Nepal Breakfast Meeting

Dates: 

Thursday, November 17, 2011 - 10:00 to 11:30

Location

Library Presentation Room, Ground Floor

Contact

eSTEeM

Earlier this year, eSTEeM organised informal ‘breakfast’ sessions to bring together OU staff, students and visitors with interests in OU involvement in Brazil and China. Feedback was very positive and a further session on German links is scheduled for later this month.

We are now please to announce a ‘Nepal breakfast’ on the 17th November 2011. In this case the focus is a little different. The event has been suggested by the contribution of Anna Peachey (an OU AL) and John Woodthorpe (MCT) to the development of e-learning infrastructure and methods in Nepal. The fundamental aim of the work has been to use e-learning to extend access to primary education in a country with very limited electronic networks. Of course, new hardware is required to support the new networks, but the work also requires the development of culturally appropriate pedagogies as well as social and political negotiation. It is a complex but valuable enterprise.

The breakfast is intended to explore the interest and experiences of colleagues in work of this type, not only in Nepal but also in other countries facing similar issues. The agenda includes the development work itself, but we are equally interested in exploring the complementary research opportunities which span from engineering issues, through pedagogy, into community development and social change.

Although eSTEeM is based in the STEM faculties, we believe this event will be of wider interest. The format is flexible but will include a very brief introduction to the Nepal project by Anna and John. If you are interested in relating your experiences, please let us know. We will include discussion of possible research questions and follow up actions.

The breakfast will be held from 9:00 - 10:30 on 17th November in the Library Presentation Room. We will be offering a ‘traditional Nepalese breakfast’ of coffee/tea, juice and Danish pastries!

If you would like a preliminary look at the Nepal project, try these videos;

http://db.tt/90FU9fTi Wireless network innovator

http://db.tt/A3CtxdS5 Telemedicine

Please confirm your attendance by emailing esteem@open.ac.uk by Friday 11th November.

Feel free to pass this announcement on to your colleagues, the more the merrier!