Perspectives
and learnings on how technologies have changed
the world of learning, how people have been affected
by the changes and how they are responding to
new technologies were the focus of SEAMEO INNOTECH's
7th International Conference held in December
2000.
With
the theme “Knowledge Networking in the
World of Learning,” the conference
provided a venue for educators from Southeast
Asia and their counterparts from across the globe
to share their experiences and insights on the
interplay of knowledge and technology.
The
INNOTECH Journal features some of the papers presented
during said conference in a two-part edition.
On this issue,
Philippine
Senator Teresa Aquino-Oreta, in her paper titled
"A Vision for Information Technology
in Basic Education," reveals her plan
of action for information technology in basic
education through a series of IT initiatives incorporated
in two programs, ITEM 2004 and Learning 2010.
ITEM 2004 includes a list of projects for the
teachers' advancement for optimum well-being,
commonly referred to as Project TAO. Learning
2010, on the other hand, is a total package of
policy interventions and program initiatives designed
to improve teaching and enhance pupil learning.
Kevin
Walsh of ORACLE USA discloses some of their IT
initiatives meant to leverage e-business technology
for the .com world into the academic and educational
institutions. In his paper "Academic
Initiatives in Information Technology," Walsh
talks about the transformation of business through
the Internet and how this might be applied in
the quest for transformation in the academia and
education.
Sean
Loiselle of Lotus Development in Asia-Pacific
explores the importance of innovative technologies
and new ideas in knowledge networking in his paper
titled "Innovation in Knowledge Networking."
Included here are specific examples of technologies
considered as important innovations in knowledge
networking.
Andy
Went, in his paper titled "Smart Schools
are No Longer a Fashionable Luxury. They are the
Only Way Forward," shares CMG Admiral's
experiences in setting up smart schools, the problems
it has encountered and what people can do to avoid
having those same problems in the future. Went
refers to the new learning environment as smart
schools whose design stresses not only the infrastructure
but also the effective delivery of the curriculum.
Numyoot
Songthanapitak, president of the Rajamangla Institute
of Technology in Thailand, talks about their efforts
to make use of new information and communication
technologies despite resource constraints. In
his paper titled "Technology at the Rajamangla
Institute of Technology in the New Millennium,"
Songthanapitak shares the Institute's goal to
provide education to develop a qualified workforce
that will apply and utilize technology for the
purpose of social and economic development.
Elvira
Lopez Bautista refers to television as a powerful
medium and as a strategic solution to the problem
of access to quality learning materials among
public high schools students in the Philippines.
Her paper titled "The Knowledge Channel:
A Strategic Response to the Philippine Education
Crisis," specifically focuses on the
Knowledge Channel, the first fully educational
local cable television in the Philippines which
trains teachers in using TV for instruction.
Arceli
A. J-Chavez talks about the Technical Education
Skills Development Authority's (TESDA) experience
in its one year of existence in the southern part
of the Philippines. Chavez's "Networking
Models on TESDA's Program Implementation in Southern
Philippines" presents in general how
a government agency operates in pursuit of its
mandate in the face of meager financial resources
and lack of manpower. Included in the paper are
various partnership models forged by TESDA.
Art
Pasquinelli, author of "The 21st Century
Campus: An Evolving Landscape" provides
an overview of Sun Microsystems' vision of education
as applied in the primary and secondary education.
He talks about how e-learning will change everything…introduce
new ways of learning and collaborating, as well
as develop new materials. Pasquinelli also talks
of the time when universities will no longer serve
as the only place where information and learning
occurs--a time when education will be delivered
to anyone, anywhere, anytime and on any type of
device.
Michael
Churton provides an overview of the implications
for human resource development in the 21st century
through distance learning and associated technologies.
In his paper "Distance Education and
Training" Past, Present and Future,"
Churton cites examples of technologies that
have revolutionized the types and quality of education
alternatives and relates how these technologies
may be used effectively in the delivery of distance
learning systems. |
