The objectives of this project were to: (1) survey and take stock of the existing educational scenarios and problems in the three countries; (2) initiate strategies for networking collaboration with other distance learning (DL) institutions in the region; (3) record in a user-friendly manner the best practices of DL policy, research, and practices in other Asian countries; (4) discuss these documents with the respective country core groups, policy- and decision-makers in those countries, to contextualize the best practices and reflect on their implementation strategies; (5) build further capacity through a training-of-trainers programs in a variety of distance teaching and learning skills in those countries; and (6) formulate recommendations for further development of detailed DL initiatives in the individual countries.
The outputs included: (1) a survey report; (2) a series of user-friendly guides on best practices for planning and implementation of DL projects and initiatives. This series includes guidelines in areas related to DL policy and practice, DL technologies (DLT), learner support systems, assessment and evaluation, training in distance and Open Learning, research and development in DL, management of DL, economics of DL, online teaching and learning, as well as learning/ study strategies at a distance; (3) training courses in the three partner countries on DLT operational issues, to advise planning and implementation of initiatives for DL the various countries; and (4) a set of recommendations for the continuation and sustainability of the project's activities in order to bring the DL capacity of these countries to the level of other countries in the region. Since gender issues cut across all the objectives and expected outputs of the project, these are highlighted in the reports.
Cambodia, Laos PDR, and Vietnam (CLV) have a clear need for DL methods, but also a serious lack of public understanding of its value and validity. This project has considered the DL practices with the greatest applicability in the CLV region. In combination with project #9, it has generated recommendations for effective implementation of DL in the region and internationally.
