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Honorary Fellows
of COL
2004
CITATIONS
Janet M. Jenkins
Few people can
claim as long an association and as large a contribution to open and distance
learning (ODL) as can Ms. Janet M. Jenkins. She first started in ODL in 1966 at
the National Extension College, working with a prototype delivery system for an
open university; she continues her work as a highly sought-after consultant.
In the
intervening years, Janet contributed directly and indirectly to the development
of the Commonwealth of Learning. An early member of COL’s staff, she was the
first to assume responsibility for the area of “training” for ODL practitioners.
She developed the training policy and established the strategic direction for
the training programmes. After departing COL’s employ, Janet continued her
contributions to COL’s work, most notably in the areas of gender mainstreaming
and the use of technologies.
Janet has an
indomitable passion for easing the plight of the poor and marginalised,
a passion that has driven her to help expand access to education and training
both in the Commonwealth and beyond. She has recently carried out consultancies
in Uzbekistan and Ethiopia, to name only two, and has completed assignments for
UNESCO, the British Department for International Development and other
development agencies. Her ODL expertise spans management and research, project
planning and evaluation, and institutional and staff development.
Janet has been a
prolific contributor to many books and publications, covering a wide range of
ODL topics. She was an active member of the International Council for Distance
Education in which she was deeply involved through its years of transition from
the International Council for Correspondence Education. She edited the ICDE
quarterly newsletter and was subsequently elected Vice President. For her
contributions and work in ODL, Janet was awarded a Life Membership by the
European Distance Education Network (EDEN) on the occasion of its 10th
Anniversary.
I request, Mr. President, that you confer upon Ms. Janet M.
Jenkins, the Honorary Fellow of the Commonwealth of Learning award for
her distinguished contributions to open and distance learning, including the
Commonwealth of Learning, all in the pursuit of better futures for those eking
out livings on the margins of society.
Peter E.
Kinyanjui
African culture
and tradition pays immense respect to the wise, the elderly and the experienced.
This explains the enormous respect in which Professor Peter E. Kinyanjui is
held within Kenya and beyond. He has played a pivotal role in gaining Kenyan
recognition of distance education as a valued tool to extend access to
education. His years with the University of Nairobi’s Correspondence Course
Unit, College of Education and External Studies and as Director of the Institute
of Adult Studies have served Kenya well. Equally comfortable in the halls of
academe or the corridors of Government, Peter has contributed his talents to the
Kenyan Ministry of Education, Science and Technology where he served as the
Director of Secondary Education.
He has willingly
shared his wisdom and experience beyond Kenya and the wider African continent as
he contributed to the advancement of open and distance learning throughout the
Commonwealth. His work for both the International Extension College in the UK
and the Commonwealth of Learning has enriched both institutions, especially
their sensitivity to African interests and to the importance of teacher
education.
Of course, when
Peter “retired”, leaving COL’s employ in 1998, few believed that would be the
last we would hear of this African elder. He undertook various consultancies
for the World Bank, UNICEF, USAID and COL, to name only a few international
agencies seeking to exploit his talents. In January 2003, he was appointed the
Commissioner of Human Development in the e-Africa Commission of the New
Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). As a Commissioner, Peter has been
instrumental in driving various information and communications technologies in
education-related projects in Africa.
This highly
respected and valued African educator, with a wealth of experience, knowledge
and expertise, and undaunted by new challenges, is also, in true African
tradition, humble and gracious.
It is for these qualities and for his contribution to the field
of distance education, most notably in Africa, that I request you, Mr.
President, to confer on Professor Peter E. Kinyanjui, the Honorary Fellow of
the Commonwealth of Learning award.
Badri N. Koul
A number of years
ago, when distance education was considered by some as being “second class” and
“second choice”, there were only the intrepid few who ventured into the field.
Even fewer were those who pursued distance education as a vocation and
dedicated their entire lives to it. Ladies and Gentlemen, I refer here to a
very unassuming person who has made a real difference to the way we teach and
learn: Professor Badri N. Koul.
Beginning his
education in the remote and beautiful valley of Kashmir, Badri received training
in science, humanities and education, acquiring a versatility that has stood
many a distance educator in good stead! From being a Lecturer in English in a
small college in Rajasthan, he joined the prestigious Central Institute of
English and Foreign Languages in Hyderabad, as the Head of the Department of
Distance Education. When the Indira Gandhi National Open University was
established in the mid-1980s, he was handpicked by the Vice-Chancellor,
Professor G. Ram Reddy, to lead the University’s Division of Distance Education.
