Innovating Pedagogy 2015: Open University Innovation Report 4

This series of reports explores new forms of teaching, learning and assessment for an interactive world, to guide teachers and policy makers in productive innovation. This fourth report proposes ten innovations that are already in currency but have not yet had a profound influence on education. To produce it, a group of academics at the Institute of Educational Technology in The Open University collaborated with researchers from the Center for Technology in Learning at SRI International. We proposed a long list of new educational terms, theories, and practices. We then pared these down to ten that have the potential to provoke major shifts in educational practice, particularly in post-school education. Lastly, we drew on published and unpublished writings to compile the ten sketches of new pedagogies that might transform education. These are summarised below in an approximate order of immediacy and timescale to widespread implementation

The Role of the Health Care Sector in Expanding Economic Opportunity

This report provides an overview and critical assessment of the ways in which multinational pharmaceutical companies currently participate in expanding economic opportunities in developing countries. As pharmaceutical companies become more involved in both business and philanthropic activities in developing countries, it will be important for each company to identify the best strategies available to it to create new economic opportunities and to leverage the benefits of activities already underway. While the primary focus of the industry is, and will most likely continue to be, on increasing access to health care, the potential for expanding economic opportunities through its activities should not be overlooked as a significant outcome. The analysis and case studies contained in the report highlight companies' contributions to economic opportunity expansion through job creation, training and capacity building, and shaping public policy. The report also offers recommendations for future work to increase economic opportunities. This paper is part of the Economic Opportunity Series published by the CSR Initiative at Harvard University Kennedy School

One-to-One Laptop Programs in Latin America and the Caribbean: Panorama and Perspectives

The introduction of technology in education is gaining momentum worldwide. One model of incorporating technology into education that has gained tremendous traction in Latin America and the Caribbean is One-to-One computing. The term "One-to-One" refers to the ratio of digital devices per child so that each child is provided with a digital device, most often a laptop, to facilitate learning. The objective of this document is to provide an overview of One-to-One implementations with a regional focus on Latin America and the Caribbean. It also proposes a systemic approach to improve the quality of education in contexts of mass laptop distributions to students and teachers.e-Learning, Teacher Education & Quality, Innovation

Energy sustainability in teaching and outreach initiatives and the contribution to the 2030 Agenda

© 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: Considering the different roles universities can perform to contribute to sustainable development, it is through teaching and outreach that they might be able to connect to the academic and local communities the most. The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which energy sustainability is being considered in campus teaching and outreach activities of different higher education institutions worldwide. In this context, this exploratory study was developed. Design/methodology/approach: Through an online survey, a group of 36 universities from all continents was inquired about the level of sustainability in energy aspects of teaching and outreach activities, including curriculum change, training courses for staff and the regularity of outreach projects. Findings: The results allowed global analysis concerning challenges and opportunities of these educational activities. This study also touches upon the interconnection between these practices and the contribution of universities towards the 2030 Agenda, and how universities can expand their activities and contribute practically to society. In terms of practical contributions, this study provides recommendations for higher education institutions to develop further in the area of energy sustainability through teaching and outreach. Originality/value: Energy is a sustainability aspect relatively well covered by actions on campus operations, but there is a paucity of studies connecting this topic to teaching and outreach activities. This study is an approach to not only fill this gap but also reinforce the university role and contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals

Energy innovation in Latin America: R&D effort, deployment, and capability accumulation

Ibero-America, just as the rest of the world, faces an increasing urgency to transform existing energy systems. In the past, incentives to develop energy systems were induced mainly by changes in demand (derived from industrialization and urbanization) and by price shocks in fuels. Diversification of energy sources followed a growing need of use of particular energy forms. For developing countries, innovating in energy systems meant fundamentally gaining control over natural resources and moving away from primary, export-oriented enclaves into industrial integration, as well as improving energy security. Today, however, environmental constraints and the pressing need to reduce energy poverty forge additional challenges and set new directions to change the ways in which we use and produce energy. Improving current technologies along the same trajectory is simply not enough. Fundamental changes must take place in our economic systems in order to combine energy efficiency with low-carbon, sustainable energy sources, for which new abilities and solutions need to be targeted.energy innovation; Latin America

Connecting the Majority, Getting Digital Dividends

ICT is changing the way people live and do business globally, and is creating new social and economic development opportunities for lower-income populations and vulnerable groups, by enlarging markets and facilitating greater access to information, public services and economic activity. ICT is an effective tool that, when supplemented by investments in innovation, education, social inclusion and flexible government policies, increases competitiveness and contributes to economic growth, social development and poverty reduction, contributing to the creation of a knowledge economy. Yet, these opportunities cannot be effectively and fully realized if left to market forces alone, and require the active participation of the public, private and civil society sectors under an integrated effort towards the development of a socially inclusive knowledge society. This paper, that is descriptive in nature, provides references and examples of e-government pilot and investment initiatives in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Region pursuing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), showing the ICT pivotal role in the social and economic development of the developing countries. The examples considered in the paper show how favorable development can be achieved through the effective deployment of ICT tools and solutions, especially those based on mobile and wireless technologies, in the priority sectors of education, health, government, finance and social inclusion of vulnerable groups, including ageing people and people with disabilities. These examples also form the basis for a proposed action-oriented strategy that, under a multi-sector approach, aims at the creation of the necessary conditions to facilitate investments in technological infrastructure and connectivity, facilitate access, foster digital education and training, promote the development of local content, and delineate the participation of various stakeholders in the implementation of ICT-based development programs. In the paper four development scenarios benefitting the LAC Region are suggested that can be achieved through the coordinated efforts of the governments, the private sector and civil societies under the described strategy. Although these scenarios are specifically conceived for the LAC region they can be easily transferred to other developing regions