Clayton R. Wright, PhD crwr77@gmail.com The Significance of Education, ODL & ICTs to the People of Developing Nations Clayton R. Wright, PhD crwr77@gmail.com

UN Declaration Every person has a right to an education C. R. Wright Article 26, 1948 C. R. Wright The Significance of Education, ODL & ICTs to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Impact of Education Educated girls are less likely to marry or have children early; they are better able to protect themselves from HIV and AIDS, from sexual exploitation and abuse. C. R. Wright C. R. Wright Anthony Lake, UNICEF (2010, September 17). For children, education is almost everything. This Is Africa: A Global Perspective, http://web.thisafricaonline.com/2010/09/17. The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Every year of secondary education, a girl or woman can attain will greatly increase her future income - sometimes by as much as 15%. C. R. Wright Anthony Lake, UNICEF (2010, September 17). For children, education is almost everything. This Is Africa: A Global Perspective, http://web.thisafricaonline.com/2010/09/17. The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Education is widely accepted as a leading instrument for promoting economic growth… If there is a one-year increase in tertiary education stock, the GDP would increase 0.63%. D. Bloom, D. Canning, and K. Chan, (2005, September). Higher Education and Economic Development in Africa, Harvard University, pages 3 & 29. The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

In summary, education and health increase human productivity, raise life expectancy and facilitate community life. They have major impact on economic growth and increase individual and collective wellbeing. Abdoulaye Diagne (2006, November 22-24). Investing in People: Education and Health, African Development Bank Seminar, Tunis, Tunisia, pages 3-4. The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

But, there is a problem… There is not enough funding to provide: clean drinking water; every child with healthy meals; latrines and basic health services; and train all the teachers needed; traditional school buildings; and adequate, reliable telecommunication and electrical infrastructures. C. R. Wright (2009, May). Response to “Are ICTs the Best Educational Investment?”, Ed Tech Debates, World Bank. The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

And… Globally, of those 20 or younger, 30 million are qualified to attend university, but there are no places for them. This number increases to 100 million by 2020. C. R. Wright Nicholas H. Allen, (2010, September1-3). Education for All: Access, Equity, Opportunity, Pretoria, South Africa. The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

C. R. Wright The world population is outstripping the capacity of existing academic institutions and those being planned. The Significance of Education, ODL & ICTs to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Thus… In order to serve the number of youths qualified to enter university in 2020, a major university would need to be opened every week. Daniel E. Atkins, John Seely Brown & Allen L. Hammond (2007, February). A Review of the Open Educational Resources (OER) Movement: Achievements, Challenges, and New Opportunities - Report to the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Potential Solutions? Implement : open and distance learning (ODL) information and communication technologies (ICTs) African Virtual University The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

ODL is critical for development… and can be used to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and Education for All (EFA). Olugbemiro Jegede, (2010, September 13-15). ODL Policy in Africa: Perceptions, Realities and Challenges presented at the ICDE Standing Committee of Presidents, Pretoria, South Africa. The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

ODL and ICTs could: Provide greater and equitable access Train teachers Provide resources currently unavailable Improve literacy rates and ICT skills Help learners to obtain 21st century skills Encourage community participation Support social mobilization Decrease funds needed to build schools The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Successes in the developing world, examples African Virtual University Indira Gandhi National Open University University of South Africa Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Obstacles to overcome Lack of will Lack of acceptance of new methods, particularly learner-centred instruction The belief that ODL is second-rate education. C. R. Wright The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Obstacles to overcome Resistance to change continued Resistance to change Lack of ODL and ICT policies that affect access, equity, quality, resource allocation, and infrastructure development Lack of sustained government support for initiatives C. R. Wright The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Obstacles to overcome continued Lack of fast, reliable internet access that not only supports education, but also e-business and e-governance Lack of funding The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Attitudinal shift Commitment Funding Quality The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Lack of funding is always raised as the major stumbling block Lack of funding is always raised as the major stumbling block. But success can only occur if there is an attitudinal shift. The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Attitudinal Shift Education can be the driver of social and economic development. ODL and conventional face-to-face education can co-exist. The quality of ODL graduates can be equal to or better than face-to-face graduates. The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright C. R. Wright

