05. Pan-Commonwealth Forum 5 (PCF5), 2008
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Browsing 05. Pan-Commonwealth Forum 5 (PCF5), 2008 by Region "Pacific"
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PublicationBreaking Borders with the VIP Project( 2008-09)PCF5 Sub-theme: Health // The Creative Waves 2007 - Visualising Issues in Pharmacy (VIP) project was the first fully online initiative designed to join pharmacy and graphic design students and teachers from around the world to raise public awareness of critical health issues identified as debilitating in Kenya, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. // Using the Omnium Software online platform, the venture collectively linked together over 300 geographically dispersed students, academics, practitioners and special guests across five continents and 35 countries. The project ran over a 14-week period from March-July 2007 and was divided into two distinct phases, where Phase I (pharmacy phase: week 1-7) and Phase II (graphic design phase: week 7-14) overlapped for a week to encourage crossdisciplinary collaboration between the two educationally diverse groups. // This paper will discuss how through continuous discussions with special guests and mentors around the world, pharmacy participants, in particular, shared materials and resources both individually and collectively to produce indepth written reports for the design phase of the project. The final visual design outcomes from Phase II are currently in production to be implemented, however, the practical stage has been concluded with a high degree of socialisation, cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary interaction and appreciation of others situations. // Judging by participant feedback, the VIP project has signaled that the demand for new visions and approaches to learning and teaching is strong and that the technologies we now live with everyday can enable such interaction. Pharmacy participants specifically indicated the desire for more international online projects so that pharmacy could engage in a more active role locally and internationally in improving public health awareness. // Paper ID 689 -
PublicationCommon Wealth Through Community Men’s Sheds: Lives and Learning Networks Beyond Work( 2008-09)PCF5 Sub-theme: Livelihoods // This paper explores the recent phenomenon and benefits of community men’s sheds in Australia, focusing on the important role sheds and workshop-based practice plays in creating informal learning and friendship networks for men. It is based on recent studies of organizations and contexts in Australia that informally and effectively engage men. Problems are identified with front-end models of vocational training that disregard or undervalue the lifetime of skills and experiences built up by men in previous paid work roles and in adult and community education sectors that tend not to cater for men or diverse masculinities. Insights are provided into ways in which men’s skills and experiences can be shared, transferred, valued and celebrated in men’s livelihoods beyond paid work, through regular, shared, handson activity in gendered communities of practice. It particularly explores the untapped potential of open and flexible shed-based practice for men’s vocational retraining, lifelong learning and inter-generational skills transfer. The ‘open’ and inclusive nature of the community shed and what occurs in it and its pedagogical familiarity with men are identified as its key strengths. The paper identifies what it is about the nature of community-based men’s sheds that has proven to be increasingly popular, productive and therapeutic in Australia in the past decade. One of my purposes at presenting at this conference is to seek out, identify and learn about different and similar insights from conference participants from other countries that might contribute to an ongoing international study of men’s informal learning beyond the workplace. My paper particularly seeks to identify shed and workshop-type settings and organizations in other national and cultural contexts that might play a similar role in the livelihoods of men, families and communities. // Paper ID 380
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PublicationContribution of Higher Education Institution in Post Conflict Recovery and Development: A Case Study of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea( 2008-09)PCF5 Sub-theme: Governance and social justice // The recovery of social institution such as education is one of the major tasks in societies that have suffered armed conflict. Peace building represents an extraordinary set of social and political experiments focusing on the creation of politico-legal structures and development projects. Very often peace process is focused on rebuilding basic education with little focus on higher education that require long time frames and extended engagement with local community and social institutions. // The University of Papua New Guinea maintained a University Centre in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (former North Solomon Province) before the crisis, ceased functioning early in the war, but re-established during the war. Delivery of educational courses at different locations of the Region has been difficult due to tension between conflicting groups, lack of infrastructure, logistics and communication. This paper examines how the University of Papua New Guinea through its open and distance learning program created a positive impact to the post-conflict recovery and development in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. The paper further reported how the University Centre delivered courses, seminars, workshops, training; organized conferences and lectures; and conducted research that contributed to the establishment of functional political institutions, building civil society, and enhancing economic development and government capacity. // Paper ID 77
