THE DISTANCE EDUCATION EXPERIENCE IN JAMAICA

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WELCOME !!!

• THE DISTANCE EDUCATION EXPERIENCE IN JAMAICA
• Jeanette M. BartleyNovember 3, 2004

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DEFINITION

• Distance Education or
• Distance Learning
• the organizational framework and arrangements
  for providing instruction, through print or
  electronic media, to persons engaged in planned
  learning, in a place or time different from that
  of the instructor.
• (COL- Knowledge Resources)

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A PARADIGM SHIFT ?

• Distance Education (DISTED)
• Emerging as perhaps the most rapidly growing and
  diversified mode of education fostered by
  significant advances in instructional technology
  of the past century.
• (Sources COL Reports of UNESCO, World Bank, OECD)

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SIGNIFICANCE TO JAMAICA

• Implications of current patterns emerging
  practices to facilitate learning-on-demand, any
  time, any place with advanced educational
  technologies.
• Development of capabilities, opportunities
  conditions for transforming education through new
  technology applications.

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CHALLENGES TO JAMAICA

• Infrastructural and socio-economic
• pre-requisites for implementing systemic and
  systematic change in the orientation to
  teaching-and learning utilizing advanced
  educational technologies.
• (

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THE JAMAICAN EXPERIENCE
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EVOLUTION OF DISTED

• Phase I 1940s 60s
• Correspondence courses offered by agencies in
  England to students preparing for Cambridge
  Higher School Certificate. (e.g. Wolsey Hall,
  Oxford.)
• Phase II 1977 84
• The Challenge Examination System initiated
  by UWI (Mona) for students in non-campus
• territories relating to resident tutors.

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EVOLUTION (contd)

• Phase III 1984 96
• The UWIDITE System utilizing
  teleconferencing mode to deliver courses
  interactively simultaneously to non-campus
  territories and to local centres.

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EVOLUTION (contd)

• Phase IV 1996 Present
• The formal recognition of Distance Learning
• increased commitment by local institutions (dual
  mode). e.g. UTech.
• entry of overseas agencies establishing outreach
  centres within and throughout the region
  creating local and universal access.
• increased interest in web-based courses

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FOREIGN INSTITUTIONS (UCJ)

• 1. Florida International University (w/ IMS)
• 2. Luther Rice Seminary Bible College, USA
• 3. Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax,
  Nova Scotia - M.A. Edu.
• 4. Nova Southeastern University, USA - MBA,
  B.Sc - Prof.Mgt,
• M.Sc./HRM
• 5. Temple University, USA (w/ Church
  Teachers' College)
  
• 6. University of New Orleans, USA - EMBA
• 7. University of Manchester University of
  Wales, England (w/ Jamaica Institute of
  Bankers) - MBA
• 8. University of South Florida (w/ Shortwood
  Teachers' College)

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EMERGING TRENDS

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LEARNER TRENDS

• Growing demand for distance learning to
  provide non-traditional courses and degrees.
• Increasing acceptance of online degree
  credentials portfolio certificates by human
  resource personnel and hiring managers
• Lifelong learning for career changes, new job
  requirements, aging population need short
  accelerated programs.

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INSTITUTIONAL TRENDS

• Market Orientation
• Emergence of institutions specializing in market
  niches as distance learning becomes competitive.
• Emergence of new providers of education
  multinational companies, national conglomerates
  and international partnerships, with orientation
  towards profit-generation.
• Institutions becoming more open to
  non-traditional and challenged learners -
  offering a wider variety of courses flexible
  formats.

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INSTRUCTIONAL TRENDS

• Traditional roles and attitudes shifting towards
  more learner-centred approaches
• Online instructional support (emails, chat,
  access)
• Emphasis on team work to expand pedagogical
  interests, enhance attitudes for distance
  instructional effectiveness.

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TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

• Innovation
• The Internet - dominant mode of delivery
• Technology being used more competently by more
  people for daily activities (cell phones, PDAs,
  direct TV),
• Technological devices becoming more versatile,
  powerful, user-friendly, portable available at
  cheaper prices.

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DISTED COMPETENCIES

• Planning Skills
• Language Proficiency
• Writing Skills
• Interpersonal Communication
• Collaboration Teamwork
• (Thach Murphy 1995)

• Organizational Skills
• Feedback Skills
• Knowledge of D.E. Field
• Basic Technology Knowledge
• Technology Access
• Knowledge

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• Effective distance learning systems do not occur
  naturally!
• It takes practical experiences, systematic
  researching and theorizing to establish what
  really works (best practices) to develop the
  specific knowledge and skills required for
  effective delivery.

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• Distance learning not the work of
• any individual!
• It requires the effort of a team - knowledge
  specialists, instructional designers, learning
  specialists, media technology specialists
  institutional administrators.

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• THANK YOU !!