05. Pan-Commonwealth Forum 5 (PCF5), 2008
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PublicationVocational Education and Training Through Open Distance Learning : Challenges and Strategies( 2008)In this paper, the need for skill training has been highlighted; and the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) model of providing Vocational Education and Training (VET) has been presented. The challenges faced by VET have been briefly mentioned and some significant aspects of VET has been discussed. The paper presents in detail a project which is being carried out by NIOS in the State of Uttarakhand, to assess the vocational aptitude of learners. For this purpose four tests have been designed and developed viz., (1) General Awareness Test, (2) Mental Ability Test(Verbal), (3) Mental Ability Test (Non-verbal), and (4) Vocational Aptitude Test. These tests were administered on a pilot basis to a batch of six hundred students in Uttarakhand. The paper discusses the outcome of these tests and the methodology how the aptitude of the learner is identified and relevant vocational course is allotted scientifically keeping the ability, aptitude and interest in view, as obtained from the test. // The concerns and future strategies for providing VET to potential learners through appropriate technologies and innovations in curriculum and assessment as well as providing contextual learning and “Hands-on” experience and practical training under the guidance of master craftsmen has been discussed in the paper. // Paper ID 593 -
PublicationPractical Approaches of Persuasion to Open and Distance Learning for Children and Young People in the Technology Enriched Era( 2008)PCF5 Theme: Children & Youth // The main objective of the study is to highlight the significance of open and distance learning in teacher education. Many young graduates working as teachers pursue teacher education through open and distance learning mode extending for a period of two years. An effective demonstration technique practiced in the learning process of the students enrolled under Open and Distance learning is project based learning followed by assessment based on its effective implementation during their practice teaching session. The strategy of assessment was explained by the demonstrator. A group of students opted for science optional were given demonstration about the methodology of project based learning during their contact seminar session integrating technology. At the end of the session each one of them were given assignment on a particular topic adopting project based learning. Instructions were given to carry out research on project-based learning, its advantages, practical implementation, and to send report on or before an agreed deadline through online in order to assess the quality of report. It was found that when learning was carried in an online environment by students enrolled in Open and distance learning provided more time to think and learn the concept at their pace, engaging them in deep learning about the topic concerned. The reports are assessed through online mentioning the criteria of assessment. The students review their assessment judge their own capabilities and work on the remarks. Thus open and distance learning enables the student to process the instruction whether it is paper based or computer based, providing flexible sequences of study, with negotiated content, learning methods, negotiated assessment methods. It is concluded that open and distance learning increases enrollment ratio of learners at all levels who are deprived of formal education due to various reasons. // PID_705
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PublicationManagement of Technology Driven Strategies for the Educators of Young Students( 2008)PCF5 Theme: Children & Youth // Learning strategies and educator’s roles change as per learning need of the environment and there is a noticeable difference between traditional classroom setting and digital environment. The application of new technologies was heralded as a revolution for open learning teaching. It generated new hopes among educators and learners. The computers and information and communication technologies were expected to create an exciting learning scenario to overcome some of the constraints of the conventional system, imposed by limitations of time, space, cost and skill. It was argued that appropriate learning softwares could be an alternative to stereotype and less satisfactory learning resources as these have the potential to opt greater learning opportunity. // PID 706
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PublicationTeaching and Learning (Language) at a Distance in a Multilingual context: Issues and Challenges( 2008)The importance of language in literacy for the development of a nation cannot be overemphasized, because language is central to access learning. According to Obanya (2004 p.234), “Human development through Education seeks to reinforce the individual’s capacity to perform the essentially human functions…This is what makes language the major object and subject of Education”. Language literacy is crucial for increased participation in a world that has transformed from industry- based economy to a knowledge- based economy. The laudable goal of Education for all (EFA) by 2015 being facilitated by UNESCO is a clear indication that education has come to be viewed as not the preserve of a few, but the right of every individual regardless of the country of origin. The E-9 initiative by UNESCO comprising countries that account for 60% of the world’s population, and two-thirds of the world’s illiterate adults attests to the relationship between literacy and development. That Nigeria (others are Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Pakistan) happens to be a member of this group of