THE SASAKAWA PEACE FOUNDATION

Forming a Distance Education Alliance for Progress in the Western Pacific

6,000,000 yen[Grant Project]
University of Guam(Guam)

This three-phase, five-year project aims to improve the quality of distance education in the Western Pacific region and create a new framework for regional cooperation. In the first year of the project, a survey was conducted to determine the needs of distance education in the region and a draft distance education policy was drawn up. In the second year, a conference was held in preparation for establishment of the Alliance for Distance Education in the Western pacific and a draft action plan drafted. In the third year, the project implemented capacity building initiatives and conducted a survey on satellite networks. This year, based on the results of the preliminary surveys, the project will conduct a pilot program consisting of technical training and development of a manual and teaching materials for distance education/medical care.

Pilot program targeting remote islands:
Drawing from the results of the satellite network survey conducted in the third year of the project, a pilot e-mail project utilizing high-frequency waves will be undertaken in wailea, located next to the island state of Yap.
Development of distance learning teaching materials:
In line with the draft policies on distance education and medical service regions formulated in the first two years of the project, 12 venues in 6 regions will be selected, and distance education course/manual will be developed.
Target regions: Palau, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, Yap, and Majuro
Production of a promotional video for the pilot project
A video will be produced introducing the abovementioned distance education project that utilizes high-frequency waves.

(4th year of a 5-year project)