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SIR SHRIDATH RAMPHAL
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The 2004 Asa Briggs Lecture will be delivered by Sir Shridath ("Sonny") Ramphal, former Commonwealth Secretary-General and former foreign minister of Guyana, on a topic of relevance to education in the Commonwealth. The Lecture will take place on 6 July 2004, in Dunedin, New Zealand, at COL's third (biennial) Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning. www.col.org/pcf3
Sir Shridath has been an unapologetic advocate of Third World solidarity and an ardent supporter of the United Nations and Commonwealth systems while arguing always for their improvement. He was at the helm of the Commonwealth during a time of great change and development, including the establishment of the Commonwealth of Learning, and was at the centre of global efforts to resolve the long intractable problems of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence by Rhodesia and of apartheid in South Africa.
He was also Chairman of the West Indian Commission whose report charted the course for the Caribbean's development in 1992. He was the region's Chief Negotiator in international economic negotiations, heading the Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM) between 1997 and 2001 and has been Chancellor of the University of West Indies for 14 years.
Still on the world stage, Sir Shridath was recently a facilitator for Belize in the Organization of American States (OAS) process for a definitive resolution of the century-old dispute with Guatemala.
Most recently, Sir Shridath was awarded the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development (the "Indian Nobel") by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, President of India, presented the prize to him on 19 November 2003.
The Asa Briggs Lecture honours the founding Chairman of COL's Board of Governors and renowned British historian, the Rt. Hon. Lord Briggs of Lewes, who was instrumental in COL's establishment. It was established by COL when Lord Briggs stepped down from the Chair in 1993. Previous lecturers include Professor David Dilks, Professor Wang Gungwu and Mr. Stephen Lewis.
COL's third (biennial) Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF) will take place from 4 - 8 July 2004 in Dunedin, New Zealand. The PCF is being hosted by the Distance Education Association of New Zealand (DEANZ) and the Government of New Zealand, in collaboration with the Federation of Commonwealth Open and Distance Learning Associations (FOCODLA). The theme for the Forum is "Building Learning Communities for our Millennium: Reaching Wider Audiences through Innovative Approaches." Sub-themes include education, health and local government.
www.col.org/pcf3
www.deanz.org.nz
An All-Africa Ministers' Conference on Open Learning and Distance Education was organised by the South African Department of Education, UNESCO (BREDA, Dakar) and COL, with participation by the University of South Africa and the South African Institute for Distance Education. It was held in Cape Town, South Africa, from 1 - 4 February 2004.
The idea of a first ever all-Africa open and distance learning conference was put forward in Durban in 2002, when, in his opening address at COL's second Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, South Africa's Minister of Education, Professor Kader Asmal, offered to host such a conference. Subsequently, in Dar es Salaam in December 2002, the UNESCO Conference of Ministers of Education of African Member States (MINEDAF VIII) also highlighted the importance of open learning and distance education in addressing educational challenges facing African countries and accepted Professor Asmal's offer.
Among the topics explored and actions agreed upon were how open learning approaches and distance education methods can be applied to support Ministers of Education in achieving developmental goals on poverty alleviation, universal primary education, gender equality, health and sustainable development; national policy frameworks for open learning and distance education covering the recognition of qualifications, the necessary quality assurance and regulating mechanisms, the appropriate structures, funding, etc.; and ways of collaborating to assist in the achievement of goals. Professor Gajaraj Dhanarajan, President and CEO of COL, delivered a keynote address at the conference.
www.africaodl.org/conference [link no longer works - 2004]
In partnership with the Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN in Geneva, COL is hosting a Roundtable on Open and Distance Learning (ODL) to bring together representatives of UN agencies and other international organisations to discuss the effectiveness of ODL when needing to reach globally dispersed audiences, clientele and staff with information, knowledge and training required to advance the Millennium Development Goals. COL representatives will also showcase a wide variety of models in the areas of staff development and training through ODL and strengthening local capacities in ODL for formal and non-formal education and training. The roundtable will take place in Geneva on 31 March and 1 April 2004.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is holding its second international workshop on Technology for Education in Developing Countries (TEDC) on 31 August 2004 in Joensuu, Finland, in conjunction with IEEE's International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT 2004).
The workshop will bring together researchers and educators to discuss various issues involved in developing new techniques and on novel uses of technology for education in developing countries. A call for papers has been issued.
