E-Learning The Partnership Challenge

Are the new information and communication technologies transforming education and learning in OECD countries? There is certainly an upsurge in investigations and inquiries into e-learning by all kinds of parties and interest groups -- governmental, professional, commercial -- and from education communities. The universal mega-trends associated with globalisation mean that partnership in providing e-learning material is needed to manage cost and complexity in the face of competition that may come from any part of the world. This raises important questions about the public interest and the public good especially in school education which find different responses in different OECD countries; yet increased public-private sector partnering appears a well-nigh universal phenomenon. This publication explores closely the e-learning developments respectively in the school and in the higher education sector in terms of market prospects and partnership creation. The fastest developments are seen in post-secondary and corporate education. However, technology alone does not deliver education success. It only becomes valuable in education if learners and teachers can do something useful with it. There is now a definite shift of focus from technology to content and people in several OECD countries.