Keeping it flexible: integrating technology into distance education in the South Pacific

At the University of the South Pacific, a regional university serving twelve Pacific island nations, pressures for using technology and the rapid rate of technological change are sharply contrasted with the realities of limited resources for development and lack of student access to technology. This paper describes a courseware development project within the University's distance education section in which the needs of these competing factors were successfully addressed. The two key decisions--to separate the courseware development medium (computer-based) from the delivery medium (videotape), and to use familiar and available software (Microsoft PowerPoint) for development--could be useful to others working in settings with similar conflicting pressures and constraints. Keywords Access, Course development, Distance education, Multimedia, PowerPoint, Technology, Video

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2002
• Where: ETS
• Authors: Melissa Gold, Jennie Swann, Irene Yee Chief
• Keywords: Courseware Development, Courseware Development Project, Distance Education, ETS 2002, Hardware