested in e-learning know people who are very satisfied, compared to only 5% of uninterested students. Two-way tables with measures of association In order to look for possible associations among the categorial variables obtained by administering the questionnaire we used two statistical tests: Pearson s chi-squared (x 2 ) and Cramer s V. The former allows us to evaluate whether two variables, shown in a two-way table, are independent or not. A value of chi-squared which is less than 0.05 is usually interpreted as a condition for rejecting the hypothesis of independence and accepting the alternative hypothesis of association between the variables. However, a drawback of the chi-squared test is that it depends on a large number of observed cases and, consequently, cannot be directly used for measuring the intensity of the association. For this reason, as well as the chi-squared, we used Cramer s V, which is a relative index between 0 and 1. As Chiandotto e Bertaccini (2003) emphasized, a value of Cramer s V above 0.10 demonstrates a high level of dependency between the analyzed variables. Since in this paper we are interested in observing the characteristics of the demand for distance learning at university level, we have produced all the possible two-way tables, considering each time the question Do you intend to enroll at University after you leave school? compared to the other questions in the questionnaire. To make the results clearer, we include only the main tables in which we found the most significant chi-squared values and the highest values of Cramer s V. The two-way tables show that the possibility of considering university on line courses to be a real option is closely connected both to a knowledge of distance learning (table 1) and to direct information (table 2) and indirect information (table 3) acquired over time. Besides, a high level of dependency was found between the e-learning option and the frequency of use of the Internet and its services (table 4). These results allow us to emphasize how the decision making process which conditions the choice of distance learning is linked to the educational, cultural and technological experiences encountered by the students. Some reflections on the Italian case Only 3.4% of the students said they would not enrol at university for financial reasons. 60.1% of those who intend to continue their education
13 M. Allegra, G. Fulantelli, V. Pipitone - On the Characteristics of the Demand expect to attend all the classes. 51.5% expect to attend courses in their home town, and only 19% of Italian students are attracted by the reputation of a university. 72.3% of those interviewed do not understand what e-learning is, 97.9% have never enrolled in an on-line course, 95% do not know anyone who has enrolled in distance learning courses and 89.4% have never come across information about the e-university. With regard to e-learning, the main concern for students is the absence of physical interaction (students-students, students-teacher) while the main interest is the opportunity it provides to study and work at the same time. The outcome is, therefore, a demand for university education which is not related to costs and which is highly influenced by traditional methods of learning. The low reactivity of the demand to costs can be explained by the structure of the Italian university system and its widespread distribution throughout the country which keeps the total costs of education low. It is important to bear in mind the mechanism for setting prices; since the universities are generally state run, they are not required to cover production costs nor to make a profit. While universities act formally as price makers, the fees paid by students amount to little more than 10% of the total costs (Tosi 2005), thus leaving the tax payers to cover the expenses. Market prices for university education in Italy are, therefore, neither a synthesis of competitive equilibrium, nor of rational behaviour which tends to maximize profits, with the result that both prices and quantities expressed by the market are unable to provide information regarding the scarcity and the quality of the education commodity. This implies a distorted evaluation of the inherent risk of educational investment. The students thus have to obtain the missing information by themselves and, in doing so, usually focus their attention on the area where they live, because it is cheaper to find data and opinions there. Besides, to reduce the risk of the investment and the anxieties associated with this crucial step, students appear to reproduce the educational model they experienced during their years at high school, a model based on face to face lessons, the constant classroom presence of pupils and the physical reality of the teacher-pupil relationship. In this context e-learning is of marginal importance. In fact, for the majority of students, e-learning is an unknown method of teaching. In our opinion, the reasons for this are to be found both in the market for university education and in the secondary school. The market does not provide the correct signals and it does not give any specific information about the nature of e-learning. The national data base regarding university education supply, for example, continues to make no distinction between traditional and e-learning courses, thus contributing to producing imperfect information. The Italian high school makes infrequent use of new technologies for education, and particularly the use of on-line methodologies. This means that students have little familiarity with such methods and they have no understanding of e-learn-
14 80 Studi e Note di Economia, Anno XIV, n Tab Associations among the possibility of enrolling in an on-line course and knowledge of distance learning, direct and indirect information, internet skills.
