“Education goes global and mobile…but loses tactile and local?”

Launch of IFLA Trend Report in Singapore

The rise of Open Access and availability of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCS) are just two initiatives having a profound impact on education.

The IFLA Trend Report, being launched on Monday morning 19 August (Session 93: Plenary session), with IFLA President Ingrid Parent and IFLA Secretary-General Jennefer Nicholson, considers likely developments in education as online resources and new technologies continue to evolve.

We’re going to be giving you a sneak peek at some of the high level trends identified by our experts in the countdown to launch date. The IFLA Trend Report explores five high level trends, mapping likely developments in the information economy and identifying collisions between trends and possible impacts on the services provided by libraries.

IFLA members will be able to sign up to the comprehensive web platform to explore the Trend Report in full from launch date. Details regarding how you can sign up will be made available on Monday 19 August.

Trend 2: Online Education will democratise and disrupt global learning

The rapid global expansion in online education resources is making learning opportunities more abundant, cheaper and more accessible. As these evolve, there’ll be increased value placed on lifelong learning and greater recognition of non-formal and formal learning. Questions worth considering:

If online education is free, then how much is it really worth?

If we’re learning together but studying alone – will online education change the face of learning forever?

Will you ever need to remember anything ever again?

Check out yesterday’s trend! Stay tuned for the launch on Monday 19 August in Singapore and follow the discussion on twitter at #iflatrends.

Follow the discussion on twitter at #iflatrends.