Boletín Informativo

La Educ@ción in action

More and more, societies are moving towards a scenario in which information and knowledge are first class indicators for ensuring sustainable development. Virtuality is a reality. Countries are more frequently using Internet as a tool and resource for the academic and professional development of their citizens. The use of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) for distance education constitutes an open invitation to reflect on its impact in the training of human resources at the regional level. The challenge for creating, designing, and implementing new strategies for lifelong learning has been set forth. We invite you to travel this road with us and help to make La Educ@ción a space for sharing and communicating knowledge, a space truly needed in the Americas. Visit:
http://www.educoea.org/portal/en/tema/editorial/mar04.aspx?culture=en&tabindex=36&childindex=0

2004 Award for Innovative Education in the Americas

The IACD/OAS is pleased to announce the creation of the Award for Innovative Education in the Americas to recognize initiatives that apply new information and communication technologies to education. The 2004 prize will award a project, program or activity developed by an individual or organization that has helped to transform teaching and learning in Latin America and the Caribbean through ICTs at the primary and/or secondary levels. The 2004 award has the financial support of e-brary. (http://www.ebrary.com/; http://www.e-libro.com/). Nominations will be accepted online through April 17. Evaluations will take place during the month of May by a jury comprised of representatives from the IACD/OAS, the GFDD and Telefónica Foundations, SECIB, IOHE, and UNESCO, among others. The Prize will be awarded during the Virtual Educa 2004 event in Barcelona, Spain on June 16-18, and will consist of a trophy, a diploma, the digital seal, roundtrip airfare to Barcelona and 3 days of per diem, and $1,000. The selected project or program will also be featured on the Educational Portal of the Americas.

http://www.educoas.org/Portal/en/premio/premio_2004.aspx?culture=en

LIII Meeting of the IOHE Board of Directors

This meeting will take place April 22-23 at IACD/OAS headquarters in Washington, DC. The Board will analyze the conclusions and recommendations of the XIII Congress held in Veracruz, Mexico last November 9-12, as well as the Plan of Action for 2004-2005.
http://www.oui-iohe.qc.ca/

Quality in Basic Education (4th edition)

The IACD/OAS is pleased to announce the 4th edition of the online course "Quality in Basic Education" (Spanish version), which will be offered through the Educational Portal of the Americas on May 5, 2004. This is a 12-week course that offers an introduction to the philosophy of quality applied to education. It aspires to offers teachers and administrators the conceptual and methodological tools necessary for improving educational services in their schools and communities. Previous editions of the course have trained over 3,000 educators in the region. The deadline to register is Wednesday, April 14. Registration will open shortly for the Portuguese and English versions of the course. http://www.educoas.org/portal/ineam/cursos/calidad_mayo_2004.aspx

Teacher training for the English-speaking Caribbean

As a result of a technical meeting held earlier this year that included the participation of experts from Belize, Guyana, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago, the online course "Quality in Basic Education" (English version) will shortly be offered through the Virtual Classroom of the Educational Portal of the Americas. Over 1,200 complete scholarships will be made available to the 12 English-speaking Caribbean countries for this course, which is scheduled to begin in May. The course will be carried out in collaboration with the Hemispheric Project on Teacher Training, whose hemispheric coordination is under Dr. Marva L. Ribeiro of Trinidad and Tobago, with support from the Unit of Social Development and Education of the OAS.

Scholarships for the Fifth Meeting of Virtual Educa (Barcelona, Spain)

Within the framework of activities of the Institute of Advanced Studies for the Americas (INEAM), the Fifth International Conference on Education, Professional Development and Information Technologies, Virtual Educa 2004 will be held in Barcelona, Spain on June 16-18. The topic of the event will be "New Technologies in the Information Society: Education in the Age of Globalization". Other activities will include a meeting of Ibero-American university presidents to discuss "Higher Education and the Technological Paradigm: Internationalization as a Cooperation Mechanism in the Ibero-American Community"; and a seminar on "Transatlantic Cooperation and the European Union", among others. Efforts are currently underway to organize special presentations on the role of universities, Ministries of Education, civil society organizations and the private sector on the role of ICTs in educational processes and professional training. For additional information on scholarships available for this event, which this year will give priority to participants from universities and research centers, please click here.

Inter-American Committee for Educational Evaluation and Accreditation

The first meeting of this Committee will take place within the framework of the Virtual Educa 2004 event. As previously announced, the Committee was created in order to advise the IOHE and the IACD/OAS on the academic quality of distance learning programs offered by universities and higher education institutions in the region for their subsequent recognition and certification by INEAM as part of its program for training human resources in 2004-2005. It is composed of the Director of the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, New England Association of Schools and Colleges (Massachusetts, USA); the Academic Coordinator of the Institute for University Management and Leadership (Canada);the Executive Secretary General of the National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions (ANUIES of Mexico); the Director of the Institute of Education, University of West Indies (Mona, Jamaica); the Executive Secretary of the National Council of Accreditation (Colombia); the Secretary of Distance Education of the Ministry of Education (Brasilia, Brazil); and the President of the National Committee of University Evaluation and Accreditation (Argentina), among others. The group will adopt its rules of procedure, elect authorities and establish its plan of action for 2004-2005.