15 M. Allegra, G. Fulantelli, V. Pipitone - On the Characteristics of the Demand ing. They are thus unable to assess personally the risks and opportunities of e-learning. In this context, students have no incentive to look for specific information related to e-learning or to consider the opportunity of choosing an alternative to traditional university education. Moreover, the tiny number of students on e-learning courses does not create the conditions for enriching the market with new information and reducing the problem of imprecise information. The number of students presently enrolled in distance education in Italy does not in fact reach the critical level needed for consolidating specific information. The inefficiency resulting from an imperfect perception of e-learning thus depends on the students level of information. In a world in which information is imperfect, the market equilibrium is of a provisional nature, in the sense that decisions adopted can be modified with a better knowledge of the state of the world. Better information and better use of new technologies for education in secondary schools could thus promote a better knowledge of the opportunities for distance education, allow students to better assess the risk involved in investing in education and stimulate overall growth in the e- learning market. Conclusions The theory of human capital underlines the fact that education is an attractive investment if the expected value of the benefits exceeds the costs of education. In other words, the subjects invest in education if the increment of the expected salary (due to a higher level of education) is higher than the tuition fees, additional living costs, additional transportation costs and opportunity costs related to the education. The Italian laboratory appears to contradict the theoretical conclusions. Although the new learning technologies are lowering the costs of education (consider for example students who work, students who have disabilities and students in outlying regions of the country), the demand for distance education remains quantitively a negligible phenomenon in Italy. A closer analysis of the Italian situation, however, enables us to pay more attention to the mechanisms of the Italian university market. It is not the theory of human capital which is contradicted by the Italian market but rather the Italian market (for distance higher education) which is unsuccessful in allocating the resources efficiently. The Italian experience, in our opinion, serves to pinpoint certain elements of a general nature. Elearning is a new educational methodology which requires a collective perception. In other words, before making a cost-benefit evaluation of the distance learning courses on offer, it its necessary to consolidate a collective perception of the phenomenon, or rather the charac-
16 82 Studi e Note di Economia, Anno XIV, n teristics and potentials of e-learning must become part of the experience and of the information available to the community as a whole. This is because distance education represents an alternative teaching method to the traditional face to face type experienced by the community over the centuries. In the absence of a collective perception, an evaluation of the costs and benefits becomes impossible or is highly prone to error. The level of information available is a discriminating factor in the process of forming a perception of e-learning, a sort of barrier to gaining knowledge about the characteristics and potentials of distance education. When the level of information is low there is no triggering of the mechanism which forms the perception, and the phenomenon of e-learning remains unknown. When there is little information available a student s experience may to some extent compensate for this, promoting a process of risk assessment in relation to distance learning methodologies and triggering an incentive to look for information. Students who have experience of e-learning are in fact equipped to distinguish amongst various information sources and to construct their own opinion. The market can also promote the construction of a collective perception of e-learning, but for this to happen, the market must function efficiently so that prices can express the conditions of deficiency and desirability of the distance learning courses. Where the market mechanisms are not efficient and the information available is imperfect, the role of the public sector may be crucial. Such a sector could in fact be responsible for the production and diffusion of information regarding the quantity and quality of the distance education on offer. This production could, first of all, establish the conditions for activating a mechanism of collective perception of the phenomenon and, secondly, might prevent problems of adverse selection when the best universities abandon the distance education market. Finally, it is important to emphasize the positive correlation between the growth of the distance education university market and the use of e-learning in secondary schools. A greater investment in the diffusion of e-learning in schools may in fact have an impact on students experience and thus establish the conditions for triggering processes for assessing investment in distance education.
17 M. Allegra, G. Fulantelli, V. Pipitone - On the Characteristics of the Demand REFERENCES Becker, G.S. (1975), Human capital: a theoretical and empirical analysis with special reference to education, New York: National Bureau of Economic Research. Belot, M.V.K., E. Canton and H.D. Webbink,(2004), Does reducing student support affect educational choices and performance? Evidence from a Dutch reform, The Hague: CPB. Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, Discussion Paper 35. Brunello, G. and D. Checchi (2005), School quality and family background in Italy, Economics of Education Review, 24, Campbell, R. and B. Siege (1967), The demand for higher education in the United States, , The American Economic Review, 57:3, Canton, E. and F. De Jong (2005), The demand for higher education in The Netherlands, Economics of Education Review, 24, Card, D. and T. Lemieux (2000), Dropout and enrolment trends in the post-war period: what went wrong in the 1970s?, New York: National Bureau of Economic Research, Working Paper Chiandotto B. and B. Bertaccini (2003), I laureati e diplomati dell ateneo Fiorentino dell anno Profilo e sbocchi occupazionali, Dipartimento di Statistica G. Parenti, Firenze. Dynarski, S.M. (1999), Does aid matter? Measuring the effect of student aid on college attendance and completion, New York, National Bureau of Economic Research, Working Paper Fondazione CRUI (2006), L università verso l e-learning: Finlandia, Francia e Italia a confronto. Available online at: E-LUE%202006%20ita.pdf (accessed 12 July 2006). Funk, H.J. (1972), Price elasticity of demand for education at a private university, Journal of Educational Research, 66, Ghali, M., W. Miklius and R. Wada (1977), The demand for higher education facing an individual institution, Higher Education, 6, Heller, D.E. (1997), Student price response in higher education: An update to Leslie and Brinkman, Journal of Higher Education, 68, Jackson, G.A. and G.B. Weathersby (1975), Individual demand for higher education: a review and analysis of recent empirical studies, Journal of Higher Education, 46:6, Kim, H.Y (1988), The consumer demand for education, The Journal of Human Resources, 23 (2), Liscia, R. (2004), E-Learning Evoluzione del mercato nel sistema Italia, Milano: Mondadori Informatica.