nations underscores the importance of the language in literacy issues which form the focus of this paper. As noted by Obanya (2004 p.231), Nigeria is unique in that she differs from other African countries in terms of population and physical size, the level of multilingualism. How Nigeria has handled the language issue in the light of these characteristics should prove worthwhile for other multilingual nations in terms of lessons learned for the ultimate goal of creating access to learning for development. // The paper begins by examining the role of language in literacy; Nigeria’s demographic and literacy profile as a background to examining the implications of the language policy on multilingualism, language curriculum, teacher development as factors for access to learning. The potential contributions of ODL to literacy efforts are examined and two examples that model the issues discussed earlier are presented. // Paper ID 456
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PublicationOnline Learning to Enhance Teacher Professional Development( 2008)The dramatic changes in the information and communication technologies (ICTs) over the last few decades have had significant implications for new teaching and learning approaches. Modern educational technologies offer the potential for drastic changes in teachers’ roles, aiming at improving the quality of teaching-learning process. Teachers of today face many new challenges in order to cater for students who grow up with the emerging technologies. The inadequacies in the conventional approaches in teacher education to meet the complex demands thrust upon the teaching profession has led to increased use of open and distance learning methods in teacher professional development programs. Continuing professional development of teachers, especially in the use of ICTs to support teaching and learning, has currently become a crucial need. // The Faculty of Education of the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) offers several professional development programs of study using ODL techniques, aiming at expanding opportunities for personnel in the field of education to enhance their professional competencies. “Teacher Educator as an Educational Technologist” is one of the courses in a practitioner-oriented professional development program for teacher educators, Master of Arts in Teacher Education- International (MATE-I) program. This course was developed as a fully online course, using the learning management system (LMS) Moodle. This is offered as a stand-alone course to practicing teachers and teacher educators who desire to develop their competencies in the use of educational technology (ET). The duration of this course is six months, and the participants are awarded a certificate after successful completion of it. // Paper ID 298
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PublicationAccess to Learning for Development: Mobile Technologies and Distance Learners in the Mountains of Lesotho( 2008)PCF5: Cross-Cutting Theme // Goal 8 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) identifies the advantages of new technologies, especially Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs). Lesotho together with other countries of the world is committed to procurement and utilisation of ICTs. The government recognises the crucial role that ICTs play in accelerating development in general and in education service provision in particular. At the same time, Lesotho acknowledges how ICTs can be used to support access to quality education necessary for sustainable economic development. This paper explores both tutor and student perspectives on the use of mobile technologies available to distance learners for support in the mountains of Lesotho. The study identifies maximum utilisation of mobile technologies by the tutors in the provision of learner feedback and counselling. Majority of the learners in the mountains of Lesotho prefer mobile phone over other means of communications as it seems reliable and convenient in terms of availability and cost effectiveness. The study highlights a number of infrastructural and geographical problems encountered by learners and tutors that impede effective use of technology to access learning and support. The papers recommends upgrading of infrastructural facilities such as electricity, roads and telecommunication lines necessary for tutors and learners to adequately exploit the use of mobile technologies in the distance learning context, and at the same time alleviate the obstacles to the application of technologies arising from underdevelopment itself. // Paper ID 134
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PublicationODL and In-Service Teacher Education: Challenges and Opportunities( 2008)PCF5 Theme: Children & Youth // In 2002 the Ministry of Education and Culture (Jamaica) entered into a partnership with the University of the West Indies on a project to upgrade the teachers in the newly upgraded high schools. The objective was to take participants from the Diploma in Education (Trained Teachers) to a Bachelor of Education through a programme composed of ten courses in a content area and ten education courses. The programme offers opportunities to explore the blended approach as a part of the process of transformation of education and to assess the extent to which such an approach can truly help in the development of and delivery of education opportunities. // This paper examines the delivery of the History content component of the University of the West Indies/Ministry of Education Bachelor of Education Secondary Distance Programme. It discusses the many opportunities for developing expertise in course development and writing, subject coordinating and in course delivery. It instances the challenges in administration, programme structure within an educational institution that is essentially arranged for face-to-face delivery. It suggests the issues to be addressed in moving a distance education experiment within a traditional institution to an established open education component of the institution’s core programmes. // PID 711
