learning development institute 05/04/01 ICDE Düsseldorf 1 Ethics in Distance Education and Open Learning Special Presidential Session with Fredric Litto; Federico Mayor; Noah Samara; Jan Visser; Lya Visser

learning development institute ICDE Düsseldorf 2 05/04/01 Organizer:Learning Development Institute Chair: Jan Visser Panelists:Fredric Litto Federico Mayor Noah Samara (physically absent) Lya Visser Ethics in Distance Education and Open Learning

learning development institute 05/04/01 ICDE Düsseldorf 3 I strongly regret that I am not able to join you this morning in Dusseldorf. A matter of paramount importance to WorldSpace Corporation requires my immediate and direct attention. Please know, if there were any way I could be with you, I would make it happen. In a conference impressive for its scope and depth, Jan Visser had assembled a panel of unique importance. For months, I have been anticipating the opportunity to take part in Jan's panel on Ethics in Distance Education. In particular, I had been looking forward to raising the ethical concept of providing "the greatest good to the greatest number of people." This idea is at the core of our work at WorldSpace. Although I cannot be with you, I hope the concept of providing education to the greatest possible population - and doing so in a way that provides practical and economic access - will be one of the subjects the panel considers. Noah Samara

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learning development institute 05/04/01 ICDE Düsseldorf 5 A search of the literature and WWW reveals little explicit concern with ethical questions among community of DE & OL professionals Our aim: Correct this situation.  Put ethics on the agenda of the DE & OL professional community  Initiate debate (not only in this session)

learning development institute 05/04/01 ICDE Düsseldorf 6 Ethics is something very practical  “The discipline concerned with what is morally good and bad, right and wrong.” (Encyclopaedia Britannica)  Relates directly to decision-making, but at a more comprehensive level than that of many of our other considerations.

learning development institute 05/04/01 ICDE Düsseldorf 7 Ethics in context of human learning Two levels of definition:  Narrow definition: Change in human performance capability.  Broad definition: Unending dialogue of human beings with themselves, with their fellow human beings, and with their environment at large, allowing them to participate constructively in processes of ongoing change.

learning development institute 05/04/01 ICDE Düsseldorf 8 Decision-making, i.e. ethical considerations, at different levels This panel:  Learning process level  Institutional level  Level of global policies and issues  Global infrastructure level

learning development institute 05/04/01 ICDE Düsseldorf 9 Procedures  Introductory brief statements by panelists.  Dialogue, involving the panelists as much as the audience.

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learning development institute 05/04/01 ICDE Düsseldorf 11 Lya Visser Program Professor in the Instructional Technology and Distance Education programs of Nova Southeastern University, Florida, USA Researcher in the area of Motivational Communication in Distance Education Support

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learning development institute 05/04/01 ICDE Düsseldorf 13 Fredric Litto President of the Brazilian Association of Distance Education Scientific Coordinator of the School of the Future, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil

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learning development institute 05/04/01 ICDE Düsseldorf 15 Federico Mayor President of the Foundation for a Culture of Peace Professor at the Center for Molecular Biology at the Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain Past Director-General ( ) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

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learning development institute 05/04/01 ICDE Düsseldorf 17 Key phrases for discussion Communication infrastructure must seek to create “greatest good to greatest number.” (Un)ethical behavior diffuses among people and organizations. Learning throughout life for all is ethical priority. Distance education more than a product. Increasing focus on technology may decrease attention to ethical concerns. Issues of planetary scope require global learning communities that build global vision. Distance education can facilitate such communities. Distance education requires equivalent of ‘Dublin Core.’ Those who facilitate other people’s learning must be driven by ethical concerns. Ethics implies memory; the capacity to compare; to think critically, create and anticipate. The good of the Internet should be available to all. Its use must build these faculties. For centuries we have been living in a culture of imposition and force, and people have paid the price of war and violence. Let's now evolve towards a culture of peace, tolerance, dialogue and understanding.

learning development institute 05/04/01 ICDE Düsseldorf 18 thank you Federico mayor FREDRIC LITTO LYA VISSER NOAH SAMARA (IN ABSENTIA) learndev.org Jan visser