Excellence in Distance Education Awards 
2001- 2002

Call for Submissions
and Nominations

Message from the President of COL

By honouring excellence in distance education, The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) gives due recognition to remarkable achievements and endeavours to benefit those who seek to emulate examples of good practice in the field. The COL Excellence in Distance Education Awards (EDEA) acknowledge that excellence is being achieved at many points in the learning process: at the institutional level, in the development of learning materials and in terms of individual educator and student attainment.

The second EDEA will be conferred at the second Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, which has the theme of “Open Learning: Transforming Education for Development”. The Forum will be held at the International Conference Centre in Durban, from 29 July to 2 August 2002. It is co-hosted by the National Association of Distance Education (NADEOSA), the South African Department of Education and COL, in collaboration with the Commonwealth's open and distance learning professional associations.

The EDEA and the Pan-Commonwealth Forum are set to become significant biennial events in COL's calendar in the next decade; I invite you to participate through a nomination or submission for an EDEA award, and/or by registering for the Forum. Details are available from the conference web-site: http://colforum.mweb.co.za 

Yours sincerely,  
DATO' PROFESSOR GAJARAJ DHANARAJAN
PRESIDENT AND CEO
THE COMMONWEALTH OF LEARNING

Honorary Fellows of COL

 The designation of Honorary Fellow of COL recognises individual, outstanding contributions to distance education. Evaluation is based on each nominee's contributions to the field of distance education in the following categories: leadership/service, published works (including courseware), lectures/presentations, international/national presence and mentorship.

Eligibility for Fellowships will normally be limited to citizens of Commonwealth countries. Honorary Fellowship designations are for life. COL reserves the right to confer Fellowships to individuals whom it deems merit recognition. Fellowship recipients are not limited to individuals nominated through this circular.

Nominations must include:

1. A statement of no more than 1000 words from the nominator, explaining why the individual is deserving of a COL Honorary Fellowship.

2. Letters from two people, other than the nominator or the nominee, supporting the nomination.

3. A copy of the nominee's curriculum vitae.

Award of Excellence for Institutional Achievement

In 2002, COL will present up to three awards for institutional excellence. The awards recognise significant institutional achievements in the innovative and effective application of appropriate learning technologies to reach students who might otherwise not have participated in the learning or training experience.

Applications for the awards are invited from publicly funded or not-for-profit Commonwealth organisations and institutions that offer courses through open and distance learning. Applicants must also meet the criteria outlined in the paragraph above.

Submissions must include:

1. A statement of no more than 1000 words describing the achievements of the organisation/institution and how these relate to the Forum theme.

2. An abstract of the statement in no more than 150 words.

3. A covering letter from the Chief Executive Officer of the organisation/institution supporting the application.

Award of Excellence for Distance Education Materials

In 2002, COL will present up to three awards for excellence in distance education materials, produced by publicly funded or not-for-profit Commonwealth organisations or institutions. These materials may cover courses or programmes of study, and can utilise technology such as print, ICT or audio/visual media. The materials can be at any level of study across all sectors of education and training, from basic education to continuing professional development.

Entries will be judged on clear evidence of the following criteria: fitness for need and purpose, educational design, coherence and integration of media in the study materials and evidence of impacts and benefits derived from evaluation.

  In designing the criteria and the process of selection, COL has tried to ensure that recognition of excellence is not simply a function of available resources. The awards also reflect COL's wider mission to support the harnessing of distance education methodologies in widening access to educational and training opportunities. 

To enter a programme/course for consideration for this award:

1. Contact Patricia Schlicht at COL for an application form (email: pschlicht@col.org, ph: +1.604.775.8227, fax: +1.604.775.8210). The form contains the full judging criteria and includes a proforma, which must be completed. It can be downloaded in PDF form HERE.(92 kb)

2. Return completed application form and proforma to COL, with a covering letter from the Chief Executive Officer of the institution/organisation.

3. COL judges will use the application form and proforma to draw up a list of programmes to be examined in detail. Those selected will be invited to send a complete set of materials for further consideration. 

Award Recognising Distance Learning Experience

This award category was developed to provide a forum for the expression of student experience in learning through distance education. Submissions describing a distance education learning experience, that has been notable for any reason, are invited. In recognition of the winning submission, a travel grant (economy class) and registration fee may be awarded to one student from a Commonwealth country to attend the Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning in Durban, South Africa, from 29 July to 2 August 2002. Eligibility is limited to citizens of Commonwealth countries.

Submissions may be made by educational institutions that deliver programmes directly to students, or by students themselves, and must include:

1. A statement of no more that 500 words about the notability of the distance learning experience and its value to the learner and to the country.

2. The completion of the learner profile form obtainable from Patricia Schlicht at COL (email: pschlicht@col.org, phone: +1.604.775.8227, fax: +1.604.775.8210).

3. A copy of official transcripts.

Judging, Announcements & Awards

1. The President of COL will appoint a three-member judging panel for each award category. Only one of the three adjudicators will be a member of the Staff or Board of COL.

2. Only complete entries will be considered by the judging panels.

3. The panels reserve the right to make no awards in one or more categories and will not exceed the maximum number of awards stated for each category.

4. Except for the award recipients, no prior notification of the adjudication results will be made.

5. The judging panel's decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding award winners.

6. All submissions (including courseware) for consideration by the judging panel will normally not be returned.

7. COL reserves the right to demonstrate the materials awarded, with due acknowledgement to the organisations/institutions.

8. COL will not normally cover travel and accommodation costs to attend the Forum and presentation ceremony, except for the recipient of the Distance Learning Experience Award.

To submit entries or to obtain further information, please contact:

HONORARY FELLOWS OF COL : 
Mr. Brian Long, COL Vice President | blong@col.org  | PH.+1.604.775.8267

EDEA RECOGNISING INSTITUTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT : 
Ms. Andrea Hope, Education Specialist (Higher Education) | ahope@col.org  | PH.+1.604.775.8226

EDEA RECOGNISING DISTANCE EDUCATION MATERIALS : 
Ms. Helen Lentell, Education Specialist (Training and Materials Development) | hlentell@col.org  | PH.+1.604.775.8270

EDEA RECOGNISING DISTANCE LEARNING EXPERIENCE : 
Mr. Vis Naidoo, Education Specialist (Education Technology) | vnaidoo@col.org  | PH.+1.604.775.8261

                The Commonwealth of Learning
                1285 West Broadway, Suite 600
                Vancouver BC  V6H 3X8,
                Canada

                Fax: +1.604.775.8210
                Web: www.col.org  | www.col.org/edea 

 Please mark clearly which award category you are sending a submission or nomination for.