The Commonwealth of Learning empowers people through learning that leads to economic growth, social inclusion and environmental conservation.
In a significant step towards fostering inclusivity and independence, thirty blind and…
Recently, teachers, educators, and education leaders from across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond…
Supporting ODL and teacher professional development in Antigua and Barbuda.
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) #COL4D is supporting the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Creative Industries (MOESC) in Antigua and Barbuda in developing a national open and distance learning (ODL) policy and a professional development governance framework for teachers. This initiative aims to enhance teacher training beyond the initial preparation provided by the Department of Teacher Education at Antigua State College.
Towards these goals, the Ministry recently hosted a four-day national workshop in St. John’s, with over 40 stakeholders in attendance. Participants included education and curriculum support officers, master and senior teachers, teacher educators, and representatives from the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers. The principals of Barbuda’s primary and secondary schools were also in attendance, ensuring representation from all parts of the twin-island state.
The workshop was officially opened by the Director of Education, Mr Clare Browne, who emphasised the importance of robust governance structures to guide professional development activities. In his remarks, Mr Browne stated, “This process aligns with our national education sector plan, addressing strategic imperatives to strengthen the regulatory framework that guides educational activities. The outcomes of this workshop will play an important role in achieving our education goals.”
Centred on the theme of teachers as the nation’s “future makers,” discussions highlighted the need to improve the standards of the teaching profession. Participants examined the state of teacher training and professional development, with most suggesting that student performance remains the ultimate measure of educational success. They proposed innovative strategies to professionalise teaching while reflecting on ways to integrate open educational resources and online learning into an inclusive ODL framework.
COL’s Education Specialist for Teacher Education, Dr Betty Ogange, remarked, “Teachers are integral to the implementation of education reforms. Providing them with structured opportunities for continuous professional development, supported by ODL, ensures they remain equipped to adopt new pedagogical standards and meet their learners’ diverse needs.”
#ODL #TeacherDevelopment #AntiguaAndBarbuda #EducationReform #ProfessionalDevelopment #TeacherTraining #InclusiveEducation #FutureMakers #EducationGoals
MMTTC, Tezpur University, Assam, India, Organises Short-Term Course on Online Course Development
Dr B. Shadrach, Director of the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (Col Cemca), the regional centre of Commonwealth of Learning, addressed educators as the Special Guest at the inauguration of a Short-Term Course (STC) on Development of Online Course/Programme at Tezpur university in Assam, India. It is being organised by the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre (MMTTC) at the University from 16-20 December 2024. The workshop, conducted in blended mode, would focus on building educators’ capacities to create high-quality online courses aligned with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Professor Shambhu Nath Singh, Vice Chancellor of Tezpur University, welcomed the participants, underscoring the growing need for well-designed online courses to meet the demands of millions of learners. “The success of online learning depends on the quality and inclusivity of the courses,” he emphasised.
In his address, Dr Shadrach commended MMTTC’s efforts to enhance teacher development and outlined strategies for creating engaging and effective online courses. Highlighting challenges such as low completion rates on Government of India’s MOOC platforms, like SWAYAM, he stressed the importance of interactivity, storytelling, and case studies in course design to hold the attention of online learners. He also encouraged the adoption of the four-quadrant approach, which integrates multi-media instructional content, supported by supplementary learning materials including case studies, interactive discussion forums, and assessment tools to enhance learner engagement.
Follow the link for more insights: www.cemca.org/news/mmttc-tezpur-university-assam-india-organises-short-term-course-online-course-...
#onlineeducation #onlinecourses #blendedlearning #OpenEducationalResources #MOOCs
Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Course: January 2025.
The Commonwealth of Learning’s (COL) #COL4D fifth and final offering of the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE) Course is now open for registration and commences 20 January 2025. The course is designed to meet the increasing need for competencies of government officials, policymakers, organisational staff and individuals to effect personal and collective transformation in promoting gender equality.
Over eight weeks, participants will learn to use various frameworks and tools to integrate a human rights perspective into the workplace and the community. The course will examine best practices in programming for gender equality and empowerment against a backdrop of the humanitarian issues of our times and the push to meet SDG 5 on gender equality by 2030.
Each week, a one-hour webinar will be held to enable participants to discuss pertinent topics in each module and allow diverse voices to share their experiences. The course materials are accessible to participants using assistive technologies and those who need translation of materials into different languages.
This updated course offering contains integrated feedback from previous cohorts and includes thought-provoking case studies and links to online materials, as well as more user-friendly content. For each module completed, the participant earns a badge, allowing them to receive recognition for as few or as many modules as they wish.
For more information on the GEWE course or to enrol, please visit: forms.office.com/r/WD3Xu2r33a
To download the course brochure, click: commonwealthoflearning.info/gender-equality-course-brochure
Cost: Free
Ngā mihi nui to MFAT’s Dr. Helen Leslie (UN, Human Rights and Commonwealth Unit Manager) for representing New Zealand at the #CHOGM2024 @COL4D side event last week. She talked about the importance of international development support to advance education for resilience in the…
Professor Peter Scott @peter_scott, President and CEO of @COL4D, recently delivered a virtual keynote address at a University of Ghana @UnivofGh conference on the theme “Embracing the Future: The Emergence of AI and its Impact on Open Distance and E-learning.”
Watch it here:…
Malawi: Engaging and enabling learning for girls through accessible technology
@COL4D's Empowering Women and Girls project @EWG_23 is being implemented in Malawi through its regional partners, the Centre for Research and Development Initiative and Concerned Youth Organization.…
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