18 84 Studi e Note di Economia, Anno XIV, n Liscia, R. (2005), E-Learning in Italia una strategia per l innovazione, Milano: Apogeo. Mincer, J. (1974), Schooling, experience and earnings, New York: Columbia University Press. Ostheimer, R.H (1953), Student charges and financing higher education. New York: Columbia University Press. Paulsen, M.B. (1988), Recent research on the economics of attending college: Returns on investment and responsiveness to price, Research in Higher Education, 39, Paulsen, M.B. and E.P. St. John (2002), Social Class and College Costs. Examining the Financial Nexus Between College Choice and Persistence, The Journal of Higher Education, 73:2, Pipitone, V., G. Fulantelli and M. Allegra (2005, July), E-learning at Italian Universities, Proceedings of the 8 th IFIP World Conference on Computers in Education, Stellenbosch. Sacerdote, B. (2002), The nature and nurture of economic outcomes, The American Economic Review, paper and proceedings, 92:2, Savoca, E. (1990), Another look at the demand for higher education: measuring the price sensitivity of the decision to apply to College. Economics of Education Review, 9, Topel, R.H. (1997), Factor proportions and relative wages: the supply side determinants of wage inequity, Journal of Economic Perspectives, 11:2, Tosi, P. (2005), Relazione sullo stato delle Università italiane. Available online at: osi.pdf (accessed 8 November 2005).
Research Update. Educational Migration and Non-return in Northern Ireland May 2008
Research Update Educational Migration and Non-return in Northern Ireland May 2008 The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (hereafter the Commission ) in 2007 contracted the Employment Research Institute
More informationEntrepreneurial Discovery and the Demmert/Klein Experiment: Additional Evidence from Germany
Entrepreneurial Discovery and the Demmert/Klein Experiment: Additional Evidence from Germany Jana Kitzmann and Dirk Schiereck, Endowed Chair for Banking and Finance, EUROPEAN BUSINESS SCHOOL, International
More informationAbstract. Janaka Jayalath Director / Information Systems, Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission, Sri Lanka.
FEASIBILITY OF USING ELEARNING IN CAPACITY BUILDING OF ICT TRAINERS AND DELIVERY OF TECHNICAL, VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (TVET) COURSES IN SRI LANKA Janaka Jayalath Director / Information Systems,
More informationCollege Pricing. Ben Johnson. April 30, Abstract. Colleges in the United States price discriminate based on student characteristics
College Pricing Ben Johnson April 30, 2012 Abstract Colleges in the United States price discriminate based on student characteristics such as ability and income. This paper develops a model of college
More informationBASIC EDUCATION IN GHANA IN THE POST-REFORM PERIOD
BASIC EDUCATION IN GHANA IN THE POST-REFORM PERIOD By Abena D. Oduro Centre for Policy Analysis Accra November, 2000 Please do not Quote, Comments Welcome. ABSTRACT This paper reviews the first stage of
More informationUnequal Opportunity in Environmental Education: Environmental Education Programs and Funding at Contra Costa Secondary Schools.
Unequal Opportunity in Environmental Education: Environmental Education Programs and Funding at Contra Costa Secondary Schools Angela Freitas Abstract Unequal opportunity in education threatens to deprive
More informationTrends in College Pricing
Trends in College Pricing 2009 T R E N D S I N H I G H E R E D U C A T I O N S E R I E S T R E N D S I N H I G H E R E D U C A T I O N S E R I E S Highlights Published Tuition and Fee and Room and Board
More informationUPPER SECONDARY CURRICULUM OPTIONS AND LABOR MARKET PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM A GRADUATES SURVEY IN GREECE
UPPER SECONDARY CURRICULUM OPTIONS AND LABOR MARKET PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM A GRADUATES SURVEY IN GREECE Stamatis Paleocrassas, Panagiotis Rousseas, Vassilia Vretakou Pedagogical Institute, Athens Abstract
More informationEUROPEAN UNIVERSITIES LOOKING FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE PRAGUE DECLARATION 2009
EUROPEAN UNIVERSITIES LOOKING FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE PRAGUE DECLARATION 2009 Copyright 2009 by the European University Association All rights reserved. This information may be freely used and copied for
More informationUniversity of Toronto
University of Toronto OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT AND PROVOST 1. Introduction A Framework for Graduate Expansion 2004-05 to 2009-10 In May, 2000, Governing Council Approved a document entitled Framework
More informationUNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA TOR VERGATA. Economia. Facoltà di CEIS MASTER ECONOMICS ECONOMETRICS
UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA TOR VERGATA Facoltà di Economia CEIS TOR VERGATA MASTER IN ECONOMICS PHD IN ECONOMETRICS AND EMPIRICAL ECONOMICS MASTER IN ECONOMICS Program Overview MEI is a one-year program
More informationFirms and Markets Saturdays Summer I 2014
