The Higher Education Open and Distance Learning (ODL) Knowledge and Information Base
The Higher Education Open and Distance Learning (ODL) Knowledge and Information Base is maintained by the UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, as part of a global programme aimed at creating an information management and processing tool for decision-makers in developing countries and those in transition to address policy issues in higher education open and distance education provision.
The first phase (2002), ‘Knowledge Base Development’, focused on identifying priority needs and available sources of information as inputs for an information management system in each of the 3 regions. In addition, a prototype ‘problem solving’ system for ODL is being developed for testing in the regions in phase II by the European Distance Education Network (EDEN). Now underway, the second phase (2003) is concentrating on training workshops for decision-makers in the target regions.
The project invloves the development of an online information tool for decision-makers in developing countries and countries in transition, to promote quality higher education provisions through ODL. The tool is being targeted towards decision-makers, and is also of value to a wide range of professionals with a responsibility for, or interest in ODL, including practitioners in ODL and ICT: instructors/teachers, resource persons, curriculum developers, educational technologists, media specialists, researchers, information specialists, ICT specialists, software programmers, instructional designers.