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PublicationDesigning Learning for Learners: A Study of Learning English through Distance at USP Emalus Campus, Vanuatu( 2008-09)PCF5 Sub-theme: Cross-cutting Themes // In a region where English is an alien language but a seemingly important one for communication and education, Pacific Islanders have always faced a situation where they have to grapple with studies in a language so few of them call their own. For twelve countries belonging to the University of the South Pacific (USP) region, tertiary education has meant a need for good and comfortable command of the English language where students can be at ease to express their thoughts and intentions. Fluency has been an increasing urgency to address. With distance learning, materials have had to be tailored in ways that this mode brings its content in the most efficient and effective way possible for the success of the student. These challenges may put the average Ni Vanuatu in a situation where more effort is required in mastering a language enough to be able to study successfully at tertiary level. With proper and appropriate design of the learning materials, students are able to bridge these challenges and thus complete their courses successfully. // Paper ID 770
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PublicationDevelopments in e-Learning in Education in Samoa: Issues, Challenges, Strategies and Recommendations for the Way Forward( 2008)PCF5: Cross-Cutting Theme // This paper looks at e-learning initiatives in education in Samoa, focusing on developments at the National University of Samoa (NUS) and the Ministry of Education Sports and Culture (MESC). The main aims of these developments are the provision of access to learning, bridging the technological divide, and the promotion and pursuit of open education resources (OERs) The API Environmental series is an example of collaborative course development by 7 universities to increase access in the Asia Pacific region to online courses in areas identified as having relevance and importance across the region such as environmental studies and disaster management. The NUS CISCO academy funded by a partnership between International telecommunications Union (ITU), UNDP and CISCO was set up as part of CISCO and ITU’s LDC initiative to build capacity in least developed countries like Samoa, in an attempt to bridge the digital divide. Developments at MESC include broadcasting lessons for primary schools and the SchoolNet project aimed at providing computers in secondary and primary schools, the development of OERs hosted on a portal and the provision of community access after hours. But perhaps the most viable and prominent of these is our involvement in the Commonwealth of learning developments such as the FLOSS4EduPacific for the promotion of use of open source software, and the advances made within the Virtual university (VUSSC). VUSSC activities include participation in the online course development bootcamps, training in the wiki-educator workshops for NUS staff, and outreach for the Community tele-centres and the SchoolNet centres. // The discussion includes issues and concerns which have unfolded from these initiatives such as the need for a stable technical infrastructure, sustainability in terms of resources and the need for a pedagogical framework. The paper concludes with a set of recommendations for future development in the area of e-learning. // Paper ID 197
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PublicationEducational Institutional Approach for Rural Development through Distance Learning: The Experience of University of Technology in Papua New Guinea( 2008-09)PCF5 Sub-theme: Livelihoods // Papua New Guinea University of Technology (PNG Unitech) has developed an educational institutional model for technology transfer and rural development suitable for the island countries of South Pacific. The programs are being operated by the South Pacific Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural development (SPISARD) attached with the Department of Agriculture of the university. The model has been tested in PNG villages for the last 5 years and its results are encouraging. The Department of Agriculture, PNG Unitech has started this program since 2003 and by now seven villages in four provinces has been covered. Island countries being isolated cannot run rural development programs like other mainland countries of Asia. The program has been running in collaboration with GOs and NGOs and local farmer’s organizations. Farmers are the most important stakeholders and they have established resource center in each village by themselves. // The mode of delivery of messages in this program is two folds: One is personal contact and the other is distance mode using the Department of Distance Learning (DODL) facilities of the University. However most farmers and the farming family in the villages are educated through the village level training centers on regular basis with the messages and also a follow up visits by the Unitech staff on particular dates fixed earlier. The distance-learning mode is cost effective and more of self-learning than the traditional system of extension delivery system. // Four main important programs of this model are: Capacity building, research, training and technology transfer. The students and teachers of the university are involved in all the programs in collaboration with other internal and external agencies. The program is cost effective and sustainable as the existing facilities and the resources of the university are being utilized. The outputs of the program are used as inputs in teaching and research of the university. The existing institutions of the farming and rural communities plays the vital role to implement the activities being facilitated by SPISARD. The other local educational institutes such as schools, colleges and similar other institutions as churches have also been involved. By now 4 secondary schools have been involved in the program. // Paper ID 294
