05. Pan-Commonwealth Forum 5 (PCF5), 2008

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Open Access
A Case Study of Collaboration in HIV& AIDS Policy and Practice: Awareness and Training in Caribbean and African Communities through the Global Development Learning Network
(2008-09) Bartley, Jeanette M; George, Nancy
PCF5 Sub-theme: Health // Between 2003 and 2005, The University of Technology, Jamaica hosted a series of global development dialogues on issues related to HIV and AIDS among African and Caribbean countries including Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, St. Lucia, Barbados and Jamaica. These dialogues were facilitated through interactive videoconferencing using the World Bank’s Global Development Learning Network (GDLN). // In discrete development dialogues, participants shared country perspectives on issues ranging as widely as national strategies for HIV education, gender and HIV, policy development, stigma and discrimination, and strategies for caring for AIDS orphans. This case study will explore the lessons learnt in facilitating these global videoconferencing dialogues, celebrate the successes and identify the challenges of the experiences of participants and presenters shared across the various cultures. // Since the phenomenon of using development dialogues for sharing knowledge and experience across cultures for teaching and learning, peer mentoring, consultation, advice and guidance, feedback and facilitating communities of practice in relation to HIV and AIDS, the recommendations in this presentation will be of interest to future organizers and facilitators of HIV and AIDS development dialogues. Beyond the process issues, the paper will highlight the outcomes and better practices adopted. // Paper ID 521
Open Access
A Case Study on Role of Distance Education in Preventive to Curative Health and Nutrition Issues
(2008-09) Shah, Syed Shahzad
PCF5 Sub-theme: Health // Delivering education and learning at distance is a way of reply to one of the important challenges for a country’s population and health professionals scattered at different remote areas. Present case study was carried out at Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad, Pakistan offering post graduate degree programme in community health and nutrition using distance learning approach. The objective of the study was to see how the distance education system was effectively utilized to address health, food & nutrition issues of the community? // Objectives of the programme, eligibility criteria, target groups enrolled, scheme of the study of the academic programme, methodology adapted for distance teaching in order to equip the students with latest knowledge related to course work, research work and field practice of knowledge imparted to the health professionals was studied. It was carefully reviewed why particular groups of health professionals from the remote areas of the country were interested in such post graduate health and nutrition programmes operated by distance mode of teaching. The procedure adapted by the academic department offering the degree programme to address the health and nutrition issues of the community such as malnutrition and various nutritional deficiency diseases by involving the enrolled health professionals was studied and it was tried to investigate how health graduates were trained in provision of preventive health care services to their respective communities? Their expected contribution to the community after successful completion of the programme was also assessed by reviewing the research projects completed by the health professionals in relation to the cure of disease. // It was concluded that distance learning could be successfully used as a tool to convey a quick and effective solution of common health issues of particular community from preventive to curative range by training the health professionals and their support staff. // Paper ID 200
Open Access
A Glimpse into Resources in Aid of Library and Information Service for the Emerging Distance Education: A Case of Botswana.
