What is PACFOLD, Pacific Center for Flexible and Open Learning for Development.
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PACFOLD is a digital center aimed at promoting flexible and open learning for sustainable development in the Pacific, focusing on advocacy, capacity building, and policy development. The initiative seeks to establish a regional framework for open, distance, and flexible learning (ODFL) to enhance collaboration and policy standardization among Pacific nations. Key outcomes include the development of quality assurance frameworks and online capacity-building courses to empower practitioners and support ongoing research in ODFL.
What is PACFOLD, Pacific Center for Flexible and Open Learning for Development.
- 1. PACFOLD Pacific Center for Flexible and Open Learning for Development
- 2. University of the South Pacific and Commonwealth of Learning, 2017. Any part of this document may be reproduced without permission, but with attribution to the University of the South Pacific, Commonwealth of Learning and the author. CC-BY-SA (share alike with attribution) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 If you have any queries about this presentation, please contact: Matai Tagicaki Project Officer PACFOLD University of the South Pacific Statham Campus Laucala, Suva FIJI. Email: tagicaki_m@usp.ac.fj
- 3. What is PACFOLD? Digital center for Flexible and Open Learning for Development
- 4. Mission To be a capacity building network of networks to facilitate flexible and open learning for sustainable development in the Pacific through advocacy, communication, innovation, and research. Our Vision A Centre which empowers Pacific communities through lifelong learning to live Free and worthwhile lives.
- 5. Values • Sustainability – ensure all activities meet national and local priorities and will continue without external funding • Empowerment – build capacity and empower people to change their own lives • Innovation – use technology in new ways to achieve development aims • Flexibility – promote flexibility to remove barriers to learning • Inclusiveness – ensure all citizens have a voice
- 6. Role · Act as an advocate and emerge as a champion for FOL4D in the region · Establish/promote viable models of FOL4D in the region · Facilitate the success of FOL4D initiatives, including COL efforts, through cooperation in capacity building, policy · Development & advocacy and networking · Research effective practice in L4D and share evidence · Support institutions and organizations interested in · Strengthening the use of FOL4D.
- 7. Key Priority Areas PRIORITY AREA 1: Advocacy for Flexible and Open Learning for Development In the Pacific. PRIORITY AREA 2: Building capacity in the Pacific for Flexible and Open Learning for Development. PRIORITY AREA 3: Regional and national policy on Open, Distance & Flexible Learning. PRIORITY AREA 4: Research in Flexible and Open Learning for Development
- 8. Theory of Change 1. Problem Tree.
- 9. Theory of Change 2. Result Based Management Framework
- 10. Theory of Change 3. Logic Model
- 11. Theory of Change The region needs to pursue a flexible and open approach in education that is affordable and accessible to all so the Pacific can manage change, thus the need to collaborate on strategically designed documents that will underpin positive social and economic change.
- 12. Regional Collaboration on ODFL Framework PACFOLD regional collaboration task 1 is the establishment of a regional Policy on ODFL. The development has been endorsed by PHES – Sub- committee and has been made as an agenda for FEDMM. The purpose of the framework is to standardize ODFL policy amongst Pacific nations, encourage national policy development and provide globally recognised legitimacy on ODFL program implementations and practices. This is an important development we intend to persistently pursue this year. development.
- 13. HR Capacity Building PACFOLD recognizes that need to transform, simplify and streamline engagement with national stakeholders. The need to understand respective Governments commitments to the development of national ODFL through their respective Ministry of Education Strategic Documents, and work very closely with them in developing ODFL as maybe reflected in their National Development and Strategic Plans. Capacity building in ODFL4D for teachers and trainers must also be given priority. PACFOLD looks at Capacity building in ODFL skills as an immediate area for development in the Pacific. Addressing this need, USP working in partnership with COL, have offered and continue to offer Flexible Skills Development course through COL Moodle platform.
- 14. Research There has been quiet a number of research done in the recent past on ODFL and its practices in the Pacific. Recently the COL Knowledge Management team shared with PACFOLD a repository of papers presented in PCF5 (https://wikieducator.org/PCF5/Cross-Cutting_Themes). The information is still relevant today because of the slow development in ODFL within the Pacific Region. Priority area 4 addresses an area that will support sustainability and will ensure the continuity of developing flexible and open learning for our Pacific community.
- 15. Planned Outcomes Strengthened Pacific region partnership in learning for sustainable development through ODFL capacity building and policy implementation. The outcomes we are seeking: -Developed ODFL Regional Framework -Developed ODFL Regional Quality Assurance Framework – a framework for National Policy on ODFL and a National template framework -Expansion of PACFOLD Learn – online platform that discusses Pacific and global issues relating to flexible and open learning for development. -Build capacity of practitioners on ODFL in the Pacific – online courses. -Increase participation in Pacific based research into case studies and stories – Issues discussed within the community may encourage researches. -A platform for excellence – Excellence through quality ODFL QA framework
- 16. PACFOLD Virtual Center PACFOLD learn www.pacfoldlearn.org
- 17. As a young regional body, we are confident that our strategic objectives will be achieved given time and support for a cause that is relevant and important for all Pacific Community.
