World review of distance education and open learning

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PUBLICATIONS

World review of distance education and open learning: A Commonwealth of Learning book series

The World review of distance and open learning is an annual series, published by Taylor & Francis (previously Routledge) on behalf of the Commonwealth of Learning, and launched in 1999. IRFOL is the managing editor of the series. Each book in the series concentrates on a single theme so that the volumes build up into a major series of works of record. The purpose is:

to develop a planned series of volumes that will inform educators about open and distance learning;
to report on good practice and research; and
to raise the profile of open and distance learning, and of the institutions associated with the series, among educational decision makers.

In his introduction to the first volume the then President of the Commonwealth of Learning, Professor Gajaraj Dhanarajan identified that 'sadly, there is much ignorance among many in education as among those outside it, about what distance education can do and cannot do, what does and does not constitute good practice in distance education, its efficiencies and governance' and defined the function of the series as to 'bring wealth of experience in distance education in a readable and usable form to community developers, politicians, policy-makers, international development agencies and non-government workers among others'.

Editorial Advisory Group for the series:
Ms Maureen O'Neil, President and CEO, International Development Research Centre, Canada (Chair)
Professor Uma Coomaraswamy, Vice-Chancellor, Open University of Sri Lanka
Sir John Daniel, President and CEO, Commonwealth of Learning
Dato' Professor Gajaraj Dhanarajan, former President, Commonwealth of Learning
Dr Linda Harasim, Project Leader, TeleLearning Research Network, Simon Fraser University
John Middleton, Director of Operations, World Bank Institute
Dr Hilary Perraton, Former Director, International Research Foundation for Open Learning (secretary)
Professor Deryck Schreuder, Vice-Chancellor, University of Western Australia
Frances van Wyk-Mensah, Director, Namibia College of Open Learning

The first volume in the series:

Higher Education through Open and Distance Learning
K Harry (ed.)
London: Routledge, 1999.
Hardback ISBN: 0-415-19791-0
Paperback ISBN: 0-415-19792-9

Open and distance learning has expanded dramatically in recent years across the world, across the spectrum of subject areas, and across educational levels. This book takes a detailed look at the state of the art in open and distance learning in higher education, and presents a fascinating picture of a world and its educational culture in transition. This edited collection contains authoritative analyses of key issues together with current accounts of practice in each region of the world. It includes:

open and distance learning in relation to internationalisation, lifelong learning and flexible learning
costs of distance education
the impact of telecommunications
applications of open and distance learning in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

It draws together experts in the field from all over the world, and has a truly international perspective on the phenomenon of open and distance learning. Its unparalleled breadth of coverage makes it an indispensable work of reference for experts and newcomers alike.

The second volume in the series:

Basic Education at a Distance
J Bradley and C Yates (eds.)
London: Routledge, 2000.
Hardback ISBN: 0 415 23774 2
Paperback ISBN: 0 415 23773 4

How can open and distance learning help the world's illiterate population? At the beginning of the 21st century, nearly one fifth of humanity is functionally illiterate. This means that they cannot participate fully in their societies or protect their basic rights. As most of these people live in the rural areas of the developing world, the task of helping them to gain access to basic education is formidable. Basic Education at a Distance examines the following questions:

Does open and distance learning have a role in reducing the numbers of undereducated people in the world?
hat lessons does open and distance learning have for policy makers in adult basic and primary education?
How far can the new information and communication technologies help meet the world's targets of education for all?

Basic Education at a Distance reviews world experience in order to answer these and other key questions. It assesses the impact of a wide variety of forms of basic education at a distance. The book is the first major overview of this critical form of education for twenty years. Chris Yates is Education Co-ordinator and Jo Bradley is Publications Co-ordinator at the International Extension College, Cambridge.

The third volume in the series:

Teacher education through open and distance learning
B Robinson and C Latchem (eds.)
London, Routledge/Falmer Press, 2002.
Hardback ISBN: 0 415 36955 X
Paperback ISBN: 0 415 36956 8

How can open and distance learning and information and communications technology (ICT) provide us with more - and better - teachers? Open and distance learning is increasingly used in teacher education in developing and developed countries. It has the potential to strengthen and expand the teaching profession of the twenty-first century and to help achieve the target of education for all by 2015. Teacher Education Through Open and Distance Learning examines the case for using open and distance learning and ICT to train our educators. It describes and analyses the ways in which these methods and technologies are used for:

Initial teacher training and continuing professional development
Training principals and school managers
Training those who provide non-formal adult and community education
Communities of practice and sharing of knowledge and ideas within the teaching profession

It also discusses the policy-making, management, technology, costing, evaluation and quality assurance aspects of this work.
The contributors are outstanding practitioners in the field. The first review in over a decade, Teacher Education Through Open and Distance Learning draws on wide-ranging and international experience to summarise the strengths and weaknesses of new approaches to the education of teachers. It offers invaluable guidance to policymakers, planners, headteachers and teachers.
Bernadette Robinson is an independent consultant on teacher education and distance education, and Special Professor of Comparative Education at the University of Nottingham. Colin Latchem was formerly Head of the Teaching Learning Group at Curtin University of Technology, Perth and is a consultant on open learning.

The forth volume in the series:

Policy for open and distance learning
H. Perraton and H. Lentell (eds.)
London, Routledge/Falmer Press, 2003.
Hardback ISBN: 0 415 26306 9
Paperback ISBN: 0 415 26307 7

Policy for Open and Distance Learning considers the questions that planners and policy makers in open and distance learning need to address at any level of education.
Starting by analysing the range of purposes for which open and distance learning is used, the book places the issues in context and examines experience in both the public and private sector. As well as discussing in detail new agendas set by new information and communication technologies, the book covers:

Inputs - in terms of learners, staff and resources
Processes - organisational structures, technologies, globalisation and governance
Outcomes - benefits set in the context of costs

The contributors have examined the varied roles of new technologies as well as low-technology approaches to open and distance learning throughout the world and this book will be invaluable to policy makers in education and those planning or managing open and distance learning programmes. It will also be of interest to students and teachers of education and anyone concerned with comparative education.
Hilary Perraton has worked in international education and in open and distance learning for many years. He was the founding director of IRFOL. Helen Lentell is an educational specialist in training and materials development at COL.

The fifth volume in the series:

Vocational Training through Distance Education: A Policy Perspective
L. Moran and G. Rumble (eds.)
London, Routledge/Falmer Press, 2004.
Hardback ISBN: 0 415 34523 5
Paperback ISBN: 0 415 34524 3

Vocational education and training (VET) occupies a central place in social and economic policy world-wide. The purpose of this book is to report on how developing and industrialised countries are using distance education methods and information technologies to provide vocational education and training for young people and adults.
Greville Rumble is an independent consultant working in the field of the planning, management and costs of ODL. Louise Moran is Director of LifeLong Learning Associates Pty Ltd, an educational consulting practice speciaising in policy and innovation.

The sixth volume in the series:

Strategies for Sustainable Open and Distance Learning
Andrea Hope and Patrick Guiton (eds.)
London, Taylor & Francis Goup, 2006.
Hardback ISBN: 0 415 34525 1
Paperback ISBN: 0 415 34526 X

With scarce material available in the field, this volume examines the nature of sustainability in open and distance learning in order to provide a guide to successful implementation.
Patrick Guiton is an independent distance-education consultant with particular interest in issues around access to education. Andrea Hope is Associate Academic Vice-Presdient of Hong Kong Shue Yan College.

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