Vol. 17 No. 3 July 2013 A Newsletter of the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia From Director’s Desk In this issue s we enter the Dhanarajan focusses on the need of quality OER, Guest Column 2 second year of which is also a theme of a book published by A CEMCA. In Case Study section, we present to Spotlight On 6 the current Three Year Plan (TYP) 2012-15, I have taken you the story of student support services at the Worth While Web 8 some time to reflect and Korean National Open University (KNOU). The review the past one year to spotlight section presents a landmark initiative by CEMCA News 9 understand how we implemented various the Government of India – the National Mission on Education through Information and Case Study 14 activities to reach the planned outcomes. On looking back, I feel satisfied to report our Communication Technology (NMEICT), which Regional Round Up 16 esteemed readers that we achieved almost all the has resulted in many successful developments, activities that we started to implement. Most of including the A-VIEW reviewed in the Software Book Review 17 these were possible because of the support we Review section. In the SMART Tips section, Dr. SMART Tips 19 received directly and indirectly from many of you. Kiron Bansal describes how the Community Radio We developed collaborative partnerships with stations can collect data and develop listeners’ Technology Tracking 21 many institutions in the region, notably the profile to support content development that are based on the needs of the listeners. In the Software Review 22 British Council in India, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, Wawasan Open University, and Technology Tracking section, we present to you a Forthcoming Events 24 National Institute of Open Schooling. We worked new way of displaying knowledge and skills using in close cooperation of over 30 institutions in six Open Badges. We have tried to put together countries of the Commonwealth Asia. Over 700 useful information in the sections such as Worth people participated in various activities, of which While Web, Book Review and Forthcoming 35% were women. Some of the significant Events. developments are Virtual Open Schooling, OER- The year ahead is full of challenges as we based eLearning, ICT Leadership, Institutional continue our work to implement the TYP and use Policy for Open Educational Resources (OER), our experiences of the past one year to strengthen Community of Practice for Teacher Educators, our strategies. We will also look into some of the Certificate Course in Community Radio activities more critically to gather evaluation data Technology, Community Radio Continuous to learn from the perspective of a process- Improvement Toolkit, and promotion of Web oriented evaluation. Your support and continuous Radio. While we also completed three workshops engagement is critical to keep us focussed on on behalf of the Ministry of Information and implementation of the TYP. We have been able to Broadcasting, Govt of India for creating bring the newsletter due to your support and awareness on Community Radio, CEMCA regular feedback, and I would encourage you to established leadership role in OER and Open continue doing the same to keep the relevance of Access in the region. the Newsletter. Do write to us about what you In this issue of EduComm Asia, we bring to you want to see more in the Newsletter, and how you the regular features with a focus on OER. The can be part of the team of contributors. Guest Column by Tan Sri Dato’ Prof. Gajaraj Dr. Sanjaya Mishra

1 different parameters [e.g. staff: student Guest Column... ratios]. Governments or their agencies vested with the responsibility of monitoring quality and standards in their Open Educational Resources: A institutions of higher whether they are conventional or non-conventional in Asia Perspective on Quality may need to address issues of this nature By Tan Sri Dato’ Prof. Gajaraj Dhanarajan in a more thoughtful way where quality is Wawasan Open University, Penang not compromised and innovations not inhibited. Open Educational Resources will fall under this category of This Guest Column is an edited version of growth. Of the 102 members of the Asia innovations. the Keynote presentation by Tan Sri Pacific Qualification Network [APQN] Dato’ Prof. Gajaraj Dhanarajan at the about 22 are National Qualification or This would mean looking at quality issues Regional Consultation Workshop on Accreditation Agencies. Most of them are around a set of parameters on Developing Quality Guidelines for Open also members of the International management, teaching, resources, Educational Resources organized by Networks of Quality Assurance Agencies research, governance and learning CEMCA. We present the same for the in Higher Education [INQAAHE 2007] outcomes, altogether some eleven areas benefit of our readers. - Editor and they collectively had developed a [see Box 1]. This approach has the Guideline of Good Practice to ensure Though OER is not an education advantage of ensuring parity between quality in institutions of higher learning. provision but an educational resource both systems in terms of processes, This guideline is beginning to influence provision that is open to all, the principles finance, governance and infrastructural national protocols for the measurement of of quality in the production, distribution requirement such as space, IT and quality quality amongst all 102-member states. and utilization of the resource cannot be of outputs [through conversations with The systems following the guidelines are totally different from that of good practice different stakeholders]. The mostly set up to measure the quality of in Distance Education (DE), which also is disadvantages are the obvious sidelining conventional systems and not necessarily engaged in the production, distribution, of serious differences in the vision, Non-Conventional Systems. With the utilization, and support of learning mission, entry behavior of students, the growth of non-conventional forms of content. I will therefore draw on that rigour and team effort in designing provisions in Higher Education, both experience to discuss four areas: curriculum and transforming it into APQN and INQAAHE are proposing to learning materials, the flexible develop separate guidelines to measure requirements for completion of • The practice of Quality Assurance QA of non-conventional systems, in the programmes, effort in pedagogical in Higher education near future. Until such time the practice innovations and a whole range of value • A perspective on Quality of measuring quality of open, online, adding elements not found in • The meaning of Quality virtual and e learning, when measured, will continue to be Assurance in the context of Open Box No 1: List of issues subscribed by QA benchmarked like any other Educational Resources agencies in the region conventional system [C. • A rethink on Openness Latcham & Jung, I.S 2009]1 Such • The Vision and Mission of the Institution benchmarks will include teaching, • The design and transformation of The practice of quality assurance learning, research student support, curriculum into self learning materials in higher education administration, resource provisions • Assessment of learners such as finance, libraries, staffing, • Learner support systems In the Asia-Pacific region generally there learning resources, staff student • Academic Staff - quality, recruitment and has been an increase in activity relating to ratios, etc. While some of these professional development the measurement of Quality in Higher have a lot of commonness • Educational resources - IT services, Education. The proliferation of national between both the conventional libraries quality assurance agencies [under a and distance education systems, variety of names] is a reflection of this many others clearly will have • Program monitoring and evaluation, • Governance and Leadership • Continuous quality improvement 1 Latchem, C. and I. Jung 2009. Distance and Blended Learning in Asia. New York: Financing Routledge, Taylor and Francis. pp. 7-14 •

2 conventional systems. This has been a learning is held constant and learning questions than the availability of cause for concern, generally. varies. In the ‘Learning Paradigm’, the answers. Cyberworld is freedom learning is held constant and the time unlimited. Framing quality in such a world will be at the least, challenging. A perspective on quality varies, recognizing that students learn at different rates. Open Distance Learning That in fact is the challenge for those The measurement of quality as it is Universities, which respond to adults and taking part in this workshop. Quality in currently applied to higher education others, who have been marginalized from the context of OER can be about many things. It could be about accuracy of generally and distance education mainstream higher education will have to content, effectiveness or ease of use, particularly is contentious. There are be looked at in the context of the branding, peer review, ratings by users, those who argue that we are still not very ‘Learning Paradigm’ rather than the validation, self-evaluation, shareability, explicit in establishing unambiguous ‘Instruction Paradigm’. This by our timeliness, usability, accessibility, parameters for the measurement of defined purpose of OER should also currentness of content, licensing quality, in higher education, when it include it. Table 1 below illustrates some arrangements and others. The task comes to learning experience or learning new basis of practice and measurement. becomes a little less challenging if it is outcomes. Some of the uncertainties relate to criteria and standards applied to Table 1: Old Vs. New Paradigms for Accreditation and Quality Assurance measurements, the purpose of these measurements and sometimes even the Old Paradigm (Instruction) New Paradigm (Learning) legitimacy of these measurements. [Kis, Teacher/Institution Centered Learner Centered 2 2005] . A further question on Centralized Local measurements of quality relate to the Hegemonistic Differential kinds of paradigms applied. Australian researcher D. Kelly [2003]3 . One Size Fits All Tailored Closed Open Argues that there are two paradigms to Us vs Them Collaborative consider. The first is the ‘Instruction Paradigm’, and the second the ‘learning Quantitative Qualitative Paradigm’. These are not mutually Prescriptive Flexible exclusive to each other but they require a Time as Constant/ Learning as Variable Learning as Contact/Time as Variable separation for a fair measurement. The Teacher Credentials Teacher Skills first paradigm is ‘used by most higher Consolidated Experience Aggregated Experience education institutions and the measurement of success is often based Regional/National International/Global on the quality of entering students, the Static Dynamic number of publications completed by Single Delivery Model Distributed Delivery Model academics, number of books in the library Process Outcomes and the availability of other resources Infrastructure Services such as staff, laboratory benches, etc. The ‘learning paradigm’ on the other hand contextualized in one of three aspects. emphasizes on learning rather than Quality in the context of Open These are the: instruction. In the second case, student Educational Resources learning and success outcomes, learning i. Quality in the production of OER: In a world populated by more than 1.5 growth and the quality of exiting Billion Internet users seeking to establish The COL published a set of guidelines students, measure success. The other 4 the quality of openly available relating to OER in 2011 . Included in the more important difference is that in the educational resources, accessible and guidelines was a simple set of rules for ‘Instruction Paradigm’ the time of useable by any or all, raises more the production of OER [see box]. These are useful.

