Excellence in Distance Education Awards (EDEA) 2008
COL is proud to annouce the new EDEA winners for 2008. The award ceremony took place at the Fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF5) in London, UK on 14 and 15 July 2008.
www.col.org/edea
PCF News
More than 700 people from 70 countries, including several Ministers of Education, attended COL's Fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF5) in London, UK from 13-17 July 2008. Papers and reports from sessions are available online in the Forum 'wiki' and 'blog' at www.wikieducator.org/pcf5 and http://pcf5.wordpress.com; and keynote presentations are available at www.col.org/speeches.
The Forum explored how open and distance learning can help achieve international development goals and education for all.
PCF5 was hosted by COL in partnership with the University of London, forming a part of the University's celebration of the 150th anniversary of the establishment of its External Degrees initiative. Major sponsorship support for delegate participation from developing countries is being provided by COL, the U.K. Open University, the U.K Department for International Development, the University of London External Programme and AusAID - the Australian Government's overseas aid programme. Conference Co-Chairs were Sir Graeme Davies, Vice-Chancellor of the University of London, and Sir John Daniel, President and CEO of COL.
www.col.org/pcf5
Connections/EdTech News
Connections/EdTech News, June 2008: COL Caribbean Focal Points meet | Record attendance expected at PCF5 | New funding for COL's computer training course | COL's News Service | COLLaGEe shares approaches to good governance | Frequently asked questions about gender | EDITORIAL: Degree Mills: a special threat to ODL and eLearning | FAIR COMMENT: Cute Kitten Syndrome: Open Educational Resources | IN FOCUS: The growth of open schooling | Events | New resources | EDTECH News: The future of the Internet is in your hand | Smart phone proliferate | Online video enhancement
www.col.org/connections
Employment opportunities at COL:
VUSCC and Food Security/Environment
VUSSC:
COL is seeking an eminent and senior professional to join as an Education Specialist to provide leadership to expand the capacity of the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) to meet its developmental objectives through the use of open and distance learning (ODL) and technology-enhanced education and training. Application deadline: 20 July 2008
Food Security/Environment
COL is seeking an eminent and senior professional to join as an Education Specialist-Food Security and Environment (FS&E) to develop and manage programme initiatives aimed at improving livelihoods in rural and peri-urban communities that depend on the food and environment sectors by using open and distance learning (ODL) methodologies. Application deadline: 31 July 2008
www.col.org/opportunities
COL-Protein seeks proposals
COL has announced a call for proposals for its Poverty Reduction Outcomes Through Education Innovations and Networks (COL-PROTEIN) programme. COL-PROTEIN supports innovative uses of open and distance learning (ODL) to alleviate poverty in rural areas.
www.col.org/protein
17CCEM Stakeholders Forum e-consultation
The Commonwealth Foundation and the 17CCEM Stakeholders Forum Steering Committee have launched a pan-Commonwealth e-consultation on the topic of 'making connections to move towards and beyond education goals and targets.' The e-consultation is part of the process of civil society input for the 17th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (17CCEM). The theme of the 17CCEM, which will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 14-18 June 2009, is 'Education in the Commonwealth: Towards and beyond global goals and targets'. The Commonwealth Foundation is assisting the host government in the process of civil society engagement with 17CCEM, including convening the Stakeholders' Forum for civil society, academia and the private sector on 14-15 June 2009, immediately preceding the ministerial meeting. Civil society and others are invited to take part in this e-consultation to help shape the themes and sub-themes of the Stakeholders' Forum. Further information, backgrounders and instructions on how to participate on the Foundation's website:
www.commonwealthfoundation.com/culturediversity/17ccem
Quality Assurance micro-site
COL's new Quality Assurance micro-site has been designed to provide a single, convenient access point to existing resources in quality assurance in open and distance learning (ODL). We hope that it will be of particular use to institutions, researchers and governments seeking to establish benchmarks for quality provision and to all those who are interested in devising effective systems for the review and evaluation of ODL programmes.
www.col.org/quality
WikiEducator
We're turning the digital divide into digital dividends using free content and open networks. We hope you can help us.
www.col.org/WikiEducator
Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC)
On behalf of Commonwealth Ministers of Education, COL is co-ordinating the development of a Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC). Twenty six countries are now actively engaged in making the VUSSC a reality. VUSSC countries have chosen to focus on creating postsecondary, skills-related courses in areas such as tourism, entrepreneurship, professional development, disaster management and a range of technical and vocational subjects. These non-proprietary, electronically-held course materials, which can readily be adapted to the specific context of each country, are used in the offering of credit-bearing qualifications in the countries' post-secondary institutions, strengthening their educational capacity and outreach. Small states thus become active contributors to global development and leaders in educational reform through the innovative use of information and communications technologies (ICTs). The VUSSC is throwing a wide bridge across the digital divide.
www.col.org/vussc
Bibliography of ICT Education Applications in Africa
COL has developed a Bibliography of ICT Education Applications in Africa as a first step in an Information for Development Program (infoDev)/COL initiative to assess the state of ICT applications in education. A survey will also be conducted that will address several questions. The extensive Bibliography is now posted to invite further additions and edits through WikiEducator.
www.col.org/ICT4AfricaEd
www.wikieducator.org/ICT4AfricaEd
NEW RESOURCES
COL publications:
Consultants' reports:
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A Study of the Development of the State Open Universities in India
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Institutional Trial Quality Audit of the University of South Africa (UNISA)
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Report of the Visitation Panel to the University of Ghana
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Open Schooling for Secondary & Higher Secondary Education: Costs and Effectiveness in India and Namibia
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Survey of ICT and Education in Africa
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The NEPAD e-Schools Demonstration Project: A Work in Progress
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Boys' Underachievement in Education: An Exploration in Selected Commonwealth Countries"
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Higher Education Crossing Borders - A Guide to the Implications of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) for Cross-border Education
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Evaluation of the 2003-2006 Commonwealth of Learning Strategic Plan
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Strategic Issues in Single- and Dual-mode Distance Education: The Organizational Blending of Two Canadian Distance Universities
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Factors for Success in Dual Mode Institutions
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The Art of the Possible: issues of learner support in open and distance learning in low income countries
Consultants' reports are available at: www.col.org/consultancies
Conference reports and papers:
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Forum on Flexible Education: Reaching Nomadic Populations in Africa (Summary Report)
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Speeches and presentations: www.col.org/speeches
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Further information ...
CD-ROM
COL offers a CD-ROM (updated regularly) that contains our most popular knowledge resources and recent publications and reports, along with a video on COL and its work. It is available upon request from COL: info@col.org
PLEASE NOTE:
The Commonwealth of Learning's focus is in strengthening institutions in developing Commonwealth countries that are striving to provide affordable education to larger numbers of their citizens.
COL IS NOT an educational institution. It does not register students and does not directly offer courses, programmes of study, scholarships or bursaries.
COL DOES NOT provide an accreditation service and does not endorse institutions or programmes. COL is also unable to provide directories of courses available in the Commonwealth.
Please see: About COL for more information.
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