Ms. Helen Lentell
former Education Specialist, Training & Materials Development
Commonwealth of Learning
Helen Lentell left COL at the end of December 2006 and has now joined The University of the South Pacific as Director of its Centre for Educational Development and Technology.
Helen Lentell joined COL in July 2001 as Education Specialist, Training and Materials Development. Her role was to work with Commonwealth Governments, organisations and institutions to support them build sustainable systems in open and distance learning. This covers both organisational development for ODL delivery and the human resources with the skills and capabilities to plan implement and manage sustainable ODL systems. Previously, Ms. Lentell was with the National Extension College in the UK where she was Head of Higher Education and Professional Studies. At the National Extension College she developed a number of innovatory distance education work-based learning programmes - including The FrontLine degree for Coca Cola Enterprises, a post graduate course for Cadbury Ltd., and an award-winning programme of study for small and medium sized enterprises - with a particular focus on micro businesses. These programs were all partnership programmes - with the National Extension College designing and developing both the study materials and the delivery systems. Prior to this she worked at the UK Open University in a number of roles. Including Staff Tutor in the Social Science Faculty - where she was responsible for delivering social science courses in the East Midlands region and for authoring a number of social science units. She was also Assistant Director Regional Academic Services with a responsibility for staff development and training for the Open University's part-time tutoring staff and the staff in the regional centres. She has also been a visiting scholar at Deakin University. Ms. Lentell has several publications in the field of distance education to her credit.
