Online Education is increasingly interesting. Especially for us here at Quirk, where our distance learning course and free textbook (download it now!) have taught us much about how the Internet can effectively spread educational information. I tracked down another group who are making some interesting offerrings in the online educational space - Fronter - and had some questions answered by Jane Harris, one of their educational consultants.

1. Can you tell me a bit about Fronter and what you offer?

Fronter is a versatile online learning platform. We offer a flexible solution for schools and colleges who need a safe, secure online environment for learning and teaching.

2. How and why did this platform evolve?

The Fronter platform is built on open source technology and has evolved to meet the growing needs of the education community (from primary schools to universities and further education colleges), for a virtual area in which all members can collaborate and share ideas online. 

3. Besides your own, which are the most interesting innovations in online education that you have been following. Tools, initiatives, organisations, resources - anything - and can you tell us why you think they are significant?

Innovations in 3D technology are opening up all sorts of possibilities for education – Second Life is a good example of this. We are seeing more colleges and universities setting up their own areas in 3D worlds such as Second Life; it will be interesting to watch how this continues to develop.

4. How many countries is your platform used in, and have you seen a difference in the way it is used in different parts of the world? Have you noted any interesting uses of the internet in different institutions that may have surprised you?

Fronter has offices in 13 countries and representation in more than 30 Countries. We have noticed some differences in the way the platform is used across various countries, for example, UK teachers like to build ’virtual classrooms’ where pupils can go to partake in a variety of online activities in one space with a large element of pupil choice, but in Scandanavia, courses are presented to pupils in a much more linear, sequenced style.

5. Are there any changes we should expect in education over the next 10 - 20 - 30 years with relation to the internet?

For as long as the internet continues to form an important part of the global economy, then undoubtedly it will continue to play a significant role in education too. But, changes in how it will be used are very difficult to predict – judging by the speed of recent developments in educational technology, the next 10 to 30 years will certainly bring many exciting developments.

6. How relevant do you think the internet is to students in areas of the world with more limited internet connectivity, and do you have any thoughts on ways the digital gap can be dealt with?

The internet can be relevant for all students, where ever they are studying, and whatever their background. We should avoid falling into the trap of thinking that because internet connectivity is not yet all that it should be in some regions (both in the developed and developing worlds) that online education is somehow less relevant here. If anything – it could be said that the internet is even more relevant because students in many of these regions have so much more to gain!

In terms of practical measures to deal with the digital divide, it is generally recognised that all across the world, more and more children and adults do have increased access to mobile phones, and that this is also true even in those nations which were not traditionally well served with landline phones or computers. As mobile phone technology leans increasingly towards including internet connectivity via the hand-set, this could well be a medium for future access to educational courses in these regions. It would of course, be up to educational suppliers in the future to ensure that their facilities are adapted for use in hand-held technology if it turns out that schools and colleges in the developing world see this as a viable solution.

There are two interesting projects (not Fronter related) currently in the news which are both attempting to address the issue of improving access to online learning in the developing world, but each in very different ways – one is called ‘Hole in the Wall’ a project which originated in India – the other is the One Laptop Per Child project.

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