COL has compiled the following list of resources that includes links to other organisations and databases, free access to online journals, e-mail and news digests and portals, national consortia for online education, national consortia for providing information for international students and professional development resources and evaluation tools:
Organisations, Centres and Databases
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Instructional Technology Council (U.S.) - "ITC provides leadership, information and resources to expand and enhance distance learning through the effective use of technology" This site also includes an extensive section of distance education reports, abstracts and links.
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- iTunes U — a powerful distribution system for everything from lectures to language lessons, films to labs, audiobooks to tours — is an innovative way to get educational content into the hands of students. The Open University on iTunes U
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Council for Education in the Commonwealth The Council for Education in the Commonwealth (CEC), a UK parliament-based NGO, was founded nearly 40 years ago, at the time of the first Commonwealth Education Ministers' Conference. Its purpose is to create an informed public opinion on the salient issues concerning education and training in the Commonwealth and to identify appropriate ways in which Britain and the European Union can best contribute to their development.
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Literacy.org Literacy.org is a gateway to electronic resources and tools for the national and international youth and adult literacy communities. This site is jointly sponsored by the International Literacy Institute (ILI) and the National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL) at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.
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South African Institute for Distance Education (SAIDE) SAIDE is a research agency, formed in 1992 to assist in the reconstruction of education and training in South Africa. It promotes open learning principles, the use of quality distance education methods and the appropriate use of technology. SAIDE works closely with policy makers and providers of educational programmes to translate these approaches into practice.
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UNESCO-Bangkok eLibrary This web portal Offers a wealth or information resources ranging from virtual library that contain bibliographic databases, statistical and full text databases on various topics of interest, online access to libraries, directories, full text journals and periodicals on education, social and human sciences, and other areas, atlases, maps, encyclopedias, portals dealing with education, ICT, e-learning, science, development, etc; links to over 600 websites on the areas covered by UNESCO programmes; electronic articles on all topics of interest of UNESCO, IPS database searchable online, photo file, search of the month and electronic publications, and more.
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id21 (Information for Development in the 21st Century) id21 is a "fast-track research reporting service" funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and managed by The Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK. It aims to bring UK-based development research findings and policy recommendations to policymakers and development practitioners worldwide. id21 aims to be part of the process of putting policy into practice. Online, in print and through the southern media, id21 showcases recent research findings and policy lessons on major development issues. The link above goes to id21's Education section.
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The Global Knowledge Partnership, formed through a World Bank initiative, was founded as an evolving, informal partnership of public, private and not-for-profit organizations. Partner organisations are committed to sharing information, experiences and resources to promote broad access to, and effective use of, knowledge and information as tools of sustainable, equitable development.
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Development Gateway - an interactive Internet portal for information and knowledge sharing on sustainable development and poverty reduction. COL is a major content supplier for the section on educational developments in the field of e-learning.
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The
One Source database at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's INFO project houses over 2000 web sites of organizations working in global health and development. It is searchable by keyword (Health, AIDS, Population, Development, Family Planning, and more).
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AcademicInfo is an online education resource centre with extensive subject guides and distance learning information. AcademicInfo's mission is to provide free, independent and accurate information and resources for prospective and current students (and other researchers). AcademicInfo was founded in 1998 by Mike Madin, a librarian coordinator, and is now maintained by multiple contributors. It currently features "over 25,000+ hand-picked resources" (May 2009) and the website is updated daily.
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Journal Reading Room:
Free access to online journals on open and distance learning, listed in alphabetical order below:
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Distance Education Mall (and Distance-education.com and Distance Education Report)
Distance education resources and a weekly "e-zine" designed and written by professionals who have several decades of experience in educational radio, educational television, and the use of integrated telecommunications systems such as the Internet for teaching and learning. Edited by Dr. Farhad Saba, Professor of Educational Technology at San Diego State University.
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Distance Learning Administration
The Journal of Distance Learning Administration is a peer-reviewed electronic journal offered free each quarter over the World Wide Web. The Journal welcomes manuscripts based on original work of practitioners and researchers with specific focus or implications for the management of distance education programs.
