
HCMCity (VNA) – Opportunities along with challenges to online education inthe context of the fourth industrial revolution were the main theme of theInternational Conference on Online Education 2019 (ICOE 2019) held in Ho ChiMinh City on March 15.
Expertssaid online education is crucial to making education more accessible and willbe key to preparing for a digital future.
Accordingto Professor Vu Huu Duc, vice principal of HCM City Open University, theconference was held to create a forum for scholars and experts to share opinionsabout development trends, opportunities and challenges foronline education in Vietnam and the world.
ProfessorNita Temmerman from Australia’s University of Queenslandsaid online education providesflexibility and convenience for learners.
Henoted that enrolment in online degree courses around the world in increasing by30 to 35 percent each year, while the online corporate market is growing by 10to 15 percent annually as career professionals are attracted to onlineupskilling options.
Developersand deliverers of online education, however, must ensure that sound pedagogicalpractices are offered by qualified educators, Temmerman said.
ProfessorDong Sun Park from the Republic of Korea’s APEC Human Resources DevelopmentWorking Group said that online education was important for “harnessing inclusiveopportunities, embracing the digital future,” the theme for the APEC economic leaders’meeting last year.
Onlineeducation first appeared in Vietnam 10 to 12 years ago, with demand risingremarkably over the past several years. It was formally recognised by theMinistry of Education and Training in 2012.-VNA