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June 2008 Volume 4, Number 2 |
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IN THIS ISSUE
CREAD TAKES PART IN FIRST MEETING ON PART-TIME DOCTORATES AND RESEARCH INCUBATORS SENAC RIO/CREAD DISTANCE COURSE ON MEDICAL INSTRUCTION: RESULTS OF PILOT STUDY NEWS FROM OUR INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERS PROFILES FROM INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERS CREAD CONFERENCES 2008 |
The First Meeting on Part-Time Doctorates and Research Incubators took place in Loja on June 10th - 12th, 2008, organized by the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education (IOHE) and the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL). CREAD participated as one of the support units. About a hundred participants from 19 countries took part in this meeting, which was set up to facilitate a conversation between universities who were offering courses, requesting courses and support units. The objective of this proposal is to increase the number and effectiveness of part-time doctoral programs while also implementing research incubators in Latin America. Luis Miguel Romero, the President of IOHE, Vice-Chancellor of UTPL, and Vice President of CREAD for the Andean Region, explained that this initiative was related to one of the proposals of the IOHE presidency for this period, which is to promote quality in academic development. According to Romero, “The problem of quality in our Universities derives from a lack of scientific development and lack of doctoral level training for professors”. This was agreed by Omar Malagón, the Coordinator of the meeting, who said that “in Latin America high level research is not being carried out, and we need initiatives that will promote its development”. Which, according to Romero, can be restated as ”allow scientists to create science”; and for this purpose the universities of Latin America are seeking the support of more developed universities in North America and Europe to foster research through the medium of professorial training. On this point, María de Jesús Prieto, of the IOHE Secretariat for the Andean countries, stressed the need to train researchers while they are carrying out their doctoral studies. “25% of the world’s investigators are found in Latin America but the problem is that their research does not have any real world impact. So we need to train first class researchers, and avoid losing them to brain drain. Furthermore, we should not forget the objectives of the university, which are the transfer of technology, extension and service - not merely to teach. For this reason, universities should press for their instructors to be trained in doctoral programs where the goal is not only to obtain a degree, but also to set up genuine research groups. Thus, the UTPL has proposed a structural change in the concept of a university, which is to say that research should be conducted by “making their instructors work full-time for the university” says Malagón, in addition to providing institutional support for the development of initiatives in research incubators. “The final step is to educate these instructors with a good component of scientific research” at their own places of origin. UTPL is a pioneer in this, currently training more than 180 professors (about 40% of the faculty) on this model in the fields of science, economics, human sciences, amongst others. In addition, Armando Villarroel, the Executive Director of CREAD, spoke on behalf of the support units present and discussed the role that can be played by technology to significantly empower this training process. Technology also serves to raise the levels of cooperation and communication, both between organizations and professionals.
The representatives of the various universities who took part in the event: providers, clients and support units, gave their perspectives on the meeting, their future expectations as well as the commitments of each of them. Patricia Gudiño, the Secretary General of the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education ( IOHE) assured the audience that there are a number of models that need to be explored and adapted to the different regions and institutions in order to empower “this spirit of sharing and of Inter-American consciousness that we are offering you with these projects”. The need for further exploration of the topic of research incubators was also stressed, taking into account the fact that in Latin America there already exist some interesting proposals for part-time doctorates that are being developed. An important point in the event was an analysis of the potential of the information and communication technologies, and the advantages that they offer to both face-to-face and distance learners, depending on the particular field of knowledge. Luis Miguel Romero, as President of the IOHE, emphasized the importance of awakening Latin America to the importance of scientific investigation in order to reduce the brain drain and promote the exchange of inter-American experiences and jump-start the scientific development of the continent. Dr. Romero also underlined the presence of representatives of the Gaston Berger University of Saint-Louis, Senegal, who had come to Loja to learn from the experience of UTPL in distance education, with a view to applying it in their own country. For more information, please visit: SENAC RIO/CREAD
The challenges, trends and developments in distance education were the general themes of the First International Senac Rio/CREAD Conference, which was held on May 28th-30th at Sesc/National Senac (Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro). This event, which drew more than 350 attendees, began with a keynote by José Manuel Morán, entitled “Challenges and Trends in Distance Education in the framework of Digital Convergence”. On the first day several mini-courses on topical subjects were given. On Day Two there was a videoconference by Manuel Moreno Castañeda, of the University of Guadalajara, Mexico, as well as a lecture on challenges in the corporate environment, given by representatives of McDonald’s and Oi. The same day there were also round tables on distance education policy, the new student, the new markets, support, and impacts. Day Three was devoted to challenges in the academic environment, in which the central activities were presentations by Eloíza Oliveira, of the State University of Rio de Janeiro UERJ/CEDERJ and Paulo Speller, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT). There was also a presentation by Jaime Vargas on the experiences and vision of the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). There was also a round table on Education in the Twenty-First Century entitled Changes and challenges for academic and corporate environments. In addition to the aforementioned topics, the Conference also gave participants the opportunity to present papers on academic projects and corporate case studies. AUDIENCE The total number of conference partipants was 350 (159 in the mini-courses). SPONSORSHIP This event received sponsorship from the Oi Company. PARTNERSHIPS The following groups gave support to the Conference:
