Designing Open and Distance Learning for Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: A toolkit for educators and planners

Everyone remembers a good teacher. Good teachers are the key to educational expansion and improvement. In many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, there is an urgent need to expand the number of primary and secondary teachers. In all African countries, there is an equally important need to improve the quality of teaching. To achieve this, it is clear that new approaches to teacher education are essential. Existing institutions of teacher education will continue to play an important role, but, alone, they will not meet the goals of Education for All (EFA) by 2015. It is fortunate that, just as the twin needs to improve the quantity and quality of teachers become imperative, so new forms of education and training are becoming available. The world is witnessing a revolution in information and communication technologies (ICTs), which can offer training and support of a type and at a cost hitherto impossible to consider, and thus, must be fully explored given the scale and urgency of demand. In doing so, however, it will be necessary to build on existing and well-tested strategies, including the best models of open and distance learning. This toolkit is the third in a series of recent publications by the Africa Region Human Development Department of the World Bank to share knowledge and experience on how distance education and ICTs can support education in Sub-Saharan Africa. It emphasizes the rigorous process by which new forms of distance-education programs for teacher education can be planned and implemented. The best models of established programs are considered along with the potential for incorporating, as the means become available, new modes of communication. Most forms of teacher education, particularly those concerned with qualification upgrading and ongoing professional development, will have to be based in schools. The authors demonstrate how school-based programs, appropriately resourced and supported, have the potential not only to raise significantly the number and quality of teachers, but also to improve classroom practice and school organization, generally. The guidance and advice, which is drawn from many years of experience in design and implementation, and embraces a range of case studies from across the region, will be of considerable value to those preparing new policies and programs of teacher education and to those seeking to improve existing programs

Load flow studies on stand alone microgrid system in Ranau, Sabah

This paper presents the power flow or load flow analysis of Ranau microgrid, a standalone microgrid in the district of Ranau,West Coast Division of Sabah. Power flow for IEEE 9 bus also performed and analyzed. Power flow is define as an important tool involving numerical analysis applied to power system. Power flow uses simplified notation such as one line diagram and per-unit system focusing on voltages, voltage angles, real power and reactive power. To achieved that purpose, this research is done by analyzing the power flow analysis and calculation of all the elements in the microgrid such as generators, buses, loads, transformers, transmission lines using the Power Factory DIGSilent 14 software to calculate the power flow. After the analysis and calculations, the results were analysed and compared

Nutrition-sensitive value chains from a smallholder perspective: A framework for project design

"The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) gratefully acknowledges permission from IFAD to re-publish that work as an Alliance Working Paper, with updated acknowledgements, author information and information on additional resources.

Sharing Knowledge on Community-Driven Development in Indonesia: An Assessment of the Neighborhood Upgrading and Shelter Sector Project

The purpose of the study on which this report is based was to identify lessons from implementation of the Neighborhood Upgrading Shelter Sector Project (NUSSP) that would allow the success of this community-driven urban development initiative in Indonesia to be replicated elsewhere. In general, the study examined the extent to which the project contributed to improvements in service delivery and governance in the beneficiary communities. More specifically, the study's objectives were to assess (1) the quality and sustainability of infrastructure services delivered, (2) the extent to which subproject investment decisions corresponded to beneficiary needs and expressed demand, (3) the extent to which study-area residents were able to influence the behavior of their leaders and exact accountability from them, and (4) whether or not participation in community-driven development (CDD) subprojects influenced the nature of institutional arrangements for local service delivery lying outside the scope of the project

Інноваційні моделі навчання і підготовки кадрів для індустрії високих технологій в Україні

The problems of development of innovative learning environment of continuous education and training of skilled personnel for high-tech industry are described. Aspects of organization of ICT based learning environment of vocational and technical school on the basis of cloud computing and outsourcing are revealed. The three-stage conceptual model for perspective education and training of workers for high-tech industries is proposed. The model of cloud-based solution for design of learning environment for vocational education and training of skilled workers is introduced.У статті висвітлено проблеми розвитку інноваційного середовища навчання, неперервної освіти і підготовки кадрів для високотехнологічних галузей промисловості. Виявлено особливості організації інформаційно-освітнього середовища професійно-технічних навчальних закладів на основі технології хмарних обчислень і механізму аутсорсингу. Запропонована триступенева концептуальна модель навчання та підготовки кадрів для високотехнологічних галузей виробництва. Обґрунтовано моделі хмарних рішень для проектування середовища навчання для професійної освіти і підготовки високо кваліфікованих робітникі