2 Kis, V. [2005]. Quality Assurance in Tertiary Education: Current Practices in OECD Countries and Similarly in a report published by JISC5 a Literature Review on Potential Effects. A contribution to the OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education. Available: www.oecd.org/edu/tertiary/review and periodically revised attention was 3 Kelly, D.K. 2003. Outcomes Approach to Higher Education Quality. NITL News: National Institute drawn to the importance of trust in of Transport and Logistics. Spring 2003

3 establishing the quality of an OER. The Box 2: The COL-UNESCO guideline for producers of OER trust of the community in the creator’s expertise determined the value placed on 1. Include labeling to indicate what learning needs the resource addresses; the content made available. This is further 2. Allow the creation of variations and enhancements through open buttressed by the reputation of the, licenses; institution, the standards of technical 3. Support flexible styling (e.g., enlarging the font, enhancing the colour production, accessibility as well as the contrast and adjusting the layout for students with vision impairments or fitness for purpose. The two views are mobile devices); not contradictory but what is clear is that the value of an OER to a potential user is 4. Support keyboard control of functions and navigation (for students who multi-dimensional and, in higher cannot use or do not have access to a mouse or pointing device); education at least, the reputation of the 5. Provide audio or text descriptions of non-text information presented in creator of the OER adds enormous weight videos, graphics or images (for students who have visual constraints or to the OER. Wayne Mackintosh6 who have limited displays); considers that in education quality is a 6. Provide text captions of information presented in audio format (for more a process than a product that in the students who have hearing constraints or lack audio interfaces); case of OER the product that finds itself on the web has been put there by the 7. Cleanly separate text that can be read in the interface from underlying creator who in placing the content on the code or scripting (to enable translation); web 8. Use open formats wherever possible to make it easier for alternative access systems and devices to display and control the resource; and with its OER label is permitting further iteration. The process is a continuous 9. Adhere to international standards of interoperability so that OER can be cycle of iterations and with each an used on a wide variety of devices and applications. improvement of the quality of content and therefore it begets recognition. much relate to the quality of usage. While design, development and delivery and at the individual level the stringency of the learning outcome determine the ii. Quality from the perspective of users: requirement may not be absolute at the technology being used to access institutional level the quality of using course content; periodic review and In another context before the era of the OER to deliver courses requires absolute renewal of content as well as content OER, Dhanarajan and Timmers in 19977 stringency. In 2000 the Institute of Higher that is interactive and requires examined the issues which at that time Education Policy published a set of students to engage themselves in were considered most critical for the guidelines for online teaching8. The analysis, synthesis and evaluation. successful importing and adopting of institute made seven recommendations, courses from second and third party • Teaching/Learning Benchmarks: which it considered essential for quality sources. They identified ten issues of such as opportunities for students to internet-based education of which five which the following has a resonance to interact with faculty and tutors, have a value in the context of this those wanting to use OER either in an feedback mechanisms on workshop. They are: institutional or individual basis. These assignments and advisories to students on methods of research etc. are: curriculum/content, instructional • Institutional support benchmarks: design, academic standards, technical such as reliable and accessible • Course structure benchmarks: considerations, licensing arrangements technology platforms including links to supplementary materials, course information on and assessment/examination strategies. • Course development benchmarks: These are critical elements on the course objectives, concepts, ideas and such as minimum standards for course appropriateness of OER use and very learning outcomes. • Student support benchmarks: including information about 4 Commonwealth of Learning and UNESCO [2011]: Guidelines for Open Educational Resources [OER] in Higher Education. Accessed on 06 March 2013 from http://www.col.org/ programmes, admission criteria, PublicationDocuments/Guidelines_OER_HE.pdf. examination requirements, technical 5 JISC [accessed on 06 March, 2013] from: https://openeducationalresources.pbworks.com/w/page/ assistance to the technologies. 24838164/Quality%20considerations 6 Mackintosh, W. in Wikieducator extracted from http://wikieducator.org/ iii. Quality from an institutional context WikiEducator:Quality_Assurance_Framework/Contribution_Levels 7 Dhanarajan, G and S. Timmers [1992]: Transfer and adaptation of self-instructional materials. Open Learning 11/1:31-40 Institutions whether they are education 8 The Institute for Higher Education Policy [2000]: Quality on the Line. Washington, USA. providers or accrediting agencies of

4 academic provisions invariably will apply phones have forced them to reconsider i. “Much of the OER literature focuses a different lens from those of advocates, policies relating to access to information, on the removal of perceived barriers producers or consumers of OER. Their cost of communication, freedoms and to access, and thus neglects views will be shaped by both their liberties of individuals. adequately to consider how self- traditions of what higher education is and directed learning might actually take what it should be, to serve its expected Rethinking Openness place in the absence of the roles and responsibilities as a social educational organization. The main and attractive feature about service to citizens. Both will not only OER is the notion that the openness ii. OER literature often promotes a consider the academic content and its fit ‘removes all restrictions placed in paradoxical claim of institutional to the overall curriculum of a programme accessing learning resources from circumvention alongside an explicit or course but also consider how well it is copyright regulations to financial endorsement of the situated within a course in terms of constraints’. In the context of our accreditationsystems and prestige of accuracy, assessment, value add, context workshop and the practice of education established university structures and of cost, pedagogy and learning as we know it in Asia, the literature does iii. This endorsement of the institution is outcomes. There is yet no explicit not adequately address the consequence problematically combined with a evidence available on views of accrediting of open access in terms of educational neglect to address the role of agencies or institutional administration on practice. True openness should mean not only the pedagogy within the university and Fig.1. A tiered quality system as described by removal of an exaggerated and untheorised W. Mackintosh [2009] restrictions on the promotion of learner-centred resources but also education more importantly on iv. The OER movement tends to make the liberalizing presumptions about the ability of practices and human beings to self-direct in the policies regulating processes of learning, often education. Even with appearing to assume the innate almost fifty years of qualities of autonomy and exemplar instrumental rationality development of Open Distance v. The use of OER can be perceived, not Education, as I as a more rational improvement to remarked earlier, education, or a more humane and expectations of and naturalized form of learning, but as a conditions imposed further refinement in the exercise of on providers of power.” education by OER is an innovation for good, its value governments, to education, however for now, has to be accrediting agencies and institutional tampered with the reality of educational the subject of OER. This may reflect one administrators, has not brought about the practice and culture in our part of the or both of two things, in Asia. The first is total liberalization that advocates of OER world and not just by sheer exuberance of that OER in the educational milieu has not imply. the newly converted. made its presence felt despite the efforts Jeremy Knox [2013]9, a Ph.D. student at of UNESCO, COL and the hundreds of the School of Education, University of scholars. The second is that independent, Edinburgh, in one of his blogs highlighted Tan Sri Dato’ Prof. Gajaraj Dhanarajan self-directed learning amongst Asia’s 2 is Chairman, Board of Governors of billion people is not at the level that five observations of the open educational Wawasan Open University, Penang, governments and their policy makers are resources movement. I would like to leave forced to take notice of OER. Perhaps this you with those five statements as you Malaysia, and former President & CEO will change just as the Internet and mobile ponder quality of OER: of Commonwealth of Learning. A brief profile of Raj is available at http://tinyurl.com/md6jlzt. He can also 9 Accessed on 10 March, 2013 from http://jeremyknox.net/2012/03/28/five-critiques-of-the- open- educational-resources-movement-oer-highered-elearning-edtech/ be reached at [email protected].

5 The effort of Ministry of Human Resource Spotlight On... Development (MHRD) is geared towards creating an open house for knowledge. The approach would be to scrupulously National Mission on Education through avoid reinventing the wheel. The approach is to get whatever has already Information and Communication Technology been developed – by entering into MOUs (Memorandum of Understanding) with By Deepali Tyagi the concerned IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) holders, and then to further build the system, to add value for achieving the With a view to seamlessly provide quality a holistic approach is the need of the desired goals. educational content and to pool the hour. This Mission seeks to support such collective wisdom for the benefit of all the initiatives and build upon the synergies E-books and e-journals are also linked eligible and willing learners in India by between various efforts. through “SAKSHAT’.The Mission also reducing the digital divide, Ministry of includes the digitization of video content The cardinal philosophy of the Mission is Human Resources and Development so as to make them web enabled. that (MHRD) launched its ambitious project - Benchmarking learning content which National Mission on Education through ensures quality is central to the no talent of the country should be Information and Communication • philosophy of the Mission. In order to allowed to go waste, Technology (NMEICT). NMEICT has a accomplish its major objective of utilizing vision of catering to the learning needs of • all the services available through latest technologies to make higher the working population in India by the content delivery portal should education easily accessible, the Mission providing a one stop solution to all the be free, and provides financial assistance for the requirements of the learning community. It • freely available material on the procurement of hardware or replacement has envisaged content and connectivity web should be used so as to of the obsolete hardware. Mission also as the twin pedals for initiating and avoid reinventing the wheel. encourages individuals as well as accelerating ICT-enabled Higher institutions to undertake research Education. The ‘One Stop Education Continuing with the philosophy adopted projects for the development of new Portal’- “SAKSHAT” was launched on for the construction of SAKSHAT, the technologies and innovations. The October 30, 2006 to facilitate learning for Mission encourages support and Mission also looks into the students, teachers and those in welcome every employments or in pursuit of knowledge intellectual and free of cost to them. agency, whether Availability of large number of human Non- resource of high intellectual caliber; the governmental or advent of very low power consumption Governmental, to devices and connectivity options; lack of contribute for the timely and easy availability of knowledge growth and resources to all – are some of the factors development of that have created the need for such a the portal by way Mission.Under this Mission, a proper of development of balance between content generation, e-content and the research in critical areas relating to uploading of it on imparting of education and connectivity to the portal or by for integrating our knowledge with the contributing to advancement in other countries are also the existing being attempted. Although disjointed features or by and sporadic efforts have been going on adding new in this area by various institutions and features to the isolated success stories are also available, portal.