Attitudinal Shift continued Educators can and must learn to use ODL and ICTs effectively. Communities can play a key role in ODL and benefit from ODL and ICTs. Indira Gandhi Open University The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Address lack of acceptance of ODL/ICTs: Discuss exemplary ODL institutions Note high profile individuals in the country who benefited from ODL Engage those who work in established ODL and ICT programs for management, development, and delivery advice The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Address lack of acceptance of ODL/ICTs: continued Ensure ODL and ICT programs are relevant to students Provide adequate resources so that ODL is not perceived as “second-rate” Participate in the development of open educational resources with AVU, COL, TESSA… The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Address lack of acceptance of ODL/ICTs: continued Employ the same tutors and instructors in both traditional and distance programs Establish and maintain quality assurance systems C.R. Wright The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Implement policies that: Without restrictions, ingrain the right for everyone to access education Indira Gandhi Open University Address the needs of rural students Provide support for jobs needed now and in the future – need a crystal ball? The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Implement policies that: continued Support the co-existence of face-to-face instruction and ODL Incorporate intellectual property rights that foster the development and use of open educational resources (OERs) C. R. Wright © The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Implement policies that: continued Establish timelines and resources for expanding the electrical and telecommunications infrastructures Address cross-border education Provide sustainable funds for education The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright Egypt, Elaine Hoeskstra

Dept. of education must: be committed to ODL and ICT implementation; ensure that accessibility and equity are addressed; provide resources; adjust the curriculum; C. R. Wright The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Dept. of education must: continued train the instructors; provide effective, continuous professional development; ensure helpful learner support; maintain and support the technology; Freetown Teachers’ College, Sierra Leone Indira Gandhi Open University, India Kyambogo University, Uganda The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Dept. of education must: continued provide feasible and continuous assessments; adjust organizational policies; provide leadership that is flexible, open to new ideas, and willing to make decisions and take action; provide sustained support. C. R. Wright,. (2007, December 5). Technology Implementation in Developing Countries. Presentation to the National e-Learning Steering Committee (NeLSCOM) at the University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana. The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Funding needed for: Capital costs Operating Maintenance Software licenses Electrical & internet access Professional development Capital costs may only be 20%-30% of the real cost of implementation. Wayan Vota The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

If governments rely on external funding, what happens when funding expires? It is essential to build a sustainable financial structure and to do so before external funding expires. The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Save funds by… Using open educational resources Adopting and/or adapting materials Using a blended learning approach Collaborating within and beyond local educational communities ??? Realize that there will never be enough funding! And, continued donations can lead to dependency. The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

The Iron Triangle Is it possible to: increase access, improve quality, and cut costs, all at the same time? Access Quality Costs Sir John Daniel, (2010, October 14). The Commonwealth of Learning: How a small agency achieves development impact. Presentation for the Canadian International Development Agency, Ottawa, Canada. The Significance of Education, ODL & ICTs to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Addressing quality Establish quality assurance systems for every facet of the educational operation Indira Gandhi Open University The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Addressing quality continued Conduct self-audits based on reliable instruments from other open institutions or organizations such as COL, European Foundation for Quality in eLearning (EFQUEL), ICDE, and UNESCO Involve external personnel in periodic quality audits The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Quality ODL/ICT materials: Are relevant to the learners and their communities Engage and motivate the learner Require learners to search, compile, analyze, interpret and apply data from local and distant communities C. R. Wright The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Quality ODL/ICT materials: continued Encourage critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving Provide opportunities for practice and knowledge transfer Offer timely, constructive, relevant, and frequent feedback C. R. Wright The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Quality ODL/ICT materials: continued Demand that learners interact with it, with their peers, and their community Link learners to home and community Provide links to resources beyond the content and the learners’ communities The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright C. R. Wright

international agencies. There may be many challenges to implementing ODL and/or ICT programs, but the key to success may be collaboration among: people, institutions, countries, regions, and international agencies. The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Is waiting necessary? C. R. Wright Must everyone have clean drinking water, enough food to eat, suitable shelter, and a disease-free environment before they can have an education? The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Is waiting necessary? Perhaps an education will enable them to have clean drinking water, food, shelter, and a healthy environment. Which comes first education or …? C. R. Wright The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Should everyone have a bicycle before anyone can have a car? C. R. Wright (2010, August 3). Response to “Laptops for Education: $10, $35, $100 and Points in Between (but not above!)”, EduTech, World Bank. The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

By implementing ODL and ICTs, who knows who you might help, sooner rather than later! C. R. Wright The Significance of Education to the People of Developing Nations, C. R. Wright

Clayton R. Wright, PhD crwr77@gmail.com Feedback is always welcomed! Thank you! Clayton R. Wright, PhD crwr77@gmail.com Feedback is always welcomed!