Download The Third Annual Symposium of Learning International

The Third Annual Symposium of Learning International Network
Consortium
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology
27th-28th October 2005
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
The e-learning initiatives to reduce poverty and support
socio-economic development in Lao PDR
By: Ms. Sisavanh BOUPHA
Deputy Director General,
Department of Science and Technology
Contents
1.
Introduction
2.
Education and ICT
3.
E-learning definition
4.
Case study
5.
Challenges
6.
Links with economy issues
7.
Future Plan
Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR)
• Capital: Vientiane
• Area: 236.800 Sq Km
• Population: 5.549.000
• Mountainous: 70%
• Language: Lao, Thai,
French and English
• GDP per capita: US$
331/an
• Economy: Agriculture
based
Introduction
• LaoNet the first public e-mail centre at the National
Polytechnic Institute in Lao PDR in December 1994.
• There is a National Growth and Poverty Eradication Strategy
(NGPES). ICT becomes a priority factor for socio-economic
development particularly in support of all governance activities at
the central and local levels.
• Distance learning in “Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie”
(AUF) in Vientiane, Lao PDR (2002).
• Project of ASEAN Virtual Institute of Science and Technology
(AVIST) at STEA (2005).
The e-learning education has been recognized its importance and
experimented among some of the students and professionals to
upgrade their studies and knowledge.
Education & Academic Community

Universities
• National University of Laos, NUOL (Vientiane Capital)
• Souphanouvong University (North)
• Champassak University (South)

Colleges (10-20)
• Goverment and Public : 5 -10
• Private: 5-10

Research Institutes (5-10)
• NAFRI National Agriculture and Forestry Institute (4 Research
Centers)
• Research Institutes in the Ministries
Number of Student
NUOL Students
1
4
0
0
0
1
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
8
0
0
0
6
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
Total
(Excluded of Special/Night time course )
Quota
Examination
S.Well fare
0
96-97
9
7
-
9
8
9
8
-
9
9
Years
9
9
-
0
0
0
0
-
0
1
Schools and access to ICT
• The San Francisco Jhai Foundation together with
Schools Online and local partners is setting up the
first Internet Learning Center in the rural high school
of Phon Song.
• MoE plans to provide two secondary schools in each
province with a computer and internet access by the
year 2005.
• Not yet public primary or secondary school have
access to the Internet.
Human Resource devoted to R&D (FTE)
FTE
Person
%
Business Enterprise
68
25%
128
48%
72
27%
Government
Higher Education
Private non-profit
Not applicable
Total
268
Population
5,491,000
R&D personnel per 10,000 population
0.488
100%
R&D Personnel by Sector of Performance 2002
SECTOR OF PERFORMANCES
OCCUPATION
BERD
GOVERD
HERD
PNP
GRAND
TOTAL
Researchers/Scientists/Engineers
(RSE)
Headcount
FTE
59
26
109
31
41
30
209
87
RSE with Doctor Degree
Headcount
FTE
0
0
15
11
19
12
34
23
Technicians
Headcount
FTE
93
30
188
45
146
30
Other Supporting staff
Headcount
FTE
41
12
195
52
113
12
349
76
Headcount
FTE
193
68
492
128
300
72
985
268
Total
Not appl.
427
105
National R&D Survey
Domestic Expenditure
GENERAL
GERD (million Kip)
6560
GERD ( 1000 US$)
656
GERD/GDP** (%)
0.036 %
Total R&D Personnel (Head count)
985
Total R&D Personnel (FTE)
268
Average Exchange Rate in 2002 (1 US$ = 10,000 kip)
** GDP of LAO PDR in 2002 is 1,805 Mil. US$
R&D Expenditure by Source of Fund
SECTOR OF PERFORMANCE
SOURCE OF FUNDS
BERD
GOVERD
HERD
PNP
GERD
Mil. Kip
2,360
-
-
2,360
1000 US$
236
-
-
236
Mil. Kip
-
530
-
Business Enterprise
Direct Government
Higher Education
Private Non Profit
Funds from abroad
TOTAL
530
Not applicable
1000 US$
-
53
Mil. Kip
-
-
100
100
1000 US$
-
-
10
10
Mil. Kip
53
Not applicable
1000 US$
Not applicable
Mil. Kip
60
2,810
700
3570
1000 US$
6
281
70
357
Mil. Kip
2,420
3,340
800
6,560
1000 US$
242
334
80
656
Internet Situation in Lao PDR

3 registered ISPs: GlobeCom, Laotel and STEA.

9.000 internet users in September 2001 (a ratio of 1.63 Internet
users for every 1’000 inhabitants of Laos).

Internet Access Fee: US$ 0,76-1,51 per hour in November 2001
(Internet Cafes).

Hi-speed Internet Leased Line available from 64 Kbps to 1024
Kbps.