6 standardization and quality assurance of contents & certification. Developing suitable pedagogical methods for various classes and intellectual caliber and research in e-learning is also kept in mind while framing the objectives of the NMEICT. Presently, the content being developed for Sakshat under this Mission is in English. So the research project to develop language converter tool kits so as to convert the content developed in English into Dravidian languages is undergoing in the Amrita VishwaVidyapeetham. Mission also encourages the development and realization of Virtual Laboratories and supporting facilities for e-learning. In line • National Programme on Technology software, which provides a teacher to with this objective, IIT Delhi set up the Enhanced Learning (NPTEL): A teach in a live interactive mode to Virtual Lab. project for video-based and web-baed various geographical locations. See Even the best e-content cannot have any courses for Engineering and http://aview.amrita.ac.in/ technology areas, initiated by seven significant impact unless it reaches the • Web-hosting Management System: is Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT vast majority of learners with ease, as and a website hosting service that allows when they demand it. Therefore, Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, universities, colleges and institutions Kharagpur, Madras and Roorkee) and experimentation and development of ultra- to create their own website accessible Indian Institute of Science (IISc). See low cost low power access devices/ via the World Wide Web. laptops for a wider coverage of learners & http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/index.php • OSCAR: Open Source Courseware their field trials is also functioning in this • Spoken Tutorial: The Spoken Tutorial Animations Repository (OSCAR) is to line. Establishing a strong communication project is about teaching and learning make available a large repository of network between institutions of Higher a particular FOSS (Free and Open web-based animations with Learning is imperative for the spread of Source Software) like Linux, Scilab, interactive features for teaching the best practices and the best knowledge LaTeX, PHP & MySQL, Java, C/C++, various concepts and topics. In modules by encouraging shared learning LibreOffice etc. via an easy Video tool from the experts in the country. It is with - Spoken Tutorials. See http://spoken- addition to being a useful aid for this consideration in mind, institutions of tutorial.org/ classroom teaching, these animations higher learning will be connected to each can also enable distance education other through Integrated National • A-View: A versatile eLearning tool for and independent learning. Knowledge Network (iNKN). Some of the distance education, developed by AMRITA University, it is a simple, projects undertaken by NMEICT that are Written by Ms. Deepali Tyagi using different showing promise and/or results are: user friendly video conferencing sources.

Internship Available

CEMCA offers internship to graduate and post- assignments. Internships are available for 2-6 graduate students to gain work experience in the area months, and should be part of the learning and of CEMCA’s field of competence and enhance their development plan of the candidate. For details visit academic knowledge through practical work Knowledge Management page at CEMCA Website.

7 Worth While Web

Major OER Platforms: 1. OER Commons: Project created by ISKME. http://www.oercommons.org/ 2. Connexions: Educational content repository and a content management system developed and maintained by Rice University. http://cnx.org/ 3. Open Courseware Consortium: A high quality educational materials of hundreds of higher education institutions. http://www.ocwconsortium.org/ 4. Curriki: A nonprofit K-12 global community to create share and find free learning resources that enable true personalized learning. http://www.curriki.org/welcome/ 5. NPTEL - E-learning through online Web and Video courses in Engineering, Science and humanities streams funded by MHRD, Government of India. http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/index.php 6. MERLOT: A free and open online community of resources for higher education, online learning materials. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm 7. Khan Academy: An online collection of thousands of video tutorials on various subjects. http://www.khanacademy.org/ 8. WikiEducator: Focuses on building capacity in the use of Mediawiki and related free software technologies for mass- collaboration in the authoring of free content. http://wikieducator.org/Main_Page 9. Saylor.org: Over 270 free, self-paced, online undergraduate college level courses and course materials. http://www.saylor.org/ 10. Peer 2 Peer University (P2PU): Helps in course design, content sleuthing, course marketing, and, in some cases, help with technical development. https://p2pu.org/en/ 11. CK-12: Read online, print a copy, or use it on any device. Our content can be used with the Kindle, iPad, NOOK, and more. http://www.ck12.org/student/ 12. OpenLearn: Open University programme where one can browse the topic to discover articles, videos, games, join the debates & enroll in free courses. http://www.open.edu/openlearn/ 13. IGNOU Flexilearn: Learning resources integrated with learning management systemto access courses of the Indira Gandhi National Open University. http://www.ignouflexilearn.ac.in/flexilearn/ OER Projects: 14. OLnet:Supported by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, OLnet is a partnership project between The Open University, UK and Carnegie Mellon University, USA. http://www.olnet.org/ 15. CC OER Projects: A PER tracking project of Creative Commons, growing with the support of the OER Community worldwide. http://wiki.creativecommons.org/OER_Project 16. Responsive Open Learning Environments (ROLE): Collaborative project with 16 internationally renowned research groups from 6 EU countries and China. http://www.role-project.eu/ OER Search: 17. OCW Finder: A high quality educational materials of higher education institutions based in USA. http://opencontent.org/ocwfinder/ 18. Jorum: Run by Mimas, based at the University of Manchester to collect and share learning and teaching materials, allowing their reuse and repurposing. http://www.jorum.ac.uk/ About OER: 19. Commonwealth of Learning: Find lots of resources on OER at our COL website. http://www.col.org/resources/publications/Pages/default.aspx 20. SCORE: Support individuals, projects, institutions and programmes across the higher education sector in Englandwith creating, sharing and using OER. http://www.open.ac.uk/score/ 21. OER Knowledge Cloud: The OER Knowledge Cloud tracks research on OER and annotate these for enhancing research opportunities inOER. https://oerknowledgecloud.org/

8 CEMCA News human resources in India. CEMCA in collaboration with the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), India provided the right atmosphere for the organized the event attended by Vocational Education participants of the national consultative representatives of the industries, National through Open workshop on developing strategies for Skill Development Corporation, Sector implementing National Vocational Skills Councils, officials of state Schooling Education Qualifications Framework Governments form Haryana, West Bengal (NVEQF) for Open Schooling in India from and Kerala, and MHRD, and academia The rain and beautiful serene 20-21 June 2013. The Ministry of Human from universities. With a right balance of environment of Vypin Island at Kochi Resource the stakeholders, the group discussed Development specific ways of organizing vocational (MHRD), Govt of education though open and distance India notified NVEQF learning, and how it can be aligned with in September 2012 that the provisions of NVEQF to provide envisaged all quality skill training. The discussion vocational education paper for the workshop was prepared by training providers to Prof. Mohan Menon, who facilitated the adopt appropriate workshop, and Prof. Ram Takwale, Former systems for increasing Vice Chancellor of IGNOU inaugurated the number and the workshop by delivering the Keynote quality of skilled address.

participants incorporated various digital constructivist approach to educational ICT workshops for resources as video links, images and mind transaction and assessment. The second Teacher Educators of maps (Free Mind) in their lessons. workshop was organised at the DIET, Resources created by faculty were Dharwad, Karnataka from 11-15 June, 2013 Karnataka reviewed through peer discussions and for CTE (College of Teacher Education) through the email group. Participants were and DIET faculty from the Belgaum Commonwealth Educational Media Centre introduced to Wiki and the ideas of divisions. In all 42 teacher educators for Asia (CEMCA) in collaboration with collaborative resource creation and they attended the workshops and are actively IT for Change, and the Department of also accessed the Karnataka Open working on the CoP to share their work. State Education Research and Training, Educational Resources (KOER). Karnataka organized two workshops on The workshop 1 was organised ICT integrated Teacher Education at the Bangalore Urban DIET focussing on ‘Communities of Practice (District Institute of Education for Teacher Educators’. Both the five-day and Training), Bangalore from 3-7 workshops covered various web tools, June, 2013 for CTE (College of free educational software tools and components of basic computer literacy. Teacher Education) and DIET The participants were introduced to the faculty from the Bangalore and CoP platform for teacher educators and its Mysore divisions. In his features including access to resources, inaugural address, Sri H.S. mailing groups, etc. Educational tools Ramarao, Director, DSERT spoke such as Geogebra, Audacity, PhET and about the revisions of Record My Desktop were demonstrated. curriculum, syllabus and Some of the advanced learners also textbooks and how the new practised using these tools for learning curricula puts higher demands on and for resource creation. The teachers in terms of a

