Journal of Learning for Development - JL4D
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From Learning to Empowerment: A study of smallholder farmers in South West Uganda
No full textThe relationship between education and empowerment has been widely debated in development literature. In recent times, social capital and community-centric learning have been increasingly recognized as important variables in the empowerment process. This paper outlines the development of a Three-dimensional Framework for Empowerment, and looks at the relationship between a community-centric learning process and empowerment in selected villages in Uganda. Based on a comparative study of two villages, the paper evaluates the role of the Lifelong Learning for Farmers (L3F) programme, developed and supported by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), in empowering farming communities. The study shows that the integration of human capital (viewed purely from learning, knowledge acquisition, reflective practices, skills and competencies) social capital and financial capital, has a positive impact on development outcomes such as empowerment
Book Review: Education and International Development: theory, practice and issues by Clive Harber
No full textOpen and Distance Learning and Information and Communication Technologies- Implications on Formal and Non formal Education.
No full textThe Population; female (% of total) in Kenya was last reported at 50.05 in 2011, according to a World Bank report published in 2012. Despite this higher percentage, women in Kenya are not well represented in education and training compared to their male counter parts (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics: Kenya Facts and Figures 2012 student enrolment by type of institution and sex). The need to empower girls and women through education is vital to achieve the Bill of Rights (Constitution of Kenya, 2010). Use of Information and communication technologies (ICT) for Open and distance learning (ODL) are some of the initiatives that seek to gap the gender parity in education in Kenya. In establishing the implications of ICT and ODL on girl and women education in Kenya, this paper seeks to: a) examine the current policies that supports the use of ICTs in formal and non formal education in Kenya, b) assess the objectives and strategies to facilitate widespread use of ICTs and how they affect girls and women Education in Kenya; c) assess the Implementation of policy objectives and strategies in support of ICTs and ODL for girls and women Education, d) Identify priority areas for implementation of ODL initiatives for women and Girls Education in Kenya; e) State lessons drawn from the ICT and ODL initiatives for girl and women Education ; f) propose strategies for addressing the challenges for implementation of ODL and ICT for girl and Women Education in Kenya. Literature provides very informative findings in support of ICT and ODL for Gender. A number of policies and initiatives are operating in Kenya to ensure ICT and ODL are fully maximized by both Genders. However, the said policies and initiatives have not fully achieved the objectives for which ICT and ODL ought to be implemented. There is need to factor in women and Girls in a curriculum development strategy concerning ICT and ODL
A Discourse Analysis of Teacher-Trainees’ Abstract Conceptualizations of Emerging Technologies in Teaching to Revitalise Luganda Language
No full textWhile many young learners of the 21st century have grown up with, and generally prefer to learn using Emerging Technologies (ETs), a few teachers of Luganda language graduate with learning experiences of integrating ETs in their teaching. One of the most crucial stages of gaining experiences in any subject or object of interest is making Abstract Conceptualizations (ACs) about it (Kolb, 1984). Whereas scaffolding ACs has potential to expand teacher’s knowledge of integrating ETs in teaching, it is difficult to enact in a pedagogically sound manner. This paper emerges from a Design Based Research in which 68 Luganda language teacher-trainees at Makerere University were enrolled into a semester-long (17 weeks) blended learning course aimed at cultivating their experiences of integrating ETs in teaching. The study was informed by Kolb (1984)’s Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) and Reeves (2006)’s model of conducting research in authentic e-learning contexts. Six distinct abstract conceptualisations of ETs emerged from trainees’ responses. This paper discusses the implications of such abstract conceptualization in the revitalisation of Luganda language
Developing Multimedia Enhanced Content to Upgrade Science and Mathematics Subject Content Knowledge of Secondary School Teachers in Tanzania
No full textThe failure rates and lack of interest amongst students in science and mathematics in secondary schools in Tanzania is a serious problem. The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT) implemented the project to enhance and upgrade the pedagogical knowledge and subject content knowledge of teachers in selected difficult topics in science and mathematics at secondary education. This article reports on the process involved in the development of multimedia enhanced content that involved teachers, facilitators, and technical staff. The developed content was evaluated for its satisfaction using a sample of 72 experts that included teachers and instructors after using the content for 10 days. Generally, respondents were satisfied with the quality of the developed multimedia enhanced content. However, accuracy had minimum percentage of users’ satisfaction with 37%. This shows that the majority of the content had spelling and grammatical errors that were supposed to be corrected before producing the final product. Although this is ongoing work, we believe that the lessons learned from our efforts can be useful to similar organizations planning to develop multimedia enhanced content for educational purposes.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Skill Deficit: The Role of Open Distance Learning (ODL)