PRELIMINARY DRAFT VERSION. SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Firms and Markets Saturdays Summer I 2014 Professor Thomas Pugel Office: Room 11-53 KMC E-mail: tpugel@stern.nyu.edu Tel: 212-998-0918 Fax: 212-995-4212 This
More informationA comparative study on cost-sharing in higher education Using the case study approach to contribute to evidence-based policy
A comparative study on cost-sharing in higher education Using the case study approach to contribute to evidence-based policy Tuition fees between sacred cow and cash cow Conference of Vlaams Verbond van
More informationGALICIAN TEACHERS PERCEPTIONS ON THE USABILITY AND USEFULNESS OF THE ODS PORTAL
The Fifth International Conference on e-learning (elearning-2014), 22-23 September 2014, Belgrade, Serbia GALICIAN TEACHERS PERCEPTIONS ON THE USABILITY AND USEFULNESS OF THE ODS PORTAL SONIA VALLADARES-RODRIGUEZ
More informationSummary Report. ECVET Agent Exploration Study. Prepared by Meath Partnership February 2015
Summary Report ECVET Agent Exploration Study Prepared by Meath Partnership February 2015 The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the
More informationBENCHMARK TREND COMPARISON REPORT:
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) BENCHMARK TREND COMPARISON REPORT: CARNEGIE PEER INSTITUTIONS, 2003-2011 PREPARED BY: ANGEL A. SANCHEZ, DIRECTOR KELLI PAYNE, ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST/ SPECIALIST
More informationValue of Athletics in Higher Education March Prepared by Edward J. Ray, President Oregon State University
Materials linked from the 5/12/09 OSU Faculty Senate agenda 1. Who Participates Value of Athletics in Higher Education March 2009 Prepared by Edward J. Ray, President Oregon State University Today, more
More informationEducation in Armenia. Mher Melik-Baxshian I. INTRODUCTION
Education in Armenia Mher Melik-Baxshian I. INTRODUCTION Education has always received priority in Armenia a country that has a history of literacy going back 1,600 years. From the very beginning the school
More informationThis Access Agreement is for only, to align with the WPSA and in light of the Browne Review.
University of Essex Access Agreement 2011-12 The University of Essex Access Agreement has been updated in October 2010 to include new tuition fee and bursary provision for 2011 entry and account for the
More informationIowa School District Profiles. Le Mars
Iowa School District Profiles Overview This profile describes enrollment trends, student performance, income levels, population, and other characteristics of the public school district. The report utilizes
More informationSoftware Maintenance
1 What is Software Maintenance? Software Maintenance is a very broad activity that includes error corrections, enhancements of capabilities, deletion of obsolete capabilities, and optimization. 2 Categories
More informationHigher education is becoming a major driver of economic competitiveness
Executive Summary Higher education is becoming a major driver of economic competitiveness in an increasingly knowledge-driven global economy. The imperative for countries to improve employment skills calls
More informationPrincipal vacancies and appointments
Principal vacancies and appointments 2009 10 Sally Robertson New Zealand Council for Educational Research NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH TE RŪNANGA O AOTEAROA MŌ TE RANGAHAU I TE MĀTAURANGA
More informationDepartment of Sociology and Social Research
Department of Sociology and Social Research International programmes www.sociologia.unitn.it/en The Department of Sociology and Social Research The Department of Sociology and Social Research develops
More informationEx-Post Evaluation of Japanese Technical Cooperation Project
Bangladesh Ex-Post Evaluation of Japanese Technical Cooperation Project Project for Strengthening Primary Teacher Training on Science and Mathematics External Evaluator: Yuko Aoki, Kokusai Kogyo 0. Summary
More informationPlans for Pupil Premium Spending
Plans for Pupil Premium Spending September 2016 August 2017 Impact of Pupil Premium September 2015 August 2016 Mission Statement All Saints Multi Academy Trust, Birmingham God s Love in Action Our children
More informationHEROIC IMAGINATION PROJECT. A new way of looking at heroism
HEROIC IMAGINATION PROJECT A new way of looking at heroism CONTENTS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction 3 Programme 1:
More informationAbout the College Board. College Board Advocacy & Policy Center
15% 10 +5 0 5 Tuition and Fees 10 Appropriations per FTE ( Excluding Federal Stimulus Funds) 15% 1980-81 1981-82 1982-83 1983-84 1984-85 1985-86 1986-87 1987-88 1988-89 1989-90 1990-91 1991-92 1992-93
More informationThe Comparative Study of Information & Communications Technology Strategies in education of India, Iran & Malaysia countries
Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 6(9): 310-317, 2012 ISSN 1991-8178 The Comparative Study of Information & Communications Technology Strategies in education of India, Iran & Malaysia countries
More informationLike much of the country, Detroit suffered significant job losses during the Great Recession.
