Title: ICT for higher education: an overview of case studies from the Asia and Pacific region
Pages: 171 pp.
ISBN: 978-92-9223-384-6
e-ISBN: 978-92-9223-385-3
Publisher: UNESCO Bangkok, Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education
Date (published): 30/11/2011
Date (accessed): 12/12/2011
Type of information: report
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
„UNESCO Bangkok coordinated a research study to document the use of ICT for higher education in the Asia and Pacific region in 2009 with the support of the Japanese Funds-in-Trust. Targeted at Ministry of Education officials and specialists responsible for higher education, administrators and faculty members of HEIs, and higher education and ICT providers, the objective of the study was to increase understanding of how ICT can be used to:
* design and develop curricular contents;
* deliver higher education programmes and courses;
* enhance the learning process; and
* increase the efficiency of the administration and management of educational systems.
Seven case studies from Australia, Hong Kong-Special Administrative Region of China, India, People’s Republic of China, Republic of Korea and Singapore were commissioned to focus on three main areas: open and distance learning; blended learning; and administration and management.
…
In all the cases discussed in this publication, ICT is used not only for the delivery of lectures and materials, but also for administration and management purposes. It is clear that administrative functions such as student registration, grades, course schedules and even staffing evaluation, have benefitted from the use of ICT. The chapters on the Hong Kong University and the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, focused specifically on administration and management issues, albeit under highly different conditions and perspectives. They provide an interesting contrast but also reveal several areas of similarity regardless of their starting points or resources available.

By all accounts, the outcomes of utilizing technology for higher education have been very encouraging. The collective wisdom of countless professors and experts collaborating online, not bound by time and space, has contributed to the production of high quality teaching and learning resources. Innovative tools and technology, coupled with animated, interactive contents and activities have increased students’ attention and interests.

Notwithstanding the positive feedback, some issues and challenges have emerged that should be considered by other institutions when designing and implementing their own ICT for higher education plans, such as:
* Lack of support from management;
* Unclear division of function and power;
* Uncoordinated planning and implementation;
* Question of ownership;
* Shortage of trained staff to cope with the diversity of responsibilities and tasks;
* Resistance from staff and reluctance to be re-trained; and
* Insufficient funds for developing, purchasing and implementing ICT.
...
Contents:
Use of ICT for higher education: An overview of case studies from the Asia and Pacific region ………..1
ICT for distance learning: Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning, India………………………………… 7
Distance education in Shanghai Television University, People’s Republic of China………………………26
ICT for open and distance learning: Korea National Open University, Republic of Korea……………… 51
ICT for blended learning: Queensland University of Technology, Australia……………………………… 78
Highly Engaging Learning Pedagogy (HELP) blended learning model of
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore………………………………………………………………...103
The use of ICT for administration and management at the University of Hong Kong……………………122
The adoption and use of ICT in management and technical education in Indian
Institute of Management, Calcutta, India……………………………………………………………………… 142”

See also: ICT for higher education: an overview of case studies from the Asia and Pacific region

Title: UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Version 2.0
Pages: 94 pp.
Publisher: UNESCO
Date (published): 27/10/2011
Date (accessed): 09/11/2011
Type of information: educational report
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
"Two decades after the first mainstream rollout of computers in schools we have learned many significant lessons about ICT in Education and their potential transforming impact on national education systems. Yet, countries around the world face urgent challenges in this respect due to the rapid development of technologies, the required financial investments and the need to have a clear vision of the role that teachers have to play in harnessing the power of ICT in the classroom and beyond.

One key lesson is to acknowledge the many facets that ICT in Education policies have to tackle such as teacher competencies, learning materials, ICT equipment, student and teacher motivation, as well as the linkages to other areas of national policy and socio-economic development. Adopting a cross-sectoral approach through an ICT in Education Master Plan can help countries to successfully address all relevant dimensions.

In this context, the ICT Competency Framework for Teachers is aimed at helping countries to develop comprehensive national teacher ICT competency policies and standards, and should be seen as an important component of an overall ICT in Education Master Plan.

The current version of the ICT Competency Framework for Teachers is a 2011 update of the original version published in 2008, and is the result of the successful continued partnership between UNESCO and CISCO, INTEL, ISTE and Microsoft. In this version, the Framework has been enriched on the basis of feedback from subject matter experts and users worldwide, and enhanced with the inclusion of example syllabi and exam specifications for Technology Literacy and Knowledge Deepening. UNESCO and its partners aim to update this document on a regular basis, and we welcome feedback on the application of this ICT Competency Framework for Teachers at the email address: ICT-CFT@unesco.org.
…
UNESCO’s Framework emphasizes that it is not enough for teachers to have ICT competencies and be able to teach them to their students. Teachers need to be able to help the students become collaborative, problem- solving, creative learners through using ICT so they will be effective citizens and members of the workforce. The Framework therefore addresses all aspects of a teacher’s work:

The Framework is arranged in three different approaches to teaching (three successive stages of a teacher’s development). The first is Technology Literacy, enabling students to use ICT in order to learn more efficiently. The second is Knowledge Deepening, enabling students to acquire in-depth knowledge of their school subjects and apply it to complex, real-world problems. The third is Knowledge Creation, enabling students, citizens and the workforce they become, to create the new knowledge required for more harmonious, fulfilling and prosperous societies."