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Education Policy Archives
Articles deal with education policy in any of its many aspects, and may focus at any level of the education system in any nation. Articles may be written in either English or Spanish or both languages.
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Educational Technology Review (ETR) ETR, originally a print journal, has been transformed into an online publication to not only increase timeliness of content but also to enhance every issue with the current and future electronic resources and tools available on the AACE website. ETR continues to provide a multidisciplinary forum and focal point for AACE members to exchange information between disciplines, educational levels, and information technologies.
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Australian Journal of Educational Technology (AJET)Published by the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education. Predecessor publications are the Journal of Instructional Science and Technology (e-JIST) and International Journal of Educational Technology (IJET).
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Global E-Journal of Open, Flexible & Distance Education (GEJOFEDE)
GEJOFEDE aims at providing a forum for exchange, between the developed and the developing worlds, of ideas, innovations, research outcomes, best practices, developments in print and non-print resource materials, and information on national/ regional/ international seminars/ workshops/ conferences in areas of open, distance, flexible, lifelong and e-learning at all levels of education. The focus is largely on, but not restricted to, planning and management, innovations and change, and research and development in these fields.
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The Gutenberg Project Online library - The Project Gutenberg Philosophy is to make information, books and other materials available to the general public in forms that a vast majority of the computers, programs and people can easily read, use, quote and search.
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IBM Systems Journal The IBM Systems Journal is a quarterly, refereed technical publication, featuring the work of authors from systems and software fields in information science and the computer industry. The papers are written for a technically aware readership in the software and systems professional community worldwide: technical professionals, researchers, and users. Each paper is peer-reviewed for content, currency, and value by recognized experts in the field.
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Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks
The aim of the Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks is to describe original work in asynchronous learning networks (ALN), including experimental results. The Journal adheres to traditional standards of review and authors are encouraged to provide quantitative data.
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Journal of Distance Education is an international publication of the Canadian Association for Distance Education (CADE). Its aims are to promote and encourage Canadian research and scholarly work in distance education and provide a forum for the dissemination of international scholarship. Original material is published in either English or French. Articles from current and back issues are available.
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Journal of Extension
The journal is the peer-reviewed publication of the Cooperative Extension System. It seeks to expand and update the research and knowledge base for Extension professionals and other adult educators to improve their effectiveness.
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Journal of Interactive Media in Education
JIME has an educational focus or application, articles should illuminate the special contribution that interactive media can make to learners' knowledge, understanding or skill. Submissions are expected to advance knowledge in the field in some way, by developing theory, or critiquing existing work, or providing an analysis or framework for understanding empirical findings. Published by the Knowledge Media Institute of the Open University.
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Knowledge@Wharton
Knowledge@Wharton is a bi-weekly online resource that offers the latest business insights, information and research from a variety of sources. These include analysis of current business trends, interviews with industry leaders and Wharton faculty, articles based on the most recent business research, book reviews, conference and seminar reports, links to other web sites and so on.
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Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration
The Journal of Distance Learning Administration is a peer-reviewed electronic journal offered free each quarter over the World Wide Web. The Journal welcomes manuscripts based on original work of practitioners and researchers with specific focus or implications for the management of distance education programs. The State University of West Georgia, Distance and Distributed Education Center.
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TechKnowLogia
is an international online journal and strategic forum for policy makers, strategists, practitioners and technologists at the local, national and global levels. It is published by Knowledge Enterprise, Inc. in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Global Information Infrastructure Commission (GIIC). Edited by Dr. Wadi Haddad.
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T.H.E. Journal Online
T.H.E. Journal publishes articles from educators involved in integrating technology on their campuses and into their curricula
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Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-(TOJDE)
TOJDE publishes refereed articles focusing on the issues and challenges of providing theory, research/information services to students enrolled in any level of distance education on open learning applications. It particularly strives to meet the continuing education needs of practitioners and educators by providing a forum for the discussion of extended learning strategies, policies and practices, and trends in information technology as they impact the delivery of any kind of the student support services for distance learners and faculties.