(2008-09) Oladokun, Olugbade Samuel
PCF5 Sub-theme: Cross-cutting Themes // Distance education is not a recent phenomenon in Botswana. From the training of teachers to training and re-training of nurses and floating of other secondary and tertiary level courses, distance education in the country has come of age. The buildup of upgrading enrolled nurses (EN) to registered nursing (RN) by distance delivery system was a new fillip added to the venture in recent past. // In Botswana today, education is made available by distance mode to several individuals including the politicians, political and economic refugees, those affected by conflicts and also asylum seekers, among others. Thus in consonance with the belief that this learning mode can contribute to social stability and improve livelihood, training and knowledge is taken to the marginalized, isolated and underprivileged. Some examples can be seen in the efforts of such institutions as Botswana College of Distance and Open Learning (BOCODOL), as well as the cross-border institutions. Consequent upon the emerging expansion of using open and distance learning in a range of situations and the opportunities it offers for all categories of people to improve themselves socially, politically and economically or widen access to learning opportunities, this paper notes the dispersal of distance learners in the country and taps into untapped resources that could be exploited to strengthen distance education. // As necessary ingredients to quality learning, the essential role of libraries in this form of education is discussed. The paper also takes a glimpse into a range of available resources that can be utilized to provide library and information resources and services to the emerging distance learners in Botswana. Discussed in the paper also are the application of appropriate technologies such as the liberalized telecommunications services including mobile telephony; the products of the licensed internet service providers (ISPs), private telecommunications networks (PTNs), as well as other ICT resources. // Paper ID 668
Open Access
A Model for Use of WikiEducator for Offering Free Vocational Courses
(2008-09) Jasola, Sanjay
PCF5 Sub-theme: Livelihoods // According to several websites (Braintrack, 2008), (Univ, 2008) there are about 8,000 universities worldwide. There are many other institutions of higher learning, including training centers and community centers. In addition there are tens of thousands of institutions that support “informal” learning—libraries, museums, archives, etc. Sir John Daniels, currently President and CEO of the Commonwealth of Learning in Canada, and formerly Vice-chancellor of the Open University, UK has a startling set of observations (Atkins et al, 2007) about current education system. // • Half of the world’s population is under twenty years old. // • Today, there are over thirty million people who are fully qualified to enter a university, but there is no place available. This number will grow to over 100 million during the next decade. // • To meet the staggering global demand for advanced education, a major university needs to be created every week. // • In most of the world, higher education is mired in a crisis of access, cost, and flexibility. The dominant forms of higher education in developed nations—campus based, high cost, limited use of technology—seem ill-suited to address global education needs of the billions of young people who will require it in the decades ahead. // One of the potential solutions to above problems is the use of open educational resources (OER). The basic goal of OER initiative is to use information technology to help equalize access to knowledge and educational opportunities across the world. This initiative targets educators, students, and self-learners worldwide. // All OER initiatives provide OER informational content for free but require a fee for interaction with instructor. Open and free OER initiatives are equivalent to no access or interaction with faculty. OER provides the content of an education program at an institution. The most fundamental aspect of the learning process at an institution is the interaction between faculty and students and among students themselves. The three OER types described in the related work section of the paper are using community software to support voluntary interaction among users. So it can be said that OER are basic resources necessary for education but are not a credit granting teaching and learning experience. A paradoxical aspect of most OER initiatives to date is that while OER content is published and distributed to the Web, most of the OER content is from and for campus–based classroom use. Though web–based, most OER initiatives are not pedagogically designed for online learning. OER is locked into software hosted by the OER originator making it impossible to reuse by incorporating it into a course management system such as WebCT, Blackboard, or Moodle (Stacey, 2007). // In this paper an attempt has been made to include the interaction of learner with instructor using OER and in the course offering. In the following sections a model has been proposed and implemented using the freely available OERs and offering them through a learning management system (LMS) using Moodle in WikiEducator. There are four sections in this paper. The section one describes the related work in the area of OERs. Section two describes the model for offering a vocational course through WikiEducator. In section three the experiences and the lessons learnt are shared. Section four concludes the discussion. // Paper ID 443
Open Access
A Radio Scriptwriting Competition: Training African Radio Broadcasters to Create and Exchange Programs on Climate Change Adaptation for Farmers
(2008-09) Perkins, Kevin; McKay, Blythe
PCF5 Sub-theme: Livelihoods // The focus of the paper will be a case study, based on preliminary results, on the effectiveness of a radio scriptwriting competition as a means of providing African broadcasters with training on how to create high quality radio programs on climate change strategies for farmers. The paper will detail how African broadcasters are increasingly accessing the Internet for information and learning opportunities and will also highlight how on-line or distance coaching can play a vital role in developing broadcasters’ scriptwriting skills so that they in turn can create radio programs that promote learning amongst their listeners. // Paper ID 469
Open Access
Access to Higher Education, Language and Academic Literacy
(2008-09) Cannell, Pete; Hewitt, Lindsay
PCF5 Sub-theme: Governance and social justice // The Open University in Scotland’s Learning Development Team’s remit includes educational development and working to widen access to higher education. This paper reports on work in progress with refugees, asylum seekers and new migrants in Scotland. Over the last two years, the team has worked in partnership with other educational institutions and with agencies supporting refugees, asylum seekers and new migrants. Practical outcomes of this work include a guidance pack and website and the development of a self-diagnostic resource for individuals whose first language isn’t English. The paper outlines the evolution of this activity and highlights some of the issues that have arisen. These are discussed in the context of a selective review of the literature on the creation of transnational identities. The review focuses on work, education and the importance of language skills. Based on reflection on experience and insights from the literature it is argued that a better understanding of the interaction between the development of language skills and academic literacy is important for supporting adult migrants into the education system in the ‘host’ country. // Paper ID 213
Open Access
Access to Learning for Development: Mobile Technologies and Distance Learners in the Mountains of Lesotho
(2008) Kolosoa, L. C.
