The International Conference on Emerging Trends and Challenges in Open, Distance, Digital, and Blended Learning (ODDBL’26) kicked off in Delhi today with lively engagement from educators, researchers and policymakers.
Dr B Shadrach, Director of COL’s Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA) presided a session on quality concerns in distance and digital Learning, calling for enhanced interactivity and strengthened industry collaboration to create employable, inclusive, and future-ready graduates. In his keynote address, Dr Tony Mays, Director: Education at COL, stressed quality assurance in ODL must go beyond standards and checklists, requiring contextual approaches and collaboration with national and international partners to foster a culture of continuous improvement.
Keynote speeches from education leaders, academic experts, and senior government officials, included the Hon. Education Minister, Government of Delhi, Shri Ashish Sood; Prof. Payal Mago, Director of the Campus of Open Learning at Delhi University, and Prof. Yogesh Singh, VC at Delhi University.
We look forward to more engaging conversations and insights as ODDBL’26 continues to shape the future of digital learning in the days to come!
#ODDBL26 #DigitalLearning #DistanceEducation #EducationConference University of Delhi NAAC-India British Council India Cemca Col Delhi Government
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Traditional, in-person models of teacher professional development, on their own, aren't able to keep up with the rapid changes in Africa’s education landscape.
To address the region’s urgent need for 15 million new teachers by 2030, COL’s Beyond Numbers project, in partnership with the Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities (AFTRA), has released two new publications on the use of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) to scale teacher development in Sub-Saharan Africa:
- A project report brings together key insights, draft ODL frameworks, and micro-course recommendations from four teacher regulatory authorities in Botswana, Nigeria, Seychelles and South Africa. Access the report: hdl.handle.net/11599/6098
- A draft ODL framework for teacher development in Sub-Saharan Africa similarly paves the way for a forward-thinking, transformative approach to educational equity and teacher empowerment. Read the framework: hdl.handle.net/11599/6099
Turning away from a one-size-fits-all solution, the publications provide educators, institutions, and policymakers with a flexible guide that adapts to diverse national contexts and advances teacher professional development across the region.
#TeacherDevelopment #OpenDistanceLearning #EducationAfrica #BeyondNumbers
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Between 2021-2024, COL’s Skills for Work Certificate Scholarship Programme, supported more than 94,000 learners from over 25 Commonwealth countries through free access to courses on Google, Udemy, and Coursera.
In just three years, the programme set out to enhance employability and entrepreneurship skills, particularly among youth and for women, girls, and persons with disabilities, and to provide skill enhancement opportunities for employees of government agencies and partner institutions.
Our recent publication shares what learners gained and what worked well. It also highlights where improvement is needed, especially strengthening participation among women, girls and those with limited access to technology.
Read more: hdl.handle.net/11599/5743
#SkillsForWork #YouthEmpowerment #WomenInEducation #InclusiveLearning
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