Open and Distance Learning for Sustainable Development

2008. We have already done face to face workshops in Ghana, India, Kenya, Papua New
Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Zambia (COL, 2008c).
Conclusion
It is time to conclude. You will, of course, have noticed a glaring gap in this presentation.
What about courseware?
At the heart of e-learning - as of all distance learning - is courseware, the learning materials
which, together with student support and logistics, are central to successful learning. We have
said little about this because it is a huge topic and has been a major focus of the conference
already.
Courseware is expensive and throughout the four decades of modern, multi-media distance
education there have been appeals for greater sharing of learning materials. So far, these
appeals have had disappointing results partly because it was physically difficult to share and
adapt materials until they were in digital formats, as e-learning materials are.
The movement to create a global intellectual commons of Open Educational Resources
therefore has great potential. But the movement is still in its early days and only time and
experience will show us whether OERs will result in genuine multi-directional sharing and
adaptation. However, some of the early signs are hopeful.
COL is committed to making the OER movement a success because we see it as key to
getting the cost of distance learning within the reach of the four billion people at the bottom
of the world economic pyramid. Only if we achieve that will we be able to claim success for
the campaign to take e-learning to the far side of the digital divide.
References
Commonwealth of Learning (2005). J. S. Daniel & P. West Digital Divide to digital dividend:
What will it take? Address to Online EDUCA Berlin
http://www.col.org/colweb/site/pid/3580
Commonwealth of Learning (2008a). J. S. Daniel, The Virtual University for Small States of
the Commonwealth: What is your vision for the future?
http://www.col.org/colweb/site/pid/5235
Commonwealth of Learning (2008b). J. S. Daniel & P. West, The Virtual University for Small
States of the Commonwealth: What can it contribute?
http://www.col.org/colweb/site/pid/5221
Commonwealth of Learning (2008c). Learning4Content
http://wikieducator.org/Learning4Content
The Economist, (May 29, 2008). Mobile Phones: Halfway there
13
P. West and J. S. Daniel (2008). The Virtual University for Small States of the
Commonwealth, Open Learning tbp