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PublicationGenerating Mass Movement for Creating Quality School Education for All( 2008)This paper reports an initiative by a group of institutions and individuals who have worked together to develop school and teacher education programs on e-Platform developed by MKCL. Its goal has been to develop a new paradigm of education for large numbers with connectedness for offering Quality School Education for All, and for sustainable development of local situations, that is, classrooms, schools and local community by linking them to the global context. The two programs that are part of this initiative are an online B. e-Ed. and Virtual School and Learning Homes (VSLH). These two programs enable an experimental and exploratory way of learning and preparing teachers for exploratory learning using situated learning designs based on constructivist pedagogy. It also aims to develop a mass Olympiad movement to support multi-level, multi-stage nurturing and assessment of learning. Quality of education in teaching and learning is considered at three levels - content, processes and systems. A program of developing mechanisms, sharable and common wealth is undertaken to support quality in a distributed e-education system. A model of management for working, learning and developing together on an eplatform that offers a level playing field for all is being developed in order to address Indian problems of large numbers, disparities and divides. // Paper ID 566
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PublicationIntegrating the Elements of Open Distance Learning (ODL) to Enhance Service to Students in a Developing Country( 2008)PCF5: Cross-Cutting Theme // The University of South Africa (Unisa) was the first university in the world to teach at a distance. It initially started as what Taylor (2001) has labeled first generation or correspondence education. Gradually it added elements of technology and contact. But essentially, these were add ons, not integrated well with the academic endeavours of the university, or used effectively. The merger between Unisa, the Technikon South Africa (TSA) and the distance education campus of Vista University (Vudec) in 2004 created a single, dedicated distance education institution for South Africa. The merger emphasized the fragmented nature of the various add ons at the three institutions. As a consequence, an initiative was started to investigate open distance learning best practice internationally as well as to analyse the existing situation in the university with a view to transforming towards a technology-enabled fourth generation ODL. // The vision of Unisa is ‘Towards the African University in the Service of Humanity’. The social mandate of the university is to provide access to higher education in a developing country for people who would otherwise not have the opportunity to study: working adults, people in rural areas remote from facilities; students coming straight from school into the tertiary system without the school achievements or the means to attend contact universities. Access to the university and access to various support mechanisms once registered are hallmarks of ODL. // The Unisa student profile has shifted over the past two decades from the traditional, working adult towards more students choosing Unisa straight from school for reasons of access. About twenty percent of the students registered fall into this younger group. This is a group that demands more contact and has less access to technology than the working adult. // The paper addresses the basic aspects underlying effective ODL in a changing environment, where the focus is on development. The contribution of the paper is therefore in the focus on access to appropriate learning for development. The paper will uncover various initiatives aimed at integrating current good practice effectively to better support the student: managed open admission, which enables the university to identify students at risk prior to registration and put interventions in place; integrated development of courseware for ‘power’ courses; an extended tutor system more integrated with mainstream academic departments; a more technology-enabled system for registration, administration of assessment and student tracking as well as more access to technology for students. // Paper ID 321
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PublicationImproving Junior and Senior Open Learning Classes for “Push Overs” (Drop-Outs) in Zambia( 2008)Open and Distance Learning has over time been given paltry attention at all levels of education administration and management in Zambia. In the Ministry of Education the Directorate for Open and Distance Education (DODE) is responsible for four major types of educational programmes: • Providing Junior and Senior secondary courses to over 30,000 students envisaged to be enrolled in the National Correspondence College; • Organizing and managing open secondary schools where more than 19,000 students study, under the supervision and learning-materials produced by National Correspondence College; • Organizing and teaching evening classes at primary and secondary levels for more than 15,000 students most of them adults; • Training in specific skills for more than 1,250 recent school leavers and adults in Schools for Continuing Education. The above bullets indicate the categories and students who are “pushed out” of the conventional school at various levels. // The main focus of the programmes offered by DODE is the provision of formal schooltype education for those who had not have an opportunity to undertake or complete formal school. For many of the students, the programmes provide the second chance to obtain formal qualifications that they were unable to obtain in school and colleges. // Paper ID 440