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
Open Access
The Acculturation of 'Open' Materials and the Enhancement of Learning
(2008) Das, Kandarpa; Debi, Uttara
PCF5: Cross-Cutting Theme // This paper deals with the experience of organising course-content in the self-learning format. A few preliminary remarks describing the setting of our work are necessary to clarify the issues confronting us. The main focus of our study is the postgraduate programme in English offered by our institute. This programme, being 'open', does not require the learner to have a specialised background of competence in English Literature. The learners, initially including mostly those who would have pursued a 'private' programme of study, now increasingly consists of many who graduated in other disciplines. A majority of those who enrol for this programme are graduates who did not seek admission into the conventional programme in English because in all likelihood they want to pursue more than one programme simultaneously. Many of the learners are English language teachers of schools (often with an English Major at college) or are otherwise employed. // Such experience as sought to be recounted here is intended to foreground the 'cultural' space that Distance Learning requires in order to be properly effective. The presumption here is that learning and teaching are transactions related to a culturally inflected learning-space. This aspect takes on added significance when a traditional, campus-based university like Gauhati University, an institution of local pre-eminence, incorporates the system of distance, off-campus learning. // Paper ID 425
Open Access
Actors for Change – Reflections and Insights
(2008-09) Jha, Chhaya; Parlevliet, Michelle
PCF5 Sub-theme: Governance and social justice // This paper discusses an innovative distance learning course, Actors for Change, which positions human rights work as an integral part of conflict prevention. The four-month course, designed and implemented by UNSSC, OHCHR and Fahamu, builds the knowledge and skills of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) on why they should be involved in conflict prevention and how to mainstream this perspective in their responsibilities. The course has been structured to assist learning by reading, reflecting and doing. The course covers conflict, human rights and a 7-step model of conflict prevention. Since 2005, six courses on conflict prevention were delivered in three languages (English, French and Spanish) to staff of National Institutions in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe. This paper is written by the course author and two-time tutor, and the tutor of three courses. // Paper ID 554
Open Access
Addressing Educational Needs of Health Workers in Ghana using Distance Education
(2008-09) Mensah, Joseph A.; Badu, Edward; Osei, Collins
PCF5 Sub-theme: Health // Most African countries experience new challenges. One such challenge is scarcity of health workers as a result of low salaries, poor conditions of service, lack of professional updating and migration to richer countries etc. Ghana is no exception to this problem. To solve it, the government improved their salaries and allowance, and provided other incentives such as cars in order to retain those already in the system, and employed some youth, under the Youth Employment Programme, in the health sector. These have not solved the problem completely as some health workers leave for school and create vacancies at their work place. In order to increase access to quality education and training, the distance education scheme can be used. The paper seeks to analyze the import of distance education for promotion of proficiency skills in the health sector and review ongoing professional development programmes for health workers in Ghana, and come out with strategies to offer training avenues leading to the professional growth of the individuals and economic growth of the country. // Paper ID 323
Open Access
Am I good Enough? The Mediated use of Open Educational Resources to Empower Learners in Excluded Communities
(2008-09) Lane, Andy
