Expanding the Reach of Literacy, Literature and Learning

Abstract

Association for Commonwealth Studies, The Literatures of the Commonwealth Conference, Cumberland Lodge, Windsor, UK, 15 May 2005, Expanding the reach of Literacy, Literature and Learning, By: Sir John Daniel, President & CEO, Commonwealth of Learning // An important principle in life, enunciated by Canada's former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, is 'to dance with the girl what brung you'. The Commonwealth of Learning, which I shall call COL, brought me to Windsor so I shall first tell you briefly what COL is and does. The raison d'être of COL is distance education and I shall argue that this relatively new approach to teaching and learning is having a particularly powerful impact on expanding the knowledge and appreciation of literature amongst a new adult audience. // I have given my remarks the title: Expanding the reach of Literacy, Literature and Learning. In talking to you I shall bear in mind the sage advice that my wife has given me at successive stages in my career in public speaking. When I was young it was 'say something interesting'; in middle age it was, 'don't be too long'; today it is simply 'stand up straight and pull your stomach in'. // It is both a relief and a challenge that you do not expect me to illustrate my remarks with slides. A relief because they might distract you from mistaking my words for thought; a challenge because it has been well said that there are two kinds of speakers, those with slides and those with ideas.