9 Second Institutional Capacity Building Workshop for OER- based eLearning

The second institutional capacity building workshop for OER-based eLearning was held at Wawasan Open University, Penang, Malaysia from 10-14 June, 2013. Based on the agreement reached at the first workshop held in January 2013, participants worked in groups to develop five modules on integrating OER in teaching and learning in between the first and the second workshop. In the second workshop, the participants presented the OER in teaching-learning have also been provided the participants a role-based modules, and through peer review and prepared by the participants. Though the learning environment to develop content discussion, revised the modules to take on OER. It is expected that these materials the project to the next level. The five number of participants in the workshop will now undergo a finalization process to modules developed are: (i) Concepts and dropped from the first one, those 15 enable CEMCA to release these materials Practices in Open Education, (ii) Principles participants who attend the second as OER and offer an online professional of eLearning Experience Design, (iii) workshop demonstrated high level of development course. The WOU now has Evaluating and Selecting OER; (iv) Open understanding of integrating OER in a pool of individual teachers who have Content Licensing, and (v) Integrating developing new learning resources, as the capabilities to develop courses OER in eLearning. Besides these five they developed scenario-based learning integrating OER. modules, four case studies on integrating materials on the subject itself. This

Operational workshop was attended by two template to prepare action plan in short, representatives from twelve out of the mid and long term and identified the Sustainability for fourteen CRS. The workshop discussed specific issues and actions required to the challenges faced by the CRS in make the CRS sustainable. Community Radio Bangladesh, Stations and using the framework As the fourteen functional community developed by radio stations (CRS) in Bangladesh CEMCA worked enter their third year, challenges of in groups to making CRS a sustainable operation categorise the have begun to emerge. CEMCA with its challenges into continuing engagement on this issue technical, facilitated a three day exploratory social, workshop for functional CRS in institutional collaboration with Bangladesh NGO and financial Network for Radio Communication aspects. The (BNNRC). Hosted by Radio participants Mahananda at Chapai Nawabgunj, the developed a

10 basic wiki editing skills, and Workshops on Open open licensing issues to help Educational the teacher participants in the three universities develop a Resources better understanding of OER.

Commonwealth Educational Media Centre The first workshop was held for Asia (CEMCA) supported three at the Apeejay Stya Workshops on Open Educational University (ASU) Campus Resources (OER) during April – June, located at Sohna- Palwal Road 2013. All the three workshops used the from 26-28h April, 2013. WikiEducator platform to facilitate the use Attended by 25 teachers of the University, the workshop of wiki skills development for creation of Dr. Ramesh Sharma of IGNOU. The was facilitated by Dr. Savithri Singh and OER. The workshops covered the history workshop at Kota was attended by 20 Dr. Sarita Kumar from Acharya Narendra and development of OER, its significance, teachers, including nine from other Dev College, New Delhi. The second universities of the Rajasthan state. workshop was held at the Campus of Open Learning of the University of Delhi The objectives of these workshops were from 8-10 May 2013, which was attended to create awareness and basic skills of by 30 teachers of the oldest distance wiki-based OER development in tertiary teaching institution in India. The third level institutions. While the VMOU has workshop on OER was organized at the adopted the institutional OER policy Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University template developed by CEMCA, the other (VMOU), Kota from 17-19 May 2013. Both two institutions are actively considering the second and third workshops were sharing educational resources and using facilitated by Dr. Pankaj Khare and OER in development of learning materials. Expanding Reach Workshops to advertisements. Both the workshops were part of the Ford Foundation through Radio on the Promote supported project entitled “Enabling Media Access for Community’s Self Web Understanding of Expression”, which comes to an end at CEMCA in August 2013. As part of the CEMCA in collaboration with Gram Vaani Community Radio project these two workshops shared the Community Media has come-out with a Licensing in India understanding developed at CCFC on do-it-yourself manual for setting up Web license facilitation with two groups of Radio using free and open source The CEMCA Community Radio participants to help them assist other software. The draft version of the manual Facilitation Centre (CCFC) organised prospective license seekers to address was tested in a workshop over three days two three day workshops on Community the complex process and tread the path at Hotel Star Rocks, New Delhi from 1-3 Radio (CR) licence procedure at Radio in a systematic manner. May 2013 with participants from ten Luit, Gauhati University, from 28- institutions including Community Radio 30 May, 2013 and Radio FTII, stations — Alfas-e-Mewat; Radio JUCR; Pune from 5-7 June, 2013. In both Radio Luit (Gauhati University); Radio the workshops participants Gyan Tarnaga (K.K.Handique State Open developed understanding of CR University); Kisan Vani ( INDIAN Society policy guidelines, principles and of Agribusiness Professionals); Delhi licencing procedures. Besides University Community Radio (DUCR) and learning about how to guide new ODL institutions like Karnataka State applicants, participants learned Open University; B.R. Ambedkar Open the empanelment procedures University; Vardhman Mahaveer Open required to receive government University and Uttarakhand Open sponsorships and University. Two participants from each of the institutions learned the step-by-step

11 process of setting-up Web Radio begin the process of content right from installing open source development and community operating systems to streaming engagement while waiting for their using the draft manual. Participants licences. provided valuable feedback based on which the manual has been revised and the version 1.0 published. The Manual is available in print, digital PDF and ePub versions. The JUCR based on the experiences in the workshop has already launched a test version of streaming, indicating the high level of enthusiasm and motivation among there is scarcity of frequency for participants. Web radio provides a viable allocation to CR. Besides expanding alternative especially in urban areas scope for existing CRS, setting up a web where good bandwidth is available and radio will also help current applicants to

Second Community Nammadhwani, Budikote; Krishi CRS, representative participated in the Dharwad, and Radio Active, Bengaluru workshop. Women participated in the training. Two CRS from Andhra Pradesh namely Radio Deccan, The main thrust of the workshop was to Broadcaster’s Hyderabad and Vishnu CRS, Bhimavaram build upon the participant’s communication skills leading to: Master Training participated, while from Tamil Nadu participants came from Kalanjiam Samuga • Using Community Radio for learning The second Master Trainers’ workshop Vanoli, Nagapatnam and Holy Cross CRS, which would involve sharing ideas for community women broadcasters was Trichy. The four day residential training on the behavior change and using radio for learning for better health held at Bengaluru, Karnataka from 1-4 was held in the picturesque Jain and livelihoods. April, 2013 for participants from eight University campus at Kanakpura on the community radio stations (CRS) from outskirts of Bengaluru. • Development of facilitation skills three southern Indian states. From the From each CRS three persons — two which included sessions on State of Karnataka four CRS namely - women from the community with prior community engagement and Radio Siddhartha, Tumkur; engagement with the CRS and a station communication skills • Developing CR management skills by participating in the programme and content committees • Planning and conducting trainings conduct outreach activities to get the community to participate more actively in the radio

Post this TOT workshop, CEMCA provided modest financial support to all the eight CRS to conduct a local workshop to train about 10 community women. Overall, the cascading model of training of community women to become effective broadcaster has helped in providing training for over 140 women to engage meaningfully with their CRS.

12 process, adopting the ‘Continuous UNESCO Chair on Community Media Ensuring Quality Improvement’ framework. The first team. Working in groups, the participants through Continuous consultative workshop was held at developed performance indicators for University of Hyderabad on 29-30 March parameters on station policies, Improvement of 2013, where participants from ten CR inclusiveness, and community stations discussed the framework participation in station management, Community Radio developed by a team of experts at the among others. University of Hyderabad. Over two days, Stations An expert peer-group workshop to participants debated over several validate parameters of the continuous parameters of good practices that were The Commonwealth Educational Media improvement toolkit for CR was held on derived on the basis of a detailed Centre for Asia (CEMCA) within its April 25-26 at University of Hyderabad. literature review undertaken by the mandate of learning for development uses The main task of the validation workshop Community Radio (CR) as a means of was to review, discuss in detail and refine reaching and engaging with the local Staff News: the basic parameters and performance communities to empower them, and indicators identified in the March 2013 provide access to learning opportunities. Dr. Nutan Bharati left CEMCA on 30 workshop. The deliberations led to a CEMCA has been promoting the June 2013 after serving 17 months as broad consensus about the non- establishment and use of CR for the last Programme Officer (Education). The negotiable principles such as six years and within its current Three Year CEMCA team wishes her all the best. participation, community ownership and Plan (2012-13) is developing a continuous Ms. Deepali Tyagi, who served on a management, gender equity, and improvement framework for the CR representation of the marginalized groups, stations. The UNESCO Chair on temporary assignment as Project Associate (ICT in Education) left and also identified actionable indicators Community Media at University of to ensure and place these on an Hyderabad is the leading partner in CEMCA on 30 June 2013. She was involved in all workshops related to improvement continuum. The UNESCO developing the toolkit for CR practitioners Chair on Community Media team lead by to evolve indicators for continuous Open Educational Resources organized by CEMCA in the last six months, and Professor Vinod Parvarala has prepared improvement of the performance of CR the toolkit that is currently under covering all aspects of their operations also supported sourcing and writing parts of the items appearing in this issue finalization. In the next phase, select CR focussing on improvement of quality. The stations in India and Bangladesh will broad goal of this exercise is to develop of EduComm Asia. The CEMCA team wishes very best in her career. adopt the CR-CIT to provide scope for quality indicators through a participatory further refinement of the toolkit.