Title: The digital revolution in sub-Saharan Africa
Author: Laila Ali
Source: Al Jazeera English
Date (published): 12/10/2011
Date (accessed): 17/10/2011
Type of information: article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"Much has been written about the role technology played in bringing social and political change across much of the Middle East and North Africa, but less is known about the technological revolution that is taking place and transforming people's lives in sub-Saharan Africa.

It is estimated that by 2015 sub-Saharan Africa will have more people with mobile phone network access than electricity access at home. People with internet and no home electricity will reach 138 million, according to the Cisco Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast for 2010-2015.

This deep and rapid mobile penetration is catapulting developing countries into the 21st century and bringing new and previously unimagined opportunities. While schools in the developed world enforce strict policies to keep mobile phones out of the classroom, African schools and universities are now exploring the use of mobile technology to assist teaching.
...
Mobile education
Under the BridgeIt initiative, known locally as Elimu kwa Teknologia or Education through Technology, teachers download video content using Nokia N95 mobile phones, which are connected to TVs in their classrooms, allowing rural schools and communities access to a digital catalogue of locally-developed or adapted educational content.
…
E-learning
In South Africa the concept of using mobile technology to support distant learners is also gaining ground. Pretoria University considers it an extension of e-learning - where distance learners use the internet to access materials to support their studies.
…
An app for that
The use of mobile technology in Africa is not limited to the field of education. In Kenya, high mobile penetration spurred the development of ground-breaking applications that are positioning the country as a regional leader in technology."

Title: Transforming Education: The Power of ICT Policies
Pages: 244 pp.
ISBN: 9 789231 042126
Publisher: UNESCO
Date (published): 24/09/2011
Date (accessed): 16/10/2011
Type of information: research report
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
"The cases analysed in this publication are taken from different regions of the world – Africa, Arab region, Asia and Latin America – illustrating the global dimension of the changes that ICT bring to education systems and policies. The wide diversity offered by the selected countries - Jordan, Namibia, Rwanda, Singapore and Uruguay – in terms of economic and educational development, suggests that the issues at stake are not limited to a particular group of privileged countries. ICT can have a transformative effect on education regardless of the economic conditions, in very advanced school systems as well as in poorly resourced ones. The choice of the policy mix varies according to particular circumstances but the vision and the potential of ICT to transform education is universal. This is the key message that this publication attempts to articulate."

via https://twitter.com/#!/mobileactive

Title:OLPC: Una forma de imperialismo / A form of imperialism
ISSN: 1853-3302
Source: Síntesis Educativa
Date (published): 25/01/2011
Date (accessed): 18/09/2011
Type of information: interview
Language: Spanish / English (via Google Translate)
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"Síntesis Educativa: Profesor Winner, ¿cuál es su evaluación del modelo "una computadora por alumno" en términos pedagógicos, y de las propuestas de Nicholas Negroponte contenidas en su programa OLPC?
Langdon Winner:En tanto el modelo educativo contenido en "una computadora por alumno" y otros programas similares puede parecer nuevo e "innovador", se trata tan sólo de la muestra más reciente de una muy antigua obsesión, un acercamiento que ya ha fracasado repetidamente. En su libro "Maestros y Máquinas", Larry Cuban, profesor de Educación en la Universidad de Stanford, explica el patrón que viene aplicándose hace décadas. Primero aparecen los comerciantes con un nuevo producto para vender: películas, grabaciones, televisión, computadoras, etcétera. Le llevan sus productos a los burócratas educativos y los convencen de que se aproxima una "revolución tecnológica" y que es su deber ser parte de ella. Luego, los administradores escolares compran las máquinas, a menudo con enorme sacrificio, y las imponen a las escuelas de sus jurisdicciones. En la mayoría de los casos, los maestros, los alumnos y las personas en las escuelas y en las comunidades son instruídas sobre los cambios que se avecinan. OLPC reproduce fielmente este terrible patrón, donde la tecnología educativa es promovida no porque haya una clara idea sobre su valor para la enseñanza o el aprendizaje, sino por la promesa de un mercado lucrativo. Muchos maestros son absorbidos porque quieren aparentar "estar al día"."
See the original here: Una forma de imperialismo

