05. Conference Proceedings & Working Papers

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Open Access
Academic Awards for Workplace Learning
(2019-09) Bhonde, Dinesh; Patil, Vijaya; Ajbani, Latika
Academic Awards for Workplace Learning By- 1. Dr. Dinesh Bhonde, Registrar, Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Nashik (India) 2. Dr. Vijaya Patil, Associate Professor, Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Nashik (India) 3. Dr. Latika Ajbani, Assistant Professor, Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Nashik (India) Abstract: Workplace learning is acquiring knowledge and skill at the place of work that may be achieved by learning formally or informally from the coworkers or special initiatives like coaching, mentoring, training, workshops organized by the organizations. Various training such as induction, content updating etc are organized by the employers to add value in the work force. Workplace learning is conventionally viewed as a mean to improve knowledge, skill and attitude of the employee. According to (Collin, Sintonnen, Paloniemi, & Auvinen, July 2011)learning in the workplace is achieved by conventional work system. The knowledge is created at the workplace through learning and development. (Avis, 2010) // Yashwantrao Chavan Maharshatra Open University, Nashik (India), one of the mega Universities, has been practicing various educational experiences to achieve excellence through inclusive and sustainable education. A curriculum designed as per the need of the industry to develop required manpower through continuous workplace learning supported by regular teaching learning sessions and practical experience has a blend of academic as well as learn and earn process and has been successfully implemented by YCMOU in some industries. A complete undergraduate programme has been designed by YCMOU in collaboration with industries to award degree to the incumbent employees after successful completion. Continuous evaluation and term end examinations are conducted by University in the industry. The companies select higher secondary school passed candidates from villages for the programme, provide them employment and conduct teaching, online counseling along with learning material. After graduation these students are placed to higher position or seek employment in similar industry. This is a blended, inclusive, sustainable, workplace educational experience. er. This paper discusses workplace blended learning scenario and such various innovative programmes being offered at YCMOU.// Paper ID 216
Open Access
Access to Technology and Educational Disparity
(2022-09) Forhad, Md
PCF10 Sub-theme: Promoting Equity and Inclusion // The educational disparity has been a long-standing concern and grand challenge for the community. Like other sectors, the pandemic has changed the teaching and learning approaches across the globe. Although equal technology access is challenging, online learning practice offers a relatively easier avenue to minimize the disparity in academic attainment. Using purposive sampling, this study examines the effect of technology access on academic achievement. The study employs a difference in difference (DID) method and finds that technology improves educational attainment. Findings imply that technology access reduces academic disparity raised by socioeconomic differences. Therefore, policymakers could ensure technology access with sufficient training to address educational inequality-related challenges. // Paper ID 6153
Open Access
Achieving a Better Completion Rate in MOOCs Through a Blended Approach
(2019-09) Kannan, Kalpana; Parmar, Mahendra; Dixit, Sajjan; Deshmukh, Urmila
n the fast-changing globalised world, everyone needs to acquire new knowledge and skills continuously. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) help achieve lifelong learning to a large number of people all over the world by providing the freedom and flexibility to learn anytime, anywhere, irrespective of age, gender, religion and ethnicity. Even though MOOCs are gaining popularity worldwide, there are some challenges. Low completion rate, lack of learner's motivation, the feeling of isolation and lack of interactivity in MOOCs are perceived as some of the challenges. To address these challenges, we experimented with blended MOOCs on IITBombayX ( https://iitbombayx.in ) MOOCs platform. The instructors made learning more engaging and interesting for learners through live audio-video interactions once a week. Learners could ask questions to the instructors using an internet-based video conferencing software called A-VIEW. These interactions could be heard and seen by all the learners located at different geographical locations in the country. Since all the learners join synchronously during the interaction sessions, they feel part of a larger peer group. In the last three years (2015-2018), more than 200,000 students and teachers have benefited from this blended approach. It helped improve the motivation levels and increased the completion rate to more than 80% in some of the MOOCs. The average completion rate for blended MOOCs was found to be 30%, which is much higher than the global average completion rate of 15%. In this paper, we explain how live interaction combined with online learning material made learning more engaging, entertaining and empowering to the learners.// Paper ID 38
Open Access
Activating and Nurturing the Investment of Heutagogical Resources for Equity and Quality in Self-Determined, Open, Online and Distance Learning
(2016-11) Nkuyubwatsi, Bernard