- 18. THANK YOU
Editor's Notes
- #4: June of 2013, 17 representatives participated in a consultation meeting to deliberate on the establishment of the Centre. The participants came from 6 Pacific countries – Vanuatu, Tonga, Tuvalu, Samoa, New Zealand, and Fiji – as well as Pan Pacific organizations – PACMAS (Pacific Media Assistance Scheme), Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and femLINK – and development partners NZAID and AusAID. Different units of USP were also represented. The first PACFOLD Strategic Plan, 2014 to 2015 was launched and positioned the building blocks foundation for a regional ODFL center. PACFOLD lead by a Board – Professor Rajesh Chandra (USP VC and President), Ms Cristelle Pratt (Deputy Secretary General PIFS), Mr. Hasmukh Lal (Director Pacific TAFE), Professor Robyn McGuiggan (Pro VC JCU), Mr Mike Field (Manager Ginigoada foundation), Ms Faiesea Matafeo (CEO PACMS).
- #5: PACFOLDs vision and mission are focused on creating worth while lives for all pacific communities.
- #6: Because of the global shift in knowledge creation, teaching and learning approaches accredited to the integration of technology, it is more relevant to day than before for the Pacific community to embrace, adopt and adapt to these global changes.
- #7: As a regional center we see our role as a provide support, initiator, facilitator, mediator for flexible open learning for development in the Pacific.
- #8: Advocacy Capacity building Regional policy framework development Research
- #9: The region needs to pursue a flexible and open approach in education that is affordable and accessible to all so the Pacific can manage change, thus the need to collaborate on strategically designed documents that will underpin positive social and economic change.
- #10: Community leaders and governance need to recognize and acknowledge changes credited to the integration of ICT in all sectors of our community.
- #11: Relevant and appropriate skills and knowledge are critical for Pacific Community citizens as economic participants to underpin economic growth and sustainable development.
- #13: PACFOLD has a high profile committee that will be convening on Wednesday 5th April to begin discussions on developing a regional policy framework. The Committee will be chaired by the Deputy Vice Chancellor LTSS of the University of the South Pacific.
- #14: PACFOLD recognizes that need to transform, simplify and streamline engagement with national stakeholders. The need to understand respective Governments commitments to the development of national ODFL through their respective Ministry of Education Strategic Documents, and work very closely with them in developing ODFL as maybe reflected in their National Development and Strategic Plans. Capacity building in ODFL4D for teachers and trainers must also be given priority. The course, which was free, featured the following modules: 1. Introduction and Orientation Module 2. Flexible and Skills Development 3. ICT in Education - Understanding Open Educational Resources (OER) 4. Talking Strategy 5. Recognition for Teachers and Institutions (for Teachers) 6. Change Management (for Managers) 7. Plenary - Final thoughts
- #15: PACFOLD has sent invitation to all campuses and other pacific tertiary education institutions to participate in collaboration through research groups on the PACFOLD virtual center. Since the establishment of delivering courses through ODFL in the Pacific through the University of the South Pacific in 1974, we can state that the ODFL mode have successfully educated a large number of Pacific students that may have gone to have achieved their life goals and much more, based on its existence and evolution through 3 centuries. These may be students who have completed full courses or those that have partly done their course work through ODFL mode. Their stories need to be told to show how powerful and advantageous ODFL is to our Pacific Community. PACFOLD is also inviting colleagues and partners who are interested in working collaboratively on work woven into how ODFL has positively changed the lives of people in the Pacific and will continue to do so in view of the current Pacific agenda’s we are addressing today, such as migration due to global warming and sea level rising. These real life stories should motivate our Pacific community to take up the initiative and educate themselves despite the geographical challenges. This knowledge will provide governance with the support through research and information that could motivate and initiate policy change to suite the 21st century skills and knowledge approach, discover solutions to economic and social disparities and also considering investing in ODFL National Projects.
- #17: Our Virtual center is called PACFOLD learn. As a young virtual center in the Pacific, PACFOLD has established an online community to engage with people of the Pacific and friends of the Pacific as well. The highlights of the virtual center are, groups, forums, networks, events and a link to FSD offered in the Pacific by COL TVSD Moodle. In trying to encourage healthy discourse, knowledge creation and online collaboration, PACFOLD has 9 virtual groups – Pasifika FIRST (TVET) Gender Open Schooling ODFL research Open Education Resources (OER) Sustainable development COL focal points mLearning PACFOLD Advisory What is unique about this Virtual Center is that we discuss issues contextualized to the Pacific needs only. If there are possibilities that Samoa has knowledge that could benefit PNG or all Pacific Community supporting the migration of the People affected by climate change, this is your virtual center, this is how the future will be like.
- #18: The proliferation of ICT in education throughout the Pacific with digital education programs such as Moodle, OER, mLearning have overwhelmed our Pacific community, specifically the knowledge management aspect. The Pacific community needs to work together and consolidate our efforts of accessing quality and affordable education, PACFOLD is ready to work together with Pacific Education.