This collection is entitled Learning for Development because that is the focus of COL’s work. In abstract terms we follow Amartya Sen’s definition of development as freedom whilst our operational framework for development combines the Millennium Development Goals, the Dakar Goals of Education for All and the Commonwealth values of peace, equity, democracy and good governance. COL considers that learning, on a massive scale, is the primary route to the attainment of these goals and the adoption of these values. Unfortunately, traditional methods of teaching and learning cannot address either the scale or the scope of the challenge. Educational technologies must be harnessed to the task and COL’s role is to help governments and institutions do this.

Contents: 1) Learning for livelihoods: The key to development / Learn@Work Week, Toronto, 18 September 2006 // 2) Achieving development goals: Innovation, learning, collaboration and foundations: Learning for development / Remarks at the opening ceremony of the Fourth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, 31 October 2006 // 3) Achieving development goals: Innovation, learning, collaboration and foundations: The road to London / Remarks at the closing ceremony of the Fourth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, 3 November 2006 // 4) eLearning in open learning: Sacred cow, Trojan horse, scapegoat, or Easter bunny? / 16th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers Stakeholders Conference, Capetown, South Africa, 11 December 2006 // 5) How can learning contribute to development? / Dennis Irvine Lecture, University of Guyana, Georgetown, Guyana, 27 February 2007 // 6) Reflections on a career in distance education / January 2007