10th Anniversary Conference – Pretoria – 23rd and 24th August 2006

Policy Issues: The role of professional associations and the impact of ICTs

Anne Forster – President, OPEN & DISTANCE LEARNING ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

OUTLINE

1. Starting points- core values

2. The policy environment

3. The role of the professional association

4. Becoming a professional in ODL

5. In the interest of others…• Preserve the core• Stimulate progress

•30th Anniversary Summit 2003- CHANGE

•What is the boundary of the “topic of passion”?

•Whose needs are we serving?

•Exercise leadership, advocacy and influence

•The extended chain of potential members : Individuals, organisations, companies

Built to Last, Collins & Porras 1994

Preserve the coreStimulate progress

ODL core values

Equality of opportunity:

Access

Equivalence

Excellence

Equality of opportunity:

Access

Equivalence

Excellence

The policy environment

POLICY: Myths & Miracles

A CIVIL SOCIETY

– diversity

– requires cultural intelligence

– sustainable communities

– embedded with learning

POLICY: Myths & Miracles

A KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY

– requires education and training in the engine room

-Participation for all- skills - access

-Connectivity- a technological base-

POLICY: Myths & Miracles

SKILLS FOR DEVELOPING CAPACITY

Digital literacy

Collaborative work

Flexibility- creativity

Inter-cultural communication

POLICY: Myths & Miracles

INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND DIGNITY

- Gain dignity through learning

- Learning is integrated with performance and livelihood

- Education in the service of humanity

The role of the professional association

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

•Contribute to the processes of change

•Commit to intergenerational transfer of professional knowledge and ways of knowing

•Build and enrich the knowledge base and improve standards

•Advocate and lobby for public policy reform

•Engage in interprofessional and international exchange

Influencing policy change

Increasing equity & access to learning

Transformational pedagogy & quality

Mechanisms that address obstacles to participation

Connectivity- rural & urban poor

Adequate financing – social returns

Increase participation rates for lifelong learning

ODL as the tool for scale, distribution, mass media

USING ICTs

•Potential for dispersed communities of interest to form, dynamic and online

•Global networks, integration

•Rapid dissemination, discussion groups

•Democratisation of decision making

•Continuous professional development programs, publications and resources

International ODL Networks

Federation of Commonwealth ODL Associations - FOCODLASecretariat at the COL – 4th Pan Commonwealth Forum- Jamaica- 30 Oct – 3 Nov 06

International Council for Open & Distance education – ICDE22nd World Conference – Brazil – 3- 6 Sept 06

European Distance and eLearning Network - EDEN

Becoming a professional in open and distance learning

“In the interest of others”

The Australian Council of Professions defines a profession as:

…”a disciplined group of individuals who adhere to

ethical standards and uphold themselves to, and are accepted by the public as possessing

special knowledge and skills in a widely recognised body of learning derived from research, education and training at a high level,

and who are prepared to exercise this knowledge and these skills in the interest of others.” ACP, 1997

Reflection from “our” here

AUSTRALIA’S NEIGHBOURHOOD

•Over 60 distinct cultures

•Social and political instability

•Rise of regionalism/single market

•Shortage of skilled workers: education, health, trades

•Median age 19, population doubling in 25 years

•40 – 70% drop out rates at primary and secondary levels

•Off shore education, remittances, stay-aways.

SMALL NATIONS – POOR & IN CRISIS

•Over 60 distinct cultures

•Social and political instability

•Rise of regionalism/single market

•Shortage of skilled workers: education, health, trades

•Median age 19, population doubling in 25 years

•40 – 70% drop out rates at primary and secondary levels

•Off shore education, remittances, stay-aways.

ONE CASE: The Solomon Islands

•Over 60 distinct cultures

•Social and political instability

•Rise of regionalism/single market

•Shortage of skilled workers: education, health, trades

•Median age 19, population doubling in 25 years

•40 – 70% drop out rates at primary and secondary levels

•Off shore education, remittances, stay-aways.

Population 460,000

Double that in 30 years

Median age 18

16,500 births/yr

547 classrooms/yr

Learning by Association

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Becoming professional: mysteries and magic

Learning: experiencing the unfamiliar

Argyris & Schon (1982): Reflective practitioner

Competency and artistry

Objectivity and subjectivity

Reflection, common sense, inner resources

“ways of knowing”…”mysterious and sacred elements, access to which is the privilege of professional”

Continuing professional education

Often a focus on improving practice.

Transformational learning, New ways of knowing. Karpiak (1991)

Transformation of consciousness; occurs through novel events (new experiences, information, perspectives, - ICTs) those who experience it return to serve their community in new ways. Jung (1954)

Learning by Association

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

BECOMING

A LIFELONG

In the interest of others: preserve the core, stimulate progress

“In the interest of others”

The Australian Council of Professions defines a profession as:

…”a disciplined group of individuals who adhere to

ethical standards and uphold themselves to, and are accepted by the public as possessing

special knowledge and skills in a widely recognised body of learning derived from research, education and training at a high level,

and who are prepared to exercise this knowledge and these skills in the interest of others.” ACP, 1997

PRESERVE THE CORE & STIMULATE PROGRESS

Individually, we must engage and contribute to the profession

Collegially, we must question, critique and refine our practices to ensure new generations of members

Collectively, we must sustain the many communities of practice, partners in the value chain of our joint enterprise….. Adapted from Wenger 1998

REFERENCES

Wenger, E 1998 Communities of practice: learning meaning and identity, Cambridge University Press, UK

Jung, C. 1954. In Collected Works The development of personality Vol 17 Princeton University press

Collins, J & Porras J 1994. Built to last: successful habitsof visionary companies. New York: HarperCollins

Carol Rusaw: Learning by Association. HRD Quarterly. 1995 Summer

The Australian Council of Professions, minute AGM 1997

Forster, A 2004. Supporting Members Supporting Learners: a professional association grapples with change. Third EDEN Research Workshop, Oct 2004, Oldenburg, Germany.

Karpiak, I. 1991. Personal transformation and professionals’ ways of knowing. In Proceedings AACE Canada 1991

The World Bank, 2003. Lifelong learning in the global knowledge economy: Challenges for developing countries. Directions in Development Series: Report Washington

Thank you. Any Questions?

Anne Forster – President

OPEN & DISTANCE LEARNING ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA www.odlaa.org

aforster@forgib.com