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info@odlqc.org.uk Tel: 020 7612 7090 Fax: 020 7612 7092 Search the site Quicklinks  homeaccreditationlearnersresourcesabout ODL QCbuyers guidecoursesprovidersstandardsnewsnewsletterlinks© ODL QC Page updated: 14 June 2004 |
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News from 2004
For news from previous years, go to 2003, 2002 & 2001
Problem with website forms & searches You may encounter problems with the forms and course search facility on our website. We have reported the problem to our Internet Service Provider, who have promised to fix as soon as possible.In the meantime, please do not hesistate to contact the ODL QC office for more information, either by telephone (020 7612 7090) or by email (info@odlqc.org.uk) Apologies for any inconvenience this causes.
Warning about Turkish Hygiene Centre advert The ODL QC has received a document, in Turkish, which we understand to refer to a Diploma in Cookery offered by the Turkish Hygiene Centre. The document suggests that the diploma is accredited and supported by the ODL QC.We would like to inform all interested parties that have no knowledge of, or connection with, the Turkish Hygiene Centre, and do not accredit either the centre, or the diploma.
Adult Learners' Week 15th - 21st May 2004 Adult Learners' Week is an opportunity to celebrate, promote and advance all forms of adult learning and is co-ordinated by NIACE, the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education.
The Chair of the American Senate Governmental Affairs Committee has called on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Department of Education to "act swiftly to close the loopholes in federal law that enable government employees to pay for diploma mill, or bogus degrees, with taxpayer dollars." The problem of fake universities is not restricted to the US. The UK Department for Education and Skills have issued a "Bogus Degrees Warning" and established a website with details of institutions with the right to award British degrees.
The FE Focus section of the Times Education Supplement (7 May, p1) has stated that Top Choice Computer Careers is now in liquidation. The paper quoted MD Andrew Baldwin as saying that "students would be contacted and given the chance to continue their studies" but no clues, from TES at least, as to how. (see also an earlier news item)
Moving Open and Distance Learning to Centre Stage Professor Brenda Gourley, Vice-Chancellor of the Open University will be discussing the necessity of open and distance learning in achieving the Government's targets for Higher Education, and will also look at the international role for ODL in Higher Education.The Geoffrey Hubbard Memorial Lecture will take place on Thursday 17th June 2004, at the British Library, Euston Road, London. It is being sponsored by the Times Educational Supplement (TES) for the third consecutive year.
The National Extension College are supporting Adult Learners' Week with a special offer - their top ten courses for only £150 each. (NEC 6 May 2004)
An NEC student, Merry, a Carer from Lincolnshire, has been lucky enough to win an Adult Learners' Award this year. (NEC 5 May 2004)
The Hellenic Network for Open and Distance Education has announced a new journal, to be called Open Education: the Journal for Open and Distance Education and Educational Technology. It will be in printed form, with papers in both Greek and English. (29 April 2004)
The Flemish Government are offering BIS for public-private partnership. (16 April 2004)
Review of The Correspondence School The New Zealand Government has announced a review of The Correspondence School, a major distance learning school in New Zealand.(Scoop 2 April 2004) The US Government have announced a major grant to develop and operate ERIC, the Educational Resources Information Centre, and the world's largest education database. (US Department of Education 18 March 2004) EURODL, the European Journal of Open and Distance Learning, has been re-launched by EDEN. (EDEN 18 March 2004)
CARADOL, the Caribbean Association for Distance and Open Learning has now been established. (UNESCO 10 March 2004) Top Choice Computer Careers may not have been wise decision After the Advertising Standards Authority upheld complaints about Top Choice Computer Career's advertising claims, learners fear that the company may have ceased trading.(ODL QC, 27 February 2004)
Major New Online Book Published Canada’s Athabasca University has now published the “Theory and Practice of Online Learning” as an open access volume of essays.(Athabasca Universtiy, February 2004)
New Head for Commonwealth of Learning Sir John Daniel, a former Vice-Chancellor of the UK's Open University, has been named as the new President and Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth of Learning.(Commonwealth of Learning, 13 February 2004)
ECHOE-ing questions from the web ODL QC advises learners to "seek independent guidance" over a new website from a body calling itself ECHOE, the European Council for Home and Online Education.(ODL QC, 4 February 2004)
Malaysians accept distance learning qualifications After a long wait, at least according to Utusan Online, the Education Ministry has now agreed that teachers whose degrees were earned by distance learning, should be placed on the same grade, and earn the same salary, as other graduate teachers. Around 5,600 teachers will be affected by the change.(Utusan Online, 30 January 2004)
India plans rapid expansion in distance learning Facing a "huge demand for higher education in the years to come", the Indian government has declared that this can "only be met with rapid expansion of distance education".(Indian Government Press Release, 27 January 2004)
A new online journal has been launched, the International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning. (IJITDL, January 2004)
EADL publishes Meeting programme The European Association for Distance Learning will hold its Annual Meeting in 2004 in Istanbul from 26 to 28 May. The programme for the Meeting has now been published, and is available online.(EADL, 13 January 2004) UK Open University announces record student numbers New figures claim that the number of enrolments to the Open University has reached an all-time high; the eventual figure for 2004 is expected to be around 156,000, 2% up on 2003. The increase, according to the OU, is due both to the “appeal of distance learning and the university’s excellent reputation.”(Open University, 12 January 2004) India to strengthen control of distance education The Distance Education Council (DEC) of India, a regulatory body instituted by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), is planning to regularise open learning courses offered by various universities across the country. This is a first step towards bringing accountability in distance education, with only DEC approved correspondence courses being recognised from next year.(The Times of India, 6 January 2004) More support for distance learning in the USA There has been a range of recent policy changes in the US, at federal, state and institutional level. Whilst many are small in themselves, together they suggest growing support for distance learning amongst policy makers, and could make a real difference to the availability and popularity of distance learning.(Syllabus, 1 January 2004)
Unless explicitly stated, ODL QC cannot confirm the validity of any story on the news pages. We are reporting stories from elsewhere, in good faith, as a service to those interested in distance learning. | |||