Expansion of access to higher education and learning opportunities is often inhibited by the lack of teachers, limited physical facilities, the shortage of financial resources and limited technological infrastructure. Due to the rivalrous nature of these resources, many of them are accessed in a way that inhibits the same access privilege to others, especially when the need is higher than the supply. This paper discusses a framework for collaborative investment in opening up higher education on the basis of a combination of rivalrous and non-rivalrous resources. Then, selected transformative outcomes from a PhD study that had a transformative design and other results of studies on self-determined learning are presented and discussed: 1) from secondary education graduation in teacher-training to successful completions of a) undergraduate education in Physics and b) a master’s degree program in Applied Mathematics, 2) from a pass grade to a first class and 3) from intention to drop out to completion of an online master’s degree program in a British university with distinction. Strategies for academics, institutions and policy makers to activate and nurture the investment of heutagogical resources in selfdetermined, open, online and distance learning are discussed. This presentation may benefit educators, institutions and policy makers who are interested in expansion of higher education opportunities to underprivileged learners through open and distance learning without undermining the learning quality. // Paper ID 213
Open Access
An Analysis of Intercultural Students' Self-Determination in Graduate Online Programmes: Implications for Praxis
(2019-09) Bissessar, Charmaine; Black, Debra; Boolaky, Mehraz
In this study, self-determination is considered to be the individual autonomy in the form of intrinsic motivation which propels the individual to work toward achieving a specific goal. The self-determination of online graduate students was studied in terms of the impact on autonomy, competence and relatedness to their persistence. Unique to this study was the assessment of the potential influence of socio-cultural factors with respect to self-determination. As most of the research regarding online university students’ persistence is generated from the US, Canada, UK and European countries assessing their own domestic populations, the global nature of this study provides a new perspective. Fifty-four online graduate students representing 26 countries (19 lesser developed economies and 7 developed economies) participated in the study. Collectivist versus individualistic cultures were equally represented. Self-determination Theory (SDT) was examined both in terms of the online classroom environment as well as overcoming life challenges for programme perseverance. A correlational matrix was used to test the null hypothesis formulated as ‘There is no statistical significance among the variables of autonomy, competence and relatedness with respect to a correlational matrix’. Results indicated that statistically significant correlations exist among the three variables, and thus the null hypothesis is rejected in these cases. With regards to the variables of autonomy and relatedness, a significant negative correlation exists. The findings indicate that the participants displayed strong internal locus of control, self-directed learning, competency and relatedness in attaining success within the online environment programmes. Thus, within the online environment, it is important for online lecturers to be aware of the different aspects of self-determination inherent in their students and how they can capitalize on them when posing critical thinking and problem-solving questions in the shared discussion forum. // Paper ID 12
Open Access
Articulation of Group Dynamics of Undergraduate Students in Social Media
(2016-11) Islam, Md Kabirul; Islam, Yousuf M; Hossain, Mohamed E; Hoque, Mohammed S
The main aim of this study is to investigate the students’ group dynamics during their online activities within the framework of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) theory of Vygotsky and the potential of more capable peers for knowledge construction in an undergraduate course. A social media environment was used as a support tool in a blended approach. The students were given a task set on computer programming in the social media and asked to support each other for solving problems with no teacher intervention. Pre and post tests were conducted and t-test of the scores (out of 15 marks) obtained by the students was done to discern any improvement of learning as a result of students’ engagement in problem solving in the social media. The results of the t-test indicated an improvement of acquisition of knowledge in the topic of basic programming. The conversation of the students in the form of textual messages showed that the students who experienced a problem in order to solve the set task were in the ZPD and ultimately did it successfully with a little assistance and scaffolding from a more capable peer. In fact, the members of the peer groups provided support to bridge the gap between the existing skills and abilities of programming and their intended goal, that is, completing the tasks given by the course teacher. Additionally, the students felt that peer interaction improved their understanding of the computer programming and problem solving competency. // Paper ID 56
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Artificial Intelligence and Future of Learning
(2022-09) Mishra, Sanjaya