"Educational Summary: Professor Winner, what is your assessment of the model "one computer per student" in pedagogical terms, and Nicholas Negroponte Ni proposals contained in the OLPC?
Langdon Winner: While the educational model contained in "one computer per student" and other similar programs may seem new and "innovative", this is just the latest example of a very old obsession, an approach that has failed repeatedly . In his book "Teachers and Machines", Larry Cuban, professor of education at Stanford University, explains the pattern that has been in place for decades. Traders appear first with a new product to sell movies, recordings, television, computers, etc.. They bring their products to educational bureaucrats and convince them that it is approaching a "technological revolution" and that it is his duty to be part of it. Then, school administrators buy the machines, often with great sacrifice, and imposed on schools in their jurisdictions. In most cases, teachers, students and people in schools and communities are educated about the changes ahead. OLPC terrible reproduces this pattern, where educational technology is promoted not because he has a clear idea of ​​its value for teaching or learning, but by the promise of a lucrative market. Many teachers are absorbed because they want to appear "up to date.""
See the original here: A form of imperialism (Google Translate)

via https://twitter.com/#!/rosamariatorres

Title: International Experiences With Technology in Education: Final Report
Authors: Marianne Bakia, Robert Murphy, Kea Anderson, Gucci Estrella Trinidad
Publisher: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology
Date (published): August 2011
Date (accessed): 05/09/2011
Type of information: research report
Language: English
On-line access: yes (MS Word)
Abstract:
"In a 2009 speech to education researchers, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan stated, “Just simply investing in the status quo isn't going to get us where we need to go…We’re competing with children from around the globe for jobs of the future. It's no longer the next state or the next region.”  He challenged education leaders to focus on four areas of education reform:

* Adopting rigorous standards that prepare students for success in college and the workforce;
* Recruiting and retaining effective teachers, especially in classrooms where they're needed most;
* Turning around low-performing schools; and
* Building data systems to track student achievement and teacher effectiveness.

To help meet these challenges, the U.S. Department of Education issued the National Education Technology Plan 2010, which includes technology-related recommendations for states, districts, the federal government, and other stakeholders to use in helping to achieve these reforms. In an effort to learn from the experiences of other countries, particularly counties with high-performing education systems, the Department of Education funded this study, International Experiences with Technology in Education (IETE).
The IETE project focused on primary and secondary level education and was conducted in two phases in 2009-10. During the first phase, researchers conducted literature and Internet searches for multi-national data collections. The purpose of the searches was to identify methods, instruments, and available data on key government efforts to integrate information and communications technologies (ICTs) into teaching and learning. In the second phase of the IETE project, available data were updated and extended through a survey and interview of representatives of 21 governments (Exhibit E-1)."
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Title: The contextualization and implementation of a teacher competency framework for ICT4E in Guyana
Author: Marcia Joy Thomas
Source: Educational Technology Debate
Date (published): 26/07/2011
Date (accessed): 10/08/2011
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"The Government of Guyana has recognized the huge potential of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to empower Guyanese to meet developmental challenges and strengthen the economy. The role of ICT in International Trade is making industries more competitive, in facilitating e-commerce, in the health and education sectors and in simply making a wide range of information and services available electronically is fully recognized.

The Government has therefore outlined various policies that are aimed at creating an environment that will foster technology use and encourage investment in ICT , with the Education sector being one of the most critical areas. This is because narrowing the digital gap is more than just providing physical access to computers and the Internet; people must understand how to put it to good use.
...
Policy makers within the Education sector recognized that – in order for the government to achieve its objectives – emphasis had to be placed on teacher professional development in the areas of ICT in education, and therefore looked at ways to contextualize and implement the process.

The National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) is the Department within the Ministry of Education tasked with delivering all Continuous Professional Development programmes for in-service teachers. The ICT Unit within NCERD, which is staffed by three people, is responsible for all teacher training projects. The mandate of the Unit is to:

* Train all teachers to the Basic Computer literacy level by 2012.
* Manage all schools with computer laboratories (65 Primary, 80 Secondary).
* Implement SuccessMaker Software into the 50 schools which includes training of 2,000 teachers in its use.
* Train all secondary school teachers to deliver the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Information Technology and Electronic Document Preparation and Management Syllabi (109 teachers).
* Research and develop modules for all aspects of ICT training within the Education sector.
* Identify, train and implement low cost technologies with the schools system example (Jolly Phonics, Television, DVD’s, White Boards, etc).
... the Ministry decided to adopt the UNESCO ICT Competence Framework for Teacher in November, 2009. The Ministry then entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Commonwealth Secretariat (ComSec) and Commonwealth of Learning (COL) to secure their help in applying the Framework in such a way that it would suit the needs of Guyana. Based on this, an ICT Professional Development Strategy for Teachers in Guyana was developed in March, 2010, within the UNESCO Framework presented..."

