Exploit Full Potential Of Distance-learning Programmes - Governor

PENANG, June 12 (Bernama) -- Scholars and practitioners of open and distance-learning must exploit the full potential of distance education as an agent of change to educate the people to value the ideals of peace, freedom, social justice and economic prosperity.By doing so, people from all parts of the world could better understand each other, especially with regard to religion, environment and culture, said Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas."Distance education can serve as beacons of hope to reduce tensions and conflicts amongst nations, making life better and peaceful for all of us and future generations," he said when opening the 3rd International Conference on Open and Online Learning 2007 here Tuesday.The Governor said open and distance-learning programmes had proven successful in narrowing rural-urban socio-economics gap as well as between men and women especially in developing countries.Hence, he said, more ideas and innovative products could be produced and marketed through open and distance-learning education."Open and distance learning are no longer confined within national boundaries. Increasingly, courses are offered worldwide," he said.Abdul Rahman said globalisation of open and distance learning had allowed institutions to reach out to new audience and widened consumers' choice."As such institutions are competing to improve the quality of their programmes in all aspects from pedagogy to content development."They must be hungry to adapt to those changes if they are to prosper in the future," he said.It was a great challenge for institutions and educators alike to meet the needs of the new demanding global public, he added.-- BERNAMA