New Publications • Quality Assurance Guidelines for Open Educational Resources: TIPS Framework The following new publications have been released recently by Paul Kawachi by CEMCA under CC-BY-SA license: • Ethical Practice Guidelines for Community Radio EdTech Notes Stations by Jayalakshmi C. Parameswaran • Learning Analytics for Open and Distance Education by Rebecca Ferguson • Understanding Massive Open Online Courses by Allison Littlejohn Books • Web Radio: A Manual for Streaming Audio on the Web by Zahir Koradia (Also available in ePub)

13 Summer/Winter classes for weak students Case Study who score grade F or below C. These classes are conducted through media only, no classroom teaching is provided Support Services for Distance Learners at the to these students. Some supplementary Korea National Open University lectures through video conference are also organized at headquarters and By Anirban Ghosh students attend these classes at their respective regional centres. The full-time faculty members travel around the Introduction Established in 1972, the Korean National regional centres in each semester to offer Open University (KNOU) is a mega- Open and Distance Learning (ODL) special lecture, provide individual support university with over 162,000 learners in and to interact with the students. The system has shown a tremendous growth undergraduate and graduate courses.The University provides free learning during the last few decades due to its mission of the KNOU is to cultivate the materials to the disabled students and unique feature of being a user friendly talents needed by the country and society electronic textbooks to the students with system. In this system, the students are through higher education and create an visual impairment. Translation software free to learn at their own pace and open society of study to contribute to the automatically executes and translates the convenience while being away from the development of lifelong education. The written content into audio content (http:// institution. At present, the ODL has KNOU was established to i) expand the library.knou.ac.kr) for the students with become an integral part of higher opportunities for higher education, education globally. It is an effective tool ii) improve the quality of education and such disabilities. for making the provision of iii) provide education to senior citizens heterogeneous group of students as an and physically disabled persons. Technology for Student Support alternative method to impart education all Currently the KNOU has 22 departments The asynchronous technologies like over world. The important objective of with over 750 subjects. ODL is to promote self study among the computer conferencing, the World Wide learners in the absence of regular face-to- Web, and CD-ROM etc. help flexible face teaching. To achieve this objective, Student Support Services access to learning package. The KNOU is every ODL institute provides support to The Student Support Services (SSSs) play on right path in utilizing the ICT for its learners, which comprises a cluster of an important role in imparting quality higher education to reach the mass. facilities and activities that are intended to education to distance learners. KNOU has KNOU launched its own TV Channel make the teaching-learning process easier well-structured student support services (OUN- Open University Network) in 1996 and more interesting for the learners. to support its learners. The University which transmits educational programme Students in ODL come from diverse age delivers its courses through different for 19.30 hours daily. In 2007, KNOU group, gender and socio-economic profile. types of lectures using TV, VCD, Internet, merged e-Learning Centre and Therefore, distance learners desperately Radio and face-to-face lectures. The Educational Media Development Centre need support before, during and even University also provides online into Digital Media Centre (DMC). The after the study from the ODL institutions. supplementary materials for effective DMC has enough space for studio (9 The support service is one of the most learning. The University conducts nos.), editing room (23 nos.) and important components of any Video conference room. The DMC successful ODL system. According is entrusted with the production of to Dirr (1999), learner services are a course materials on Video, Web and variety of non-academic interactions Multimedia. Apart from the text that a learner expects i.e. pre- book (course materials) KNOU uses enrolment services, admissions and four types of electronic media like registration, logistics services, TV, Cable/Satellite TV, IPTV, Internet personal and career counselling, LOD (Learning on Demand), social support etc. But support Mobile), Multimedia (Internet LOD, services in ODL system not only Mobile), Web Based Instruction include these non-academic services (WBI) and Audio. The TV but also the academic services such productions are prepared on the as tutoring and practical facilities. basis of studio lecture, outdoor

14 reporting and are delivered problems regarding the through cable TV, Satellite difficulties of self study are TV, IPTV, Video & MP3 solved in sharing with fellow download, and M-learning. and senior students. The Multimedia productions are university’s regional centres based on studio lecture, PPT also maintain Nursing Room slide, authoring tool like for mothers to keep their animation, picture and HTML children during their study page. Multimedia and examination. The productions are delivered University provides through the LOD, MP3 and scholarship to students from M-learning. The web its own fund as well as from production for WBI are of outside agencies. four types viz. tutorial, discussion, project and experimental, and Tutoring System Conclusions is delivered through learning management The University has a unique system of system (LMS), MP3 and PDF download. The KNOU is playing a significant role in tutoring. The objective of tutoring system The audio type productions are based on national higher education in Korea and is to i) establish a learner oriented language courses and are in the nature of giving the opportunities to the people teaching & learning system and enhance lecture/ narration. These productions are who could not continue their study quality of education, ii) to prevent the delivered through LOD, MP3 download because of varied socio-economic students from dropping out and to and M-learning. All the materials in reasons. KNOU utilizes a combination of motivate for continuous study and electronic form are either uploaded on the media like satellite broadcasting, cable TV, learning, and iii) to complement the website or are broadcast through OUN Internet, mobile, IPTV etc. Textbooks and shortcomings of non-interactive distance (Open University Network). The students media lectures are provided to the under education. There are three types of tutors can access their lesson at any time they graduate students while graduate in KNOU viz. i) Department Tutors wish. 70% of the course is delivered students have to depend only on media (engaged in academic guidance for major through TV, Internet and mobile and lectures or web based LMS. subjects and counselling for campus life, remaining 30% is delivered through face on and offline through tutorial website, Though the University is adopting multi- to face teaching either by on-campus regional campuses or study centres), ii) channel support services, most of the teaching or by video conferencing. Regional Campus Tutors (engaged in face learners have to depend on ICT services. Though in the early years the audio to face counselling through regional The University is promoting education in medium was popular, but over the period, centres and study centres) and iii) Cyber such a way that the students sitting at this medium has lost its popularity from Tutors (engaged in academic guidance distance do not feel that they are isolated 57% to 10%. Now-a-days the multimedia and management of Internet lectures from their peers and feel comfortable with is more attractive than any other forms of through Internet lecture site). The the support services. media. The Centre for Lifelong Education University has amentoring system for is also taking the benefit of Internet for its students. A senior experienced student Note: The case study is based on the project delivery of courses. All the multimedia acts as a mentor for helping new students carried out under the AAOU Staff Exchange contents are available on LOD. One of the in distance education. Fellowship programme in 2010. advantages of multimedia is that it is interactive and students can check their Student Welfare Reference: progress by giving feedback, as it contains self-check question banks. To establish a student friendly school Dirr, P.J. (1999). Putting Principles into environment through autonomous Practice: Promoting effective support services The web lectures (Video+PPT) are found for students in distance learning programme- A activities and self management the report. Denver: Western Cooperative for to be the most helpful and the students university maintains Nationwide Student Educational Telecommunications. often solve their own problems. The Union, Regional Student Union and KNOU graduate school is 100% online. Nationwide Student Club Association. It Anirban Ghosh is Assistant Professor at Though lectures are delivered online, is observed that those who are involved Netaji Subhas Open University, Kolkata, workshops and seminars are conducted in club activities show higher academic India. He can be reached at offline at different regional centres of achievement and are less likely to give up [email protected] KNOU to facilitate the learning process. their study. It is also analyzed that most