This gave him the opportunity to set up effective systems in the young
institution as well as to make a significant contribution to the training of the
new faculty that was being recruited from other institutions.
He conceptualised
and established IGNOU’s Staff Training and Research Institute of Distance
Education (STRIDE) and launched the Indian Journal of Open Learning
(1992), which continues to provide a platform for research for scholars around
the world. Professor Koul not only pioneered the development of the Diploma and
Master of Arts in Distance Education in India, but was also instrumental in
making them successful international programmes. Professor Koul himself moved
into the international arena taking up assignments with the Tertiary Education
Commission, Mauritius and the University of the West Indies, Barbados.
A prolific
writer, Professor Koul has several books, articles, reports and training manuals
to his credit. Whatever the subject, his writings carry the imprimatur
of his cool gaze and measured wisdom.
For his
remarkable contribution to the development and progress of distance education in
the developing Commonwealth, I request you, Mr. President, to confer on
Professor Badri N. Koul, the Honorary Fellow of the Commonwealth of Learning
award.
Hugh Ian
Macdonald
From the Honorary Degrees awarded to Dr. Hugh Ian Macdonald by major open
universities in Britain, Sri Lanka and India, one could be forgiven for
believing that Ian must have spent a lifetime associated with open and distance
learning. In fact, his studies followed a very conventional, albeit highly
distinguished, route leading him to an outstanding career in government and
academia. He reached the highest ranks of the Ontario civil service, having
served as Deputy Minister in a number of departments, including Economics and
Intergovernmental Relations where he exercised considerable influence on
Canadian debates around the future of the country and the province of Quebec
within it. Following his career in government, he became President of York
University, where he is now President Emeritus.
Nothing could have prepared him better to lead the committee undertaking the
five-year Progress Review of the Commonwealth of Learning in 1993. The Review
took place at a time when there was an atmosphere of ambivalence about the role
and direction of COL. Ian’s report reaffirmed the validity of the original
rationale for establishing COL: the growing importance of technological change
on the delivery of education and training, the pressing need to extend access to
education and training to all citizens, and the wisdom of having COL available
to help countries take advantage of these technologies and the methodologies of
open and distance learning. Impressed by Ian’s work, background and leadership
abilities, COL’s Board of Governors elected him their Chairman in 1994, and
re-elected him for two additional terms. His commitment to COL’s work was
unswerving and his energies on its behalf unflagging.
Ian would probably
prefer either to be in his hockey skates playing for Canada in the Olympics or
in a spacecraft heading to Mars, two of his passions. But Mr. President, it is
for his other passion, as an eloquent advocate of open and distance learning and
for his stalwart support of the Commonwealth of Learning, that I request you
confer upon Dr. Hugh Ian Macdonald, the Honorary Fellow of the Commonwealth
of Learning award.
Vasireddy S.
Prasad
Professor
Vasireddy S. Prasad, a well-known educator and institution builder, stands out
amongst those few who have significantly contributed to the development and use
of open and distance learning in South Asia, especially in respect of human
resource development and quality assurance. Currently the Director of the
National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in Bangalore, Dr. Prasad is
leading India’s efforts to enhance and maintain the quality of its higher
education institutions.
Born to a family
in rural Andhra Pradesh, India, Prasad obtained his post-graduate and doctoral
degrees in Public Administration from Osmania University in Hyderabad. He
taught for over 35 years, beginning as a Lecturer in Public Administration and
advancing through the academic ranks while at a number of Indian universities,
both conventional and distance mode. In 1991, the Government of Andhra Pradesh
selected him for their Best Teacher Award.
Dr. Prasad has
been intimately associated with open and distance education in India since the
early 1980s. He actively participated in the development of India’s first open
university, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, eventually becoming its
Vice-Chancellor. He served in a number of capacities with the world’s largest
university, Indira Gandhi National Open University: Pro-Vice-Chancellor,
Director of the Distance Education Council and Director of its Staff Training
and Research Institute of Distance Education. In addition, he headed IGNOU for
several months as Acting Vice-Chancellor.
He has initiated
and implemented several programmes designed to promote, co-ordinate and improve
the quality of distance education in South Asia. They serve as a testament to
his skill at managing human resources and building institutions. He combines
academic insight with clear-headed and pragmatic administrative capabilities.
