Distance
Education as a SEAMEO Concern
SEAMEO's
current thrust in distance education is manifest
recognition of its vast potential for attaining
the Organization's mission of promoting equity
for all members of society. Through distance education,
large and growing populations can be educated
outside of traditional classroom settings, thus
providing equitable access to educational opportunities
for various sectors of the population. The global
Education for All movement to educate each and
every individual has given endeavors to promote
distance education added urgency and impetus.
By providing learners not reached by conventional
delivery systems with access to a variety of educational
opportunities, distance education holds immense
capacities for achieving the goal of Education
for All.
In
SEAMEO countries, the role of distance education
in the educational system is threefold:
•
As a delivery mode of the formal system, to enable
learners to acquire certifications for programs
which are normally available only in traditional
classroom settings at the primary, secondary and
tertiary education levels.
•
To complement or supplement the formal system,
whereby certain materials are delivered via mass
media as part of lessons in a formal classroom.
•
As a delivery mode of nonformal and informal education,
for a wide range of non-degree and continuing
education programs. Modular distance education
programs are conducted for a variety of topics,
from basic literacy to livelihood skills. In some
cases, these may be accredited towards degree
programs in the formal system.
Distance
education has been viewed in many ways, from several
perspectives, with varying emphasis on its different
aspect. The economic aspect emphasizes it as an
alternative, cost effective means of reaching
large numbers of geographically dispersed learners.
From the perspective of instructional designers
and implementers, its value is in its capacity
to meet specific and unique learning needs, its
worth is in the effectiveness o teaching strategies,
delivery formats, as well as feedback and assessment
mechanisms. In the larger context of the educational
system, distance education provides opportunities
for continuing learning experiences outside of
school perimeters.
The
SEAMEO member countries are on a continuum in
terms of developing their distance education systems
and using the methodologies and technologies.
At one end of the continuum, distance education
still has to be established as a priority; while
at the other end, satellite transmission is already
being used to deliver distance education programs.
Along various points of the continuum, the technologies
applied range from the use of tutors to print
media to multiple combinations of various media.
The
need to fully harness the potential of distance
education as an alternative educational delivery
system in the Region is therefore set against
a backdrop of diverse country settings. Among
SEAMEO centers, it is being undertaken on a pilot
basis rather than as the established and prevailing
delivery mode for training courses. Thus far,
only three centers have on-going distance education
projects: INNOTECH, RELC and TROPMED Philippines.
The
two issues of the INNOTECH Journal for 1994 are
being devoted to the various aspects of distance
education, from concerns to country experiences.
The articles are drawn from papers presented in
many international conferences which have focused
on distance education. It is hoped that these
articles will further broaden perspectives and
deepen insights. Most of all, the articles are
intended to provide learnings which will catalyze
more undertakings in distance education. |