PCF5 Sub-theme: Governance and social justice // This paper explores the issues involved in providing education to excluded communities and reviews some case studies where the mediated use of open educational resources available from the UK Open University’s OpenLearn website has empowered socially excluded groups. It argues that the successful use of e-learning in the long term is dependent on appropriate interventions within excluded groups and communities, and that open educational resources provide a safer option for them to gain confidence and competence and so become more empowered. // Paper ID 405
Open Access
An Evaluation of HIV and AIDS digital content for HCPs and the Public
(2008-09) Greenop, Kirston
PCF5 Sub-theme: Health // Child mortality in South Africa is rising, gender violence is rife and the HIV infections in the country are estimated to be at 11% of the population. 11% of the HIV infected population is estimated to have AIDS. While the National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS and STIs (2007-2011) has been presented, implementing the specifics of the plan prove a challenge to everyone working in the area of HIV and AIDS, and thus the Millennium Development Goals or reduction and reversal of infection. // The government of South Africa has identified ICT as a vehicle to address health challenges in the country. This mirrors the call by the WHO for member countries to put strategic plans and partnerships in place to create and sustain ICT in health projects. // Mindset Health is an organisation partnered with the South African Department of Health which provides specific and directed HIV and AIDS open content for distance learning to Health Care Professionals (HCPs) on site, on a voluntary, flexible and dynamic platform. Educational and awareness content is also broadcast into public health facilities for the public. This innovative ICT practice has provided a wide range of content in the area of HIV and AIDS to an audience that is distant, works diverse shifts and requires a flexible, open and accessible approach to learning. This paper presents a needs analysis of the HCPs and subsequent evaluations of the innovative technology used in the presentation of this free content as a means of communication and education for both the public and HCPs. This discussion provides a vehicle for providing lessons learnt in content development for open and distance learning. // Paper ID 86
Open Access
Analysis of Tutorial Services for Distance Learners: A Case of Bangladesh Open University
(2008) Rahman, K M Rezanur
PDF5: Cross-Cutting Theme // Besides the use of electronic media for delivering lectures, Bangladesh Open University supports with face to face interaction between learners and tutors at the tutorial centres located outside of the main campus. Several factors like conditions and infrastructure of the tutorial centres, tutor’s qualification, experience and training in distance learning, teaching style and strategies are of importance in the process of acquiring education through distance mode. Present study describes about the tutorial services of Bangladesh Open University. Some suggestions have been made for improving Bangladesh Open University tutorial services. In addition to tutorial classes, use of educational technologies for delivering lectures has been recommended. // Paper ID 265
Open Access
Application of Interactive Methods in a Distance Education Programme
(2008) Lekamge, Dayalatha
The Faculty of Education of the Open University of Sri Lanka has incorporated interactive techniques such as interactive day schools and assignments to the teaching-learning process of a teacher education programme conducted through the distance mode with the ppurpose of improving the quality. Those interactive techniques have been identified and developed in relation to a number of brainstorming sessions and workshops in which both internal and visiting lecturers had participated. It is expected that by taking part in an interactive manner in the teaching learning process , student teachers themselves will experience the effectiveness of the strategies and develop necessary skills and positive attitudes towards implementing such techniques with their own students. // Having introduced such techniques, a research study was conducted to reveal the perception of both student teachers and lecturers regarding the newly introduced interactive methods for the PGDE Programme. // Paper ID 301
Open Access
Are Innovations Being Replicated in ODL?