Mr. President,
for his contribution to the progress of open and distance education,
particularly in the area of human resource development and quality assurance in
South Asia, I request you to confer on Dr. Vasireddy S. Prasad, the Honorary
Fellow of the Commonwealth of Learning award.
Award of Excellence
for Distance Education Materials 2004
CITATION
The award
of excellence for distance education materials recognises and honours the
achievements of public and not-for-profit organizations who have designed and
developed exemplary study materials. Nominations were invited in two categories-
category A, which covers materials as part of a distance education course
or programme and category B which includes multimedia materials for
non-formal education.
I chaired
the adjudication panel which comprised two distinguished professionals: Dr.
Clayton Wright, Coordinator, Instructional Media and Design, Grant MacEwan
College, Edmonton, Canada and Dr. Olabisi Kaboni, Campus Co-ordinator and
Curriculum Development Specialist, Distance Education centre (UWIDEC), The
University of the West Indies, Trinidad & Tobago.
The
criteria the panel agreed and used for judging submissions were:
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Fitness
for need and purpose
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Design
and presentation to suit distance learning
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Use of a
systematic course/multi-media product development process
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Coherence
and integration of media and technology in the study materials
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Evidence
of impacts and benefits derived from evaluation
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Learner
support provided beyond the actual materials (only for awards under Category
A)
The panel
wanted to ensure that excellence is not simply seen as a function of available
resources but rather that awards reflect COL’s mission to support harnessing
distance education methodologies in varied socio-cultural and resource contexts.
The panel
unanimously arrived at two winners for category A and one winner for Category B.
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The first
COL award for the excellence in distance education materials under category A:
materials as part of a distance education course/programme is awarded to the
University of Papua New Guinea Open College for the Bachelor in Management
Programme in Public Policy.
We
recommend this Programme for the award because:
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it is
appropriate both to needs and their context
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it has
incorporated an effective learning and instructional design, and
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it is
underpinned by an effective learner support system appropriate to context
The
Bachelor of Management in Public Policy is a professional undergraduate degree
programme for employees of public service and non-governmental organizations to
enhance their competency in designing and implementing policies and programmes.
It is basically a text-based programme, efficiently designed with well-produced
self-instructional reading materials. The materials have well-identified,
sensibly fleshed out and sequenced content with case studies, in-text questions
and a variety of learning activities including appropriate feedback required for
effective distance learning. The limited availability of telecommunications
infrastructure makes print the most appropriate choice. A CD-ROM version of the
material is available which facilitates easy distribution. Learning through the
materials is augmented by effective learner support provided in the open
campuses and centres.
Mr. President I ask you to
confer the excellence in distance education materials award on the University of
Papua New Guinea Open College, Papua New Guinea. Vice Chancellor Professor
Les Eastcott will accept
the award on behalf of the University.
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The
second COL award for excellence in distance education materials under category
A: materials as part of a distance education course/programme, is awarded to the
Centre for Widening Participation of The Open University, United Kingdom for the
course on “Understanding Children” which is part of their Openings Programme.
We
recommend this course for the award because:
-
it fits
identified learning needs
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it has
adopted a sound learning and instructional design facilitating experiential
learning
-
it
integrates effectively media and methods, and
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it
provides strong tutor support facilitated by an effective tutor orientation
package
“Understanding Children” is an innovative and multi-disciplinary course in the
Openings Programme which reflects a very innovative approach to designing,
developing and implementing an access course. The treatment of the content
ensures that, while taking care not to delve too deeply into the theoretical
discussions, enough scope is provided to learners to go beyond their specific
situations into broader theory based generalizations. Students use a variety of
learning skills and their experiential knowledge as they perform activities
interspersed throughout the material. A family case study further enriches the
learning experience.
The print
material is well supported by a well produced video “Child of Our Time” which
makes good use of visual and video attributes and strikes a personal cord with
the viewer. It is evident that the quality of materials and their integration is
due to the systematic course development process involving a team of
professionals including content experts, instructional design specialists, and
multi-media experts. The tutor and assignment guides provide guidance and
effective support. The audio cassette for tutor training is well produced
appropriate for effective training.
Mr. President I ask you to
confer the excellence in distance education materials award on the Centre for
Widening Participation of The Open University, United Kingdom. Mr. Chris Baker
will accept the award on behalf of the University.
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COL award
for excellence in distance education materials under category B: multimedia
materials supporting non-formal education is awarded to Lester B. Pearson
College, Victoria, Canada for its on-line materials “Racerocks.com”.
