Analytic vision of foresight planning in venezuelan public universities
This work sought to analyze the scope of foresight planning in managing Venezuelan public universities (VPU) within the context of the Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado (UCLA), Universidad Nacional Experimental Francisco de Miranda (UNEFM), and Universidad Nacional Experimental del Táchira (UNET) information society. This was a documentary study with a bibliographic design, supported on the analytic method; the intentional simple was aimed at three VPUs with foresight plans. The techniques to gather information included bibliographic review, critical reading, and content analysis, among others. Through the results, it was concluded that the VPUs under study coincide in the key areas toward where their foresight plans are aimed: teaching, research, and outreach. Additionally, one of the challenges for them from the information society is the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) both in academic and administrative issues. Regarding this, foresight planning is viable in university management. Its reach is broad, considering the present to make future scenarios in agreement with the key areas. It was recommended to identify strategic and emergent aspects at the universities, specifically the domain of corporate information/knowledge and organizational management/strategic level within the foresight framework.
Tendencias actuales e innovaciones en la educación superior a distancia. Potencialidad y restricciones en Latinoamérica
Los dos temas centrales de este documento se refieren a : (1) La impostergable necesidad de reestructurar a las universidades actuales, porque aun aquellas que han demostrado una gran calidad y elevada produccion cientifica, necesitan de nuevas estructuras y enfoques ,pura poder responder a un conjunto de poderosas nuevas fuerzas mundiales, tipicas de la epoca actual, donde el incesante cambio y la acelerada globalizacion , construyen escenarios substancialmente diferentes a los del pasado. (2) El segundo tema central se refiere a las causas y condiciones que explican el surgimiento e impetuoso desarrollo de la educacion a distancia, como modalidad educativa que se ha extendido a muchos paises del mundo actual, tanto desarrollados como sub-desarrollados. Asi mismo, se definen las varias generaciones de esta modalidad educativa hasta llegar a la tercera, donde se percibe como la educacion a distancia se conjuga cada vez mas con el aprendizaje virtual y las universidades virtuales, que representan la respuesta mas creativa para la masificacion e individualizacion de la educacion contemporanea, apoyada funcionalmente con las nuevas tecnologias informaticas y telematicas
The economics of the open university revisited
Revision of earlier cost calculations for the Open University and Conventional Universities in the U.K. for 1973 confirms the findings of a significant cost advantage to the Open University. An analysis of developments at the Open University since 1973 indicates, however, that there has been little reduction in average cost in real terms and no improvement is likely on known developments to 1979. This is surprising for it might be expected that as student numbers rise average costs would fall. A more detailed analysis of the structure of Open University costs indicates why this has not happened. A major determinant of costs is the number of courses and these have continued to grow rapidly since 1973. The rate of increase of new courses has been faster than the rate of increase of new students. In effect the University has been using the economies provided by increased student numbers to increase student choice through the provision of more courses rather than reduce average cost.Average cost could be reduced whilst keeping the same number of courses by changing the components of the teaching system such as broadcasting. If such fundamental changes were not acceptable then an alternative would be to change the mix of courses between the relatively expensive science and technology areas and the cheaper arts and social science areas. A further alternative is to keep the same mix but ensure a longer life for science and technology courses.