PCF10 Sub-theme: Inspiring Innovations // UNESCO global report Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education, highlights the challenge of creating decent human-centred work in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI). It advocates for more people and communities to recognise the value of care work and the multiple ways that economic security needs to be provisioned. // UNESCO is engaged in the frontiers of making the best use of artificial intelligence in education by developing policy guidelines and capacities of member states. The 41st session of UNESCO General Conference adopted the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. The Beijing Consensus on AI in education has led the foundation of discourses on how best to leverage the power of AI to benefit students and teachers. The “AI and Education: Guidance for Policy-makers” published by UNESCO in 2021 provided intellectual guidance for the fostering of AI-ready policy-makers. And a guiding framework has been developed for the development AI competencies for K-12, and a report on the mapping of government-endorsed K-12 AI curricula was released in February 2022. // This panel is designed for policy makers of education ministries, practitioners and professionals interested in the crossroad of education policy-making and AI. Speakers will address the issues on the futures of education, AI-enabled futures of learning, AI curriculum development and best practices for preparing students for human-AI collaboration. // Paper ID 1739
Metadata only
Artificial Intelligence in Education: An Interview with Rose Luckin, Professor of Learner Centred Design, UCL Knowledge Lab
(2019-09)
This interview conducted by COL during PCF 9, explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quickly moving into education, and not just in terms of technology that can support teaching and learning, but also in the way it is changing the nature of the world.
Open Access
Asa Briggs Lecture: Education and Bridging Work Cultures
(1999-03-01) Wang, Gungwu
Asa Briggs Lecture presented by Professor Wang Gungwu, Director of the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore, at the First Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, 1 March 1999, Brunei Darussalam.
Open Access
Assessing the Needs of Industries to Enhance Graduate Employability - The Case of Mauritius
(2019-09) Gungea, Meera
The value of higher education and its relevance in sustaining global competitiveness are indisputable. However, while the achievement of formal degrees remains a priority, the employability of people depends a lot on skills they possess as well. In this competitive era, employers/industries demand cross-disciplinary intellectual skills and in-depth knowledge from graduates. The right people can easily integrate industries, and for this, they need to have both the right educational degree and skills required for that specific post/job. The underlying challenge is therefore, what employers think about the level and type of education being offered by higher educational institutions. // Graduate unemployment remains an alarming issue in many countries. Many graduates cannot find a job in their related field or as per their expectations (fulfilling job). While reasons why these graduates cannot be absorbed by the labour market are many, the most important concerns remain skills and attitudes (which graduates have or do not have) and the demand of the industry. For example, in one study, 96 percent of university presidents in the USA responded that they were adequately preparing graduates for the workforce; in contrast, only 33 percent of senior executives shared this opinion when asked about their views of university graduates (Bisoux, 2015). In another survey, 40 percent of employers in the US believe that there is a significant skills gap between graduates and entry-level requirements (McKinsey and Company, 2012). These findings are sad realities that can be avoided. Universities and other education institutions/ stakeholders have to be able or rather, be willing to respond to the changing market needs. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which is about ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, is key to achieving the other SDGs. Hence, research on employability is of utmost significance to address SDG4, and ultimately, the other SDGs.// Paper ID 68
Open Access
Blockchain Enabled E-Learning Delivery Model for Enhanced Quality Learning
(2019-09) Nyangaresi, Vincent Omollo; Abeka, Slivance
Blockchain technology has attracted the attention of the public owing to its numerous strengths such as security, faster transactions, reduced costs, anonymity and data integrity. The success of Bitcoin has led to the adoption of this blockchain technology in many areas such as financial market, IOT, supply chain, voting, medical treatment and storage. Faster transactions are attributed to smart contracts, which represent automated execution of transactions where terms of the transactions are entrenched in computer code that are automatically fulfilled by the software upon acknowledgement of a particular input. A shared ledger contributes to cost savings since it operates without a trusted third party, hence eliminating intermediaries. Despite the success of the blockchain technology in the financial sector, there exists scanty information on how this technology can be utilized in delivering or securing learning materials so as to improve the quality of education materials delivered over the e-learning platforms. This research paper sought to develop a model based on the Funnel e-learning model that unraveled how the blockchain technology can boost quality of education and lifelong learning. It is expected that the implementation of the developed model in learning institutions can help boost the quality of learning over the electronic learning platforms, which is in line with the sustainable development goals. // Paper ID 37