Basic Concepts for the Formulation of Electronic Government Strategies

The IACD/OAS announces the 2nd Spanish edition of this course on electronic government strategies, which will be offered through the Virtual Classroom of the Educational Portal of the Americas. Deadline for registration is Monday, March 15 and the course itself begins on Thursday, April 1. The course was first offered in December 2003 and trained more than 200 government representatives from 20 countries of the region. The objective of the course is to introduce the basic concepts of electronic government, present the key elements needed for creating an electronic government strategy and provide an overview of the development and implementation of e-government projects, with particular focus on the analysis of best practices. The English and Portuguese versions of the course will be offered shortly. For additional details, as well as the registration form, please visit the following link:
http://www.educoas.org/portal/ineam/cursos/egob1_2004.aspx

Renewed Visions of Educational Financing

The IDB recently published "A Renewed Vision of Educational Financing in Latin America and the Caribbean" (Spanish), a compilation of studies and presentations made during the "Financing Education: A Long-term Investment" seminar held in the framework of the III Meeting of Ministers of Education of the OAS, as mandated by the Third Summit of the Americas of Quebec. The publication asserts that the passage of time has only served to reinforce the belief that poverty will not be reduced until real opportunities exist for all of the inhabitants of the region to access quality education. Education is a necessity, particularly for the disadvantaged sectors of society, be it because of their socio-economic situation, gender, ethnic origin, or geographical isolation. At the same time, the integration of the world economy demands more competitiveness from all the nations of the Hemisphere, and this, in turn, requires higher and better levels of education. The study emphasizes that education is fundamentally important for survival and prosperity in our current context, which is characterized by accelerated technological change and enormous pressure for increased productivity. The study includes four main sections: Financing Education in Latin America and the Caribbean: the Need for New Perspectives; Investment in Education: Points of View of the Ministries of Education; Financing Education: Points of View of the Ministries of Finance; and Vision of International Organizations and Business Sectors. The material will shortly be available at: http://www.iadb.org/sds/sci/site_25_s.htm

We appreciate your interest and participation in the activities of the Educational Portal of the Americas. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome. Please send all messages to portal@oas.org. If you have received this message in error and would like to cancel your free subscription, please send a message to portal@oas.org and include "Cancel Newsletter Subscription" in the subject window.