LANIC (Lao National Internet Committee) operating international
gateway for public administration since 2002.
Internet and ISP Networking in Lao PDR
THAICOM
LANIC
CAT(BBK)
ETL
NUOL
Fiber link
THAICOM
SUBIC
IXP
LAOTEL
KPL
SINGNET
STEA
LANEXANG
Fiber link
Optic fiber
Wireless
SPEEDCAST
Copper wire
PLANET
E-Learning Definition
E-learning means an approach to facilitate and enhance
learning through the use of devices based on computer and
communications technology.
Such devices would include personal computers, CD-ROMs,
Digital Television and Mobile Phones. Communications
technology enables the use of the Internet, e-mail, discussion
forums, and collaborative software.
E-Learning
•
E-learning is expected to be an effective learning
system for enterprise, government staff, pupils and
self-learners.
•
Education:
1- Primary/Secondary
2- Higher education and University
3- Adult education, staff education
4- Lifelong education
Case study
ASEAN Virtual Institute of Science and Technology (AVIST)
AVIST is an e-learning network for continuing professional
development and advanced studies in science and technology
with opportunities for real practice experience at participating
institutes.
Three e-learning courses:
• Bioinformatics.
• Introduction to Technology and Innovation Management.
• Eco-tourism
Learners at AVIST e-learning courses can learn at their own pace,
anywhere and anytime. The course contents and communication
means are in English.
The web site is http://www.avist.org
ASEAN Virtual Institute of Science and Technology (AVIST)
Three types of registration:
Registration
Period
Type A
Type B-1
Type B-2
Anytime
As designed by
AVIST
As designed by
AVIST
Course duration
12 months
12 months in total
12 months in
total
Interactions with
instructor team
No
Yes
Yes
Course
assessment
No
No
Yes
Certificate
No certificate
Certificate of
participation
Certificate of
achievement
Registration fee
Introductory
Rate 1,159 Bht
Introductory
Rate 4,359 Bht
Introductory
Rate 5,559 Bht
AVIST Infrastructure
Temporary face-to-face
training room
at partner institutions
Satellite
Permanent Learning
Resources Centers at local
universities/institutes
Content Flow
AVIST Content
Center
LAN
Primary Content
Dissemination Center
Internet Cafes
Secondary Content
Dissemination Center
Dial-up from homes / offices
Secondary Content
Dissemination Center
Tertiary Content
Dissemination Center
Tertiary Content
Dissemination Center
Tertiary Content
Dissemination Center
Agence Universitaire de France (AUF)
• The distance learning is taken place in the “Agence Universitaire
de la Francophonie” (AUF) in Lao PDR since 2002. AUF will offer
the scholarships for the selected excellent candidates on the
distance learning.
• There are many disciplines: economy and rights, ICT and
engineering science, electronic and communication, life and
earth science, medical science and fundamental science
(chemistry, mathematics).
• The Number of students registered in the year 2004-2005 are 86
including 12 students from Laos.
• The web site called http://foad.refer.org
Lessons learned
•
These courses are significant for the students and teachers at
the university to upgrade their knowledge and skills, to keep
aware of ICT technology for education and to share information
with others. These do not mean that we succeeded at making
significant economic change.
•
The number of Lao students is very small. They are not much
interested in the topic. In addition, the course is done in English
and French language.
•
The context might affect to the future priorities for poverty
reduction. We have to examine and consider the aid projects in
this sector for the linkages to the wider economy.
Challenges
• Lack of financial resources to education.
• Lack of telecommunications and public infrastructure.
• A demographic and geography characteristic necessitate
an understanding of the main income sources.
• Poor quality of education, shortage of teachers and learning
materials and curriculum inappropriate to the needs of development.
• Cost fee of internet is high. High long distance call charges lead to
high costs for national access.
• Lack of standards in both public and private sector related to Lao
script, software and hardware for LAN, WAN, and Intranet.
• Lack of R&D on ICT.
• Lack of coordination leading to duplication and inefficiencies of the
activities.
Poverty reduction
•
The National Growth and Poverty Eradication Strategy is a
comprehensive framework for sustainable growth and poverty
eradication focus on the improvement of the poverty situation in
the poorest districts. ICT has been prioritized as an important
tool to enhance productivity and will help to create conditions
for support economic development.
•
Create a supportive environment for intraregional trade,
promote a cooperation mechanism for an knowledge based
society/economy, develop HRD and enhance institutional
capacity building.
•
Encourage the cooperation with private sector and international
community.
Links with economic issues
Key issues: Rural and urban development
• Provide industrial structure, telecommunication services, increase
level of compulsory education, improve quality of education,
promote population distribution in balance between urban and rural
areas for revenue distribution, develop IT and technologies for food
production and distribution, medical technologies for health care and
create employment.
•
•
•
Development of agriculture, industry, trade and commercial services
Develop grass-root economy in key areas such as: agriculture, rural
industry combine with IT by providing specialized technical
education and strengthening SME enterprises to enhance selfsufficiency and viability of domestic economy.
Develop curriculum and learning materials for exploiting indigenous
knowledge to be marketed and competitive with others.
Promote trade policies and international trade.
Links with economic issues (Cont.1)
Labour and skills
• Provide education and research in new technology areas
(biotechnology, genetic engineering, new materials,…).
• Improve e-learning technologies and multimedia technologies.
Balance between local and global aspects
• Provide contents with balance between local and global aspects,
technology transfer and self-reliance.
E-learning for long-term sustainable economic growth
• Improve living standard
• Productivity
• Increase markets
Price
Quality
Operations Management
• Production Course wares
• Broadcasting & Distribution
• Create jobs
•Revenue growth
• Increase human and information capital
Market opportunity
Labour, Products and Services Markets
Learners Analysis
Service
R&D and innovation
• Satisfaction
• Low-Cost
• Social needs
• Create new products and services
• Develop research aligned with
targeted growth areas
Human Capital
Skills
Knowledge
Values
Certification & Accreditation
Regulatory and Anti-poverty
Policy
• Invest in infrastructure
• ICT policy
• Economic growth
• Promote FDI and trade
• Education and HRD
• Incentive framework
• Promote public-private
collaboration
• IPR
• Standard and security
Information Capital
(Systems, Databases, Networks, Curriculum development and Technology)
Organizations
(Linkages, Culture of creativity and innovation and Competitiveness)
Enterprises
Learning Institutes
STEA
NUOL
Future Plan
• Infrastructure
• Policy
• Regulation frameworks
• Research and development
• Investment
Lao National Research & Education Network
Internet
…China-Vietnam
Thailand-Singapore-Malaysia…
(TEIN)
STEA
NUOL
(A-ISP)
NAFRI
Other Gov. Uni.
Private Colleges
Research Institutes
Research Centers
Proposed basic topology :
• Research and Education Community in Lao PDR
• Case of NUOL acting as an Academic ISP
Members of Lao NREN (Estimation)
Phase I :
NUOL (Main Campus), NAFRI, STEA
Phase II :
MOE, Other Faculties, Library of NUOL, National Library…
Vientiane College, Lao-American College …
Phase III :
Other Universities (Souphanouvong, Champassak University) …
Other Research Institutes or Centers (attached to the Ministry)
ETL Fiber backbone &
China
The proposed Academic
backbone to TEIN
Province
District
Phase 1 (2001)
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Vietnam
Hanoi
Vientiane
Vinh
430km
Thailand
Khornkean
U.
(Dec. 2004)
CSC (Link to TEIN2)
CSC ports to Inter.
Other possibility ports
Cambodia
Connection to TEIN2





