BibTex RIS Cite

Coming Out of the Darkness of The Past

Year 2006, Volume: 7 Issue: 4, 86 - 94, 01.12.2006

Abstract

Technology is helping to reduce the education gap between developed countries and those that are still developing. The following article gives one example of an innovative teacher training project where a western university, in Rome, Italy, is selflessly showing their African counterparts, in rural Rwanda, how to become fully autonomous in training their future generations. Schrum and Hong (2002) state that “learners throughout the world are demanding educational opportunities in an ‘anytime and anywhere’ format and institutions are responding by devoting substantial resources to develop online distance learning.” This assertion is fast becoming the reality in every corner of the globe where the teaching profession is using technology to bring education to people and places that might never have imagined receiving its benefits little more than a decade ago. Such examples include teachers working with blind children in Chile on “a project called Hyperstories which exposes blind children to a learning methodology that uses 3D sound interactive software to help them construct cognitive structures that represents their surrounding space” and “aims to move these disadvantaged blind children from darkness to what they call ‘aural’ vision” (Gourley, 2004). This metaphor of technology bringing people from darkness into the light can be applied to many other contexts where professionals in the field of education are giving rather than taking from the developing world and offering hope that we can indeed create a world of shared resources and international unity, rather than division, in the future. The benefits of technology are now helping to rebuild Rwanda, the beautiful ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’ and ‘Gorilla’s In The Mist’. Unfortunately, just over a decade ago, this densely populated, tropical nation became synonymous with less beautiful things such as ethnic cleansing, genocide and refugee crises. The war was bloody and divisive and further hindered an already impoverished nation’s progress. Yet, slowly this beautiful country, in the highlands of east Africa, is successfully emerging from centuries of colonial oppression and internecine fighting to take its first steps towards becoming part of the 24/7 digital age of education.

References

  • ASMAL, K. (2004). ‘Prospects, Possibilities and Perils: Distance Education’s Response to Africa’s Development Needs.’ Paper Presented at the All Africa Ministers Conference on Distance Education, 2004.
  • BADAT, S. (2004). The Diversity of Higher Educational Provision: Propositions on Distance Higher Education Policy and Regulation towards equity, access, quality and social and economic responsiveness. Paper Presented at the All Africa Ministers Conference on Distance Education, 2004.
  • GOURLEY, B. (2004). ‘The Digital Divide: Solution or Problem.’ Paper Presented at the All Africa Ministers Conference on Distance Education, 2004. Clark, R. E. (1983) in Taylor, J. (1995). Distance Education Technologies: the fourth generation. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 1995, 11 (2) 1-7.
  • COLLIS, B. and Moonen, J. (2001). ‘Flexible Learning in the Digital Age.’ Kogan Page.
  • DZVIMBO, K. B. (2004). ‘The Challenges and Potential of Distance Teaching and Open Learning in Africa: Experiences from the African Virtual University.’ Paper presented at the All-Africa Minister’s Conference on Open Learning and Distance Education, 2004.
  • GIANNINI-GACHAGO, D & Seleka, G. (2005). Experiences with international online discussions. Participation patterns of Botswana and American students in an Adult Education and Development course at the University of Botswana. International Journal of Education and Development using ICT. 1(2).
  • IM, Y. and Lee, O. (2003) Pedagogical implications of online discussion for pre-service teacher training.” Journal on Technology in Education, 36 (2).
  • ISLAM, and Selim, A., S. (2006). ‘Current Status and Prospects for E-Learning in the Promotion of Distance Education in Bangladesh.’ Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE, January 2006 Volume 7 Number 1 Article 11.
  • KENISTON, K. (2001/2002). IT for the Common Man: Lessons from India - the MN Srinivas Memorial Lecture. (December 2001) MIT. Published as a working paper 2002.
  • MASTERS, K. & Oberprieler, G. (2003). Encouraging equitable online participation through curriculum articulation. Computers and Education, No.42.
  • Motteram, G. (2001). The role of synchronous communication in fully distance education. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 17/2: 131-149.
  • Namibia’s Policy Framework for Education (2004). Toward Education for All- A development brief for education, culture and training. Namibian Government. NOBLE, D. F. (1998) Digital Diploma Mills: The Automation of Higher Education, PLEASE
  • OLAKULEIN, F. K., and Olugbenga, D. (2006). ‘Distance Education as a Women Empowerment Strategy in Africa.’ Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education–TOJDE January 2006 Volume 7 Number 1 Article 14.
  • PERRATON, H. (ed.) (1993) Distance Education for Teacher Training. London, Routledge.
  • SALMON, G. (1998). Developing learning through effective online moderation. Active Learning 9.
  • SCHRUM, L. and Hong, S. (2002). From the field: characteristics of successful tertiary online students and strategies of experienced online educators. Education and Information Technologies 7/1, 5-1.
  • TOOHEY, S. (1999). Designing Courses for higher education. In Motteram, G. (2001). The role of synchronous communication in fully distance education. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 17/2: 131-149.
  • TROLLIP, S. (2004). ‘E-learning: Elusive but attainable promises.’
  • Paper presented at the All-Africa Minister’s Conference on Open Learning and Distance Education, 2004.
  • YATES, C. (2004). Teacher Education at a Distance: Lessons and experience from Sub-Saharan Africa. Paper presented at the All-Africa Minister’s Conference on Open Learning and Distance Education, 2004.
Year 2006, Volume: 7 Issue: 4, 86 - 94, 01.12.2006