No full textSkills acquisition is vital for any economy to compete and grow, particularly in an era of economic and technological change. Skill needs are widespread in most developing countries , including India . Vocational Education and Training (VET) is a direct means of providing workers with skills more relevant to the evolving needs and equitable but must be linked directly to industry needs and requirements. Skilling India may be the biggest challenge facing the country today. Training half a billion people by 2022 is the most ambitious goal ever set by any country in the field of education and training. On the other hand in India there are millions of people who have considerable level of skill in a particular area but they do not have any form of certification to testify their existing skills, as a result they are unable to use this to progress further for training or improved employment. Hence, there is need for a credit and qualifications framework against which individuals' skills could be mapped. Recognition of Prior Learning ( RPL) is a new concept for India. Presently no system is designed for assessment and certification of RPL.The Indian Government vide its executive orders notified the National Qualifications Education Framework, ( NVEQF) and assigned the task of assessment and certification of RPL for skills at the lower level of occupations mostly engaged in the unorganized sector to Open Schooling and along with the Industry through Sector Skills councils( SSC) . Recognition of Prior Learning is a crucial area in open and distance learning system. Given the magnitude of the skill development challenge, Recognition of prior learning enables effective and maximum utilization of human resources. Hence can be considered as a ‘tool’.This paper will portray the framework developed and discuss the issues related to the implementation of this RPL Framework in the diverse country like India. Key words ; Recognition of Prior Learning, skill deficit ,Sector Skills Council
Department Involvement in Instructional Materials Development for ODL Study at the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU)
No full textThe teaching and designing of modules at Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) is the principal responsibility of a single body of teaching staff although some authors and content reviewers could be sourced from elsewhere if human resources are not available in ZOU. This survey, through a case study, examines the involvement of lecturers and staff in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies in instructional materials development for open and distance learning (ODL). The study inquired into the time Lecturers spent on module development and writing, their levels of satisfaction with the materials they would have produced, their preferences with regard to teaching and instructional materials development strategies, and their views on how the process of instructional materials development at the university can be improved. The study found out that there is need for more time for materials development, better coordination and planning, greater consultation among colleagues, and adequate support services in instructional materials development for ODL to improve on the quality of modules. The department should be fully involved in instructional materials design and development to be effectively familiar with the ODL mode of learning and the students for whom the materials are intended. There is need for course writers (designers), prior to developing instructional materials, to be allowed to spend time in the regional centres which are located in the ten geo-political regions of Zimbabwe so that they become familiar with the local learning context. One of the main recommendations is that there is need for course writers and content reviewers as well as editors to always undergo constant training in ODL and instructional materials development for ODL
Experiential Learnings Revised
No full textThe proposition is challenged that experience and learning are separate. It is argued that all experience is necessarily learning, and that any object of experience may disclose unlimited learnings in both extent and profundity. The implications of these claims are examined for teaching and learning, for the openness of the academy and for social justice
Curriculum Transaction in NIOS: Overcoming the Limitations of Packaged Instructions
No full textLow learning outcomes of Indian schools and the promotion of rote learning by their instructional systems have been documented time and again. Schools are therefore required to adopt India’s National Curriculum Framework (NCF) (2005) that includes guidelines for curriculum transaction. However, the learning outcomes and the kind of learning likely to be promoted by the instructional system of open schools of India, including the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) remain excluded from these deliberations. So these two aspects of NIOS have been examined and it has been inferred that the learning outcomes are unsatisfactory; the instructional system is not designed for meaningful learning; and the self learning material used for delivering instructions is a barrier to the adoption of the NCF guidelines. Thereafter it has been proposed that the personal contact programme (PCP) is the only component of the instructional system of NIOS that will lend itself to the adoption of the NCF guidelines, provided it is designed suitably. Subsequently a PCP design based on the NCF directives for organising instructional processes has been suggested
The Jeffrey Town Model for Community Development
No full textAbstract:The Jeffrey Town model for community development has been effectively applied to the rural community of Jeffrey Town in Jamaica with ICT as a key element. The farmers association is the vehicle that has driven the change.Included is a brief outline of the community plus highlights of the tangible and intangible components of the model. Special attention is paid to the investment in the human capital to help build capacity of all locals without exploitation so that real empowerment could begin. Jeffrey Town is a success story validating the modern development assistance programmes whereby communities are empowered, allowed to select their own imperatives and in this case redressing some of those difficulties with superb results