In developing countries, conditions, constraints and resources differ sharply with industrialised nations, creating special challenges for the technical and educational research communities.
www.ee.columbia.edu/dvmm/tedc
Policy for Open and Distance Learning
Policy for Open and Distance Learning considers the questions that planners and policy makers in open and distance learning need to address at any level of education. Jointly published in late 2003 by COL and RoutledgeFalmer Press, it is the fourth volume in the World review of distance education and open learning series. ISBN 0 415 26307 7; paperback, 267 pages; H. Perraton and H. Lentell (eds.)
Starting by analysing the range of purposes for which open and distance learning is used, the book places the issues in context and examines experience in both the public and private sector. As well as discussing in detail new agendas set by new information and communication technologies, the book also covers:
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Inputs - in terms of learners, staff and resources
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Processes - organisational structures, technologies, globalisation and governance
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Outcomes - benefits set in the context of costs
The fifteen contributors have examined the varied roles of new technologies as well as low-technology approaches to open and distance learning throughout the world and this book will be invaluable to policy makers in education and those planning or managing open and distance learning programmes. It will also be of interest to students and teachers of education and anyone concerned with comparative education.
Dr. Hilary Perraton has worked in international education and in open and distance learning for many years. He was the founding director of the International Research Foundation for Open Learning (www.col.org/irfol). Ms. Helen Lentell is COL's Educational Specialist, Training and Materials Development (www.col.org/hlentell).
The World review of distance education and open learning series includes:
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Higher Education through Open and Distance Learning - K. Harry (ed.), 1999
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Basic Education at a Distance - J. Bradley and C. Yates (eds.), 2000
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Teacher Education through Open and Distance Learning - B. Robinson and C. Latchem (eds.), 2002
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Policy for Open and Distance Learning - H. Perraton and H. Lentell (eds.), 2003
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Vocational Training through Distance Education: A policy perspective - L. Moran and G. Rumble (eds.), to be published later this year
www.col.org/worldreview
25% discount
Policy for Open and Distance Learning can be ordered from booksellers worldwide or directly from RoutledgeFalmer Press. It is also available, while quantities last, through COL at a 25% discount - and, for orders from developing Commonwealth countries, shipping charges will be waived. Orders must be accompanied by a pre-payment of Canadian $30.00 (or equivalent US funds) plus shipping, if applicable, or charged to VISA or MasterCard accounts. Orders should be sent to COL's distribution agents: Government Publication Services, Queen's Printer, Attn. COL Customer Service, PO Box 9452 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9V7 Canada; tel: 250.387.6409 (toll-free in North America: 800.663.6105); fax: 250.387.1120; e-mail: QPPublications@gems5.gov.bc.ca. Order online at:
www.publications.gov.bc.ca.
www.col.org/worldreview
Models for Open and Distance Learning
COL and its affiliate, the International Research Foundation for Open Learning (IRFOL), have launched a series of guides to good practice that analyse policy issues about the use of open and distance learning and of information and communication technologies in education. The guides are for decision makers within educational institutions, ministries of education and international agencies. Each guide is based on our understanding of the research evidence and aims to identify alternative models and options in a particular area of education.
Each begins by examining the policy agenda and the key questions on it and goes on to address a list of themes - socioeconomic context, governance, purpose and curriculum, outcomes and costs, organisation, technology, funding, accreditation, and assessment - but the weight given to each theme varies according to the area of education being examined. In every case our aim is to give prominence to the more difficult issues. The Models for open and distance learning series is jointly published and promoted by IRFOL and COL.
Two titles were published in 2003 and are available online:
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Teacher education and training (by H. Perraton): This first guide looks at the way open and distance learning has been used for the education and training of teachers. It draws heavily on research carried out by IRFOL for the Department for International Development in Britain and for UNESCO.
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Globalisation, education and distance education (by D. Hawkridge): This wide-ranging review on globalisation, education and distance education has been conceived in the context of the debate about the influence of the General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS), which has important but controversial implications for education. This applies to both industrial countries and low-income countries and all lying between.
www.col.org/irfol
ICTS in Teacher Education
Information and Communication Technologies in Teacher Education: A planning guide. Published by the Division of Higher Education, UNESCO; Paris, 2002 (released in 2003). Chair and Editor: Paul Resta, The University of Texas at Austin (USA). Co-Chair: Alexey Semenov, Moscow Institute of Open Education (Russia). Six other international contributors.