15 NCERT and Prof. Janaki Rajan, of Jamia Regional Round Up Millia Islamia. Another panel discussion was on “Vocational Education and Skill Development”, chaired by Ms. Fancy Education for all: Amey, Director, Learner Support, Role of Open Botswana College of Distance and Open Learning (BOCODOL), Botswana. The Schooling moderator for the session was Mr. Joshua Mallet, Director, CENDLOS, Ghana. The A 3-day International Conference panellists were Dr. Joginder S. Sodhi, Shri on “Education for all: Role of Ram Centre for Industrial Relations, Open Schooling” was organized Human Resources, Economic & Social by National Institute of Open Development, New Delhi; Ms. Ankita Schooling (NIOS) which was held Mishra Bundela, Dy. Secretary, Ministry on March 13-15, 2013 at IDSA, of Human Resource Development Rao Tula Ram Marg, New Delhi, (MHRD), Govt. of India, New Delhi; and India. The conference was Dr. K.P. Wasnik, Director (Vocational supported by Commonwealth of Education), NIOS, NOIDA.The third panel Learning (COL), Vancouver, discussion was on “Institutional Related Canada, United Nations Abhiyan (Education for All) and how it Issues and Operational Strategies”, which Population Fund (UNFPA) India, and means that secondary education must was chaired by Prof. M.M. Pant, Former Intel. Spread over three days the also become universal. He felt that open Pro-Vice Chancellor, IGNOU. The conference involved six keynote schooling has significant role to play in speakers were Prof. M.N. Deshmukh, addresses, delivered by world renowned achieving the target of Education for All. educationists of India and abroad, three Former Director, SSA, IGNOU; Dr. R.C. Panel Discussions and seventy papers Keynote addresses were delivered by Ms. Sharma, IGNOU, New Delhi; Dr. Kuldeep presented in eleven sessions. The Frances Ferreira, Dr. Sugata Mitra, Dr. Agarwal, Director (Academic), NIOS, conference was attended by more than Vinod Raina, Prof. Shyam Menon, Prof. Delhi; and Sh. S.K. Prasad, SAP, NIOS. 200 delegates and guests from nearly Santosh Panda, and Prof. (Dr.) Mukti Ms. Fredricka Meijer, UNFPA twenty countries from all over the world. Mishra. A panel discussion on “Issues of Access and Equity” was chaired by Fr. Representative India and Country Dr. M.M. Pallam Raju, Hon’ble Minister, T.V. Kunnunkal, Founder Chairman, NIOS, Director Bhutan was the Chief Guest for Human Resource Development, Govt. of and moderated by Ms. Lystra Sampson the Valedictory Programme. Sh. U.N. India inaugurated the event. Sh. R. Ovid, Trinidad & Tobago. The panellists Khaware, Secretary, NIOS delivered the Bhattacharya, Secretary, Ministry of were Prof. Usha Nayar, Professor (Retd.), vote of thanks. Human Resource Development (MHRD), Govt. of India was the Guest of Honour. Dr. S.S. Jena, Chairman, NIOS welcomed the delegates and emphasized the need to work relentlessly to ensure Right to Education (RTE) in letter and spirit. Ms. Frances Ferreira conveyed that COL is proud to partner with NIOS and MHRD. She stated that the conference allows ODL stakeholders to share, consult and collaborate, and she congratulated NIOS for organising the conference. Dr. Pallam Raju released the Framework of Recognition of Prior Learning during the event. While speaking on the occasion he outlined the success of Sarv Shikha

16 the 21st Century. Shri Prasada laid stress conference discussed quality concerns IDEA 2013 on the need for the education sector to and best practices in open and distance learning, social networking and Indian Distance Education Association meet the increasing demands from all collaborative learning, learners’ support (IDEA) organised the IDEA-2013 stakeholders and also emphasised the and learning communities, user friendly International Conference at the Maulana need to educate for employment and Azad National Open University empowerment, providing access and technologies, research and (MANUU) on April 5 - 7, 2013. About equity to serve as a support mechanism development, capacity building, 200 delegates, including representatives for the disadvantaged groups. language barriers, women in ODL etc. Prof. V. S. Prasad, presented Prof. G. Ram from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and The main objectives of the conference Reddy Memorial Lecture, on “The Bangladesh participated in the were to share ideas, information and Disconnect between Dharma and Karma conference.The Conference took off to a experiences on different issues, methods th in Indian ODL”. stimulating start on 5 of April 2013 with and technologies for quality assurance, the inauguration of the event by Shri standardization and delivery of education Jitin Prasada, Hon’ble Minister for State beyond boarders. Under the theme for HRD, Govt of India. He highlighted “Disseminating Learning, Diminishing (Report by Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed I. Patel) the role of open and distance learning in Borders - ODL in 21st Century” the

Book Review Open Educational Resources: An Asian Perspective GAJARAJ DHANARAJAN and DAVID PORTER (Eds), Commonwealth of Learning, Vancouver, 2013, pp. xvii, 274, ISBN 978-1-894975-61-2 (pbk)

By Dr. S. K. Pulist different case studies undertaken on OER movements in higher education The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is institutions in the Asian region. leading the Open Educational Resources (OER) movement across the globe. While The development of OER activities in its main thrust is on ‘learning for Asian region is presented in this volume development’, it uses OER to increase from different perspectives. The book is access to quality learning resources. The divided into three main parts - ‘Overview’, book under review, jointly published by ‘Country Perspectives’ and ‘Case quality and equity’. However, they are COL and OER Asia, with support from Studies’, further sub-divided into 20 concerned about the knowledge, effective Wawasan Open University (WOU), Chapters in all. Each Chapter shares an use and policy provisions with regard to Malaysia and International Development exclusive experience with the readers. The OER. While Chapter 1 presents the Research Centre (IDRC), Canada provides ‘Overview’ by Dhanarajan and current status of OER initiatives and a comprehensive overview of country Abeywardena presents the current development in the mainland China, reports from China, Hong Kong, India, scenario on OER in the Asian region. The Chapter 2 presents result of a survey Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, authors see the OER movement as a ‘way conducted in Hong Kong on the Pakistan, Philippines and Vietnam and ten of addressing the dual challenge of development and use of OER. In Chapter

17 3 the authors highlight the steps taken by adopted the approach of developing self- 19 shares the policies and practices the Indian Government in popularization contained course material. In Chapter 12, adopted and followed taking advantage of OER as a movement while discussing the authors analyse the OER efforts made of ‘emerging technologies’ at different the overview of higher education in the at the International Crops Research phases of development of OER at the country. Chapter 4 discusses the Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics Open University of Hong Kong. Chapter prospects and challenges in promotion of (ICRISAT) through the Virtual Academy 20 discusses the genesis of OER at the OER in Indonesia, and Chapter 5 for the Semi-Arid Tropics (VASAT). Beijing Open University, China and its presents a report on the OER in Japan. Chapter 13 presents the status of collaboration with ‘iTunes U’ to Chapter 6 focuses on the OER initiatives different OER projects launched in conceptualize, develop and share the OER in Korea and discusses different barriers Philippines in different times such as content with the rest of the world. in use of OER and necessary measures ‘WikiPilipinas’, ‘Filipiniana.net’, The OER movement is slowly gaining which would help the country in ‘Philippine online Chronicles’ and ‘E- momentum across the world. Different promoting the development and sharing turo’. These projects are launched under institutions are at different stages of of OER with the rest of the world. the aegis of “The Vibal Foundation” conceptualization and development of funded by Vibal Publishing House, Inc. The OER awareness in Malaysia is OER. While some have welcomed the spreading now and the higher education Chapter 14 and 15 present two cases move appreciating its capabilities to institutions feel the need of intensifying from India. While the former is the internationalise education and provide this movement. Chapter 7 highlights that narration of the process of quality ‘education for all’ at affordable for want of a concrete policy on OER at conceptualization, development, use, cost, others support the move but are national level, the institutions are yet to evaluation and re-use of the OER hesitant to be open to the world with their make full use of OER as a ‘mainstream’ repository in University of Madras, the resources. In many cases, the institutions practice in Malaysia. Chapter 8 discusses latter presents the findings of a case have started digitizing their content which the development and use of OER at the study done on the ‘digital repository’ is the first step in the direction of creating Virtual University of Pakistan, and developed at Indira Gandhi National Open an OER repository. The book is a rich identifies enablers and barriers in its University, India under the ‘e-Gyankosh’ resource of stories showcasing the status promotion. In Chapter 9, authors present initiative. Chapter 16 discusses the of the OER in different institutions and the findings of a study on OER in countries in Asian region. It truly process of creation of Korean Open Philippines Higher Education system. presents the Asian perspective on OER Courseware (KOCW) which aims at Chapter 10 presents that institutions in movement. The ideas, status reports and increasing the public access to college Vietnam have participated in the OER survey results presented by the authors lectures. movement. However, ‘traditional teaching indicate that the OER movement in Asia is habits, indifferent attitude and absence of Chapter 17 presents the National still in the nascent stage and requires ‘sharing culture’ among others have Programme on Technology Enhanced policy development and capacity proved to be obstacles in open and liberal Learning (NPTEL) that focusses on building. The Book is a rich source of use of OER in the country. Chapter 11 improving the quality of undergraduate information on OER for planners, policy discusses the development process, and postgraduate curricula of Engineering makers, teachers and researchers. licensing issues, institutional policy and Technology programmes in India issues and advantages connected to the through OER route. Chapter 18 peeps development of OER application entitled into the activities organised by the Dr. S. K. Pulist is Deputy Director at “TCC242/05 Web Database Application” ‘Teachers’ Online Forum’ at the IGNOU, New Delhi. He can be reached in Wawasan Open University, which has Universitas Terbuka Indonesia. Chapter at [email protected]

Dear readers,

EduComm Asia is your newsletter of useful ideas, views and information. From one issue to the next, we aim to strengthen the newsletter. The best way to do so is by keeping content diverse. You can help us to do so by becoming a contributor. Write to us about educational media news and other events that you would like to see in the newsletter. All contributions shall be duly acknowledged and appreciated. - EduComm Asia

