Access and Quality in Self Organized Learning Environments

Date
2010-11Abstract
Learning Environments in remote areas: // Almost no one in the world will deny that children need to have access to meaningful learning experiences if they are to truly gain from these experiences and go beyond rote memorization for the sake of passing an examination without understanding the concepts involved. This concern becomes even more critical in disadvantaged and remote settings, where it is even harder to find ‘good’ teachers and schools. // Typically, remoteness is understood in geographical terms. The focus is often on distances from city and urban centres with the corollary assumption that these settings are far from the resources, services, facilities that one has come to associate with urban life. However, in the context of the current effort of Self Organized Learning Environments [SOLEs] and its basis, the Hole in the Wall [HiW] the concept of remoteness and thence access, goes way beyond simple geographical distance from an urban setting. Remoteness is understood to exist in resource poor, underprivileged, economically and socially deprived sections of society. Many of these exist within the heart of the city, in slums, or other areas where freedom of movement, of interaction, of choice, of thought, and therefore access, is often dictated by stringent social norms. All these aspects have implications for the quality of educational facilities available to children as well as the manner of participation in learning that is possible on part of the children. Even in these locations in the midst of the city, ‘good’, trained teachers are hard to come by, since neither the salary that can be given to them, nor the setting in which they would have to work, make this an appealing proposition. The quality of education naturally suffers. [Mitra, Dangwal, Thadani 2008] // Yet the need to provide children with quality education remains a prime concern.
Collections
Metadata
Show full item recordRelated Items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Can Mobile Phones Be Used To Improve The Quality Of Learning In Open Schooling?
Mitra, Sushmita (2010-11)Mobile phones have become ubiquitous. Almost anyone who can have a mobile phone has one. The amount of information and access to it has grown exponentially, thereby the potential for using varied resources for instruction ... -
Children and the Internet: Learning, in the Times to Come
Mitra, Sugata (Commonwealth of Learning (COL), 2020-11-20)It is proposed that the purpose of education is to enable people to live happy, healthy and useful lives — now and in the future. A curriculum and framework for children’s education is derived from the above purpose. Using ... -
Effects of Internet Access During Examinations
Mitra, Sugata; Dangwal, Ritu (Commonwealth of Learning (COL), 2022-03-19)The scores obtained by students in examinations where internet access was allowed during the examination were compared with the scores obtained in traditional examinations where no assistance was allowed. These scores were ... -
Head teachers’ expectations of a quality teacher produced through distance education
Chakanyuka, Sharayi; Chiome, Chrispen; Chabaya, Owence (2010-11)Distance education has been viewed internationally as a viable option for improving access to, and the equity and quality of basic education in various settings (McQuaide, 2009). It is a way to educate people who would ... -
Assessing the need for a quality framework designed specifically for managing the provision of online distance education in developing countries
Inglis, Alistair (2010-11)Quality assurance and quality improvement processes employ quality frameworks to ensure comprehensive coverage of the factors affecting students’ experiences of learning. The importance of quality frameworks has increased ...