DISTANCE COURSE ON MEDICAL INSTRUCTION:
The University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS) of Argentina is an institutional member of CREAD and uses virtual technology extensively in its teaching. In this way it has been able to connect its main campus in Buenos Aires with two others in remote parts of the country, and they have been using a Moodle platform customized for their institution to train their medical instructors in educational theory and practice. Dr. Ricardo Bruera, who is responsible for the training of instructors in the IUCS reported the following: “The fact is that new trends in the conception and methods of science have forced us to introduce significant modifications to the training of future professionals in the health areas. We have, therefore, to rethink the teaching of medicine and offer practical answers for medical instructors, which is always problematical due to the lack of time that they can devote to continuing education. Distance teaching is one of the most plausible alternatives for resolving the problems of creating an effective course under these circumstances.” 2. INTER-INSTITUTIONAL PROJECT Taking into account the excellent results that IUCS had obtained in its medical instructor course at a distance, using virtual learning, CREAD proposed to IUCS to offer it jointly for the whole of Latin America. As a first step in this internationalization of the course, a test course was designed, since to this point all the participants had been Argentinean professors of medicine. This pilot study enabled us to experiment with an international audience and make adjustments to the content, the methodology and the technology used. The invitation to join the course – at no charge to the participants – was sent out by CREAD with the aim of recruiting a basic group of 30 participants. Ultimately, 31 participants were formally registered, from 7 countries: Argentina - Brazil - Ecuador - Mexico – Dominican Republic - USA and Venezuela. 3. TARGET AUDIENCE The intended audience for this pilot course was instructors in the health area wishing to be updated in higher education teaching theory, and to reflect on and be trained in the main topics in medical training, and the new paradigms of science transposed to didactic models. Nevertheless, the interpretation of the theoretical framework offered in this experimental course was always focused on application, that is to say, on the production of designs and practical tools intended to resolve real academic situations. 4. COMPUTER RESOURCES I: THE COGNITIVE MODEL The organizing principles guiding the concept of distance teaching used in this experiment were much more focused on action and on the personal management of knowledge systems than on navigating through information archives. As a function of this model for distance learning, the modules were composed of sections which combined an operational system devised to functionalize reasoning and the production of training objects. 1. Videoconference 2. Stating the problem 3. Content indicators 4. Topics for study 5. Further reading 6. Activities to exploit the information 7. Task In its virtual campus IUCS has a late version Moodle platform on which the various distance courses offered to the academic community are hosted. The main idea regulating the use of the platform is to make it possible for instructors and students to navigate with ease through the different links of the course in accordance with the selected teaching model, as follows: Classroom: This segment contains the texts and activities of the modules, as described in the previous point: videoconference, texts with contents and activities, PowerPoint screens for information, explanations of the tasks to be carried out. Hyperlinks are always provided for access and use while studying. Discussion forum: This offers an interactive space to provide possibilities for analysis and free interactive questions between participants. The goal is to overcome problems of understanding or to propose common searches aimed at the interpretation and resolution of problems and tasks. Technical support: Offers continuing assistance with difficulties in the use of the media, electronic breakdowns, malfunctioning of internet servers, password problems. In this way, the Moodle platform used in the virtual campus expresses and operationalizes basic, internationally established quality standards, with regard to system components and resources, such as: 6. TUTORING Due to the fact that the modular structures focus on cognitive activity, the instructors’ contribution took the form of a non-directive teaching function, which was largely directed at facilitating the learning processes. Contacts with tutors operated via the systematic and continuous use of email. Email became, for them, an effective communication tool for sending and receiving messages leading to the analysis of difficulties, overcoming of study conflicts and the production of assignments. 7. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EXPERIMENTAL COURSE The course was focused on the development of the topic Class teaching for problem-based learning and contained four modules: FINAL PROJECT: Proposal and implementation of one lesson The length of this course was 5 weeks and assumed a workload of 8 hours per week, consecutively, for a total of 40 academic hours. On registering, the participants committed themselves – at the end of the course – to responding to a survey with open questions on their experience and to summarizing their successes and difficulties as learners. 