36 37 POPULATION TRENDS Economy ECONOMY Like much of the country, suffered significant job losses during the Great Recession. Since bottoming out in the first quarter of 2010, however, the city has seen
More informationTHE IMPACT OF STATE-WIDE NUMERACY TESTING ON THE TEACHING OF MATHEMATICS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS
THE IMPACT OF STATE-WIDE NUMERACY TESTING ON THE TEACHING OF MATHEMATICS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS Steven Nisbet Griffith University This paper reports on teachers views of the effects of compulsory numeracy
More informationCapitalism and Higher Education: A Failed Relationship
Capitalism and Higher Education: A Failed Relationship November 15, 2015 Bryan Hagans ENGL-101-015 Ighade Hagans 2 Bryan Hagans Ighade English 101-015 8 November 2015 Capitalism and Higher Education: A
More informationFinancing Education In Minnesota
Financing Education In Minnesota 2016-2017 Created with Tagul.com A Publication of the Minnesota House of Representatives Fiscal Analysis Department August 2016 Financing Education in Minnesota 2016-17
More informationTUESDAYS/THURSDAYS, NOV. 11, 2014-FEB. 12, 2015 x COURSE NUMBER 6520 (1)
MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS David.surdam@uni.edu PROFESSOR SURDAM 204 CBB TUESDAYS/THURSDAYS, NOV. 11, 2014-FEB. 12, 2015 x3-2957 COURSE NUMBER 6520 (1) This course is designed to help MBA students become familiar
More informationGeo Risk Scan Getting grips on geotechnical risks
Geo Risk Scan Getting grips on geotechnical risks T.J. Bles & M.Th. van Staveren Deltares, Delft, the Netherlands P.P.T. Litjens & P.M.C.B.M. Cools Rijkswaterstaat Competence Center for Infrastructure,
More informationMetadiscourse in Knowledge Building: A question about written or verbal metadiscourse
Metadiscourse in Knowledge Building: A question about written or verbal metadiscourse Rolf K. Baltzersen Paper submitted to the Knowledge Building Summer Institute 2013 in Puebla, Mexico Author: Rolf K.
More informationThe Talent Development High School Model Context, Components, and Initial Impacts on Ninth-Grade Students Engagement and Performance
The Talent Development High School Model Context, Components, and Initial Impacts on Ninth-Grade Students Engagement and Performance James J. Kemple, Corinne M. Herlihy Executive Summary June 2004 In many
More informationGRADUATE STUDENTS Academic Year
Financial Aid Information for GRADUATE STUDENTS Academic Year 2017-2018 Your Financial Aid Award This booklet is designed to help you understand your financial aid award, policies for receiving aid and
More informationExecutive Summary. Laurel County School District. Dr. Doug Bennett, Superintendent 718 N Main St London, KY
Dr. Doug Bennett, Superintendent 718 N Main St London, KY 40741-1222 Document Generated On January 13, 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Description of the School System 2 System's Purpose 4 Notable
More informationTRENDS IN. College Pricing
2008 TRENDS IN College Pricing T R E N D S I N H I G H E R E D U C A T I O N S E R I E S T R E N D S I N H I G H E R E D U C A T I O N S E R I E S Highlights 2 Published Tuition and Fee and Room and Board
More informationMASTER S COURSES FASHION START-UP
MASTER S COURSES FASHION START-UP Postgraduate Programmes Master s Course Fashion Start-Up 02 Brief Descriptive Summary Over the past 80 years Istituto Marangoni has grown and developed alongside the thriving
More informationE LEARNING TOOLS IN DISTANCE AND STATIONARY EDUCATION
E LEARNING TOOLS IN DISTANCE AND STATIONARY EDUCATION Michał Krupski 1, Andrzej Cader 2 1 Institute for Distance Education Research, Academy of Humanities and Economics in Lodz, Poland michalk@wshe.lodz.pl
More informationEngineers and Engineering Brand Monitor 2015
Engineers and Engineering Brand Monitor 2015 Key Findings Prepared for Engineering UK By IFF Research 7 September 2015 We gratefully acknowledge the support of Pearson in delivering this study Contact
More informationTrends in Tuition at Idaho s Public Colleges and Universities: Critical Context for the State s Education Goals
1 Trends in Tuition at Idaho s Public Colleges and Universities: Critical Context for the State s Education Goals June 2017 Idahoans have long valued public higher education, recognizing its importance
More informationNCEO Technical Report 27
Home About Publications Special Topics Presentations State Policies Accommodations Bibliography Teleconferences Tools Related Sites Interpreting Trends in the Performance of Special Education Students
More informationManagement of time resources for learning through individual study in higher education
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Procedia - Social and Behavioral Scienc es 76 ( 2013 ) 13 18 5th International Conference EDU-WORLD 2012 - Education Facing Contemporary World Issues Management
More information5.7 Country case study: Vietnam
5.7 Country case study: Vietnam Author Nguyen Xuan Hung, Secretary, Vietnam Pharmaceutical Association, xuanhung29@vnn.vn Summary Pharmacy workforce development has only taken place over the last two decades
More informationProcedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 209 ( 2015 )
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 209 ( 2015 ) 503 508 International conference Education, Reflection, Development, ERD 2015, 3-4 July 2015,
More informationWORK OF LEADERS GROUP REPORT
WORK OF LEADERS GROUP REPORT ASSESSMENT TO ACTION. Sample Report (9 People) Thursday, February 0, 016 This report is provided by: Your Company 13 Main Street Smithtown, MN 531 www.yourcompany.com INTRODUCTION
More informationIntegration of ICT in Teaching and Learning
Integration of ICT in Teaching and Learning Dr. Pooja Malhotra Assistant Professor, Dept of Commerce, Dyal Singh College, Karnal, India Email: pkwatra@gmail.com. INTRODUCTION 2 st century is an era of
More informationSchool Inspection in Hesse/Germany
Hessisches Kultusministerium School Inspection in Hesse/Germany Contents 1. Introduction...2 2. School inspection as a Procedure for Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement...2 3. The Hessian framework
More informationPROPOSAL FOR NEW UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM. Institution Submitting Proposal. Degree Designation as on Diploma. Title of Proposed Degree Program
PROPOSAL FOR NEW UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM Institution Submitting Proposal Degree Designation as on Diploma Title of Proposed Degree Program EEO Status CIP Code Academic Unit (e.g. Department, Division, School)
More informationThought and Suggestions on Teaching Material Management Job in Colleges and Universities Based on Improvement of Innovation Capacity
Thought and Suggestions on Teaching Material Management Job in Colleges and Universities Based on Improvement of Innovation Capacity Lihua Geng 1 & Bingjun Yao 1 1 Changchun University of Science and Technology,
More informationThe Evaluation of Students Perceptions of Distance Education
The Evaluation of Students Perceptions of Distance Education Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aytekin İŞMAN - Eastern Mediterranean University Senior Instructor Fahme DABAJ - Eastern Mediterranean University Research
More informationANALYSIS: LABOUR MARKET SUCCESS OF VOCATIONAL AND HIGHER EDUCATION GRADUATES
ANALYSIS: LABOUR MARKET SUCCESS OF VOCATIONAL AND HIGHER EDUCATION GRADUATES Authors: Ingrid Jaggo, Mart Reinhold & Aune Valk, Analysis Department of the Ministry of Education and Research I KEY CONCLUSIONS
More informationThe Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) provides a picture of adults proficiency in three key information-processing skills:
SPAIN Key issues The gap between the skills proficiency of the youngest and oldest adults in Spain is the second largest in the survey. About one in four adults in Spain scores at the lowest levels in
More informationILLINOIS DISTRICT REPORT CARD
-6-525-2- HAZEL CREST SD 52-5 HAZEL CREST SD 52-5 HAZEL CREST, ILLINOIS and federal laws require public school districts to release report cards to the public each year. 2 7 ILLINOIS DISTRICT REPORT CARD
More informationA Study of Metacognitive Awareness of Non-English Majors in L2 Listening
ISSN 1798-4769 Journal of Language Teaching and Research, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 504-510, May 2013 Manufactured in Finland. doi:10.4304/jltr.4.3.504-510 A Study of Metacognitive Awareness of Non-English Majors
More informationABET Criteria for Accrediting Computer Science Programs
ABET Criteria for Accrediting Computer Science Programs Mapped to 2008 NSSE Survey Questions First Edition, June 2008 Introduction and Rationale for Using NSSE in ABET Accreditation One of the most common
More informationEvaluation of Hybrid Online Instruction in Sport Management
Evaluation of Hybrid Online Instruction in Sport Management Frank Butts University of West Georgia fbutts@westga.edu Abstract The movement toward hybrid, online courses continues to grow in higher education
More informationReport survey post-doctoral researchers at NTNU
Report survey post-doctoral researchers at NTNU DION board 2015-2016 Final version 31 mai 2016, Trondheim Project lead: Elli Verhulst Authors: Elli Verhulst, Alexander Busch, Kam Sripada 1. Summary A survey
More informationNew Venture Financing
New Venture Financing General Course Information: FINC-GB.3373.01-F2017 NEW VENTURE FINANCING Tuesdays/Thursday 1.30-2.50pm Room: TBC Course Overview and Objectives This is a capstone course focusing on
More informationKnowledge for the Future Developments in Higher Education and Research in the Netherlands
Knowledge for the Future Developments in Higher Education and Research in the Netherlands Don F. Westerheijden Contribution to Vision Seminar Higher education and Research 2030 Helsinki, 2017-06-14 How
More informationILLINOIS DISTRICT REPORT CARD
-6-525-2- Hazel Crest SD 52-5 Hazel Crest SD 52-5 Hazel Crest, ILLINOIS 2 8 ILLINOIS DISTRICT REPORT CARD and federal laws require public school districts to release report cards to the public each year.
