CONFERENCES & EVENTS

11th Cambridge International Conference on Open and Distance Learning - 20 to 23 September 2005

Reflective Practice in Open and Distance Learning: how do we improve?

The conference, held at Madingley Hall, University of Cambridge, followed the pattern of our previous Cambridge Conferences and offered a mixture of keynote speakers, workshops and informal meetings covering a range of subjects. There was ample opportunities for delegates to meet in small groups to discuss ideas in greater depth.

The keynote speakers:

• Sir John Daniel , President, The Commonwealth of Learning
• Kuzvinetsa Peter Dzvimbo, Head of the Africa Virtual University
• Alan Mandell and Lee Herman, Empire State College, State University of New York
• Maggie Coats, The Centre for Outcomes Based Education, The Open University UK

Papers:
The conference engaged with issues of reflective practice, evaluation and research in Open and Distance Learning contexts as they relate to organisational change and development.

Papers and short presentations covered the following themes:

• How does one learn to be a reflective practitioner?
• How does a commitment to reflective practice influence the way we handle everyday issues?
• How can reflective practice impact on the learning organisation?
• Who sponsors evaluation and why?
• Does evaluation influence management?
• How do evaluation and research improve opportunities for students?
• What is the relationship between research and teaching in an ODL context?
• Reflection by all and evaluation by the few?
• Working in difficult circumstances: low resource, difficult terrain etc.
• How can we improve?
• How can quality thinking be stimulated within practitioners in distance education?
• What is the role of knowledge management in ensuring quality student services?

To see the 2005 Conference Papers see >> http://www2.open.ac.uk/r06/conference/papers2005.pdf

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