"In the online world you don't need to fill buildings or lecture theatres with people and you don't need to be trapped into a lecture timetable," says Peter Scott, director of the Open University's Knowledge Media Institute.
``
In
the
online
world
you
do
n't
need
to
fill
buildings
or
lecture
theatres
with
people
and
you
do
n't
need
to
be
trapped
into
a
lecture
timetable
,
''
says
Peter
Scott
,
director
of
the
Open
University
's
Knowledge
Media
Institute
.
The Open University, the UK's open access university, which allows people to study from home in their own time, has been an international pioneer of degree courses online.
The
Open
University
,
the
UK
's
open
access
university
,
which
allows
people
to
study
from
home
in
their
own
time
,
has
been
an
international
pioneer
of
degree
courses
online
.
The university, with more than 263,000 students in 23 countries, has become a record breaker on the iTunes U service, which provides a digital library of materials for university students and staff.
The
university
,
with
more
than
263,000
students
in
23
countries
,
has
become
a
record
breaker
on
the
iTunes
U
service
,
which
provides
a
digital
library
of
materials
for
university
students
and
staff
.
Instead of music or movies, Apple's iTunes U provides a download service for lectures and resources from universities around the world.
Instead
of
music
or
movies
,
Apple
's
iTunes
U
provides
a
download
service
for
lectures
and
resources
from
universities
around
the
world
.
Top universities from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard in the US to Oxford and Cambridge in the UK have been making their materials available, with no charge to the users.
Top
universities
from
the
Massachusetts
Institute
of
Technology
and
Harvard
in
the
US
to
Oxford
and
Cambridge
in
the
UK
have
been
making
their
materials
available
,
with
no
charge
to
the
users
.
There have been 31 million downloads of OU materials, more than any other university, representing roughly 10% of all iTunes U downloads.
There
have
been
31
million
downloads
of
OU
materials
,
more
than
any
other
university
,
representing
roughly
10
%
of
all
iTunes
U
downloads
.
Nearly 90% of these users are from outside the UK.
Nearly
90
%
of
these
users
are
from
outside
the
UK
.
In this online era, the OU student is also getting younger.
In
this
online
era
,
the
OU
student
is
also
getting
younger
.
A quarter of students are aged under-25 and only 10% are aged 50 or over.
A
quarter
of
students
are
aged
under-25
and
only
10
%
are
aged
50
or
over
.
That change can only be accelerated as the cost of going to university increases in many countries.
That
change
can
only
be
accelerated
as
the
cost
of
going
to
university
increases
in
many
countries
.
The prospect of learning from Harvard from your own bedroom is getting closer.
The
prospect
of
learning
from
Harvard
from
your
own
bedroom
is
getting
closer
.
"We have a belief that a degree and an opportunity are rights for all citizens.
``
We
have
a
belief
that
a
degree
and
an
opportunity
are
rights
for
all
citizens
.
And we have got to enable the population of students attending higher education to scale up.
And
we
have
got
to
enable
the
population
of
students
attending
higher
education
to
scale
up
.
What I am most excited about is that the privilege of going for higher education is not something only for the wealthy or for the smartest or for the most well-equipped students in the future," an American educator says.
What
I
am
most
excited
about
is
that
the
privilege
of
going
for
higher
education
is
not
something
only
for
the
wealthy
or
for
the
smartest
or
for
the
most
well-equipped
students
in
the
future
,
''
an
American
educator
says
.
Online education will be a way of opening up more choices and getting beyond the big brand names of the most exclusive universities.
Online
education
will
be
a
way
of
opening
up
more
choices
and
getting
beyond
the
big
brand
names
of
the
most
exclusive
universities
.
At the Open University, Peter Scott says they are trying to develop services that give students exactly what they want, from face-to-face learning to the fully online experience.
At
the
Open
University
,
Peter
Scott
says
they
are
trying
to
develop
services
that
give
students
exactly
what
they
want
,
from
face-to-face
learning
to
the
fully
online
experience
.
"We can produce brilliant televisual material and get it to you on YouTube, on iTunes U or even on the web.
``
We
can
produce
brilliant
televisual
material
and
get
it
to
you
on
YouTube
,
on
iTunes
U
or
even
on
the
web
.
"In the online world you don't need to fill buildings or lecture theatres with people and you don't need to be trapped into a lecture timetable," says Peter Scott, director of the Open University's Knowledge Media Institute.  The Open University, the UK's open access university, which allows people to study from home in their own time, has been an international pioneer of degree courses online.  The university, with more than 263,000 students in 23 countries, has become a record breaker on the iTunes U service, which provides a digital library of materials for university students and staff. Instead of music or movies, Apple's iTunes U provides a download service for lectures and resources from universities around the world. Top universities from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard in the US to Oxford and Cambridge in the UK have been making their materials available, with no charge to the users.  There have been 31 million downloads of OU materials, more than any other university, representing roughly 10% of all iTunes U downloads. Nearly 90% of these users are from outside the UK. In this online era, the OU student is also getting younger. A quarter of students are aged under-25 and only 10% are aged 50 or over. That change can only be accelerated as the cost of going to university increases in many countries. The prospect of learning from Harvard from your own bedroom is getting closer.  "We have a belief that a degree and an opportunity are rights for all citizens. And we have got to enable the population of students attending higher education to scale up. What I am most excited about is that the privilege of going for higher education is not something only for the wealthy or for the smartest or for the most well-equipped students in the future," an American educator says. Online education will be a way of opening up more choices and getting beyond the big brand names of the most exclusive universities.  At the Open University, Peter Scott says they are trying to develop services that give students exactly what they want, from face-to-face learning to the fully online experience. "We can produce brilliant televisual material and get it to you on YouTube, on iTunes U or even on the web.