More informationJames H. Williams, Ed.D. CICE, Hiroshima University George Washington University August 2, 2012
James H. Williams, Ed.D. jhw@gwu.edu CICE, Hiroshima University George Washington University August 2, 2012 Very poor country, but rapidly growing economy Access has improved, especially at primary Lower
More informationGCSE English Language 2012 An investigation into the outcomes for candidates in Wales
GCSE English Language 2012 An investigation into the outcomes for candidates in Wales Qualifications and Learning Division 10 September 2012 GCSE English Language 2012 An investigation into the outcomes
More informationNATIONAL SURVEY OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT (NSSE)
NATIONAL SURVEY OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT (NSSE) 2008 H. Craig Petersen Director, Analysis, Assessment, and Accreditation Utah State University Logan, Utah AUGUST, 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary...1
More informationAn Empirical Analysis of the Effects of Mexican American Studies Participation on Student Achievement within Tucson Unified School District
An Empirical Analysis of the Effects of Mexican American Studies Participation on Student Achievement within Tucson Unified School District Report Submitted June 20, 2012, to Willis D. Hawley, Ph.D., Special
More informationDO CLASSROOM EXPERIMENTS INCREASE STUDENT MOTIVATION? A PILOT STUDY
DO CLASSROOM EXPERIMENTS INCREASE STUDENT MOTIVATION? A PILOT STUDY Hans Gremmen, PhD Gijs van den Brekel, MSc Department of Economics, Tilburg University, The Netherlands Abstract: More and more teachers
More informationThis Access Agreement is for only, to align with the WPSA and in light of the Browne Review.
University of Essex Access Agreement 2011-12 The University of Essex Access Agreement has been updated in October 2010 to include new tuition fee and bursary provision for 2011 entry and account for the
More informationSASKATCHEWAN MINISTRY OF ADVANCED EDUCATION
SASKATCHEWAN MINISTRY OF ADVANCED EDUCATION Report March 2017 Report compiled by Insightrix Research Inc. 1 3223 Millar Ave. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan T: 1-866-888-5640 F: 1-306-384-5655 Table of Contents
More information5 Early years providers
5 Early years providers What this chapter covers This chapter explains the action early years providers should take to meet their duties in relation to identifying and supporting all children with special
More informationRCPCH MMC Cohort Study (Part 4) March 2016
RCPCH MMC Cohort Study (Part 4) March 2016 Acknowledgements Dr Simon Clark, Officer for Workforce Planning, RCPCH Dr Carol Ewing, Vice President Health Services, RCPCH Dr Daniel Lumsden, Former Chair,
More informationFaculty of Architecture ACCADEMIC YEAR 2017/2018. CALL FOR ADMISSION FOR TRAINING COURSE SUMMER SCHOOL Reading the historic framework
Faculty of Architecture ACCADEMIC YEAR 2017/2018 CALL FOR ADMISSION FOR TRAINING COURSE SUMMER SCHOOL Reading the historic framework SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR: Prof. Daniela Esposito SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE: Prof.
More informationUniversity of Essex Access Agreement
University of Essex Access Agreement Updated in August 2009 to include new tuition fee and bursary provision for 2010 entry 1. Context The University of Essex is academically a strong institution, with
More informationThe Effect of Extensive Reading on Developing the Grammatical. Accuracy of the EFL Freshmen at Al Al-Bayt University
The Effect of Extensive Reading on Developing the Grammatical Accuracy of the EFL Freshmen at Al Al-Bayt University Kifah Rakan Alqadi Al Al-Bayt University Faculty of Arts Department of English Language
More informationGreek Teachers Attitudes toward the Inclusion of Students with Special Educational Needs
American Journal of Educational Research, 2014, Vol. 2, No. 4, 208-218 Available online at http://pubs.sciepub.com/education/2/4/6 Science and Education Publishing DOI:10.12691/education-2-4-6 Greek Teachers
More informationThe Netherlands. Jeroen Huisman. Introduction
4 The Netherlands Jeroen Huisman Introduction Looking solely at the legislation, one could claim that the Dutch higher education system has been officially known as a binary system since 1986. At that
More informationprehending general textbooks, but are unable to compensate these problems on the micro level in comprehending mathematical texts.
Summary Chapter 1 of this thesis shows that language plays an important role in education. Students are expected to learn from textbooks on their own, to listen actively to the instruction of the teacher,
More informationDocument number: 2013/ Programs Committee 6/2014 (July) Agenda Item 42.0 Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Software Engineering
Document number: 2013/0006139 Programs Committee 6/2014 (July) Agenda Item 42.0 Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Software Engineering Program Learning Outcomes Threshold Learning Outcomes for Engineering
More informationOperational Knowledge Management: a way to manage competence
Operational Knowledge Management: a way to manage competence Giulio Valente Dipartimento di Informatica Universita di Torino Torino (ITALY) e-mail: valenteg@di.unito.it Alessandro Rigallo Telecom Italia
More informationEdexcel GCSE. Statistics 1389 Paper 1H. June Mark Scheme. Statistics Edexcel GCSE
Edexcel GCSE Statistics 1389 Paper 1H June 2007 Mark Scheme Edexcel GCSE Statistics 1389 NOTES ON MARKING PRINCIPLES 1 Types of mark M marks: method marks A marks: accuracy marks B marks: unconditional
More information9.85 Cognition in Infancy and Early Childhood. Lecture 7: Number
9.85 Cognition in Infancy and Early Childhood Lecture 7: Number What else might you know about objects? Spelke Objects i. Continuity. Objects exist continuously and move on paths that are connected over
More informationFAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Q. How can we contact the DIGITAL EDUCATION PROJECT and the NATIONAL DIGITAL SCHOOLBOOK LIBRARY PROGRAM for additional information and questions? A. VISIT OUR WEBSITE at
More informationHEPCLIL (Higher Education Perspectives on Content and Language Integrated Learning). Vic, 2014.