18 landholding and crops produced to SMART Tips provide a holistic picture. Some information about the local customs, festivals and leisure time activities of the Listeners’ Profile for Community Radio listeners may also be elicited. An understanding of the general health By Kiron Bansal scenario in the village such as common health problems, medical facilities available, maternal and child health care, Successful Media and Research Techniques (SMART) Tips is a section where we mortality rates, and population growth discuss useful aspects of research and learning. One of the issues faced by patterns reveal ground realities and aid in Community Radio Stations is to understand their listeners and how to meet their programming. needs. Dr. Bansal presents here a simple way to prepare Listerners’Profile. Sample Selection

Community Radio (CR) is people’s radio collected, which group of population to At this stage, you need to decide whether which reflects the hopes, needs and be studied and which method will be the entire village has to be covered or a aspirations of communities in a appropriate for data collection. Plan to representative sample from the population geographical area and provides a forum to collect data to understand who the would suffice. The normal reach of a CRS share their views, problems and concerns. community members are, what is their is within the radius of 10-15 KMs. Research input is required for various demographic profile in terms of Considering this surveying all the purposes such as identifying the location distribution of age groups, gender, family households in the villages covered in the of a Community Radio Station (CRS), type and size, educational levels, range is difficult. Therefore, you may like preparing listeners’ profile, undertaking languages spoken, type of housing, to do a stratified random sampling based needs assessment, content planning and occupation and income levels, etc? on caste and gender of the people in all programming, and eliciting audience the villages within the range of the CRS. feedback to facilitate continuous ... surveying all the households Survey is the most commonly used improvement in the programme delivery. in the villages covered in the quantitative method which aims to gather For any CRS, it is extremely important to range is difficult. Therefore, data from many respondents and have a good understanding of the you may like to do a stratified generalize results from a smaller sample to listeners. Listeners’ profile aims to random sampling based on larger population. Questionnaires/ represent their socio-demographic profile, caste and gender of the people Interview Schedules comprise tools of data collection for survey method. In media habits and utilization patterns to in all the villages within the produce programmes that are need-based, contrast with Questionnaires which are range of the CRS relevant and interesting. Since CR posted (through regular mail/email) and Stations follow participatory approaches need to be filled-in by the respondents, The profile needs to cover issues relating and their dynamics are different from interview schedule has been found more to media access and habits, for example other media forms, the medium requires useful in collecting data from rural, access to newspapers, radio, television; illiterate/semi-literate respondents as it specific approaches to data collection. In the ownership patterns – are these allows the researcher to build rapport with this SMART Tips section, we shall focus available at home or community centres or respondents and explain the questions, if on preparation of listeners’ profile using any other place? What are the utilization needed. The schedule can be filled-in survey method for which the steps patterns – how often do they listen to quickly and the data obtained is involved are planning, sample selection, radio/watch television, use mobile phone, comparable, hence easier to analyze. The designing interview schedule, response rate of schedules is higher as administering the schedule and data etc. It is also useful to ascertain the type compared to questionnaires. However, the analysis and reporting. of folk media available and their usage in the community. researcher needs to visit each household which can be time consuming, at times Planning The researcher may also collect people may not be available and those At the planning stage you need to information relating to the historical available may be reluctant to answer the consider what information are to be background, geographical factors, climate, questions.

19 Designing Interview Schedule their cooperation. He/She should fill in all Don’ts the columns and ensure that the schedule Interview schedule needs to be designed • Include ‘leading’ or ‘loaded’ is complete in all respects and thank the with care and requires time and efforts. A questions respondents for their time and well-designed schedule is easy to contribution. Explaining anonymity of the Include ambiguous questions as understand, has a flow comprising both • responses is an important aspect of they will yield ambiguous data close-ended and open-ended questions. building rapport to elicit response. Closed-ended questions allow the • Include questions which require respondents to select an answer from the unreasonable effort to answer Data Analysis and Reporting list of options, are simpler to answer, offer uniformity in responses and can be easily Once all the filled in schedules are quantified, hence easier to process as If an interview schedule is to be collected, the data is processed and compared to open-ended questions. administered in Hindi/regional language, interpreted to draw findings. The However, while designing them the then either it should be developed in the numerical data is expressed in frequency researcher has to list all possible range of same language or translated as while and percentages and the findings are responses. Different types of closed- administering the schedule, the researcher presented in a report in textual and tabular ended questions such as limited choice, is likely to add/omit information leading to forms, interspersed with graphs and multiple choice, rating scales and ranking disparity in responses. The Schedule charts. The main purpose of the report is scales may be used in the schedule. then has to be pre-tested to identify gaps to help the CRS understand its listeners, and ensure clarity and based on the hence it is written in simple, easy to read In addition, some open-ended questions feedback, the schedule is finalized. manner devoid of technical jargon. The may be included to elicit qualitative data and the simplest form of open-ended question relate to the inclusion of ‘why’ and ‘how’ to offer scope for detailed responses. Such questions are useful to elicit data on beliefs and opinions and also when researcher is not sure of the entire range of possible responses. However, at the analysis stage detailed responses are relatively difficult to process and interpret. Here are some do’s and don’ts of designing a schedule:

Do’s • Use simple, easy to understand language • Keep sentences short and to the point • Keep in view the level of Administering Interview Schedule report serves as a baseline data for various purposes to make the CRS more education and knowledge of the For administering the schedule, the responsive to the audience needs. respondents respondents may be met at casual Experience has revealed that it is useful to • Proceed in a logical order - from settings such as chaupal (public place), involve those engaged in production from general to specific, simple to community centres or even the CRS. the beginning for greater acceptance and complex Women members may be met at homes, utilization of the report. • Ask one information in a question farms and similar spaces where they feel comfortable to give information without • Define certain terms to remove inhibitions. At the outset, the researcher ambiguity. Dr. Kiron Bansal is Associate Professor at the should introduce himself/herself and School of Journalism & New Media Studies, • Ask only those questions which convey the purpose of data collection -- Indira Gandhi National Open University and are relevant to the study why the information is being collected at present is Director I/c of the School. She can objectives. and how it will be used and request for be reached at [email protected]

20 prompts prospective users to earn them. Technology Tracking The earner sends the badge to their Backpack. The badge becomes portable through the Issuer API which provides Mozilla Open Badges script to present the earner with a dialog that requests their consent to add the By Sanjaya Mishra issuer’s badge(s) to their Backpack. Issuer can also push badges to the Mozilla Baking Service. This is Assessment of learner only necessary if the issuer wants performance is one of the most the earner to have the ability to important aspects of the store badges outside of the OBI. education system to certify Otherwise badge baking is handled knowledge and skills for the through the Issuer API. Earners employment market. The current can share their badges through system of student evaluation is their Backpack and grant the most rigid and inflexible one in permission for a particular site to the contemporary education display that collection of badges. system. Despite the advancement Displayers authenticate badges in technology, it is a difficult task with the Issuer using the to authenticate a certificate issued verification check. by an educational institution. Today, due to high speed of Open Badge Anatomy (CC-BY-SA, Class Hack) http:// While anyone can earn badges and change in the employment market classhack.com/post/45364649211/open-badge-anatomy-updated require access to Internet and and need for diversified skills, email, issuing organizations need to have the following: employees need to update and upgrade MOBI is based on open standard that themselves while in service. Online allows combining multiple badges from education and training has therefore different issuers. This is a free software • Issuers must have web server become common. If as an educational that can be used by any organization to capable of serving requests to the provider, you are thinking of providing issue badges. More than 600 general Internet. training and certification online that can organizations ranging from schools to • Issuers must have hosting ability. be checked for authentication by universities and non-profits to companies • Issuers must have ability to make a prospective employers, and the learners are already using Open Badges for their POST request from their server themselves can use the certificate to be training programmes. backend and read a JSON displayed in their online CVs, then Lots of learning happens outside the four response. Mozilla Open Badges is the perfect walls of a classroom, and in an open • Issuers must have email addresses solution for you. badge framework, an institution can even for earners and must be able to A digital badge is an online certificate on organize these into badges. What it email earners. the skills acquired by an individual. enables is to organize evidence based • Issuers must have badges (or be Mozilla Open Badge Infrastructure assessment, and certify skills by able to convert their badges) into (MOBI) gives a framework to earn, issue providing a visual insignia that can be the format (metadata spec) that the and display skills earned in an online used in websites as well as printed CVs to Assertion expects. environment. With MOBI you can earn demonstrate that an individual has a badges for skills you learn online and particular skill set. Implications of Open Badges offline, give recognition for things you The software uses an identity teach in an organization, and show your management system, information on the What you as reader of EduComm Asia badges in your online and offline CV. badge, and the data about the skills can do? You can take the advantage, and Open Badges allows you to verify skills, acquired. An issuing organization or earn several badges available on interests and achievements through a individual makes a badge or series of educational technology and related areas. credible process in an organization. The badges available on a website and This means, Open Badges can reflect

