Transcript distance_education

International Labour
Organization
Programme for Workers’ Activities
(ACTRAV)
Distance Education
ACTRAV Distance Education
• Objectives
– Long-term:
• Create national / international networks between unions
and labour colleges.
• Develop integration between unions in
International Trade Secretariats.
• Help unions understand the political and economic
implications of information technology.
ACTRAV Distance Education
• Objectives
– Immediate:
• Orient participants before courses
• Provide after-course support.
• Conduct courses completely online.
ACTRAV Distance Education
• Online Courses
– Course on International Labour Standards
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March 1999
Used Lotus Notes Conferencing System
Country reports entered into conferences
Support material available via Web and CD-ROM
CD-ROM
– Included reference material to be printed
– Overhead transparencies
ACTRAV Distance Education
• Online Courses
– Course on Declaration
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Started February 24, 2000
Included Web-based online exercises
Support material provided via the Web
Lotus conference
20 participants
ACTRAV Distance Education
• Online Courses
– Course on Safety and Health - Latin America
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Started December 1999
22 participants
Lotus Notes conference
Evaluation report prepared
ACTRAV Distance Education
• Online Courses
– Course for H&S specialists - Latin America
• Course on how to teach online
• Course available on ACTRAV web site
ACTRAV Distance Education
• Online Course on the Declaration
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Four week course completely online - 2001
15 participants
Resource material and exercises online
Course available on ACTRAV web site at:
www.itcilo.it/actrav/english/online
ACTRAV Distance Education
– Organization and Methodology
• Course participants chosen from workers’
organisations.
• Train facilitators in online management / training
methods.
• Use online active training methods such as
group work through electronic conferencing.
• Develop comparative approaches online between
workers’ organizations.
ACTRAV Distance Education
• Evaluation
– Participants surveyed before courses to determine
technical competence, equipment available, and
access to the Internet.
– Definition of course objectives
– Participants surveyed after courses to evaluate
course structure, support material, facilitator,
and to collect ideas for improving online courses.
– Objectives achievements
ACTRAV Distance Education
• Traditional / Basic
– The use of mail to conduct courses
– Support provided by mail or telephone
– Resource materials include: manuals, tapes and
videos.
ACTRAV Distance Education
• Computer Based
– The use of computer communications to
conduct courses.
– Support provided mainly by email or computer
conferencing.
– Resource material includes: Web pages;
manuals delivered by email; video; Web-audio;
or CD-ROMs
– Availability of training material online
ACTRAV Distance Education
• Types
– Before a face-to-face course
– After a face-to-face course
– Training courses completely online
– Ongoing forums on trade union issues
ACTRAV Distance Education
• Advantages:
– Increases number of trained T.U. participants
– Increases the quality and decrease duration of
face-to-face courses
– Allows support / evaluation after face-to-face
courses.
– Shares resources such as specialist instructors
– Maintains contact between participants
– Development of national/international networks
ACTRAV Distance Education
• Potential Problems
– Access to appropriate technology
by participants (platforms)
– Curriculum development / Training Material
– Training activity managers / facilitators
– Training participants
– Languages
ACTRAV Distance Education
• Internet CourseReader
– Helps solve connectivity problems due to
expensive telephone and Internet connections
– Free of charge
– Allows participants to work “offline” (not
connected to the main computer) and then send
their messages when they connect.