Evaluation and recommendations for work group integration within the Materials and Processes Lab

The goal of this study was to evaluate and make recommendations for improving the level of integration of several work groups within the Materials and Processes Lab at the Marshall Space Flight Center. This evaluation has uncovered a variety of projects that could improve the efficiency and operation of the work groups as well as the overall integration of the system. In addition, this study provides the foundation for specification of a computer integrated manufacturing test bed environment in the Materials and Processes Lab

Foreign direct investment as engine of economic development in peripheral economies. What can we learn from the study of two different cases: the maquiladora subsidiary (Nicaragua) and a textile manufacturing subsidiary in (Albania)

Using the analysis of two apparently very different cases, a Taiwanese maquiladora subsidiary of the garment industry (Nien Hsing Textile Co.) in Nicaragua and an Italian subsidiary in Albania, we try to verify the existence of the benefits attributed by many host governments to inward manufacturing foreign direct investment as engine of development in peripheral economies. In each case, we study three specific questions: (1) the technological transfer from the subsidiary, (2) the mobility potential of the manufacturing activities of the subsidiary, and (3) the evolution of the quality of the subsidiary (integration in the territory and complexity of the activities realised) in time. In answering our questions we conduct fieldwork in the two countries. We interacted directly with stakeholders involved in the operations of each subsidiary including interviews with corporate managers and employees, data collection on subsidiary operations, and visits on production sites. We analyze the main channels of technology transfer focusing on the quality of linkages each subsidiary established in the local economy, on the level of additional formal and informal knowledge benefiting the local labor force, and on the support offered to local suppliers in strengthening production activities. We continue by identifying the main factors affecting the mobility of each subsidiary by differentiating between impeding and facilitating factors. Among impeding factors we concentrate on: (a) the resources (generic vs. specific) utilized by each subsidiary in the two countries, (b) market access opportunities in the local economy, (c) the nature of assets owned and engaged in realizing production activities, and (d) other factors constraining the mobility potential (exit costs and the level of integration of each subsidiary with other units of the multinational enterprise). With regard to facilitating factors we particularly consider the existence of substitute plants. In responding to our third question, we look into the nature of linkages (developmental vs. dependent) established by each subsidiary with local suppliers. Furthermore, we examine not only the change in the level of complexity of functions and duties occurring during the operational life of the subsidiaries but also the specific factors that trigger such a change. Among the factors considered in our research are the decisions made by headquarters on allocation of responsibilities, actions taken by the managers supervising each subsidiary, and on the dynamics occurring in the local business environment. The similarities and differences found in the two cases cast doubts upon the contribution of this investment to the development potential of the economy of the host territory.Postprint (published version

Professionalism in the Alaska Department of Corrections: Education and Experience [manuscript]

This article as revised was published as: Schafer, N.E. (1986). "Professionalism in the Alaska Department of Corrections: Education and Experience." The Justice Professional 1(2): 78–95 (Fall 1986). (This journal is now known as Criminal Justice Studies: A Critical Journal of Crime, Law and Society.)A survey of Alaska corrections personnel reveals that employees in all clasiffications tend to have more than the minimum education or experience required for their positions. More than 74 percent of college-educated corrections personnel earned degrees and more than 40 percent acquired their experience outside Alaska. The advantages and disadvantages of hiring large numbers of employees whose education and experience were gained elsewhere are discussed in the context of the unique problems of correctional service delivery in so large and diverse a state.Role Importance / Background of the Study / Methodology / Survey Results / Discussion / References / APPENDICES / A. Alaska Department of Corrections Locations [map] / B. Alaska Department of Corrections Position Description