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PublicationErasing the Margins: A Case Study of Alternative Opportunities to Schools in Vanuatu( 2008)The University of the South Pacific (USP) serves a unique region of the Commonwealth. It is a major provider of tertiary education to its twelve member countries of which each have their own individual educational curricula. These systems of education have always supported the development of academia amongst the islanders and have no doubt been the foundation of many of the region’s qualified scholars. Despite the success of these national curricula, it cannot be denied that most of these do not cater for the majority of their individual population. Many systems require a filtering of its students through various examinations at different levels of the formal educational lifetime. This has resulted in a high level of young push-outs who are almost always those from the rural areas where any further access to any form of education is a rarity. Reasons for their lack of accomplishment are numerous. It is now obvious that national curricula is not providing for the majority of its population. It is thus important that attention is brought to this situation and that some form of interference is applied. The Emalus Campus of USP, Vanuatu, caters not only for its regional students, but also for its national push-outs who hunger for another attempt at formal education. This campus has initiated the use of materials from the USP’s continuing education and foundation level in government schools and these have proven to be the better option especially for marginalized schools. It has also provided for its multilingual situation in trying to provide opportunities for all levels of peoples in the community. This paper will present the Emalus Campus situation as a case study. // Paper ID 409
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PublicationHow Do We Design Inspiring Online Vocational Courses?( 2008-09)PCF5 Sub-theme: Cross-cutting Themes // There are many in the education and training sector who continue to be pessimistic about the effectiveness of e-learning for vocational education and training, and it is with good reason. Packaged course content and hyperlinked text, all masquerading as “learning experiences”, go some way toward explaining the continuing frustrations. So what are the reasons for this ongoing “poor perception” of the effectiveness of e-learning and why don’t we seem to be learning from the issues raised? // Research on adult distance learning and the factors that make for successful learning design is abundantly available (Mayes & de Freitas, 2007). However, we don’t see these theories being employed significantly by instructional designers in e-learning courseware. In this paper we explore some of the key reasons why we think e-learning often isn’t working for vocational adult education. These reasons include: the focus on content rather than on authentic contextualised activities, which support the development of practical “real-life” skills; the failure to design good online facilitation to support collaborative online team work; uninspiring learning experiences; and a lack of good scaffolding to support and orient learners in their learning journey. // We suggest that a continuing gap in online adult education is the lack of good instructional design guidelines that focus on the pedagogy and are meaningful to an educational or training practitioner. We invite the reader to consider six simple design principles based on our synthesis of good practice in the available literature and on the authors’ experiences in designing and facilitating e-learning for adult learners. // Paper ID 577
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PublicationLegislative Drafting, Distance Education and its Contribution to Good Governance in the Pacific( 2008-09)PCF5 Sub-theme: Governance and social justice // Working paper presented by Nainendra Nand at the Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF5) in London, United Kingdom. // Paper ID 309
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PublicationLiteracy – Fundamental to Economic Development( 2008-09)PCF5 Sub-theme: Livelihoods // This paper reflects on experiences in foundation learning through open and distance learning (ODL), in order to encourage similar developments where there is no strong structure for learning. The philosophy and innovative delivery model are explored, with both the positive and negative results and learnings gained from experience, and the effect of improved literacy within broader based foundation skills on both the individual and their employers. Also shown is the economic development and empowerment one programme engendered amongst many of its graduates, and plans for the future of ODL adult literacy and numeracy education in New Zealand (NZ). // The flexibility and scalability of the delivery model means that similar literacy programmes can feasibly be deployed across many societies, and not just in NZ. // Paper ID 575
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PublicationOpen and Distance Learning Student Retention: A Case Study of the University of Papua New Guinea Open College( 2008-09)PCF5 Sub-theme: Governance and social justice // Research in student retention has long been of interest to scholars in North America and Europe, and last two decades, research on student retention has become sophisticated, with one important line of enquiry being the development of a theoretical model on student dropout by Tinto. Most of the research assessed the predictive validity of Tinto model or to develop alternative model to study student retention in two and four year colleges and universities. These researches focused on traditional and non-traditional students, but few about retention of open and distance learning students. Comparatively, student retention problem has been a great concern in open and distance learning institutions than traditional colleges and universities. Student retention is an important factor of accelerating human capital formation for national development in a global knowledge economy. // This study assesses the current level of academic and social integration within the University of Papua New Guinea Open College as perceived by the students. In order to developing a retention policy and improving student support services, a comprehensive picture of the current academic and social integration climate in the UPNG Open College was assessed. Using Tinto’s conceptual model, an institutional academic and social integration assessment instruments was developed in measuring the current integration climate. Findings of the study indicated differences of student perception on current and expected level of integration climate in the Open College. Implications for policy directives and improvement of support services are also discussed. // Paper ID 76
