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World Economic Crisis Requires Prioritization of Quality Control for Distance Learning
Santo Domingo, March 5, 2009
Pedro Cookson, who came from Mexico to share his experience of the Clavijero Consortium, warned that in times when education and other budgets are being cut, quality controls are fundamental to guarantee the survival and improvement of projects.
Cuts in education budgets resulting from the world economic crisis are affecting online distance education projects which are being forced to improve their quality control in order to better confront the situation.
 Pedro Cookson, Academic Director of Mexico’s Clavijero Consortium, spoke on this topic in his speech on Thursday at the conference and panels program of the IV Virtual Educa Caribe Summit taking place in the Manuel del Cabral Auditorium of the Pedro Mir Library of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD).
Cookson emphasized that investment in quality controls or models should never be considered a non-essential expenditure. His speech was titled, “Evaluation and Improvement of the Quality of Online Distance Learning: An Endless Task.”
The academic said that at times like these when budgets are being limited or cut, it is indeed more necessary for online educational programs to be of the highest quality. He said this implies the adoption of very concrete schemes involving the entire learning management process including content design, adequate instruction for tutors, incentives for teachers and the use of study programs that meet goals.
“The assurance of quality is essential to improve online distance learning practices,” he said after having listed the programs developed by First World countries that suffered the impact of World War II. These countries, he recalled, began these processes and established precedents of achieving great results through effective models of quality which ultimately helped them reestablish their economies.
Mr. Cookson, who imparted the position of the Mexican Government Consortium specialized in online distance learning, explained that the radical change carried out by the Consortium with the application of its own quality control models, has integrated the accumulated experience gained over the course of many years in different scenarios.
 He emphasized in his speech that there is not just one quality control model; he explained the principles upon which many of the best known models are based. He essentially said that each educational institution must decide the most convenient and effective way to deal with the issue, otherwise they will not be in a position to achieve their major objectives.
The multiple components included in the Clavijero model for quality include institutional incentives for quality instruction and the implementation of a remuneration system based on performance.
The Inauguration
José María Antón, Secretary General of Virtual Educa Caribe, preceded Pedro Cookson at the inaugural event. Mr. Antón pointed to the consolidation the regional forum has achieved, now in its fourth edition.
In the presence of Ligia Amada Melo, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology (SEESCYT), he praised the local support for the Latin American scheme.
The education and technology forum, ending on Friday, March 6 includes the participation of representatives from the public and private sector and NGOs from Latin America.
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