Open Access
Broadcasting, Skills Development and Good Governance: Encouraging Online Learning Communities in Media Organisations
(2008) Thomas, David
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
Open Access
Building a Vibrant Online Community that Transcends Geographies, Distance, Cultures and Traditions and Leveraging the Expertise and Experience of Partners
(2016-11) Ferreira, Frances
GIRLS Inspire is a Commonwealth of Learning (COL) project designed to leverage the power of open and distance learning (ODL) to end the cycle of child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) and to address other barriers that prevent girls’ economic participation. Through the use of ODL, community organisations and institutions in Bangladesh, India, Mozambique, Pakistan and Tanzania are mobilised to provide schooling and skills training to girls and women. With funding from the governments of Canada and Australia, GIRLS Inspire aims to reach some of the world’s most vulnerable and hard-to-reach women and girls through technology-enabled learning. To convince girls, community leaders and parents that girls can access education in a safe and gender-friendly environment, institutions’ capacity to offer technology-enabled learning need to be strengthened. GIRLS Inspire committed to creating a network through an online community of practice (CoP) as one of the strategies to enhance the capacity of partner organisations. Through this CoP, conscious efforts are made to form a strong network among the partners and other development agencies for knowledge exchange and capacity building that transcends geographies. Using a case study approach, this paper will explore (1) the innovative use of technology to build a vibrant online CoP (2) the factors contributing to partner engagement on the online community and provide (3) evidence on how partner’s capacity were enhanced through the CoP on issues such as CEFM, Gender Equality; Monitoring & Evaluation; community engagement; and online strategies for awareness raising. The following data collection methods will be utilised: direct observations, participant observation, interviews and document analysis. It is envisaged that this paper will contribute to sustainable practice of capacity building, as it captures the change taking place over time and varying geographic regions which can be used to measure the progress of this project as envisaged in its theory of change. // Paper ID 361
Open Access
Can Games Based Learning Enhance Learning of Chemistry?
(2019-09) Banerjee, Kamalika
The words gamification and game-based learning are of course not the same. Game-based learning is in short, learning through games. Using games in the classroom transfers the teaching-learning situation from teacher-centric to student-centric. It is disheartening to note that many a times it is noted that the fear for chemistry amongst the students arises due to the lack of domain-specific didactics amongst the chemistry teachers especially those in higher education. This in turn does not facilitate learning of chemistry. ‘Passive Diffusion Model of Knowledge Transfer’ does not lead to meaningful learning as only knowledge is transferred. Often the chemistry teachers overload the working memory of the students which lead to inefficient learning. Thereby the students are unable to process the huge amount of apparently unrelated information. Moreover there should be connections between theory and practical whereas it is not. Rote learning facts and mechanically going through the practical sessions lead to enhancement of fear for chemistry and not understanding the subject. //Paper ID 16
Open Access
Cognition in Teaching skills A better approach to Teacher-Training Program
(2019-09) Varghese, Mary G
The recent researches show that well informed and well-trained teachers are the most important school-related factor which affects student’s development. So it's very important that the teacher-training programs should train the student teachers well and equip them to satisfy the demands of future generations. The teacher training program should align with the cutting edge of research in terms of its curricular and co-curricular activities. The teacher-training program should focus on the teaching skills of the student teachers. The 21st-century teachers should be able to help students to use higher-order cognitive abilities like analysis, evaluating, creating, etc. The student teachers should be equipped with better teaching skills that are suitable for future-generation classrooms. 21st Century Skills has identified self-directed learning as one of the life and career skills necessary to prepare students for post-secondary education and the workforce. However, educators may not be familiar with methods for teaching and assessing metacognition. The purpose of the present research is to study the effectiveness of a metacognitive approach in teaching skills that affect the teacher-training program.// Paper ID 147
Open Access
COL Board Chair Remarks at the Opening Ceremony of PCF9
(2019-09-09) Sissons, Linda
Remarks at the Opening Ceremony of PCF9 delivered by Dr Linda Sissons, COL Board Chair.