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PublicationSmall Business Development and Export Guidance( 2008-09)PCF5 Sub-theme: Livelihoods // Working paper presented by Matthews, Chris at the Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF5) in London, United Kingdom. // Paper ID 576
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PublicationSo, What Happened in Kabul Today? Flexible Learning in Conflict and Social Justice Programs at the Australian National University( 2008-09)PCF5 Sub-theme: Governance and social justice // A major challenge for people working in areas of conflict and social justice in developing countries is finding high-level opportunities to engage in structured, critical reflection on their work, and to learn from their peers. This paper describes how open learning and flexible delivery in the Master of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development (MAAPD) at the Australian National University (ANU) is giving development workers in the field the chance for advanced study in a stimulating and peer-supported way that not only enriches their career functionality and long-term prospects, but also enhances their day-to-day activities. // For many interested in this conference theme, the focus will be on open learning as a tool to help victims of conflict and marginalisation. In contrast, our paper considers the opportunities for open, flexible learning to support those working with such groups. The MAAPD program offers a blended approach, combining the use of online learning platforms and streamed audio lectures with opportunities for short intensive anchor courses at ANU’s Canberra campus. Using the accounts of MAAPD students who have been studying off-campus at the same time as working in areas of conflict across the world, this paper examines the benefits of open learning to development workers, showing that it not only provides individual students with opportunities for structured and supported reflection as they apply theory to practice, but also allows them to incorporate into their work insights from their peers elsewhere with an immediacy that directly benefits the communities with which they are working. This concept is well known in a developed country context (Harasim 2000), but extending it to students working in developing countries introduces a new dimension, whereby the emphasis on social justice content that is central to the MAAPD is directly linked to the delivery mechanism. // We will describe how students can bring their day-to-day experiences of conflict and social justice issues in places such as Afghanistan, Colombia or East Timor to their ANU ‘class’, thoughtfully reflecting on the ‘real life’ case studies in which they are living in online workshops with their peers and in more formal assignments. These off-campus students can access ANU’s research community and fellow students in Canberra, ask about similar situations of conflict in other countries, and, in real time, consider the potential outcomes of different strategies to deal with that conflict. This paper thus advances the arguments of McClellan and Dominguez (2006) regarding the importance of social justice curricula in challenging the status quo, contending that delivery mechanisms are also important in bringing immediacy and relevance to learning experiences. However, the need for immediacy can itself be a drawback, with problems still to be overcome in matching the technology available in Canberra with capacity in the developing countries or remote areas of Australia where our off-campus students are based. // Paper ID 359
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PublicationThe Development of Open and Distance Educational Resources and Practices within the Service Industry of Tourism( 2008-09)PCF5 Sub-theme: Livelihoods // Hillary Jenkins is a Programme Manager for the Diploma in Applied Travel and Tourism, Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin, New Zealand. Hillary has worked in the educational tourism sector for the past seven years and has a Bachelor of Commerce Degree and a Post Graduate Certificate in teaching (information communication) from Otago University. Hillary has a background in print journalism. She is also the project manager for the tourism programme development. // This presentation and the following discussion will look at all areas outlined in the abstract but will primarily focus on the use of Wikieducator in the development of a new tourism programme for Otago Polytechnic and the use an open platform for delivery. It will also address attempts, through the use of Wikieducator, to form a community of learning with other educational providers or organisations in the service sector of tourism. Recommendations will be offered as potential guidelines for the use of Wikieducator, those wanting to develop using an open platform and the development of a community of learning. // The tourism project has also been a response to the strategies and values of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015, recently launched by the Prime Minister Rt Hon Helen Clark, - in particular the need for communities and operators to build strong relationships and recognise each other as important contributors to the industry globally. (Reference) Otago Polytechnic is also working hard to create an environment of sustainability (reference) not only in its curriculum but also as a physical campus. Use of Web 2.0 and Wikieducator technology is viewed as one viable way to contribute to this drive. Otago Polytechnic is a tertiary provider focussing on skills based, technical education and occupational training. It offers a range of New Zealand accredited degrees, diplomas and certificates (Wikipedia, 2006). // Many of the schools within Otago Polytechnic have delivered programmes both by distance and face to face by way of a proprietary learning management system called “Blackboard” (closed platform). The need for greater flexibility in curriculum and distributed methods of delivery outside of a closed environment has at times created a challenge for Polytechnic teaching staff. This is because of the default copyright restriction All Rights Reserved CCL on