8. QUANTITATIVE STATISTICS ON THE EXPERIMENT The implementation of this pilot program may be expressed in certain statistics (still incomplete as the study is continuing): 10. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE MODEL This study enabled us to discover the strengths and weaknesses in the execution of the project. Both the communications with the participants and the surveys revealed adequate functionality and a recognition of the value of the project and also made it possible to find ways to underline the positive aspects and reduce accents and techniques that produced difficulties so as to improve the final version. In any case, the course materials and the tutorial teaching, in particular, were validated. Among the components, the support given by the videoconference was also stressed. With regard to the activities there were mixed results: whilst some participants who produced the more elaborate tasks found significant support in the information provided, others paid less attention to use of the information and had less good results. The greatest difficulties encountered by the participants concerned the organization and availability of assigned study times. In the students’ environment, not only did they not have, generally speaking, 8 hours per week to devote to the course, but also had to reprogram their own schedule for the course activities, as a result of having to deal with unforeseen commitments. This will oblige us in future to contemplate more extensive and more flexible schedules to comply with academic rhythms. 11. CONCLUSIONS OF THE PILOT STUDY Analysis of the results has confirmed the basic assumptions of the original didactic concept and its technological side. But it has also revealed indicators that will improve the complete course that will be promoted jointly by IUCS and CREAD. This Medical Teaching Course will be offered in the next few months with 16 modules and will be given over two terms (in Spanish). If you are interested in obtaining further information about this definitive version, please send an email to Professor Ricardo Bruera at <carreradocente@barcelo.edu.ar>
BOOK PRESENTATION:
The international seminar on Distance Education, ICT’s and Rural Life has been offered continuously since 2004 at the International Virtual Educa Conference, organized by the Director of the CREAD Office in Argentina, with the support of important institutions with links to rural activities.
UTPL ACCREDITED AS A QUALITY UNIVERSITY CONEA, the National Council for Evaluation and Accreditation in Higher Education in Ecuador, in plenary session on June 19th, 2008 gramted Institutional Accreditation to the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, through resolution No 006-CONEA-2008-77DC. On June 30th, 2008, UTPL will be granted Institutional Accreditation as a quality University from the National Council for Evaluation and Accreditation in Higher Education, CONEA. This recognition will take place in Solemn Session organized by the University at its City of Loja Convention Center at 11:00 a.m. In order to improve institutional effectiveness and attain to academic excellence, the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja initiated the Institutional Evaluation process in May of 2006, which culminated in the Accreditation, which constitutes official certification by CONEA that the University is clear in its mission and vision, quality objectives in its academic processes, efficiency in its management, coherence in its aims, resources and research and has continuing evaluation mechanism that guarantee continuous quality work of the accredited institution.
For more information: http://www.utpl.edu.ec/evaluacion/
The Autonomous University of Guadalajara is to be the host of courses organized by the Institute for University Management and Leadership (IGLU) 2008, of the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education (IOHE) in order to provide updating in academic, economic and administrative management for the administrative sector of the institutions of higher education of Mexico. “It is an honor to inaugurate an event like these. We know the decisive role played by the leaders of academic institutions in attaining their vision because they have to develop skills and competences in topics such as planning, institutional evaluation, quality evaluation, change management, leadership, linkage and utilization of information and communication technologies, to mention only a few”, said Dr. Néstor Velasco. The Vice-Rector added that one of the functions of a university administration is the leadership it must display towards its collaborators, since the heart of every organization is the people, “when the personnel can sense that the institution responds to its needs and supports its objectives, the director can count on their commitment and loyalty.” Expectation of improvement. After this, Mtro. Francisco Montiel Domínguez, the academic coordinator of IGLU, stated that «each of the institutions that are represented at this IGLU meeting, represents an expectation of improvement. We have learned that in a community of collaborative work it is always possible to have not only an expectation of the future, but a present reality.” He also stressed that the Institute for University Management and Leadership is renewing all its activities and thoroughly revising its working methodology. “At this moment, the Mexican center directed by Mtra. Teresa Betancourt has been recognized by the IGLU centers of the whole American Continent.” Two weeks. The 2008 IGLU courses will be held over the next two weeks in the UAG buildings, where lectures on important topics for education in Mexico, as well as leadership strategies for administrators will be held. Among the personalities who attended the opening session were: Lic. Eduardo Díaz Becerra, coordinator of Middle and Higher Technological Education in Jalisco, representing the governor Emilio González Márquez; Mtra. María Teresa Betancourt Maldonado, coordinator of the IGLU Center Mexico; Ing. Rafael Jaime Alejo, general coordinator of the IGLU 2008 Organizing Committee, and Mtro. José Carlos Pérez Gómez Medina, representing Lic. Guillermo Alonso Velasco, Rector of UNIVA.
