Objectives

by Harald Haugen, HSH

MECPOL addresses two main issues of European partnership in open and distance learning(ODL) for higher education,

models of collaboration, exchanges and joint efforts between institutions in higher education.
models for pedagogy, structure, distribution and design of course modules and learning material for ODL.

The project directly meets several objectives of the Socrates programme, particularly those related to organisation and pedagogy of Open and Distance Learning, ODL. The applicant and partners in the project all had long experience in the field of open learning, both from European and from national projects where a basis for further development was already established. MECPOL sets out to exploit the potential of new information and communication technology, ICT, to improve the quality of teaching and training in general, through the design and development of high quality ODL material that can also supplement regular teaching. User groups of the courseware and material are identified in the first stage to be teachers, instructors and educational managers, as well as producers and distributors of learning material. They are in the forthcoming user trials offered courses (ODL on-line!) in the 'Pedagogy of ODL'.

In order to develop the European dimension of open and flexible learning the partners are developing plans to exchange courses, modules, experiences, and adopt a system for acceptance of credits and qualifications, based on the ECTS. To promote wide-ranging and intensive cooperation between institutions, a European version of the Norwegian NITOL concept is extended to include 8 partner institutions from 3 countries, with different academic and cultural backgrounds. MECPOL promotes virtual mobility of teachers, instructors and professionals, as well as students, thus increasing quality, flexibility and options of specialisation in education.

Organisation

At the first partner meeting, in Brussels, January 1996, the project was, in accordance with the proposal, organised into 6 workpackages, each with an appointed workpackage leader:

WP1: Survey, analysis and discussions of models for administrative, economic, professional and technical collaboration between institutions, particularly for the purpose of IT-based ODL

WP2: Survey, analysis and recommendations of models for existing pedagogical and technical implementations and new ideas for the improvement and promotion of ODL

WP3: User trials with application of selected models from WP1 and WP2. First user trials will start in September '96

WP4: Evaluation of user trials and of the models applied

WP5: Dissemination of experiences on how to implement IT based ODL material and how to organise and run collaborative ODL activities, e.g. through a specified (on-line!) course on pedagogy of ODL. Findings will be documented through separate handbooks, guidelines, demonstration models etc. for development of ODL modules at university level. Outcomes from the project will be presented at conferences, as papers and articles.

WP6: Administration of the project. Accounting and project leadership are allocated to the contracting partner, in close cooperation with the project management group (PGM), consisting of partner representatives, and the work package leaders (WPL).

A Partnership Agreement, signed by all partners, rules arrangements between the partners, both obligations and benefits, transfer of funds, products to be delivered etc.

16th. December 1996, Geir Maribu