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PublicationBroadcasting, Skills Development and Good Governance: Encouraging Online Learning Communities in Media Organisations( 2008)PCF5: Cross-Cutting Theme // This short presentation aims to share with you the experience of trying to deliver media skills training around the Commonwealth using distance learning techniques. We’ll look at some of the drivers for this kind of approach, and some of the shortcomings. // Some of the problems we’ve had to overcome have ranged from the technical (which sometimes seems ironic for media organisations), to the cultural. We’ve also found some linguistic challenges. For example, when is it alright to use the phrase “Hit me up” on a message board posting? I’ll return to that shortly. // Since 2005 we’ve been mainly developing training courses for staff in national broadcasting organisations; the kind of broadcasters who were modelled on the BBC’s concept of public service broadcasting. // But like the BBC, these organisations have had to change out of all recognition in the past few years. The challenges of online media, technical developments such as the introduction of digital editing (rather than using tape and editing with scissors), the introduction of staff performance monitoring – these have all had a profound effect on the skills needed by the broadcasters and their managers. Commercial pressures bring other challenges for hardpressed production offices. // The Commonwealth Broadcasting Association, with whom I’ve worked most over the last three years, has many member stations who you would recognise as traditional public service radio and TV broadcasters. But grafted onto those activities we now have the new media of web services delivered by computer or mobile device. // One of the most surprising things is how some of these new ways of interacting with one another are quite familiar to many trainees in their private lives, but seem to cause big headaches for the organisations they work for. // Paper ID 421
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PublicationInterview with Professor Brenda Gourley( 2008)Interview with Professor Brenda Gourley, Vice Chancellor, The Open University at the Fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, London, July 2008. (Duration: 06:38)
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PublicationOpen Educational Resources in India: A Study of Attitudes and Perceptions of Distance Teachers( 2008)PCF5: Cross-Cutting Theme // Open Educational Resources (OERs) have become significantly important in education systems across the world. They represent the efforts of a worldwide community, empowered by the internet, to help equalize the access to knowledge and educational opportunities. These are teaching, learning and research resources that reside in public domain that permits their free use or customization by others (Bissell, A 2007). According to Smith and Casserly (2006), OERs are sharable assets. Between 2005 and 2007, a large community of interest of more than 600 members from more than half of the 192 Members States of UNESCO took part in online discussions on OERs (www.unesco.org). // Paper ID 386
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PublicationExamination On-Demand: Implementation Strategies in Open Schooling System( 2008)The present day examination system is characterized by memorization in the baneful effects of the phenomenon. The existing examination system is more or less a test of rote memory with little emphasis on understanding and application. // To minimize the undue emphasis on rote memorisation, there is a need to shift towards competency based testing. Appropriate reforms in the examination system have been emphasised by various committees and commissions appointed by the Government of India during the pre and post-independence period. The National Policy on Education (1986) states; “ A major goal of examination reform should be to improve the reliability and validity of examinations and to make evaluation a continuous process aimed at helping the student to improve his/her level of achievement rather than certifying the quality of his/her performance at a given point of time.” // However, even today, testing of higher thinking abilities – understanding, application, analysis, synthesis and judgment – is not being focused upon in the measure called for. // The Open Learning system is based on the needs of individual learner. Open learning enables the learner to control what, where, when and how to learn. Here, the focus is on the learner and the learning process. The flexibility in the examination system also helps a learner to pursue learning at his/her own pace of learning. This in fact is a key foundation behind the success of all distance and open learning programmes. // The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), India is the largest Open School in the world in terms of enrolment, courses of study and the geographical areas of its operation. The cumulative enrolment during the last five years is about 1.5 million in Secondary, Senior Secondary and Vocational Education. NIOS has been vested with the authority of enrolling and certifying students up to pre-degree level. // Paper ID 552
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PublicationHighlights of the Fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF5)( 2008)Highlights of COL's Fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning; University of London, July 2008. Commonwealth of Learning. Duration: 9:32.
