C/EC/28. Report on the proposed distance e-learning scheme for international students at the college

King Harpers College is an accredited public college, offering courses leading to a B.Sc and certificates in Business and Management. The college attracts a large proportion of foreign students and therefore additionally offers a program of Intensive English for International students who need to improve their English skills. Kings Harper College serves 15,000 students through its on-site education. In recent years the number of foreign students has increased significantly and the college now is proposing to offer e-learning courses to cope with the increasing demand. The argument proposed by the management is that international students will be able to partake in their chosen degree courses from their home countries, giving them an easily accessible learning resource and experience. Furthermore, through the use of advanced technology, students who have previously not had access to higher education now will have the opportunity to study at the location that best suits their needs. This report investigates the key issues that need to be considered before Kings Harper pursues its e-learning project. Initially the report defines the aims and scope, critiques. The different methods of enquiry and identify which method(s) employed in the investigation. Then it provides a summary of IT drivers that are underpinning the external environment of higher education institutions, appraises the uses of Internet technology in the education sector, identifies possible future Internet innovations that will impact on the students and teaching staff in higher education. Then, using consequences analysis techniques, the report identifies the likely impact of Internet technology on teaching staff and students at Kings Harper. This is followed by an overview of key issues that are directly linked to systems development and a critique of the method of enquiry, highlighting the strengths weaknesses and any assumptions made.