"The document proposes a framework for ICTs in teacher education, describes the essential conditions that must be met for successful technology integration and provides guidelines for the development of a strategic planning process. It also identifies important strategies for managing the change process in the teacher education programme as technology becomes a catalyst for transforming the teaching-learning process." ¯ UNESCO
Available online (1.3 Mb Acrobat PDF download)
Review by Dr. Usha Reddi
In education, the teacher is the change agent, the key individual who helps a learner to make the transition between information and understanding. And to serve as a guide or mentor to the learner, the teacher, in turn needs to be empowered through an on going process of learning.
Today's ICTs are increasingly seen as tools enabling teacher educators to narrow the gap between the demand and supply of trained teachers. In almost every country, there are teacher training programmes and a recognition that "there is no alternative" to the use of ICTs for teacher training and for use by teachers to enhance the quality of instruction. Between the recognition and the reality, however, are knowledge gaps among policy and decision makers and among teacher educators as to how one should proceed, mechanisms that should be followed, global standards and assessment techniques and lessons from best practices.
These are the gaps that the planning guide, commissioned by UNESCO and under review, seeks to answer. It is a step-by-step guide to the use of ICTs as an integral part of induction and in-service training among teachers as well as for the integration of ICTs as part of the school curriculum.
Divided into eight parts and supported by a glossary, the volume links global contexts and frameworks in teacher education to the specifics spelling out elements of curriculum planning, integration of ICTs in teacher education, developing and implementing strategic plans, managing change and innovation, quality assurance standards, images and scenarios.
Simply written and packed with useful information and analysis, the guide takes into account four themes (context and culture, leadership and vision, lifelong learning and the management of change) that must be understood as a strategic combination of approaches to help teacher educators develop four core competencies. These competencies, in turn, include pedagogy, collaboration and networking, social and health issues and technical issues.
The cases of best practice, of successes and struggles in different parts of the world are particularly useful as they demonstrate a process from planning to implementation to evaluation. The MATEN (Multimedia Applications for Telematic Educational Networks) project in Central and Eastern Europe; MirandaNet (a learning community to support teacher educators in the U.K); School Networking in Africa; the Enlaces Project in Chile - all demonstrate what can be achieved through collaborative efforts, despite resource and infrastructure scarcities.
As I read through the volume, I was reminded of how useful UNESCO planning guides have been in the course of my own work in building, establishing and integrating ICTs in education. I measured my own efforts against the strategic technology plan prepared in the book and could quickly identify the missing links in my own and Asian efforts to deploy ICTs. Questions raised in the guide help to provide system and structure to planning, implementation and evaluation. The detailing of international standards, especially followed in the U.S., provide the benchmarks against which we can measure our own efforts.
This is a volume, like many others of UNESCO in the field of education, that is a must for any individual and institution to keep within arm's reach on a desk or shelf.
Dr. Usha Reddi is Director of the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA), New Delhi. This review originally appeared in the December 2003 edition of EduCom Asia, CEMCA's newsletter.
www.cemca.org
COL Reporting Documents
COL presented three reports to Commonwealth Education Ministers in October and to Commonwealth Heads of Government in December.
Building Capacity in Open and Distance Learning: Three-Year Plan, 2003 - 2006
A World of Knowledge: Summary Report, 2000 - 2003
A Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth
All three are available through COL's web site at: www.col.org/programmes/reporting. Requests for CD-ROM or in print versions can be sent to info@col.org.
COL commissioned a survey and evaluation of Learning Management Systems (LMSs) that are available as open source software. The study was conducted on COL's behalf by 3waynet Inc. of Vancouver and focussed exclusively on software/technologies that are "freely distributed" and have no limitations on use, adaptation or distribution (although documentation, training systems and technical modifications may carry a price). Commercial products were expressly excluded from the study.
Thirty-five LMSs were identified and five were selected for in-depth study. Two were recommended, although the report points out that results and recommendations may or may not apply to the specific circumstances of third parties. Third party use, therefore, is at the discretion of the user. LMSs are defined as typically containing features for educational administration, assessment, course management and possibly content management and authoring.
The open source LMS study is available on COL's website.