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PublicationInterview with Mr. Kelly Yapa( 2008)Interview with Mr. Kelly Yapa, Papua New Guinea. (Duration:08:34)
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PublicationCommonwealth Secretary General( 2008)Interview with Commonwealth Secretary General, HE Kamalesh Sharma at the Fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, London, July 2008.
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PublicationTransformative Model of Life’s Skills Basic Education for Gender Impact of Violence, Sexual Coercion and Vulnerability to HIV Aid through Distance Mode of Teacher Training( 2008)PCF5 Theme: Children & Youth // The challenges facing the developing world in seeking long-term solutions to prevent the transmission of HIV are daunting. Youth and adolescent in Pakistan are prone to numbers of novel problems due to changing social norms and values. These include HIV/AIDS, sexual transmitted infections, use of drugs, violence sexist attitude and sexual coercion. It is thus imperative to equip the adolescent of Pakistan with necessary life skills to deal effectively with challenges of life and not letting it dirt away towards the failure in life. Education system in Pakistan lacks the ability to inculcate life skills through its traditional teaching-learning process. It was and is need of the time that educational programmes with appropriate learning environment are necessary for the development of life skills using the Life Skills Based Education (LSBE) approach thus empowering adolescents in challenging situations. Whole of this scenario demands for the development of this “Life Skills Basic Education. The study aimed at identifying the activities for the secondary school teachers which they can plug into the daily classroom teaching for inculcation of life skills in adolescents. Pre and post tests were conducted on sample of 341 teachers who were given training through distance mode of AIOU on 10 modules developed for this purpose. The nine modules included on Communication skills, Negotiation skills, Assertiveness skills, Interpersonal skills, Empathy, Decision making/problem solving, Critical thinking, Managing stress, coping with emotions and self awareness (internal locus of control).The manual focused on various approaches to address risk behaviours of adolescents and to sensitize the participants on adolescents’ risk behaviour, learn basic concepts related to sexuality, violence among adolescent transmitted infections including HIV and core of life skills. The post test indicated a significant difference transformative index (TI) of 2.05 on all the 25 parameters of LSBE with 204.11 percentage gain maximum 821.96% for decision making skill. // PID 718
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PublicationDeveloping Citizens: BBC News for Children and Young People around the World( 2008)Workshop Session: The BBC has developed complementary strategies to enable young people and children in the UK and around the world to develop as Global Citizens through the News. In a 90 minute participatory workshop we will explore the following projects: Access to the News; Engagement with the News; News Generation; News Dialogue. // Paper ID 432
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PublicationNational ODL Policy Development for Namibia( 2008)PCF5: Cross-Cutting Theme // Open and Distance Learning in Namibia - Even before independence in 1990, it was recognised that Open and Distance Learning (ODL) has the potential to address Namibia’s educational and training needs in a cost-effective manner. ODL has the flexibility to accommodate varying levels of enrolment and the capacity to reach out to all corners of the country. // In the Namibian public sector, there are four institutions which provide ODL programmes: the Centre for External Studies at the University of Namibia (UNAM-CES), the Centre for Open and Lifelong Learning at the Polytechnic of Namibia (PoN-COLL), the Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL) and the National Institute for Educational Development (NIED). Over the last eight years, these publicly-funded ODL institutions have been working together with the Ministry of Education to coordinate their activities through the establishment of a national trust, known as the Namibian Open Learning Network Trust (NOLNet). // Since its establishment in July 2001, NOLNet has been striving to enhance opportunities for supported, independent learning for adults and young people through a framework of collaborative management of open learning centres in terms of a legal agreement between publicly-funded ODL institutions. NOLNet’s activities include institutional capacity-building; establishment and expansion of a national network of open learning centres; supporting elearning initiatives to supplement existing ODL print-based programmes; and the development of radio programmes and audio-visual material. // Paper ID 350