In some of most disadvantaged parts of the country, the journey to higher education can involve crossing some of the deepest ravines of the social divide.

Some 99 per cent of Dublin 6 students go to college. In other less affluent parts of the country, the figure falls as low as 15 per cent.

But can a new virtual classroom help narrow this gaping divide by catering to learners who have not benefitted from mainstream education?

Liz Waters, who is spearheading an ambitious web-based initiative which is due to be formally launched today, thinks so,

An Cosán, the country's largest community education organisation and is based in Tallaght, will today formally launch a new online service for communities right across the State.

The Virtual Community College (VCC) has just emerged from a two-year start-up phase and is now aiming to reach homes where third-level aspirations can be undermined by myriad factors.

Barriers

The barriers facing many are considerable, says Waters, such as poverty, poor literacy or simply never considering higher education as a viable option.

That is why many of VCC’s courses are as much about building confidence as academic achievement.

The concept is simple – and its simplicity is what makes it easy to expand. Students access online live or virtual classrooms, interact with teachers and peers and, in the manner of traditional programmes, complete course work and earn qualifications.

“It’s exactly like an ordinary classroom. Your tutor is there engaging with you and you can see other students coming into the classroom,” explains Waters.

"A woman from Wexford told me: 'I never thought I would be able to go back to education because I can't afford it and I couldn't go anywhere. Now I can do it standing in my kitchen.'"

An Cosán’s vision was twofold: it aimed to spread access to education for disadvantaged students but also to make it easier for others limited by geographical or time constraints.

They first thought about the idea in 2014 when class-based courses were progressing well at its long-standing centre in Tallaght. The board then wanted to explore how its success might be scaled upwards.

Over the last two years, the VCC start-up phase has helped more than 150 students successfully complete one or more of five special-purpose awards.

They included qualifications in community leadership; social action and citizenship; technology enhanced learning; transformative community education; and learning to learn at third level.

Confidence

“They build people’s confidence and people’s skills, and certainly their digital skills. They are really focused on people who are taking the first steps back into education,” says Waters.

“We have the model very well refined and we have set up a lot of supports for students.”

The concept of online learning is spreading and the establishment is buying in. Recently, as a measure of the success of the VCC pilot, City & Guilds Group – the standard-bearer institution in vocational training – invited An Cosán to develop and deliver a two-year course in social enterprise and leadership development for women.

Over the course of the next academic year – September to June – they hope to have about 500 students completing between one and three courses and eventually see this number swell to 1,000 annual learners.

There are no grants for students who undertake part-time education and so many of those on social welfare couldn’t afford the fees (a course costs €300).

However, access is available through bursary programmes supported by an anonymous foundation as well as corporate partners such as 3 Ireland and the ESB.

Structural issues and financing aside, durability of the model can only be measured by the extent to which its students engage. In its infancy, they appear to be thriving.

Waters tells of the participant who while away on holiday unexpectedly logged into the class from his hotel room in Italy during one of her guest lectures.

“He said, I didn’t want to miss it,” she says with a note of pride. “I have been teaching for over 20 years. When I started this programme I had no idea what I was walking into.

“What I can truly say now, two years on, is that everything I have learned about teaching in virtual classroom changed my face-to-face teaching beyond recognition. This allows education to be available to anyone, anywhere.”

Even as the world changes in the grip of digital technology, it seems inconceivable virtual lecture halls could replace the bricks and mortar of campus life.

“I am not so sure. But we will see teaching and learning change radically,” Ms Waters says.

“We are on the cusp of that technological wave and it’s informing everything we do.”

"I was very apprehensive because it was computer-based ... Now, I'm absolutely convinced."

– Kerrie Prendergast, Co Roscommon

On a cold February morning the class gathered around their computer screens in the back of a Co Longford office.

They ran some preliminary tests – could they access the virtual classroom, hear their webcam lecturer, type in the chat rooms?

All systems were go.

“I have to say, because it was virtual and computer based I was very apprehensive,” says Kerrie Prendergast of the moments before she plunged headlong into cybereducation.

“From a technical perspective I was wondering how I was going to be able to handle it. But from when I did the first virtual entry into the classroom my mind was put to rest. I was absolutely convinced.”

Kerrie began her Special Purpose Award QQI Level Seven qualification in citizenship and social action with a group of other students gathered at the Women’s Link office where she works as a community employment officer.

As a mother of six juggling homework, extracurricular activities and a 39-hour-a-week job, it was the perfect solution to a geographical problem – there would be no time to commute from her Roscommon home to Galway or Dublin for a traditional campus-based course. Prendergast had previously attended NUI Galway, where she earned an honours degree in community and family studies. The VCC was the perfect way for her to continue her professional development and she is determined to add more courses to her repertoire.

If the technical aspect was daunting, it soon became clear there was little to worry about. A support specialist was also logged into their cyberexperience, holding their hands through a process that allows students view PowerPoint presentations, see and hear their lecturer and engage in chat-room discussions and debates.

For one day a week they logged in and completed their course work until its conclusion in June. On the first Saturday in October they came together for graduation. In the real world.

“If I couldn’t make it into Longford, I could do [the course] at home which is absolutely excellent,” Kerrie says, marvelling at the notion she was discussing subject material live with her fellow students scattered from Dublin to Donegal.

“I am hoping that by the time I get back to work from maternity leave the community leadership [course] will come up.”