(2008) Sharma, Chandra B
PCF5 Theme: Children & Youth // The teaching-learning process of the conventional system has an innate mechanism for continuous assessment and modification. The teacher and the taught negotiate and compromise on a win-win process. All aspects of teaching-learning i.e. medium of instruction, choice of examples etc. are flexible and subject to modification and change by the teacher according to the group of learners he/she addresses. However, the learners are generally a homogenous group possessing common ‘qualities’ identified by imparting institution to eliminate others. The promise of open distance learning is to provide a chance to all irrespective of all handicaps. // To fully realize the goal of Education for All (EFA) the Government of India under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA) requested the Indira Gandhi National Open University in the year 2004 to undertake training of approximately 40,000 primary school teachers in the state of Jharkhand of which approximately 9000 teachers were admitted to Module – 1 in January, 2005 to the Diploma in Primary Education (DPE) Programme. The most challenging component of counseling for want of experts locally available and setting up centres was substituted by extensive use of radio. The experiment was a great success. On the other end of the pendulum this paper narrates how another open university from India has evolved processes to help ‘people with wisdom’, with various types of handicaps like literacy, knowledge of research tools etc. to successfully complete doctoral research. This paper narrates the innovative experiments made on two diverse groups in terms of level and also number of learners (i) primary school teachers, and (ii) research scholars to attain the overall objective of providing flexible and innovative methods to learners of various types overcome systemic barriers which can become examples to be imitated but are rarely replicated because of the inertia ODL has got into. // By and large the process of imparting courses through distance mode is similar across institutions. Similar processes are followed for designing, developing, imparting or evaluation of courses offered through distance mode. However, once in a while we come across novel intervention either in course development or imparting courses or in evaluation. Such innovations are either in course development or imparting courses or in evaluation. Innovations are also reported in seminars, conferences or in journals and books related to open-distance education. It appears innovations, which may be accepted as successful, are not often replicated. // This paper discusses two case studies one of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU, New Delhi) and another of Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University (VMOU, Kota, Rajasthan). The IGNOU example is to present a case of new experiment with broadcast technology as a substitute for face to face counseling and another of experiment with flexibility in eligibility for admission to persons with higher age who may not have essential qualifications as per the conventional system but have successfully earned the doctoral degree. // PID 758
Open Access
Asa Briggs Lecture: New Technologies: New Possibilities for Reaching the Unreached
(2008-07-15) Gourley, Brenda
Asa Briggs Lecture presented by Professor Brenda Gourley, Vice-Chancellor, Open University in UK, at the Fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, 15 July 2008, London, United Kingdom.
Open Access
Assessment of the Effectiveness of Open and Distance Learning as a Tool for the Training of Small Scale Artisans and Technical and Vocational Students in Ghana
(2008-09) Okai, R; Musa, A; Obeng, S
PCF5 Sub-theme: Livelihoods // Technical and vocational education plays an important role in the socio-economic development of every nation. Ghana’s Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy document and report of the government’s educational reform committee published in 2004 have identified technical and vocational education as necessary for accelerated economic growth. Open distance learning has been used effectively in India and Pakistan to train several artisans including the marginalized in the society. This paper looks at the role of open and distance learning as a tool for the training of small scale artisans and technical and vocational education students in Ghana. Results from a survey conducted indicate that all the artisans interviewed were willing to upgrade their professional competencies through open distance learning. On the other hand, most of the technical and vocational education students preferred full time study because of their desire to enjoy campus life. The studies conducted indicate that artisans and students in Ghana are willing to upgrade their professional competencies through open distance learning. In this paper, strategies for the implementation of open distance learning in Ghana are presented. // Paper ID 608
Open Access
Breaking Borders with the VIP Project
(2008-09) Martini, Nataly; Bennett, Rick
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
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
Broadening access to Education in Namibia through a range of innovative ODL Programmes and delivery methods at the Namibian College of Open Learning
(2008)
Based on the mandate to “provide opportunities for adults and out-of-school youths to upgrade their professional and vocational skills, to contribute toward the social and economic development of Namibians through open and distance programmes and to address the diverse educational needs of adults and out-of-school youth”, the Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL), through a culture of quality and professionalism aims to realise these objectives. The objective of the Poster Presentation will be to outline all the programmes of NAMCOL in realising this mandate, through a variety of innovative delivering methods and tools. // Paper ID 583