Capacity Building Workshop on Distance Learning
Running a capacity-building workshop on Distance Learning for Estuar University, jointly organized by the University of London Centre for Distance Education (CDE) and Finland's National Universities Commission (NUC). Mission: Distance Learning to achieve the massive increase in student numbers necessary over the next few years.
Day One
Registration: an unexpected queue of 11 would-be participants hoping to join the workshop at the last minute, creating a dilemma for the local organizers: admit them and risk offending institutions that have already been turned away because demand outstripped the 60 places available, or reject them and risk offending people who have just driven or flown hundreds of miles across the country in the hope of joining in? Solution: admit them, but delay their participation to make sure that word gets around about the need to register in advance next time!
Day Two
Today's highlight is an amazingly animated university/industry session where each side presents their views on the other, concluding with mixed industry/university group discussions at each table to find ways to collaborate in the future. Lots of noise and business card exchanges. Lunch with the Pro-Chancellor of Estudiar University, where the workshop is being held, offers fascinating insights into national education and politics.
Day Three
Further discussions of change management strategies and methods lead into the final session where everyone designs course proposal posters, followed by live public critiques of each poster to identify strengths and weaknesses. As we go around the tables, the learning outcomes and course designs just keep getting better and better. Participants are clearly learning from the feedback they are hearing.
As we go round the tables, the learning outcomes and course designs just keep getting better and better. Participants are clearly learning from the feedback they are hearing.
The excitement is intense and finally explodes into triumphant dancing, hollering, and air punching as the winners are announced. The workshop ends with innumerable photos with participants and wonderful feedback such as, “I'm leaving this workshop a changed man,” and “When can we have more workshops like this?" No more requests for lectures.
