Recently I assisted a client in a project which demonstrated opportunities of technology to deliver education using broadband networks. The trial was a great success from a student engagement perspective and for appreciation of the learning experience in the technical environment used. In fact the trial encouraged further exploration of the use of the technology and, with the prospect of continued success, medium term expectation of more widespread deployment. The work did however raise the question in my mind as to whether the resources used to deliver those outcomes might have been better focused elsewhere in terms of national educational/economic impact.
Typically technology has a solution to most envisaged challenges, we face the particular challenge to identify where to best focus resources (time, people and dollars) to generate the best value outcome (by appropriate comparative measures). Ubiquitous and affordable broadband opens up an immense array of opportunity and choice including in education. Individual’s resources are limited so how are those choices made? Ironically the availability of ubiquitous and affordable broadband, which depends so much on engineers to create, may itself be putting further pressure on engineering resource supply simply by providing further opportunities for students to study subjects other than science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Engineers must promote the use of technology to increase the proportion of students taking on STEM subjects, it won’t be done for us. Engineers need to help students in assessing the value of pursuing STEM subjects and to assist educators to devise ways of using broadband to help make those subjects more appealing. Technology now delivers a plethora of options for students and they will increasingly need help in making choices and if we don’t influence this can we be surprised if the apparent fall in the proportion of students taking STEM courses continues?
I take this opportunity to wish all members of the ITEE College a healthy and prosperous 2012.
This column also appears in the ITEE College Board Chair blog http://engineersaustralia.typepad.com/itee_college_chair/ : please post your feedback.
Peter Hitchiner FIEAust CPEng, Engineers Australia, ITEE College Chair 2011 / 2013
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