1.
CSC cable x*2.4Gbps SDH
... - Shanghai – Hanoi – Vientiane – Bangkok Kuala Lumpur – Singapore - ...
2. Satellite (not preferred)
Interconnect to ThaiSARN in Thailand
and/or STEnet in Vietnam
Demand for bandwidth is high
Sustainable solution depends on cost
Trans-Eurasia Information Network (TEIN)
Comparison of methods
Method
System
Cost
Satellite
Live
Interactive
On demand
High
The Internet
Media
Required
infrastructure
Expected user
Satellite
The Internet
(Broadband)
University
Government
Enterprise
Self-learner
Stand-alone PC
Pupil
Self-learner
Moderate
DVD
CD-ROM
Low
POLICY
• Link the National Growth and Poverty Eradication Strategy to
the National Socio-Economic Development Plan.
• Establish an Information Superhighway Network with high
speed data transmission over fiber optic cables and regional
telecommunications connections to facilitate training, capacity
building on human resource development and establish a
National Internet Exchange Network for ISP for making the cost
affordable to the users.
• Promote and support the wide utilization of distance learning and
e-learning as well as facilitate universal access through networking in
order to ensure the enhancement of capacities and increase
employability.
• Develop R&D on ICT to promote distance and e-learning.
• Promote digital interchange in Lao language.
POLICY
• Promote FDI, trade, incentive frameworks, ICT policy and develop
local ICT enterprise on multimedia content and electronics
services.
• Linking learning institutes between the public sector, private
sector and enterprises for wide utilization of information.
• Develop closer cooperation with international organizations in
priority areas: infrastructure, IT, HRD and economic development.
• Promote certification and accreditation of e-learning network at
national and regional level to improve competence of human
resources.
• Raise an awareness of the public on the importance, benefits
and advantages of e-learning for poverty reduction and support
socio-economic development.
• Prepare the young generation towards the universe of new
technology.
Regulation frameworks
•
Cyberlaws
•
Cybercrime
•
Cybersecurity
•
E-commerce
•
Information, IPR and Consumer protection
•
Digital Content Management
•
Privacy
Research & Development
• Promote joint Research and Development in areas having
potentials for commercial applications with the involvement of
public and private sector.
• Establish a Technology Transfer Network to facilitate the
pooling of information on the availability of technologies
and experts with the enterprises/R&D organizations.
Investment
• Telecommunications and Public Infrastructure
• Human Capital
• Information Capital
Conclusion
• Not a fast moving in implementing e-learning system due to
limited financial resources and human capacity.
• Get government support and encourage the involvement of
private sector and local community.
• Promote the cooperation with international organizations in
priorities areas through various training courses, e-learning,
seminars, workshops and exchange of visits among experts.
• Focus on the solid content in service to the teaching and learning
for poverty reduction and support economic development not
only the enormous investment of networks and technologies.