all their educational content and course development. // For over two years, a few individuals across 10 departments have been exploring the use of wikis to develop and manage a number of open access Otago Polytechnic courses and teaching resources repositories. Currently there are courses offered as open educational resources on Wikieducator. Some of these received project funding (such as tourism) all of which are undergoing development. This represents around 15 full time lecturing staff and 5 part-time programme designers regularly using the Wikieducator for their online courses. // In 2006 an Educational Development Centre for staff development, online and flexible learning development, and research into educational development was formed. During 2007 Otago Polytechnic senior management approved a revised Intellectual Property Policy. In effect, the existing All Rights Reserved default CCL was replaced by a Some Rights Reserved - Attribution (CC BY). This would effectively give staff intellectual property ownership rights with an option of restriction. This policy change went hand in hand with institutional strategic objectives and leadership in flexible learning, multimedia training and technical support. One of the centre’s duties is to administer a contestable fund for assistance in the development of flexible learning. This also provides a project designer whill will aid and assist the programme manager who acquires the funds. // There is a recommendation that all staff use the least restrictive copyright over Intellectual Property. It is hoped replacing an All Rights Reserved CCL default copyright with the recommended (CC BY) copyright will foster collaboration, avoid the legalistic complications when practitioners, re-use resources that have attribution restrictions. (Otago Polytechnic Intellectual Property, 2007) // Paper ID 377
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PublicationThe Status of English as a Language of Education and Communication in Vanuatu - Language Issues Affecting Students: A Case Study( 2008-09)PCF5 Sub-theme: Cross-cutting Themes // English in Vanuatu shares a unique official role along with French as a language of communication and instruction enshrined in the constitution, inherited from the colonial past of Vanuatu as the Anglo-French Condominium of the New Hebrides. From English, a pidgin form, Bislama, emerged which has developed and is recognised as the third official and national language of Vanuatu as stated in the constitution. It does not have the same status that English and French hold within the education system. Even after independence English has continued to receive more status in education because of the high enrolment it experiences today. Despite the fact that English and French are languages of instruction from primary to secondary level, there have been ongoing challenges faced by students in using the languages confidently because of the country’s complex multilingual situation. This paper, however mainly focuses on the importance being placed on English as a language of education and communication. It addresses the question of whether English serves its intended purpose within the context of its role in society. This is followed by a discussion of the challenges faced by students and the efforts taken by the Vanuatu Department of Education and the University of the South Pacific in helping students cope with the challenges. // Paper ID 769
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PublicationThe Use of Wiki in Teaching/Learning Peace Studies: A Platform for the Disadvantaged( 2008-09)PCF5 Sub-theme: Governance and social justice // Working paper presented by Belinda Tynan at the Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF5) in London, United Kingdom. // Paper ID 361
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PublicationZero Effectiveness on HIV/Aids Awareness and the Need for a Separate HIV/AIDS Curriculum in Papua New Guinea( 2008-09)PCF5 Sub-theme: Health // When the first six people were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 1987, it was seen as a health sector problem. This conception has since changed into a development issue pregnant with grave consequences. The Government in collaboration with development partners and with other civil society organisations have called on all sectors of the society to help in the fight against HIV which has become an epidemic. // The Department of Education has developed its own HIV/AIDS policy clearly stating that the issue should be given prominence in its curriculum, but it clearly lacks direction and systematic implementation by the sector. The study discovered that there was limited subject content coverage regarding HIV/AIDS on the formal education curriculum in practice and the regular face to face educational approach benefits only a small portion of the youth population. The formal education curriculum devotes only 0.2 % of the total instructional time in a year to the epidemic. Although Millennium Development Goals and the national Medium Term Development Strategy (MTDS) have charted HIV/AIDS as a critical development issue, it is not reflected in the formal education curriculum when it comes for implementation. The sector wide HIV/AIDS policy was seen to be suffering from a lack of institutional ownership and its policies are not vigorously implemented by its implementing agencies. // This has become a concern for the Open College of the University of Papua New Guinea, which is the flagship provider of Distance Education in PNG reaching out to more than 12,000 distance education students. Realising the urgent need for a curriculum on HIV/AIDS, the University Open college has had initial discussions with its network of open campuses and provincial study centres to develop a curriculum that will reach out to both distance learners as well as those in the formal system but by adopting a ODL methodology to address this curriculum need. By highlighting this need at the PCF5 conference it is intended to draw on experience and discussion among third world countries that are faced with similar challenges for a collaborative effort towards further developing this concept that should result in a separate HIV/AIDS curriculum for the country. // Paper ID 570