Title: The contextualization and implementation of a teacher competency framework for ICT4E in Guyana
Author: Marcia Joy Thomas
Source: Educational Technology Debate
Date (published): 27/07/2011
Date (accessed): 28/07/2011
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"The Government of Guyana has recognized the huge potential of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to empower Guyanese to meet developmental challenges and strengthen the economy. The role of ICT in International Trade is making industries more competitive, in facilitating e-commerce, in the health and education sectors and in simply making a wide range of information and services available electronically is fully recognized.

The Government has therefore outlined various policies that are aimed at creating an environment that will foster technology use and encourage investment in ICT , with the Education sector being one of the most critical areas. This is because narrowing the digital gap is more than just providing physical access to computers and the Internet; people must understand how to put it to good use. The ICT in Education Strategy comprises the following elements:

Focus on Professional Development
Policy makers within the Education sector recognized that – in order for the government to achieve its objectives – emphasis had to be placed on teacher professional development in the areas of ICT in education, and therefore looked at ways to contextualize and implement the process."

Title: Bursting the 9 Myths of Computing Technology in Education
Author: Kentaro Toyama
Source: ICTWorks
Date (published): 28/01/2011
Date (accessed): 28/01/2011
Type of information:
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"I am Kentaro Toyama, and in the Educational Technology Debate post, There Are No Technology Shortcuts to Good Education, I’ve argued that technology in education has a poor historical record; that computers in schools typically fail to have positive impact (with the rare exceptions occurring only in the context of competent, well-funded schools); that information technology is almost never worth its opportunity cost; and that quality education doesn’t require information technology.

Though I only presented a smattering of the evidence in the post, the conclusions are clear. Put together, the strong recommendation is that underperforming school systems should keep their focus on improving teaching and administration, and that even good schools may want to consider more cost-effective alternatives to technology when making supplementary educational investments.

Unfortunately, all of this evidence doesn’t provide the gut intuition required to reject seductive rhetoric. So, below is a point-by-point refutation of frequently heard sound bites extolling technology in schools.

The 9 Myths of ICT in Education
Pro-Technology Rhetoric 1: 21st-century skills require 21st-century technologies. The modern world uses e-mail, PowerPoint, and filing systems. Computers teach you those skills.
Pro-Technology Rhetoric 2: Technology X allows interactive, adaptive, constructivist, student-centered, [insert educational flavor of the month (EFotM) here] learning.
Pro-Technology Rhetoric 3: But, wait, it’s still easier for teachers to arouse interest with technology X than with textbooks.
Pro-Technology Rhetoric 4: Teachers are expensive. It’s exactly because teachers are absent or poorly trained that low-cost technology is a good alternative.
Pro-Technology Rhetoric 5: Textbooks are expensive. For the price of a couple of textbooks, you might as well get a low-cost PC.
Pro-Technology Rhetoric 6: We have been trying to improve education for many years without results. Thus, it’s time for something new: Technology X!
Pro-Technology Rhetoric 7: Study Z shows that technology is helpful.
Pro-Technology Rhetoric 8: Computer games, simulations, and other state-of-the-art technologies are really changing things.
Pro-Technology Rhetoric 9: Technology is transformative, revolutionary, and otherwise stupendous! Therefore, it must be good for education."

Title: Capacity Building for ICT in Education
Source:Digital Opportunity
Date (published):20/10/2010
Date (accessed):16/11/2010
Type of information:article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
„Capacity Building for ICT in Education, an infoDev-commissioned paper by Price Waterhouse Coopers India, says most South Asian nations need to complement their basic ICT4E infrastructure needs, such as computers, connectivity, and physical resources, with investment in mass-based learning networks, content support and development initiatives.
...
The infoDev / PWC India report identifies the main challenges to ICT4E capacity-building in South Asia:
* Increase in the use of ICT in education has not occurred at the same pace as the increase in overall ICT infrastructure, and the overall increase in ICT availability has not yet reached a stage of providing access to most people in South Asia
* Absence of integration and interaction across the South Asian region restricts sharing of information resources and creates duplication of efforts, resulting in ineffective use of ICT
* Absence of trained teachers of high quality and caliber
* Restrictive access to ICT facilities results in a lack of ICT enablement
* Absence of authentic and adequate data on access and use hampers policymakers
* Narrowly focused interventions limit the overall gain from ICT and miss the broader vision and goals of the sector
* Continued need for a minimal level of physical and complementary infrastructure
* Low use of ICTs’ potential”