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Virtual University Gazette
This free electronic newsletter for distance learning professionals from geteducated.com covers the Internet University movement. It offers stories on industry/university collaborations, emerging trends and issues related to online learning at the adult and continuing education levels, and more.
Other World Wide Web/E-mail news digests and portals:
The Communications Initiative is an e-mail and web network for the exchange of information, ideas, linkages and dialogue on communication, development and change. Sponsorship partners include the Rockefeller Foundation, UNICEF, USAID, CHANGE, WHO, BBC World Service, CIDA, Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, The European Union, Soul City, The Panos Institute, and UNAIDS. E-mail and web newsletters include The Drum Beat, The Media Beat and the Vacancies Drum Beat (job postings).
DevNet Jobs is a non-commercial initiative managed by Vikas Nath, London School of Economics, providing a collection of current job vacancies in the environment and development sector in the international and Indian arena. The site provides links and basic details about job openings in UN organisations, aid agencies, funding organisations, NGOs, private and governmental organisations based on the information already available in the public domain.
eLearning and Distant Education Resources, managed by Tony Bates, focuses mainly on resources associated with or relevant to post-secondary education. This site is meant as a resource for students, faculty and academic administrators interested in eLearning.
International Scout Project/ The Scout Report : a weekly publication offering a selection of new and newly discovered Internet resources of interest to researchers and educators. Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
University World News: an online global higher education publication focusing on international higher education news and analysis, developments, events and announcements.
EdTech News, Commonwealth of Learning.
Selected publications, Commonwealth of Learning.
National consortia for online education:
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Australia
Education Network Australia (EdNA) - the official Australian education and training gateway to online education and training (and one of the largest resource sites for education and training in the world), operated by
education.au limited which is a national Ministerial company owned by Australian Ministers of Education and Training nationally, and in each State and Territory of Australia, to promote the use of the internet in education in Australia.
Canada
Canada's Campus Connection (www.campusconnection.net), an Industry Canada (Government of Canada) initiative, is an Internet portal that connects learners to more than 2,000 Canadian on-line university and college courses as a resource for skills development and personal growth. "The service is working to help Canada's post-secondary institutions expand their on-line presence at home and abroad, as well as reach new markets with their on-line courses and learning materials. Campus Connection is a useful tool for any one interested in the pursuits of lifelong learning: students, graduates and career practitioners."
And:
Established in 2000, the Canadian Virtual University-Université virtuelle canadienne (CVU-UVC) is an innovative partnership of seven chartered Canadian universities that have aligned their resources and considerable on-line and distance education expertise to offer Canadians and international students more options when choosing what, where, when, and how to complete a recognized university degree, certificate, or diploma through distance education and the Internet, in English and in French.
And:
The Consumers Guide to E-learning(245 Kb Acrobat PDF download), a tool for distance learners, who are purchasing online courses, to help them evaluate the programmes' effectiveness in advance. The Guide, which is available free on CD or on the web in both English and French, was developed by national and community educators in Canada and released in June 2002. The Commonwealth of Learning is a partner in this initiative. Also available: Canadian Recommended E-learning Guidelines (CanREGs)(475 Kb Acrobat PDF download). Further information...
Professional development and evaluation tools:
COL supports and works collaboratively with (regional and national) Commonwealth open and distance learning professional associations.
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Open and distance learning professional associations
(Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth)
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EduTools - a Web-based resource for the higher education community, sponsored by the Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications (WCET) and the Centre for Curriculum, Transfer & Technology (C2T2, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada). Analysis, product comparisons, reviews, and automated decision-making tools covering Course Management Systems, Student Services Software and Service Providers, e-Learning Policies, and Instructional Technologies.
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The National LearnScope project is a non-profit initiative funded by the Australian National Training Authority to provide professional development opportunities to vocational educators. One of the strategies within the project is the LearnScope web site where educators and other interested persons from Australia and around the world share experiences, resources and other information about flexible and online learning. It has been instrumental in the formation of many cross-organisation alliances and the location of many discussions and debates among professionals.