November 2005 online board meeting considered the following
one item and eleven resolutions and the following voting resulted:
Y N A
13 - 1 item 1: approval of PEOI's november minutes
12 - 2 2005-11 #1 appointment of Melissa Lee Price as board
member
9 1 4 2005-11 #2 appointment of Thirumagal Kanagasabai as
board member
10 - 4 2005-11 #3 appointment of Simon Rosin as board member
7 4 3 2005-11 #4 appointment of Siddhartha Maheshwari as board
member
4 8 2 2005-11 #5 appointment of Shayla Price as board member
6 5 3 2005-11 #6 appointment of Adele Wong as board member
6 5 3 2005-11 #7 appointment of Deborah Barantchouk as board
member
5 6 3 2005-11 #8 appointment of Olha Plevako (Batishchva)
as board member
3 7 4 2005-11 #9 appointment of Regina Ekhem as board member
12 - 2 2005-11 #10 removal for absences of ANOHAR JOHN as
board member
12 - 2 2005-11 #11 removal for absences of Stacy Speidel as
board member
Present at and participating in July online board meeting:
1-Kenneth Barden
2-Rinku Bhattacharya
3-Mihai D Caramihai
4-Johannes M. Glas
5-Jeanne M. Henry
6-Carol Law
7-Kimberly Louis
8-Poi Kee (Frederick) Low
9-Michael Palmer
10-John Petroff
11-Romina Sengara
12-Nazim Syed
Participated in the November online meeting but did not send in valid votes
13-Peter Short, second set of invalid votes
14-Peter Wells, second set of invalid votes
Missing votes:
1- MANNAVA RAMANA BABU, second absence
2- Ndeye Diagne, second absence
3- Cauvery Sachdeva Handa, first absence
4- Vivek Jamwal, second absence
5- nizam MRYAN, second absence
6- Guilherme Rodrigues, second absence
7- Sachin Paranjape, first absence
8- Maree Weir , first absence
Discussion item replies:
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Item #2
1- Simon's report
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Nazim Syed:
I agree with comments related to site sturcture and appearance.
The report provides a basic framework but it needs a more closer
assessment, thought and refining of ideas and inputs from the
board members. I suggest if any boardmember takes the responsibility
of coordinating with other members and Simon for putting together
a final plan and changes for implementaiton.
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Carol Law:
Fully agree with separate entry as well as site contend for different
stakeholders of PEOI. Also shared the same view that the colour
scheme is not attractive or seemed not dynamic enough for a young
and innovative NGO. Agree with concern over security of personal
information.
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Kenneth Barden:
I would like more time to review the report and would suggest
tabling a vote on any matters until next board meeting to permit
additional time for review and discussion.
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Mihai D Caramihai:
I think that the Mr Rosin's suggestions can be applied only in
English
(for the begining)
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Michael Palmer:
Simon's observations are on-target and well structured.
I applaud his efforts. This is great movement from the discussion
at
our last board meeting regarding the suitability of the web presence.
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Romina Sengara:
I really liked Simon's report. It is definitely a lot of work.
The main
thing for me would be that they are many different users that
use the
website for different purposes. I think having 3 different homepages
focused on the 3 main types of users is brillant. It makes it
userfriendly and
eliminates having to sort through information that you are not
interested
in!
==========================================================================
Item #1
2- Simon's questionnaire
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Nazim Syed:
Survey questionnaire made by Simon Rosis was good and his efforts
must be appreciated.
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Carol Law:
Maybe PEOI can make it a pilot project (such as creating a separate
entry for staff & board members first, <assuming they are
the smallest group> and gather feedback). Full implementation
should be a later phase. As PEOI grows, to implement such large
scale changes might consume more resources in the future.
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Kenneth Barden:
I would like more time to review the report and would suggest
tabling a vote on any matters until next board meeting to permit
additional time for review and discussion. I agree that 8 languages
will pose a time and resource problem and would suggest that alternatives
be considered as to how alternative languages could be added,
either on a request by request basis or reference to a translation
website.
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Michael Palmer:
Good idea. Will ensure that alterations meet the needs of targeted
users groups. Should be sent specifically to the "different
user groups" noted under "site structure" in Simon's
report, and
responses tracked separately. Keeping in mind that resources are
a constraint, which languages represent priorities 1 and 2 ???
... can target dates be established for these?
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Romina Sengara:
I Liked the survey - it was relevant and to the point. However
we need to know how to quantify and measure the results and use
them in a useful way. Great work though on asking the right questions
in order to understand what people are looking and are not looking
for in the website.
==========================================================================
Item #3:
1- exploit open content
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Nazim Syed:
Active partnerships with institutions worldwide would be a better
option to exploit couse content. Our startegy should be to first
assess where do we stand today and what we plan to achieve. Then
it will more easy to outline the objectives and how to achieve
them.
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Carol Law:
As contents are widely available, maybe content developments will
be of secondary concern while PEOI's volunteer instructors can
lead programmes, courses for those in need to value add in their
learning. Not that we do not develop materials anymore, but with
some focus on teaching too. Another area of strength is our translation
teams which can focus on translating Open Materials from other
source for the serve more people from developing countries. (with
coordinated effort with the materials provider)
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Kenneth Barden:
Concentrating on what works for now and establishing a solid reputation.