HEPCLIL (Higher Education Perspectives on Content and Language Integrated Learning). Vic, 2014. Content and Language Integration as a part of a degree reform at Tampere University of Technology Nina Niemelä
More informationGDP Falls as MBA Rises?
Applied Mathematics, 2013, 4, 1455-1459 http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/am.2013.410196 Published Online October 2013 (http://www.scirp.org/journal/am) GDP Falls as MBA Rises? T. N. Cummins EconomicGPS, Aurora,
More informationPUBLIC CASE REPORT Use of the GeoGebra software at upper secondary school
PUBLIC CASE REPORT Use of the GeoGebra software at upper secondary school Linked to the pedagogical activity: Use of the GeoGebra software at upper secondary school Written by: Philippe Leclère, Cyrille
More information10.2. Behavior models
User behavior research 10.2. Behavior models Overview Why do users seek information? How do they seek information? How do they search for information? How do they use libraries? These questions are addressed
More informationHuman Factors Computer Based Training in Air Traffic Control
Paper presented at Ninth International Symposium on Aviation Psychology, Columbus, Ohio, USA, April 28th to May 1st 1997. Human Factors Computer Based Training in Air Traffic Control A. Bellorini 1, P.
More informationModule 12. Machine Learning. Version 2 CSE IIT, Kharagpur
Module 12 Machine Learning 12.1 Instructional Objective The students should understand the concept of learning systems Students should learn about different aspects of a learning system Students should
More informationEducational system gaps in Romania. Roberta Mihaela Stanef *, Alina Magdalena Manole
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect Procedia - Social and Behavioral Scien ce s 93 ( 2013 ) 794 798 3rd World Conference on Learning, Teaching and Educational Leadership (WCLTA-2012)
More informationMathematics subject curriculum
Mathematics subject curriculum Dette er ei omsetjing av den fastsette læreplanteksten. Læreplanen er fastsett på Nynorsk Established as a Regulation by the Ministry of Education and Research on 24 June
More informationMEASURING GENDER EQUALITY IN EDUCATION: LESSONS FROM 43 COUNTRIES
GIRL Center Research Brief No. 2 October 2017 MEASURING GENDER EQUALITY IN EDUCATION: LESSONS FROM 43 COUNTRIES STEPHANIE PSAKI, KATHARINE MCCARTHY, AND BARBARA S. MENSCH The Girl Innovation, Research,
More informationNATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE NATIONAL ASSESSMENT GOVERNING BOARD AD HOC COMMITTEE ON.
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE NATIONAL ASSESSMENT GOVERNING BOARD AD HOC COMMITTEE ON NAEP TESTING AND REPORTING OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES (SD) AND ENGLISH
More informationINFORMATION What is 2GetThere? Learning by doing
INFORMATION What is 2GetThere? 2GetThere (www.2getthere.info) is a project created for and run by young people and youth coaches. The project is funded by the municipality of Arnhem and implemented by
More informationMotivation to e-learn within organizational settings: What is it and how could it be measured?
Motivation to e-learn within organizational settings: What is it and how could it be measured? Maria Alexandra Rentroia-Bonito and Joaquim Armando Pires Jorge Departamento de Engenharia Informática Instituto
More informationTHE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY SCHREYER HONORS COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MULTIPLE CHOICE MATH TESTS
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY SCHREYER HONORS COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MULTIPLE CHOICE MATH TESTS ELIZABETH ANNE SOMERS Spring 2011 A thesis submitted in partial
More informationThe Use of Statistical, Computational and Modelling Tools in Higher Learning Institutions: A Case Study of the University of Dodoma
International Journal of Computer Applications (975 8887) The Use of Statistical, Computational and Modelling Tools in Higher Learning Institutions: A Case Study of the University of Dodoma Gilbert M.
More informationCarolina Course Evaluation Item Bank Last Revised Fall 2009
Carolina Course Evaluation Item Bank Last Revised Fall 2009 Items Appearing on the Standard Carolina Course Evaluation Instrument Core Items Instructor and Course Characteristics Results are intended for
More informationCLASSROOM MANAGEMENT INTRODUCTION
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT Dr. Jasmina Delceva Dizdarevik, Institute of Pedagogy, Faculty of Philosophy Ss. Cyril and Methodius University-Skopje, Macedonia E-mail : jdelceva@yahoo.com Received: February, 20.2014.
More information