We
recommend this multi-media material for the award because:
-
it is
fitting for a variety of clientele needs in non-formal education in the very
important area of the environment
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it has
adopted a sound learning and instructional design, and
-
it uses a
variety of media which can be integrated in a flexible manner according to
individual learning needs and interests
An
attractive, well-laid out site with a plethora of resources including quality
content and activities providing a virtual tour of the ecosystem without
actually being there. The website provides a variety of activities and resources
for students and teachers at different levels, especially those in middle and
high schools. The site has been designed to provide images to those who have
slow computer and/or network connections thereby increasing the accessibility to
the site. It enables learners to interact with a sensitive environmental area
without affecting it. The nature of materials and their presentation is such
that learners may either be guided to work through the site in a systematic or
structured manner or they can proceed randomly, yet still learn something. It
includes both current and archived material. Students are able to leave behind
information for others to use and can take ownership of their learning. The
topic covered by the site is and will continue to be of interest to a wide
variety of people who want to learn about aquatic life and the environment.
Mr. President I ask you to
confer the excellence in distance education materials award on the Lester B.
Pearson College of the Pacific, British Columbia, Canada. Mr. Garry Fletcher
will accept the award on behalf of the College.
Speaker: Dr.
Mohan Menon
Award of Excellence for Institutional Achievement 2004
CITATION
The Excellence in Distance Education Award in the Institutional Category
recognizes and celebrates outstanding achievement and innovation in the open and
distance learning (ODL) institutions of the Commonwealth. In keeping with the
PCF 3 theme this year ‘Building Learning Communities for our Millennium:
Reaching Wider Audiences through Innovative Approaches’ we wish to acknowledge
the contributions of those institutions which through the efficient, effective
and innovative use of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) have
enlarged the circle of the learning community.
This year we received 25 applications from 14 Commonwealth countries. The
applications came from dedicated open and distance learning institutions as well
as those that offered a variety of flexible programs. There were some that
catered to very specific jurisdictions while others managed vast global
operations. While some institutions provided an overview of their entire
operations others submitted only one distance-learning program for
consideration. In short, the entries covered a wide spectrum of open and
distance education provision.
Evaluating such a diverse array was indeed a challenge. But a challenge that the
distinguished international jury was adequately equipped to handle. The panel
this year was carefully selected taking all relevant factors into account,
especially those of region and gender representation. The three panelists were
Professor Dorothy Njeuma, Vice Chancellor, University of Buea, Cameroon,
Professor Lawrence Carrington, Pro Vice Chancellor, University of West Indies,
and Professor Sabale, Vice Chancellor Yashwantrao Chavan Open University, India
that won the award at the PCF 2 held at Durban. It was my pleasure and privilege
to convene the meetings that would lead to the selection. The meetings were held
in ‘virtual mode’ via teleconference even though the achievements are very
‘real’.
The jury applied the following four criteria for evaluating the institutions:
1)
Use of open and distance learning;
2)
Significant institutional
achievement;
3)
Innovative and effective use of
appropriate technology; and
4)
Outreach to the otherwise remote,
unreached and marginalized communities
After rigorous scrutiny and evaluation, a shortlist of seven institutions was
drawn up. Further consultations led us to conclude that this year we would have
to limit the awards to two of the most outstanding institutions.
The two winners represent two distinct approaches and styles in ODL provision.
One of them demonstrates how flexible learning options using appropriate
technologies and a strong commitment to the development of good practice can
reach out to a range of international and multicultural audiences. The other,
through a variety of technical/vocational courses offered in partnership with
industry has successfully reached out to large numbers of students, irrespective
of their prior qualification and has successfully ensured student retention and
satisfaction. Both demonstrate exceptional performance practices that have been
carefully modulated to the changing and emerging needs of students, stakeholders
and society. The sequential announcement in no way reflects a hierarchy of
merit. Both are equally worthy of acclaim.
The first is a dual-mode university, which even though located in a small town
in Australia, provides access to education worldwide catering to a heterogeneous
learner constituency in over 60 countries. In addition to its vast and
exceptional repertoire of 118 programs, a remarkable feature of its distance
education offerings is the adoption of truly flexible delivery strategies. It
provides on and off campus enrolment options as many other institutions do, but
it goes beyond this provision to offering a ‘triple option teaching style’
whereby students can study by any combination of on-campus, ‘traditional’
distance education or online education via the internet, a model that can be
emulated to good effect by institutions that wish to promote learner-centred
practice. A range of technologies covering ‘five generations’ of distance
education have been harnessed to reach out to diverse learner groups through
strategic planning, innovative teaching and investment in systems development.
