UPOU to participate in Tianjin conference

by Paulo Salada

             University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) will participate in the 25^th International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) World Conference at Tianjin Open University (TOU), China, this coming October 16-18, 2013.

          ICDE is the leading global membership organization for enhancing the quality of open, distance, flexible and online education, including e-learning, and has supported many initiatives to help overcome the challenges faced by ODL institutions. 

          UPOU Chancellor Grace Javier Alfonso will be one of the participants in the study support panel discussion in the upcoming international conference.

        Alfonso will take part in panel discussions regarding open educational resources and study support in Open and Distance Leraning (ODL) at the 25^th ICDE World Conference.

         “This conference will provide a broad and rational platform for the educators and the friends from all social sectors who are engaged and interested in open and distance education and in the education for social vulnerable groups,” said Feng Xuefei, TOU head.

         Four among the 400 accepted papers in the conference were written by UPOU professors. The first two entries were written by Joane Serrano and Alvie Simonette Alip entitled “Virtual Reporting: An online learning initiative for intercultural environmental practices” and “Enhancing Quality in Online Class Collaboration through Peer Evaluation” respectively. The third one is “Collaborative Learning through Online Communities of Practice (OCoPs) at the UP Open University” by Ben Hur Vira. The fourth and last paper is entitled, “MOOC- to MOOC+:  Applying the ODeL Quality Framework to Fill the Gaps” by Melinda Dela Pena Bandalaria.

          “One of the important events of the ICDE is the ICDE conferences, which have set the necessary forum for the presenting new ideas, learned papers, vigorous debates and above all, an opportunity for the best of academicians, administrators, policy makers, and practitioners to challenge, inspire and enhance the practice of ODL,” said Tian Belawati, ICDE president.

              ICDE World Conference will carry the theme "New Strategies for Global Open, Flexible and Distance Learning." Together with their view of reflecting a comprehensive and accurate understanding of the theme, seven sub-themes have been provided namely: culture, system, technology, resources, quality and services, and assisted learning.