	*Click here to see previous Newsletters*
	March News: La Educ@ción in action 2004 Award for Innovative Education in the Americas LIII Meeting of the IOHE Board of Directors Quality in Basic Education (4th edition) Teacher training for the English-speaking Caribbean Scholarships for the Fifth Meeting of Virtual Educa (Barcelona, Spain) Inter-American Committee for Educational Evaluation and Accreditation Basic Concepts for the Formulation of Electronic Government Strategies Renewed Visions of Educational Financing
	La Educ@ción in action More and more, societies are moving towards a scenario in which information and knowledge are first class indicators for ensuring sustainable development. Virtuality is a reality. Countries are more frequently using Internet as a tool and resource for the academic and professional development of their citizens. The use of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) for distance education constitutes an open invitation to reflect on its impact in the training of human resources at the regional level. The challenge for creating, designing, and implementing new strategies for lifelong learning has been set forth. We invite you to travel this road with us and help to make La Educ@ción a space for sharing and communicating knowledge, a space truly needed in the Americas. Visit: http://www.educoea.org/portal/en/tema/editorial/mar04.aspx?culture=en&tabindex=36&childindex=0 2004 Award for Innovative Education in the Americas The IACD/OAS is pleased to announce the creation of the Award for Innovative Education in the Americas to recognize initiatives that apply new information and communication technologies to education. The 2004 prize will award a project, program or activity developed by an individual or organization that has helped to transform teaching and learning in Latin America and the Caribbean through ICTs at the primary and/or secondary levels. The 2004 award has the financial support of e-brary. (http://www.ebrary.com/; http://www.e-libro.com/). Nominations will be accepted online through April 17. Evaluations will take place during the month of May by a jury comprised of representatives from the IACD/OAS, the GFDD and Telefónica Foundations, SECIB, IOHE, and UNESCO, among others. The Prize will be awarded during the Virtual Educa 2004 event in Barcelona, Spain on June 16-18, and will consist of a trophy, a diploma, the digital seal, roundtrip airfare to Barcelona and 3 days of per diem, and $1,000. The selected project or program will also be featured on the Educational Portal of the Americas. http://www.educoas.org/Portal/en/premio/premio_2004.aspx?culture=en LIII Meeting of the IOHE Board of Directors This meeting will take place April 22-23 at IACD/OAS headquarters in Washington, DC. The Board will analyze the conclusions and recommendations of the XIII Congress held in Veracruz, Mexico last November 9-12, as well as the Plan of Action for 2004-2005. http://www.oui-iohe.qc.ca/ Quality in Basic Education (4th edition) The IACD/OAS is pleased to announce the 4th edition of the online course "Quality in Basic Education" (Spanish version), which will be offered through the Educational Portal of the Americas on May 5, 2004. This is a 12-week course that offers an introduction to the philosophy of quality applied to education. It aspires to offers teachers and administrators the conceptual and methodological tools necessary for improving educational services in their schools and communities. Previous editions of the course have trained over 3,000 educators in the region. The deadline to register is Wednesday, April 14. Registration will open shortly for the Portuguese and English versions of the course. http://www.educoas.org/portal/ineam/cursos/calidad_mayo_2004.aspx Teacher training for the English-speaking Caribbean As a result of a technical meeting held earlier this year that included the participation of experts from Belize, Guyana, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago, the online course "Quality in Basic Education" (English version) will shortly be offered through the Virtual Classroom of the Educational Portal of the Americas. Over 1,200 complete scholarships will be made available to the 12 English-speaking Caribbean countries for this course, which is scheduled to begin in May. The course will be carried out in collaboration with the Hemispheric Project on Teacher Training, whose hemispheric coordination is under Dr. Marva L. Ribeiro of Trinidad and Tobago, with support from the Unit of Social Development and Education of the OAS. Scholarships for the Fifth Meeting of Virtual Educa (Barcelona, Spain) Within the framework of activities of the Institute of Advanced Studies for the Americas (INEAM), the Fifth International Conference on Education, Professional Development and Information Technologies, Virtual Educa 2004 will be held in Barcelona, Spain on June 16-18. The topic of the event will be "New Technologies in the Information Society: Education in the Age of Globalization". Other activities will include a meeting of Ibero-American university presidents to discuss "Higher Education and the Technological Paradigm: Internationalization as a Cooperation Mechanism in the Ibero-American Community"; and a seminar on "Transatlantic Cooperation and the European Union", among others. Efforts are currently underway to organize special presentations on the role of universities, Ministries of Education, civil society organizations and the private sector on the role of ICTs in educational processes and professional training. For additional information on scholarships available for this event, which this year will give priority to participants from universities and research centers, please click here. Inter-American Committee for Educational Evaluation and Accreditation The first meeting of this Committee will take place within the framework of the Virtual Educa 2004 event. As previously announced, the Committee was created in order to advise the IOHE and the IACD/OAS on the academic quality of distance learning programs offered by universities and higher education institutions in the region for their subsequent recognition and certification by INEAM as part of its program for training human resources in 2004-2005. It is composed of the Director of the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, New England Association of Schools and Colleges (Massachusetts, USA); the Academic Coordinator of the Institute for University Management and Leadership (Canada);the Executive Secretary General of the National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions (ANUIES of Mexico); the Director of the Institute of Education, University of West Indies (Mona, Jamaica); the Executive Secretary of the National Council of Accreditation (Colombia); the Secretary of Distance Education of the Ministry of Education (Brasilia, Brazil); and the President of the National Committee of University Evaluation and Accreditation (Argentina), among others. The group will adopt its rules of procedure, elect authorities and establish its plan of action for 2004-2005. Basic Concepts for the Formulation of Electronic Government Strategies The IACD/OAS announces the 2nd Spanish edition of this course on electronic government strategies, which will be offered through the Virtual Classroom of the Educational Portal of the Americas. Deadline for registration is Monday, March 15 and the course itself begins on Thursday, April 1. The course was first offered in December 2003 and trained more than 200 government representatives from 20 countries of the region. The objective of the course is to introduce the basic concepts of electronic government, present the key elements needed for creating an electronic government strategy and provide an overview of the development and implementation of e-government projects, with particular focus on the analysis of best practices. The English and Portuguese versions of the course will be offered shortly. For additional details, as well as the registration form, please visit the following link: http://www.educoas.org/portal/ineam/cursos/egob1_2004.aspx Renewed Visions of Educational Financing The IDB recently published "A Renewed Vision of Educational Financing in Latin America and the Caribbean" (Spanish), a compilation of studies and presentations made during the "Financing Education: A Long-term Investment" seminar held in the framework of the III Meeting of Ministers of Education of the OAS, as mandated by the Third Summit of the Americas of Quebec. The publication asserts that the passage of time has only served to reinforce the belief that poverty will not be reduced until real opportunities exist for all of the inhabitants of the region to access quality education. Education is a necessity, particularly for the disadvantaged sectors of society, be it because of their socio-economic situation, gender, ethnic origin, or geographical isolation. At the same time, the integration of the world economy demands more competitiveness from all the nations of the Hemisphere, and this, in turn, requires higher and better levels of education. The study emphasizes that education is fundamentally important for survival and prosperity in our current context, which is characterized by accelerated technological change and enormous pressure for increased productivity. The study includes four main sections: Financing Education in Latin America and the Caribbean: the Need for New Perspectives; Investment in Education: Points of View of the Ministries of Education; Financing Education: Points of View of the Ministries of Finance; and Vision of International Organizations and Business Sectors. The material will shortly be available at: http://www.iadb.org/sds/sci/site_25_s.htm We appreciate your interest and participation in the activities of the Educational Portal of the Americas. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome. Please send all messages to portal@oas.org. If you have received this message in error and would like to cancel your free subscription, please send a message to portal@oas.org and include "Cancel Newsletter Subscription" in the subject window.