What has been especially noteworthy is the attention given to the ‘quality’ of
the teaching-learning experience, a fact endorsed by the glowing tributes from
students as well as by the awards and renown that the university has attracted
in the last four decades.
Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great
pleasure to call upon Sir John Daniel to present the Award of
Excellence for Institutional Achievement to the Vice Chancellor and President of
the University of Southern Queensland, Professor William Lovegrove for his
institution’s contribution to leading the global developments and innovations in
ODL and for harnessing the potential of new ICTs to bring quality
education to those who would otherwise have remained outside its purview.
The second institution has, within the relatively short period since its
inception in its present form in 1990, established itself as one of New
Zealand’s leading providers of vocational lifelong learning. A dedicated open
and distance education institution, this provider has achieved an extraordinary
outreach in the community, empowering the learners with high quality vocational
programmes. Emerging as the largest polytechnic in the country, it has
established its credentials as a model institution in terms of its overall
management and responsiveness to the needs of learners, the government,
employers as well as industry. Instructionally designed learning resources for
learners are supported by toll-free call centre access to lecturer/coach,
library and other services and the institutional website provides additional
support to the learner body. What particularly impressed the adjudication panel
was the increasing use of blended learning approaches using combinations of
print, face-to-face tutoring, and e-learning to meet the needs of different
learner groups.
Its visionary initiative that exemplifies the blended approach is a foundation
level programme entitled ‘Life Works’. Offered free of cost to marginalized
learners with few or no formal qualifications, it is designed to provide basic
work and life skills, using a mix of distance learning resources and visits to
the students’ homes by using mobile coaches. The program attracts up to 50% of
those who have no school qualification.
Let me once again call upon Sir John Daniel
to present the final Award of Excellence for Institutional
Achievement to Dr Paul Grimwood, Chief Executive of The Open Polytechnic of New
Zealand, in recognition of his institution’s significant achievements in
throwing open its doors to new constituencies of students including
second-chance learners, women, Maori, and those unable to access learning for
reasons of distance or disability, thereby supporting adult learners to make
positive changes in their lives and contribute towards building learning
communities.
Speaker: Dr. Asha
Kanwar
Award Recognising Distance Learning
Experience
2004
CITATION
The
Award of Excellence for Distance Learning Experience recognizes a life-changing
experience through open and distance learning and how that experience has
subsequently impacted the learner’s contribution to his/her institution and
country.
I was
privileged to chair a panel of distinguished judges comprising Mrs. Frances
Mensah, Director of the Namibia College of Open Learning who is also the
previous winner of the Award of Excellence for Distance Learning Experience and
Dr. Bob Butcher, Deputy Director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Professional
and Continuing Education, The Open University of Hong Kong.
The
panel reviewed a total of 26 eligible and highly competent candidates by
applying a set of criteria that measured the:
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value
of the distance learning experience to the candidate’s own personal and
professional development;
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impact
of distance education on developments in the candidate’s institution
and country; and
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versatile nature of distance learning espoused in the candidate’s own
experience.
The
panel unanimously recommended Mrs. Swati Wankhede, assistant teacher at the
Sherpada (Deorgaon) Zilla Parished Primary School in India to receive this
year’s award.
Living
and teaching in the small and remote village of Sherpada, which belongs to the
tribal zone of Nashit, Mrs. Wankhede’s only access to professional development
is through open and distance learning means. She completed the Bachelor of
Education programme offered by the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open
University, YCMOU by distance learning. Exposed to an array of learner–centered
teaching methods, Mrs. Wankhede became committed to making learning enjoyable
and flexible for her students.
In
pursuing the Population Education course, she gained insight into the challenges
encountered by primary teachers in tribal areas and was inspired to conduct
further research in this respect. She went on to enroll in the YCMOU Masters in
Education programme and upon completion, started to focus on issues like student
health and hygiene, girls education and youth alcohol addiction and drop out
rates.
In
recognition of her outstanding contributions, Mrs. Wankhede has received
numerous awards from her local government and society. Ladies and Gentlemen, I
am pleased to invite Sir John Daniel to present the Award of Excellence for
Distance Learning Experience to Mrs. Swati Wankhede for applying knowledge
gained through open and distance learning, to directly benefit her students,
their parents, and the people of Maharashtra.
Speaker: Ms. Angela Kwan
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