Sometimes trying to expand too quickly, especially in the area
of technological resources, can be counterproductive if it means
taking resources from what is done well toward new ideas. New
ideas are good, but we need to make sure that adequate time, resources
and effort will be there to provide support.
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Michael Palmer:
Linking back to prior discussion and to Simon's report, I suggest
that the web presence be "the" strategic focus, and
within that presence a "delivery mechanism" which caters
for the presentation of the education offerings, the online assessment
of learning, and the online tracking of registrations and completion.
With these critical foundations in place, any "open content"
should be easily absorbed into the PEOI curriculum with language
translation and minimal modifications. In terms of identifying
which "open content" is attractive and in-line
with overall PEIO strategy, the board and faculty areas should
facilitate content proposal, review, and accept/reject processes.
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Romina Sengara:
lpok into other such websites and see what is working for them
and what is not. Which courses are the most common? Languages...how
do the market, and join up with other institutions. Is there a
site which we can role model?
==========================================================================
Item #3
2- license
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Michael Palmer:
Seems simple and straightforward and may open doors to content
exchange. Is there growing "mind-share" in this space?
Is it emerging as a standard? If so, embracing the emerging
standard should be positive? Can we forecast the benefits?
What doors will it likely
open?
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Romina Sengara:
not sure I really understand the workings of this. Sorry I do
not have much input into this.
==========================================================================
Item #3
3- how should PEOI adapt with SAKAI
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Nazim Syed:
I am sure by now our organization has realized that achievents
dont come in easy. PEOI's considerable achievement and progress
made in open education development is commendable. How we proceed
further from here is more important. I personally feel that we
as an institution are yet to learn how to barter appreciation,
encouragment and recognition to volunteers for their valuable
contribution towards strengthening this organization. How we will
do it is itself a discussion by itself, which we have to take
it as a subject of urgency.
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Michael Palmer:
Who has most experience in this arena??? I suggest that the licence
components need to be reviewed in detail and the specific options
applicable to PEOI be articulated. If an agreed model is arrived
at, it becomes the licence standard for future content, which
represents one change requirement. Second requirement, which
may be optional, would be to revisit existing terms under the
EMUCL and convert them.
==========================================================================
Item #3
4- goals for 2006:
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Nazim Syed:
Organization Itself
1.. Make the window of our organization, which is our website
more presentable and user friendly.
2.. Improve organizations performance.
3.. Build educaitonal partnerships with institutions.
4.. Position and market the peoi aggressively.
5.. Funding required.
Education Program
1.. Outline areas of educaiton where we need to focus this
year to build our course content.
2.. Further refine the developed courses and make them more
self learning modules.
3.. Provide course matetial that can be downloaded.
4.. Work on making peoi's courses more acceptable and credible.
Volunteers
1.. Motivate, encourage and recognize volunteers.
2.. Make peoi as a platform for volunteers can volunteer as
well as learn.
3.. Build a volunteers database to help volunteers network.
Student
1.. Number of targetted enrollments.
2.. Making peoi's learing more easy, enjoyable and achiveable.
3.. Recognizing students on completion of courses by providing
couse transcripts and certificates.
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Carol Law:
Expand range of courses available and towards teaching & learning.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------Michael
Palmer:
(a) In my response to "1" above, focus on the foundations
and delivery mechanism, (b) I suggest we look at the markets being
served ... many regions seem thinly represented in student terms.
With reasonable uptake in a given country, and with mature content
areas backed by assessment, PEOI could/should pursue local accreditation
through national institutions and offer more value-add to the
learning community.
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Romina Sengara:
streamlining the website, looking at countries such as India and
China which could benefit from our courses and continuing to forge
relationships with other institutions.
==========================================================================
Vote bulletin were sent to:
1- MANNAVA RAMANA BABU <cgchyd@ap.nic.in>
2- Kenneth Barden <kenneth_barden@yahoo.com>
3- Rinku Bhattacharya <RinkuB@aol.com>
4- Mihai D Caramihai <m.caramihai@ieee.org>
5- Ndeye Diagne <diagnendeye@hotmail.com>
6- Johannes M. Glas <jmglas@hotmail.com>
7- Cauvery Sachdeva Handa <kaveri_princess@hotmail.com>
8- Jeanne M. Henry <jmhc_co@att.net>
9- Vivek Jamwal <vjammy@yahoo.com>
10- Carol Law <carol.law@rogers.com>
11- Kimberly Louis <kimberlylouis@gmail.com>
12- Poi Kee (Frederick) Low <fred@starhub.net.sg>
13- nizam MRYAN <nsmryan@dohms.gov.ae>
14- Michael Palmer <mp043@hotmail.com>
15- Sachin Paranjape <sachinnp04@yahoo.com>
16- John Petroff <petroff@pronetisp.net>
17- Guilherme Rodrigues <guirodrigues2003@yahoo.com.br>
18- Romina Sengara <romina_sengara@hotmail.com>
19- Peter Short <acilfesp@connect.com.fj>
20- Nazim Syed <nazimsyed786@hotpop.com>
21- Maree Weir <weirdohs@ozemail.com.au>
22- Peter Wells <p.wells@cepes.ro>