Open Access
Combatting Partiality: Bridging Social, Cultural, and Economic Divides Through Higher Learning
(2019-09) Fassina, Neil
We are facing a difficult time in society. Divisive and fear -based rhetoric fueled by populist and ideological viewpoints dominate numerous mediums , geopolitical relations, and community discussions. Anonymity has enabled critici sm and conjecture to displace constructive debate, the seek ing of truth, the dissemination of knowledge, and societal conciliation. Underpinning and fueled by this divisiveness is a growing social, economic, and cultural divide between individuals and communities on a globa l scale . Recognizing the power of knowledge to combat partiality , societies are looking to higher education to slow and ideally revers e the se growing divides. Interestingly, t he same liberation of information and the accelerating digital revolution that enabled divisive rhetoric to spread is forcing institutions of higher learning to question many of their traditional and measured foundations. Contemporary learners are expecting a seamless connection between the digital and built environment, formal and informal learning, wrap around supports, and the opportunity to contribute to knowledge. A widening gap between knowledge creation and mobilized innovations has placed numerous societies at risk of reduced productivity, economic strength, and social entrepreneurialism . The need for social change and the steady erosion of competitive advantage has forced institutions to seek out new and globally relevant approaches to learning, research, and innova tion to remain reputable in the eyes of their stakeholders. This paper explore s how seeking to create universal equal access to learning may stimulate societ al change while simultaneously enabling institutions to model the next generation of higher education. Particular attention will be given to issues of scalab ility , sustainab ility , and affordability in describing potential learner and community centric alternatives that enable individuals to create and curate knowledge so that they may improve the social, economic, cultural, and environmental quality of life in their communities.// Paper ID 142
Open Access
Connections PCF9 Edition – Day 1
(2019-09-12) Commonwealth of Learning
Relive the Day 1 highlights of the ninth Pan-Commonwealth Forum (PCF9) with this special edition of Connections.
Open Access
Connections PCF9 Edition – Day 2
(2019-09-10) Commonwealth of Learning
Relive the Day 2 highlights of the ninth Pan-Commonwealth Forum (PCF9) with this special edition of Connections.
Open Access
Developing a Commonwealth Centre for Connected Learning: A Case Study in the Wealth of Networks
(2016-11) Grech, Alexander
Putting connected learning into practice requires personal commitment and an ability to activate peer-learning networks for the benefit of the individual learner – even at a ‘cost’ to the institution. The CCCL (Commonwealth Centre for Connected Learning) will need to embrace this ideology to mobilise stakeholders - whether these are teachers, learners, families, economic or social partners. It will need to identify opportunities for change programmes in the Commonwealth and the EU and connect and empower participants through lightweight support systems of institutions and experts, aligned in placing the learner at the centre of more inclusive education propositions. The Centre’s founders and its future partners will need to operate as change agents collaborating towards identifiable deliverables while remaining grounded in the knowledge that education legacy sectors mean that change cannot happen overnight. The emphasis on replicable pilots means that individual visionaries, wherever they may be located, must have the propensity to collaborate and act in concert. Role models are successful groups and institutions that are willing to pilot new, thoughtfully designed approaches. Pragmatic, quick wins will secure support from key stakeholder groups if they are replicable; cultural differences easily identifiable; and ‘red-tape’ eliminated at the outset. // Paper ID 487