21 your additional skills, and enrich your CV. Badges are already implemented in major If you are a teacher or trainer, you can Learning Management Systems like think of offering badges for your training Canvas and Moodle. The Moodle 2.5 has programmes using the MOBI. What does MOBI in-inbuilt to help design courses this mean? Overall, the Open Badges offering learners to earn badges. Badges creates a new ecosystem for certification create a scenario that facilitates openness of skills by any one. While certification in assessment of student learning. Now has been a monopoly of educational with Open Badges, assessment is open, institutions, education and training through Open Badges to be earned. modular, visible, authenticated and activities are performed in a variety of Multiple badges earned by individuals searchable. can be displayed at one place to develop organizations and contexts. These can See http://www.openbadges.org/ offer badges that can be then accredited a portfolio that can be seen by by certifying agencies. Skill development prospective employers. Learning programmes can be taken up by anyone becomes continuous, and certification This presentation is prepared from who has a mastery and offer to others can be modular, and need-based. Open various sources by Sanjaya Mishra, PhD

editing feature allows the presenter/ Software Review moderator to edit the unwanted video scenes from a recording. Another improvement in this software is support A-VIEW (Amrita Virtual Interactive for multi-bitrate streaming for ‘High Definition’ and ‘Low Latency’. Thus the E-Learning World) attendees can select low, medium or high Reviewed by Ramesh C. Sharma bitrate stream of the presenter based on the bandwidth available to them. The developers have taken care of security Introduction distance education is available for free to feature too. The face recognition feature use basis. It can run successfully on allows authenticated login once the user E-Learning in India received a boost from multiple platforms like Windows, registers face through the application. the recommendations of the National Macintosh, Linux, iPADs, Mobile devices Knowledge Commission, which identified like Android phones and tablets. The A-VIEW has useful features for teachers five key areas - access to knowledge, recent update version 3.5 allows up to 8 in the form of live Quiz (where the knowledge concepts, knowledge creation, attendees to have video interaction with attendees can see their results), polling to knowledge application and knowledge the presenter along with audio with many. obtain feedback on a topic or issue during services, transforming India into a discussion, allowing attendees to pose knowledge society. Various eLearning Users can have a private chat with presenter or moderator, in addition to questions through question interface, and solutions, services and platforms are application sharing for training or available to students, teachers and asking questions in general chat tab. One troubleshooting purposes. The teacher is institutions. A-VIEW is one of such of the main features of A-VIEW is to further allowed for collaborative interactive multimedia e-learning platforms record the session. The viewers can then synchronized sharing of 2D and 3D which has been developed as a part of see it from the library archives. animations and Videos. “Talk to a Teacher” programme under the PowerPoint animations are supported in Indian Government’s National Mission for this version. The functionality Education using Information and of whiteboard allows for Communication Technology (NMEICT) managing text and drawings. by Amrita E-Learning Research Lab, The presenter can do video Kerala, India in association with IIT sharing, desktop sharing and Bombay. document sharing. The videos can be uploaded in mp4/flv Technical aspects formats, in addition to sharing a A-VIEW, a versatile e-learning tool for YouTube link. The video

22 ISSN 0972-284X Potential to teach masses services themselves at present. A-VIEW is very suitable for teaching to • In the classroom interface there are large classes (can be a good platform for two windows, one for chat and other for questions. These may be teaching as a MOOC – Massive Open integrated to improve usability. Online Course). Its interface is very simple is normally published quarterly by and thus even non-tech persons can • The older recordings available in library sometime give problem in Commonwealth Educational Media Centre easily use A-VIEW to teach or attend for Asia (CEMCA). sessions by others. loading or running. • It needs good bandwidth at the CEMCA, a regional centre of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Educational Reach / teacher end to teach courses with graphical content. Vancouver, Canada, is an international Implementation of A-VIEW agency. Classroom • Provision of uploading files / content by the user be made so that (say in the CEMCA’s mission is to promote the A-VIEW is being used not only in India form of assignment) teaching and meaningful, relevant and appropriate use of ICTs to serve the educational and training but many other institutions over the globe learning can be made interactive. like Radbound University, Netherlands; needs of Commonwealth member states of Asia. For more information, University of Texas at Dallas, USA; End-note University of California, Los Angeles; visit us at: Oakland University, USA; Carnegie A-VIEW is getting popular among the 13/14, Sarv Priya Vihar Mellon University, USA; Athabasca institutions due to its capabilities of New Delhi 110 016 India University, Canada; etc. In India more attending to large number of students, please call us at: than 350 universities and around 1000 technical features and governmental 0091 11 2653 7146 colleges are taking benefit of this e- support. The team from A-VIEW provides 0091 11 2653 7148 learning tool to connect qualified experts full support in terms of hardware like 0091 11 2651 6681 to the students. video camera, speakers, microphone and Our Fax No. is laptop computer to the teacher 0091 11 2653 7147 How to use A-VIEW conducting a session. It is hoped that or visit our website: future updates of the software will http://www.cemca.org.in In order to teach or attend sessions, we address some of the current challenges. e-mail: admin[at]cemca[dot]org[dot]in need to install A-VIEW. (Download from Considering the fact that it is supported Editor-in-Chief http://aview.in/index). We need a by Govt of India, it would make sense to Sanjaya Mishra, PhD computer / laptop with Internet release A-VIEW as Open Source Software connection, a web-cam or a video camera, (with downloadable source code), thereby Editorial Assistance and headset/speakers/microphone. helping to create a community of Deepali Tyagi developers around the software who can Kastoori Barua Challenges upgrade and support the same at user Layout organizations. It is also important because There are some areas which need to be Sabyasachi Panja the government support for software attended to by the A-VIEW team: development will not be there forever, and Printed and Published by • To make use of this platform, one need the software to remain up-to-date and R. Thyagarajan For and on behalf of CEMCA to download the software (around 50 competitive requires a business model MB), this may be a challenge at places around Open Source to remain Printed at with low bandwidth. Web-based sustainable for the user organizations. Anil Offset & Packaging hosted service that does not require New Delhi download would be a better option to http://aview.in/ users. You are welcome to reproduce or translate http://aview.amrita.ac.in/ any material in this newsletter. Please credit • To schedule a class, A-VIEW team us appropriately and send a copy of the need to be contacted, thus a teacher or reproduced material for our information. Dr. Ramesh C. Sharma is Deputy Director user cannot schedule a class on his or The views expressed in the articles are those at the Defence Unit of Indira Gandhi her own. This reduces usability of the of the authors and not necessarily that of the software by an institution and creates National Open University, New Delhi. He publisher. Products mentioned in the dependency on the A-VIEW team. can be reached at newsletter are only for information and do Thus, institutions cannot host the [email protected] not mean endorsement by CEMCA or COL.

23 PCF7: Empowerment & Forthcoming Events Transformation

The theme of COL’s 27th Annual Conference of the 63rd Annual Conference of Seventh Pan- Asian Association of Open International Council for Commonwealth Universities Education Media Forum on Open Learning (PCF7, 2 – 6 Conference Theme: December 2013 in Abuja, Nigeria) is Open Leveraging the Power Learning for Development: Towards of Open and Distance Empowerment and Transformation. Education for PCF7’s co-host, the Federal Ministry of Building a Divergent ICEM 2013 1-4 October 2013, Nanyang Education, Nigeria, and the lead partner World - Today’s Technological University, Singapore institution, the National Open University Solutions and of Nigeria (NOUN) are working to make Tomorrow’s Vision For more information: the conference fruitful within the context Website: http://icem2013.ntu.edu.sg/ 01-04 October 2013, Islamabad, Pakistan. of development in Africa. For more information, contact: E-LEARN 2013 - World For more information, see: AAOU 2013 Conference Secretariat http://www.pcf7.net Room-8, Block-7, Conference on E-Learning in Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, Corporate, Government, Pakistan. Healthcare & Higher Education International Malaysian Email:[email protected] Educational Technology Web site: http://overseas.aiou.edu.pk/ Convention, aaou.asp 7th, Bandung, Indonesia. September 25th ICDE World Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada: October 21-25, 2013 16-18, 2013. China For more information, see: Web site: http://www.aace.org/conf/ For more information, see: elearn/ http://imetc2013.yolasite.com/

The 25th ICDE World Conference will be hosted by Tianjin Open University, China, on 16-18 October 2013. International Conference on For more information, contact: Conference Theme: New Strategies for Digital Libraries (ICDL2013) Global Open, Flexible and Distance ICDL 2013 Secretariat 27-29 November 2013, New Delhi, India. Learning The Energy and Resources Institute The international conference on digital For more information, contact: (TERI) libraries will have conference India Habitat Centre Complex, Lodhi The 25th ICDE World Conference presentations, workshops and tutorials Road, Organizing Committee on a range of topics of interest to New Delhi-110003, India Tianjin Open University librarians and academics. The Tel: +91 11 24682100 or 41504900, No.1 Yingshui Road, Nankai District, Commonwealth Educational Media 24644654 (Direct) Tianjin 300191, P.R. China Centre (CEMCA) is one of the Fax: 24682144 Tel: +86 22 23679937 associates of the event to support Email: [email protected] Fax: +86 22 23678502 participants from the Commonwealth Website: www.teriin.org/events/icdl Email: [email protected] Asian countries.

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