An important lesson regards the nature of the courses that were offered and if they were the most appropriate ones for an online distance-learning platform. While the project was designed to create access to postsecondary (degree-level) programs for those A-level achievers who would not have an opportunity to enroll in traditional university programs, it may not have been suitable for students newly transitioning from secondary to tertiary education for whom distance learning was less desirable or appropriate, given the strong preference for more traditional modes of post-secondary education. Such a system may be of more relevance and therefore better used if it focuses on non-degree courses to supplement formal education, especially courses that help the employed broaden their skills or the unemployed making themselves more employable. This has deep implications for the future of NODES, as the ?new management? or policymakers consider how they want to develop and use it.
Distance Education Modernization Project