This Project, at the Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, considers television and radio to be media tools that can be used to modernize the National Educational System. The project is linked to the following objectives: education and dignity of the student, the democratization of teaching, the need to raise the cultural level of the population and the impact of the visual and the auditory in the learning processes, and the reframing of educational processes in the academic environment. UCSG Television is a “public service television channel”, designated as such by the National Council for Radio and Television (CONARTEL) on channel 42 UHF in the city of Guayaquil, and broadcast to 25 other cities. USG Radio transmits its signal in the province of Guayas on frequency 1190 AM. Apart from educational programming, the TV channel and radio will transmit cultural content: guidance, opinion, civic education, news and family entertainment. It is based in the city of Guayaquil and its programming will originate from the UCSG campus, but will have national and international reach via satellite. MISSION UCSG Radio and Television are communication media of the Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil whose goal is to contribute to the education, opinion, guidance and development of Ecuadorian society, by promoting the preservation of public freedoms, personal rights, equity and justice, in the institutional spirit of science and faith. VISION To be the primary university radio and television channel in terms of excellence, with an open signal, with social projection, contributing to human development through the democratization of information and leadership of the processes of tele-education in our country, making full use of media convergence. PROFILE The profile of UCSG Radio and Television may be seen in their promotion of:
GENERAL OBJECTIVE To produce, promote and disseminate educational, cultural, and entertainment strategies to serve personal and civic development in Ecuador, through university radio and television that will stimulate the interest of both the university and the civic community in the new scientific-technological, economic, socio-cultural and environmental; national, regional and world paradigms. EDITORIAL LINE UCSG Radio and Television respond to the needs of the country and the region with independence, autonomy, pluralism and respect for individual and group freedoms. This editorial line fulfills the objective of being an important part of alternative educational projects.
PROFILES OF INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERS UNIVERSITÉ QUISQUEYA
Since its inauguration in 1988, Quisqueya University (UniQ) has been noted for its dynamism, for the quality of its educational offerings and the professionalism of its personnel. The quality of academic content and intellectual standards are the key components sustaining the work of UniQ. Our objective is to train our students to think for themselves: to use critical analysis to understand a situation and to demonstrate intellectual honesty, while maintaining respect for the opinions of others. UniQ offers a quality university education in particular disciplines, producing well-prepared professionals who are able to contribute to the development of their country. UniQ also builds inter-university relationships, both in Haiti and overseas, and is a member of several international university associations (Francophone University Association AUF, the International Association of Universities AIU, and the International Organization for Higher Education IOHE). Haiti
Caribbean Region
CanadaThis is a partnership with Canadian universities for student mobility scholarships and for Canadian professors to visit Quisqueya University. The higher education institutions involved are the following :
United StatesQuisqueya University is developing partnerships with a certain number of American universities around programs such as student mobility, joint degrees (e.g. the Masters’ in Public Health with Cornell University). The following American universities are involved:
FranceA number of students from Quisqueya University are spending, or have spent, their second or third semester in a scholarship program studying at the following universities:
BelgiumThe Belgian cooperation program consists mainly of student scholarships for study at Belgian universities.
NOVENA CONFERENCIA INTERNACIONAL XII CREAD MERCOSUR/SUL Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca
XIV CONFERENCE ON TECHNOLOGY AND November 5th - 7th, 2008 http://www.uned.ac.cr/XIVCongreso/
History of the Conference: The State Distance University (UNED) of Costa Rica was founded on March 3rd 1977 as an institution to serve all sectors of the population, especially those who for economic, social, geographic, cultural reasons, or because of age, disability or sex were in need of opportunities for genuine and equitable participation in society. These 31 years of service to the national community have positioned it as a higher education institution for people of all ages and economic conditions, in all parts of the country. At present it reaches more than 28 thousand students via 34 university centers. Throughout its history UNED has dedicated itself to promoting its university activities by means of various national and international activities. A number of different themes have been explored since 1981. In 1996 the International Technology and Distance Education Conference initiative began, with the establishment of a partnership with Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. After 1998 UNED transformed the organization of the conference by putting it on a biennial basis, creating a space in which academics from different universities in Latin America can be updated and share information on the new trends in distance education, and construct inter-institutional links for agreements, support networks, student exchanges, cooperation agreements, etc. This year’s conference is the sixth to take place in San José, Costa Rica. Importance of the Conference for UNED UNED believes that this conference underlines the strengths and opportunities afforded by distance education through the use of technology, making it possible for quality education to be taken to any part of the country or the world, in alignment with the demands of today’s globalized world. In this way the institution offers access to higher education and strengthens its democratic commitment to society. That is why we see this conference as an event that has the power to complement and strengthen the implementation of UNED’s Mission and Vision. Support provided by UNED: Realization of the conference involves exhaustive planning, organization and execution of activities, which are coordinated through the Offices of the Academic Vice-Rector and the Vice-Chancellor, together with the other parts of the institutional structure of UNED. To ensure that the conference fulfills the expectations and demands placed on it, we have an inter-disciplinary team of the highest quality which has been working for the entire year leading up to the conference.
PRESIDENT
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