JALN Introduction to the special issue on the right to education
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John R. Bourne, Janet C. Moore, Claudine Schweber
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John R. Bourne, Janet C. Moore, Claudine Schweber
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Abstract
The eight papers in this special issue of the Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks
examine some of the roles that online education plays in implementing the right to education.
The 1948 Declaration called for free and compulsory education with choice and equal access based on merit.
The studies in this issue propose identifying metrics for progress towards universal access, using online
education for continuity of learning despite disasters, stewarding resources, marshalling partnerships,
and designing learning that promotes the values of the Declaration: ‘respect, understanding, tolerance,
friendship, and peace.’
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Keywords
editorial, introduction
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Brics and clicks - Mary Bold, Lillian Chenoweth, Nirisha K.Garimella
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Mary Bold, Lillian Chenoweth, Nirisha K.Garimella |
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Abstract
Projections for the global economy frequently center on the BRIC countries: Brazil, Russia, India, and
China. As futurists and economists alike define and re-define both formal and informal coalitions (for
example, by broadening the R in BRIC to include all Eastern European economies or instead re-directing
the discussion to G-8 countries or to World Trade Organization members), the education profiles of the
individual nations sometimes resemble economic indicators: what is imported, what is exported, and what
is the potential for expansion. Higher education, and specifically distance learning (the Clicks element of
this paper), can already be charted in these terms for some nations. This paper describes the current role
of distance learning in countries described as growing economies and proposes a typology for describing
change as additional data become available. The paper informs readers of global developments in distance
education, using the BRIC nations as examples.
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Keywords
cross-border education, globalization, BRIC, GATS, internationalization, distance learning, access, right to education
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Access to education with online
learning and open educational
resources: can they close the GAP?
- Dr. Christine Geith, Karen Vignare
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Dr. Christine Geith, Karen Vignare |
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Abstract
One of the key concepts in the right to education is access: access to the means to fully develop as human
beings as well as access to the means to gain skills, knowledge and credentials. This is an important
perspective through which to examine the solutions to access enabled by Open Educational Resources
(OER) and online learning. The authors compare and contrast OER and online learning and their potential
for addressing human rights “to” and “in” education. The authors examine OER and online learning
growth and financial sustainability and explore potential scenarios to address the global education gap.
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Keywords
online learning, Open Educational Resources, OER, OpenCourseWare, sustainable business models, innovation
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Open educational resources for
blended learning in high schools:
overcoming impediments in developing
countries
- Richard C. Larson, M. Elizabeth Murray
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Richard C. Larson, M. Elizabeth Murray |
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Abstract
With today’s computer and telecommunications technologies, every young person can have a quality
education regardless of his or her place of birth. This is the dream that Open Educational Resources
(OERs), when viewed as a right rather than a privilege, are directed to realize. For developing countries,
we propose a type of OER initiative that leverages not only technology but also the skills of the in-class
teacher, that utilizes not only the Internet but also lower-tech delivery platforms, and that is created not
only by developed countries of the West but also by educators in many countries worldwide. We outline
the design of a cross-border, collaborative learning and teaching system called the Blended Learning
Open Source Science or Math Studies Initiative (BLOSSOMS), with an associated partnership network
established for its implementation in developing countries. BLOSSOMS is to develop a large, free
repository of blended-learning video modules for high school math and science classes, created by gifted
volunteer educators from around the world and designed to offer potentially transformative learning
exercises that will enhance critical thinking skills and retain students’ interest in math and science. The
initiative has been designed and developed within a multinational network of partner organizations in the
developing world, a characteristic that distinguishes it from many other OER projects.
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Keywords
Open Educational Resources, OER, blended learning, online repository, international collaboration, high school education, mathematics and science, critical thinking
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Bringing the real world of science to
children: a partnership of the
American Museum of Natural History
and the City University of New York
- Anthony G. Picciano, Robert V. Steiner
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Anthony G. Picciano, Robert V. Steiner |
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Abstract
Every child has a right to an education. In the United States, the issue is not necessarily about access to a
school but access to a quality education. With strict compulsory education laws, more than 50 million
students enrolled in primary and secondary schools, and billions of dollars spent annually on public and
private education, American children surely have access to buildings and classrooms. However, because
of a complex and competitive system of shared policymaking among national, state, and local
governments, not all schools are created equal nor are equal education opportunities available for the
poor, minorities, and underprivileged. One manifestation of this inequity is the lack of qualified teachers
in many urban and rural schools to teach certain subjects such as science, mathematics, and technology.
The purpose of this article is to describe a partnership model between two major institutions (The
American Museum of Natural History and The City University of New York) and the program designed
to improve the way teachers are trained and children are taught and introduced to the world of science.
These two institutions have partnered on various projects over the years to expand educational
opportunity especially in the teaching of science. One of the more successful projects is Seminars on
Science (SoS), an online teacher education and professional development program, that connects teachers
across the United States and around the world to cutting-edge research and provides them with powerful
classroom resources. This article provides the institutional perspectives, the challenges and the strategies
that fostered this partnership.
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Keywords
science education, teacher education, pre-service, in-service, teacher shortage, distance learning, online learning, blended learning, multimedia
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Determined to learn: accessing education despite life-threatening disasters
- Claudine SchWeber, Ph.D.
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Claudine SchWeber, Ph.D. |
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Abstract
The ‘right to education’ proclaimed by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights requires access
to learning as well as the support systems. Since access can be interrupted by various circumstances,
the possibility of providing continuity despite external dangers by using online distance education,
offers an intriguing and valuable option. For example, life-threatening disasters, such as war or hurricanes,
can interrupt or halt ongoing higher education coursework. Despite that reality, some students remain
determined to continue the learning. How can institutions respond to this determination fast enough to
be of use and effective enough to maintain their educational reputations? Empire State College’s (New York)
activities in its Lebanon Residence Program after the 2006 war and Xavier University in New Orleans’ actions
in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina provide valuable answers. Together with the unique Sloan Semester—created
to temporarily provide educational continuity for hurricane affected students—these programs also offer lessons
on resilience and survival in a crisis.
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Keywords
educational access, distance learning, e-learning, higher education and disaster, resilience, sloan semester, educational continuity, crisis management, academic continuity
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