Report of the Expert Group on Commonwealth Co-operation in Distance Education and Open Learning that proposes the creation of a University of the Commonwealth for co-operation in distance education, itself working closely with, and forging an effective partnership between, a wide variety of institutions through the Commonwealth. The Group shows not only how technologies could be harnessed on a Commonwealth-wide basis, but how teaching materials could be pooled and shared to become a Commonwealth-wide resource, freeing individual learners throughout the Commonwealth from the constraints of distance and the need to study at a present place or time.

"Open and Distance Learning in the Developing World sets the expansion of distance education in the context of general educational change and reviews its use for basic and non-formal education, schooling, teacher training and higher education."--BOOK JACKET. "Hilary Perraton provides a balanced evaluation of the legitimacy, advantages and disadvantages of distance education as a way of teaching and learning."--BOOK JACKET.

A Science “Reading List for Uncertain Times” Selection “A must-read for anyone with even a passing interest in the present and future of higher education.” —Tressie McMillan Cottom, author of Lower Ed “A must-read for the education-invested as well as the education-interested.” —Forbes Proponents of massive online learning have promised that technology will radically accelerate learning and democratize education. Much-publicized experiments, often underwritten by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, have been launched at elite universities and elementary schools in the poorest neighborhoods. But a decade after the “year of the MOOC,” the promise of disruption seems premature. In Failure to Disrupt, Justin Reich takes us on a tour of MOOCs, autograders, “intelligent tutors,” and other edtech platforms and delivers a sobering report card. Institutions and investors favor programs that scale up quickly at the expense of true innovation. Learning technologies—even those that are free—do little to combat the growing inequality in education. Technology is a phenomenal tool in the right hands, but no killer app will shortcut the hard road of institutional change. “I’m not sure if Reich is as famous outside of learning science and online education circles as he is inside. He should be...Reading and talking about Failure to Disrupt should be a prerequisite for any big institutional learning technology initiatives coming out of COVID-19.” —Inside Higher Ed “The desire to educate students well using online tools and platforms is more pressing than ever. But as Justin Reich illustrates...many recent technologies that were expected to radically change schooling have instead been used in ways that perpetuate existing systems and their attendant inequalities.” —Science

As new digital forms of formal and informal learning proliferate, there is an increasing need to better understand how people in different regions of the world are implementing massive open online courses (MOOCs) and other forms of open educational resources (OERs). Educators, researchers, politicians, and numerous other stakeholders want to grasp what the outcomes of these initiatives are and how they can be improved. Ongoing e-learning developments related to both technology and pedagogy have pushed institutions and organizations to grapple with issues of accreditation, credentialing, quality standards, innovative assessment, and learner motivation and attrition, among other areas of concern. In response, MOOCs and Open Education Around the World explores and illuminates unique implementations of MOOCs and open education across regions and nations. The book also focuses on the various opportunities as well as the dilemmas presented in this rapidly evolving age of technology-enabled learning. What are the different delivery formats, interaction possibilities, assessment schemes, and business models? What are the key controversies or issues that must be discussed and addressed? This edited collection explains MOOCs and open education trends and issues in a variety of contexts, shares key research findings, and provides practical suggestions and recommendations for the near future.

This well-organized book emphasizes the various aspects of science education, viz. the use of computers in science education, software programs, the Internet, e-Learning, multimedia, concept mapping, and action research. It introduces students to the latest trends in the methods of teaching. The book also strives to foster science education through non-formal approaches, such as distance education with special reference to commonwealth of learning model, or academic games. What distinguishes this text is its emphasis on making the teachers understand that learning students’ psychology is the prerequisite for the success of any education programme. Keeping this view in mind, the text explains the well-known theories of learning of Piaget, Ausubel, Bruner and Gagne—which are closely related to science teaching. Primarily intended as a text for the undergraduate students (degree and diploma) of Education (B.Ed. and D.Ed.), this could serve as a source book for in-service teachers and science educators. In addition, curriculum developers and policy makers working in the field of science education having an abiding faith in moulding youngsters to face the challenges of 21st century should find this book useful and stimulating. KEY FEATURES : Lays emphasis on inculcating values or the development of scientific temper in students. Cites a number of examples related to teaching methods from both urban and rural areas to illustrate the concepts discussed in the text.

First published in 1993. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.