Contents |
Distance Education is a technology driven formal education process and system where students and instructors are separated by distance and/or time. New media information technologies are most frequently used to communicate and transfer material and assessment in today’s form of distance education. This form of education may be used by students who are in remote areas, students who are not able to attend the institution or students who do not have a great deal of time and need flexible courses. Many private and public, non-profit and for-profit institutions offering courses and degree programs through distance education throughout the world.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation is a specialised United Nations agency that was founded in 1945. Their goal is, “to build peace in the minds of men�?, through the use of education, social and natural science, culture and communication. Today, it is a source of ideas, a standard-setter and a place to share information and knowledge regarding the fields of education, science, culture and communication. UNESCO encourages international cooperation among its Member States and Associate Members. (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, 2005, [URL]).
The UNESCO recognises education as a fundamental human right for each person and is the key to development, peace and stability within a country and the means for one to participate in today’s globalising society and economy. (Unesco, 2005, [URL]).
With ‘education for all by 2015’ an aim of the UNESCO, they have established many organisations and integrated themselves within already established organisations all around the world to see that each person has the ability to receive an education.
The UNESCO's current Education Program includes activities that assist in obtaining their ‘education for all’ aim. These include the promotion and development of the book development sector, the promotion of effective reading methods and guidance and counselling, the expansion and enhancement of distance education programs, literacy and non-formal education, technical and vocational education, HIV/AIDS preventive education and the building of the capacity of non-government organisations that are involved in education. (Unesco, 2005, [URL]).
The following are just two examples of the organisations that the United Nations are involved with.
The ICDE is approved and authorised by the UNESCO to serve as the Global Institutional Membership Organisation in Oline, Flexible and Blended Learning. This includes e-learning and distance education. The ICDE expertises in the development and use of new media technologies in education. An aim of the ICDE is to promote intercultural cooperation and understanding through the use of flexible learning and teaching throughout the world. The ICDE provides leadership for institutions that are involved in distance education from all over the world. (ICDE, 2005, [URL]).
The Working Groups on Distance Education/Open Learning (WGDEOL) was established in 1997 to support ministries of education, training institutions and non-government organisations throughout Africa. Some aims of WGDEOL are to improve access to education, the quality of education, the equity within education and mainly to strengthen the capacity of education systems within Africa. The WGDEOL works closely with the UNESCO, the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and the francophone distance learning network RESAFED.
The main objective of the WGDEOL is to improve the access to and quality of information and training in the education sector through the use of new media technologies and distance education. (ADEA: Working Group on Distance Education/Open Learning, 2004, [URL]).
Distance Education
Distance Education - Africa
UNESCO Homepage
ICDE Homepage
WGDEOL Homepage
United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (2005) “About UNESCO: What it is and what it does,�? retrieved October 3, 2005, from http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=3328&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html.
Unesco (2005) “United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation,�? retrieved October 3, 2005, from http://www.unic.undp.org/unesco.html.
ICDE (2005) “Welcome to the International Council for Open and Distance Education,�? retrieved, October 3, 2005, from http://www.icde.org/.
ADEA: Working Group on Distance Education/Open Learning (2004) “Working Group on Distance Education/Open Learning,�? retrieved October 3, 2005, from http://www.adeanet.org/workgroups/en_wgde.html.
Laura harris 17:09, 27 Oct 2005 (EST)
