For Immediate Release
- August 12, 1996
Singapore hosts educational technologists this week
SINGAPORE - Two world-class educational technology conferences take place back-to-back this week here on "the Technological Isle." Aided by the world's foremost experts in educational technology, practitioners of all kinds will meet to discuss what the future can hold and which dreams can now be realities.
Educational Technology 2000: A Global Vision for Open and Distance Learning (15 - 17 August 1996)
is sponsored jointly by The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and the Asian Mass Communications Research and Information Centre (AMIC). Educational planners, policy-makers, academics and educational media specialists will interact with educational technology industry representatives, to explore the potential of emerging technologies to deal with the challenges of mass education. This conference will include an integrated exhibition on educational technology. Keynote speakers include:
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Dr. S.D. Ndlovu, Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Republic of Zimbabwe. Dr. Ndlovu, who has over 30 years experience in distance education, is steering a project to establish an open university in Zimbabwe. As a distance education advocate, his keynote address will highlight issues facing educational access in developing countries, particularly in Southern Africa.
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Dr. Motilal Sharma, Senior Education Specialist, Education Health and Population (West) Division, Asian Development Bank. Dr. Sharma's presentation will cover ADB experiences in the use of communications technologies in open and distance learning throughout Asia.
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Dr. Tony Bates, Director of Distance Education and Technology, University of British Columbia, Canada. Dr. Bates will speak on "Developing Technology-based International Distance Education Courses: Potential and Barriers."
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Ms. Elizabeth Smith, Secretary General, Commonwealth Broadcasting Association. Ms. Smith will explore "The Commercialisation of Broadcasting: Bad for Education?"
Universities in the 21st Century: Education in a Borderless World (13 - 14 August 1996)
will explore the question of whether technology can help us create a "global university." The colloquium is sponsored by IDP Education Australia in conjunction with The British Council and will feature several discussion themes, presented by world renowned experts. COL President,
Dato' Dr. Gajaraj Dhanarajan, will lead a discussion on "Partnerships or Paternalism."
The Commonwealth of Learning was created by Commonwealth Heads of Government in 1988. With headquarters based in Vancouver, the international organisation serves the 53-member Commonwealth with a mandate to widen opportunities for learning by promoting the development and sharing of distance education resources and communications technologies.
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For further information contact:
Dave Wilson,
Public Affairs Officer
The Commonwealth
of Learning
1285 West Broadway, Suite 600
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada, V6H 3X8
Tel: (604) 775 8200
Fax: (604) 775 8210