LEFT: SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN KENYA REVIEW VISUAL AIDS TO TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT ICTS  RIGHT: A YOUNG MAN AND HIS GRANDMOTHER IN INGOTSE-SHIKOTI VILLAGE IN KAKAMEGA DISTRICT, KENYA ARE AMONG THE FARMERS LEARNING TO IMPROVE THEIR LIVELIHOODS THROUGH SUGARCANE FARMING TECHNIQUES TAUGHT BY KENYATTA UNIVERSITY

 

NEW COL-PROTEIN PROJECTS ADDRESS POVERTY

COL has announced awards for six projects under its Poverty Reduction Outcomes through Education Innovations and Networks (COL-PROTEIN) programme. The projects, selected from applications received earlier this year, use open and distance learning (ODL) to alleviate poverty in developing countries. COL provides expertise in ODL and financial support of up to CDN $20,000 for each.

ICTS FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN KENYA

Kenyatta University is a government-sponsored university in Kenya with more than 21,000 students. Through this project, the university seeks to reduce poverty among peasant farmers in Kakamega District in Western Kenya. Some 75 percent of farmers in this area live below the poverty line. The main reasons are lack of knowledge and information. The university is working with local partners to develop an agricultural knowledge ICT centre that will use computers, television, telephones and radio to deliver agricultural information to farmers and their families, enhancing their ability to access better markets and prices for their produce. Poor farmers and young women will benefit from the market information centres, access to jobs and income-generating activities.

TEACHERS TALKING: COMPUTER LITERACY TRAINING FOR TEACHERS IN KENYA

Charity for African Welfare and Development (CAWD) is charity based in Kenya, Nigeria and the UK, which promotes the use of ICTs in rural Africa. "Teachers Talking" is an introduction to ICTs designed specifically, but not exclusively, for rural teachers. It promotes alternatives to rote learning and encourages teachers to see themselves as members of a worldwide connected community. The ultimate objective is to enable teachers to enter into informed debate and influence policy regarding ICTs in education in rural Africa. The project uses ICTs to provide train-the-trainer sessions to teachers, who can then share their knowledge about ICTs with colleagues, pupils and local communities. In addition to encouraging the use of computers in schools and the community, this project is building the capacity of teachers, empowering people to become productive citizens and enabling students to compete in the computerised global marketplace. 

CAPTION: TEACHERS TAKE PART IN THE "TEACHERS TALKING" COURSE AT HOLY ROSARY COLLEGE, TALA, KENYA

FUNCTIONAL LITERACY FOR LIVELIHOODS IN RURAL BANGLADESH

The Centre for Urban Studies (CUS) is an independent research and training organisation that conducts poverty research in Bangladesh. Working with the Centre for Development through ODL, Publishing and Communication and Pimedia, a technology service provider, CUS is establishing a Learning Centre that will use information and communications technologies (ICTs) to provide education and skills training in one of the least developed areas of Bangladesh. This is one of the first initiatives in Bangladesh to use technology-mediated learning to teach adult literacy. By providing learners - primarily rural girls and women - with functional literacy and skills development, this project will help families generate income, which will substantially improve livelihoods.

STRENGTHENING DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES IN BANGLADESH

Masjid Council for Community Advancement (MACCA) is a faith-based development and humanitarian organisation in Bangladesh. While government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are working to address significant social development issues in Bangladesh, a major challenge in reducing poverty is changing people's beliefs, misconceptions and behaviour. This project seeks to develop the capacity of different religious leaders to support and strengthen development initiatives. MACCA is developing a curriculum and self-instructional training modules using ODL to train religious leaders so they can work as "Faith Ambassadors" to complement ongoing efforts to achieve social development goals and poverty reduction.

CAPTION:MACCA HOSTS A WORKSHOP FOR "FATIH AMBASSADORS" IN BANGLADESH

FUNCTIONAL LITERACY AND SKILLS-BASED EDUCATION FOR YOUTH IN EARTHQUAKE AREAS OF PAKISTAN

Established in 1974, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) was the first open university in Asia. It is a distance education institution that provides basic to doctoral level programmes. This project seeks to provide functional literacy, health education, psychological rehabilitation and skills-based training to the youth of Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province and the Jammu and Kashmir region. As many teachers have lost their lives and schools have been damaged, the project will use multi-media ODL to provide a second chance at education and the opportunity to learn livelihood skills for the garment-making industry. All the materials will also be available online through AIOU's website. This will help bring out-of-school youth back into the stream of educational development and economic activity.

WINNEBA OPEN DIGITAL VILLAGE, GHANA

oneVillage Foundation-Ghana is an all-volunteer NGO in Ghana that works to increase access to ICTs in under-served communities to address the digital divide and increase economic opportunity. This project is focussed on ICT capacity building and community development. It involves developing ODL modules to teach the rural poor ways to get balanced nutrition from locally available foods, providing low-cost wireless access to the general community and strengthening ICT capacity in major training institutions. It also includes developing and broadcasting radio programmes through local community radio stations. By providing educational, governmental and health care institutions with increased access to ICTs, this project will enhance education, health care, economic development and livelihoods.
www.col.org/protein

 

PCF5 ISSUES CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

COL's Fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF5), which will be held from 13-17 July 2008 at the University of London, UK, has issued a Call for Proposals for contributions to the conference. Proposals can cover a wide range of activities including workshops, round table discussions, formal academic papers, presentations, poster sessions, group work and networking. All proposals must be related to the conference themes, which are:

1. Health,
2. Livelihoods,
3. Provision for children and young people, and
4. Governance, conflict and social justice.

PCF5's goal is to stimulate as much discussion and learning as possible. The style of sessions will be varied to reflect the different approaches used in various educational sectors for knowledge-sharing and the development of ideas. Proposal guidelines can be found at www.col.org/pcf5. The deadline for abstracts, which can be submitted online, is 30 November 2007.

Registration for PCF5 is also available online. The early bird rate of £275 applies until 30 April 2008, and conference fees can be paid online by credit card (through PayPal). Conference organisers have made reservations for accommodations at several venues in the Bloomsbury area for PCF5 delegates. Rooms must be booked directly with the hotels. More information is available on the website.

PCF5 is being 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. Support for delegate participation from developing countries is being provided by COL, the U.K. Open University, University of London External Programme and UNESCO. Conference Co-Chairs are Sir Graeme Davies, Vice-Chancellor of the University of London, and Sir John Daniel, President and CEO of COL.
www.col.org/pcf5

 

COLLABORATION WITH UNESCO

Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO, and Sir John Daniel, President and CEO of COL, signed in July a new Work Plan Agreement aimed at strengthening co-operation between the two organisations in the field of education. The agreement covers such priority areas as expanding access to universal primary education, teacher training and education for sustainable development. UNESCO and COL are collaborating in activities related to open, distance and eLearning, and in the development of open source software. Another important area for collaboration is in strengthening South-South co-operation in open schooling, particularly for girls, women and other disadvantaged groups.

"The original Memorandum of Understanding between COL and UNESCO goes back to 1994," said COL President Sir John Daniel. "I am delighted that we have updated it and I sense real enthusiasm amongst the colleagues in both organisations who will liaise on the various areas. The mandates of COL and UNESCO are complementary and we can do important things together."
www.col.org/col-unesco