The "DISTANCEducation" section of the Georgia Center Quarterly is designed to provide a forum for discourse and comment about the practice of distance education -- its administration, operation, programs, and activities.
by Jerry L. Hargis
Georgia Center Associate Director for Communication Services
A recent NUCEA News (July/August 1996) included a "Legislative Backgrounder" piece by J. Noah Brown headlined "President Proposes Two Years of College as a Minimum For All Americans." The story told of an initiative at the federal level, that is modelled on the State of Georgia's HOPE Scholarship program, that calls for increased funding for the Pell Grant program for low-income students. The article quoted President Clinton's return to the theme that "educational investment is the key to sustained economic productivity and security."
This story reminded me of the report of an educational commission to President Harry Truman in 1948 that included for the first time, at the federal level, a call for adult education opportunities that would assure each American of having the equivalent of an eighth-grade education so that they could function effectively in the modern, complex society.
Some of us in continuing education used that notion as one of "functional adulthood" definition. We began to define the levels of adult and continuing education and the legislative and budgetary implications of those levels, and began to search for means of providing educational opportunities that would assure individual adults the chance to achieve "educational functional adulthood."
The idea that the necessary level of educational attainment for functioning efficiently in this society may be pegged at two years of college probably falls short of the necessary, "real-world" mark. But, it does indicate the understanding that to be an effective participant in society, to be able to make meaningful choices from a myriad of alternatives, to contribute to the development of the individual human resource and to the common good -- one must continue to learn.
The reinforcement of this realization is not necessary for those in continuing or distance education, nor for the adults we serve. The need to upgrade skills and knowledge is, more and more, a part of today's pressures. Corporate layoffs, uncertainty about future job prospects, loss of faith in the ability of social programs to continue to provide "safety nets" or long-term benefits -- all contribute to concerns on the part of the mature individual who must find ways to keep her/himself employable and economically viable.
The technology revolution provides means for the adult student who is fully committed to work, family, and community life to deal with learning situations in times, places, and processes that can be integrated into an already overscheduled lifestyle. To state that distance education processes can greatly assist the busy adult to gain access to education is to belabor the obvious. Why then do so many institutions and organizations in the higher education community resist or drag their feet with regard to the provision of such opportunities of process?
The answer may be in the fact that those of us responsible for distance education have not done enough to help the academy realize that today, we must be in the education business, not just in the on-campus, traditional-aged student, resident-education business. Society expects an educational response that is relevant, accessible, convenient, efficient, and cost-effective from its traditional institutions. These pressures will not go away; potential clients may be redirected to other providers if the higher educational enterprise does not respond.
The "hope" that all Americans may gain an education equal to two years of college is a good one, but if it is to be realized, those of us in higher education must step forward to break the "traditional" boundaries of our practice and must use the technologies available to provide access to our educational resources for the previously underserved or unserved audiences.
For more information about "DISTANCEducation" or if you'd like to submit an article for consideration, contact Editorial Services, Georgia Center for Continuing Education, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602-3603, 706-542-1223, FAX: 706-542-5990.
Web administrator: webmaster@gactr.uga.edu All contents copyright © 1997 University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education. All rights reserved. Last revised: Tue, Mar 18, 1997, 1:01 PM URL: http://www.gactr.uga.edu/GCQ/GCQwin97/de.html