COL VICE-PRESIDENT PROFESSOR ASHA KANWAR WAS EMCEE FOR THE EXCELLENCE IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AWARDS
The winners of COL's 2008 Excellence in Distance Education Awards were announced in London on 14 and 15 July at the Fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning. Through these awards, COL gives due recognition to remarkable achievements and endeavours to benefit those who seek to emulate examples of good practice in the field. The Awards acknowledge that excellence is 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.
BACK ROW (L TO R): M.C. PANT, ABDUL W. KHAN, ANUWAR ALI, BARNEY PITYANA. FRONT ROW (L TO R): ESI SUTHERLAND-ADDY, BRENDA GOURLEY, UMA COOMARASWAMY, MYRA HARRISON.
The designation of Honorary Fellow of COL acknowledges individual contributions to open and distance learning through leadership/service, published works (including courseware), lectures/presentations, international/national presence and mentorship.
COL salutes its 2008 Honorary Fellows:
- Professor Tan Sri Anuwar Ali, Vice Chancellor, Open University Malaysia and former Vice Chancellor of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
- Professor Uma Coomaraswamy, Programme Accreditation Analyst, Distance Education Modernization Project, Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka and former Vice Chancellor, Open University of Sri Lanka
- Professor Brenda Gourley, Vice Chancellor, The Open University U.K. and former Vice Chancellor and University Principal, University of Natal, South Africa
- Ms. Myra Harrison, Education Advisor, Advisory and Evaluation Group, New Zealand Agency for International Development and former member of COL's Board of Governors
- Mr. Abdul W. Khan, Assistant Deputy General for Communication & Information Sector, UNESCO and former Director, Development and Training at COL and Vice Chancellor, Indira Gandhi National Open University, India
- Mr. M.C. Pant, Chairman, National Institute of Open Schooling and former Director of Education, Uttaranchal State, India
- Professor Barney Pityana, Vice Chancellor, University of South Africa and former Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission
- Mrs. Esi Sutherland-Addy, Research Fellow, Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana and former member of COL's Board of Governors
(L TO R): PROFESSOR ANDY LANE, DIRECTOR OF OPENLEARN; DR. SHIRONICA KARUNANAYAKA, HEAD, DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION, OPEN UNIVERSITY OF SRI LANKA FACULTY OF EDUCATION; AND PROFESSOR DAYALATHA LEKAMGE, DEAN, OPEN UNIVERSITY OF SRI LANKA FACULTY OF EDUCATION
Category A: Print or other "low-end" media materials, such as audio/video tapes, or a combination of these. Master of Arts in Teacher Education
(International Programme), Faculty of Education, Open University of Sri Lanka.This programme is recognised for providing a programme handbook that is well structured and easy to read, as well as an accompanying resource pack with sufficient reading reference and a user-friendly student guide.
Category B: Interactive, electronically delivered materials, which may be supplemented by materials developed in other media. OpenLearn website,
the U.K. Open UniversityDescribed as "one of the most significant contributions to the evolving world of open education resources", this project is recognised as a benchmark for the design of asynchronous learning materials. The Open University has created an impressive collection of OpenLearn materials and uses RSS syndication extremely well to put it at the forefront of work in this field. A platform for collaborative content development and re-contextualisation, OpenLearn widens access to high quality learning resources around the world.
(L TO R): PROFESSOR ROSS HYNES, VICE CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA; MR. ABDUL MANNAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA OPEN COLLEGE; AND MR. HEROLDT MURANGI, DIRECTOR OF NAMCOL
Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL)NAMCOL is recognised for increasing enrolment by 70 percent and improving student achievement while providing high quality, low cost vocational and professional courses. NAMCOL's future plans include offering pre-entry courses to support new learners, expanding its course offerings into technical and vocational education, and conducting a survey on Web-based literacy and best practices.
NAMCOL's success is built on two important factors: its people and solid government support, according to Mr. Heroldt Murangi, Director of NAMCOL.
"We have very competent staff members who have been trained in ODL," said Mr. Murangi. "We have developed very good materials that are also used in the formal education system. Credit for this award must go to our staff."
Three members of NAMCOL's Board are from the Ministry of Education, ensuring close links with the government and strong ongoing support.
University of Papua New GuineaThe University of Papua New Guinea's Open College was saluted for overcoming the "tyranny of terrain" (the country's formidable topography) and the challenge of delivering distance education in a country where there are several hundred languages. The Open College offers award-winning course materials and delivers learning to everyone from teachers and community workers to school drop-outs and prisoners.
The Open College has played an important leadership role in increasing awareness, access and confidence in ODL in Papua New Guinea. Their programmes are providing learning to local government staff, traditional students and disadvantaged people. Some of the challenges they have overcome include making the transition to a dual-mode institution and motivating staff to accept the ODL concept and participate in the development and delivery of programmes. As well, the challenges of delivering distance education through an unreliable transportation and communication system are significant.
"The Excellence in Distance Education Award is to be seen as both encouragement and challenge for the Open College," said Professor Abdul Mannan, the Open College's Executive Director. "The award is a light on the Open College to guide progress and a challenge to keep up the standard and pace of development."
Mr. Kelly Yapa, Papua New GuineaDistance education provided a critical turning point in the life of Mr. Kelly Yapa. Without access to learning from the College of Distance Education in Papua New Guinea, Mr. Yapa would have spent his life as a subsistence farmer.
After completing Grade 10 at a school several kilometres from his home, Mr. Yapa was unable to find a space at a senior secondary school to continue his education. He returned to his village to farm with his parents, selling cabbages to save money and pursue his dream of becoming an accountant or lawyer. He improved his Grade 10 marks through the College of Distance Education and then enrolled at the University of Papua New Guinea's Open College. Mr. Yapa was the only graduate of the Diploma in Commerce programme in 2002, but shortly after being hired in an accounting job, he was made redundant. But, after joining the country's Defence Forces, he was then hired as an accountant with the Ministry of Finance.
Mr. Yapa is recognised for his perseverance and dedication to pursuing his education. "He had an unstoppable drive and passion to strive; as circumstances around him unfolded and crumbled, he re-oriented his focus and articulately accomplished his dreams," according to university authorities.
Mr. Yapa represents the many people who have to overcome enormous adversity to get their education. Distance education gave Mr. Yapa a second chance, which he has taken and succeeded. An inspiration to others in similar circumstances around the globe, he vows to continue his education.
David Benthu Nthengwe, Public Information Officer, United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Democratic Republic of CongoMr. Nthengwe completed COL's "Writing Effectively for UNHCR" course in 2007. When violence between warring factions broke out in Kinshasa in March 2007, Mr. Nthengwe and his colleagues were relocated to hotels. The city came under heavy bombing. Shortly after the violence abated, one of Mr. Nthengwe's colleagues was killed in a plane crash. It was a period of sorrow and anguish for him.
Although his whole life was disrupted, Mr. Nthengwe was determined to continue his studies and eventually successfully completed the course. As he explains, the improvement in his writing skills benefits the refugees he is serving. "With stronger writing skills, my reports are more likely to get the response we need," he explained. "Many times I wondered how I'd manage to continue with my studies, but I didn't want to disappoint my tutor. Greg was so kind that I wanted to pay him back by completing the course - which I did!"
This award acknowledges Mr. Nthengwe's perseverance in continuing his eLearning under most difficult circumstances.
Full award citations and further details are available at www.col.org/edea/2008.
Professor Asha Kanwar's remarks are available at www.col.org/speeches.