Abstract

References

  • ASMAL, K. (2004). ‘Prospects, Possibilities and Perils: Distance Education’s Response to Africa’s Development Needs.’ Paper Presented at the All Africa Ministers Conference on Distance Education, 2004.
  • BADAT, S. (2004). The Diversity of Higher Educational Provision: Propositions on Distance Higher Education Policy and Regulation towards equity, access, quality and social and economic responsiveness. Paper Presented at the All Africa Ministers Conference on Distance Education, 2004.
  • GOURLEY, B. (2004). ‘The Digital Divide: Solution or Problem.’ Paper Presented at the All Africa Ministers Conference on Distance Education, 2004. Clark, R. E. (1983) in Taylor, J. (1995). Distance Education Technologies: the fourth generation. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 1995, 11 (2) 1-7.
  • COLLIS, B. and Moonen, J. (2001). ‘Flexible Learning in the Digital Age.’ Kogan Page.
  • DZVIMBO, K. B. (2004). ‘The Challenges and Potential of Distance Teaching and Open Learning in Africa: Experiences from the African Virtual University.’ Paper presented at the All-Africa Minister’s Conference on Open Learning and Distance Education, 2004.
  • GIANNINI-GACHAGO, D & Seleka, G. (2005). Experiences with international online discussions. Participation patterns of Botswana and American students in an Adult Education and Development course at the University of Botswana. International Journal of Education and Development using ICT. 1(2).
  • IM, Y. and Lee, O. (2003) Pedagogical implications of online discussion for pre-service teacher training.” Journal on Technology in Education, 36 (2).
  • ISLAM, and Selim, A., S. (2006). ‘Current Status and Prospects for E-Learning in the Promotion of Distance Education in Bangladesh.’ Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE, January 2006 Volume 7 Number 1 Article 11.
  • KENISTON, K. (2001/2002). IT for the Common Man: Lessons from India - the MN Srinivas Memorial Lecture. (December 2001) MIT. Published as a working paper 2002.
  • MASTERS, K. & Oberprieler, G. (2003). Encouraging equitable online participation through curriculum articulation. Computers and Education, No.42.
  • Motteram, G. (2001). The role of synchronous communication in fully distance education. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 17/2: 131-149.
  • Namibia’s Policy Framework for Education (2004). Toward Education for All- A development brief for education, culture and training. Namibian Government. NOBLE, D. F. (1998) Digital Diploma Mills: The Automation of Higher Education, PLEASE
  • OLAKULEIN, F. K., and Olugbenga, D. (2006). ‘Distance Education as a Women Empowerment Strategy in Africa.’ Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education–TOJDE January 2006 Volume 7 Number 1 Article 14.
  • PERRATON, H. (ed.) (1993) Distance Education for Teacher Training. London, Routledge.
  • SALMON, G. (1998). Developing learning through effective online moderation. Active Learning 9.
  • SCHRUM, L. and Hong, S. (2002). From the field: characteristics of successful tertiary online students and strategies of experienced online educators. Education and Information Technologies 7/1, 5-1.
  • TOOHEY, S. (1999). Designing Courses for higher education. In Motteram, G. (2001). The role of synchronous communication in fully distance education. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 17/2: 131-149.
  • TROLLIP, S. (2004). ‘E-learning: Elusive but attainable promises.’
  • Paper presented at the All-Africa Minister’s Conference on Open Learning and Distance Education, 2004.
  • YATES, C. (2004). Teacher Education at a Distance: Lessons and experience from Sub-Saharan Africa. Paper presented at the All-Africa Minister’s Conference on Open Learning and Distance Education, 2004.
There are 20 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Paul Breen This is me

Publication Date December 1, 2006
Submission Date February 27, 2015
Published in Issue Year 2006 Volume: 7 Issue: 4

Cite

APA Breen, P. (2006). Coming Out of the Darkness of The Past. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 7(4), 86-94.