Abstract
The current study examines the hurdles encountered in implementation of distance learning education by The University of the South Pacific (USP) in the Pacific Islands Region. The provision of quality education has been recognised as imperative across all cohorts to achieve sustainability in development. Education has also been identified as the lynchpin for achieving Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for the world. Educated citizens are well aware and can effectively work on economic, social and environmental aspects of their nation’s progress, thus ensuring national self-reliance. The learning experience is enriched when participants share the prevailing practices for disaster mitigation and management, thereby also allowing the drawing of parallels if appropriate. In the present study, these experiences will be examined in detail with the purpose of deriving lessons that could help improve quality and accessibility to education in developed countries. Education in the developed world may be exorbitantly expensive and students are often crumbled under debt or otherwise impeded of accessing higher education. The USP distance learning program has overcome cultural and language diversities to successfully spread and impart education to motivated students at economically feasible costs. The primary objective of this study is to investigate and understand the methodology adopted and hurdles overcome by USP during implementation of distance education program in Pacific Islands. It will also focus on the lessons that can be learnt by the developed countries from USP in making education effective, cheap and accessible to all. The “Pacific Islands Region” consists of a myriad of small island countries and territories. The islands are developing economies separated by vast distances, diverse cultures, languages, and different political structures exhibiting a complex network of regional and international affiliations. The citizens of this region are attached to their culture and prefer to stay and contribute to the development of their respective countries. However, due to small population size and lack of funds, there is a dearth of institutes focusing on higher education and research which are imperative for any nation’s stable growth. The University of the South Pacific is a leading institution for higher education in the Pacific region and has been constantly contributing for decades to the education infrastructure in these islands. In order to overcome the constraints of poor connectivity and allocation of sufficient funds to build physical campuses in these islands, USP has also pioneered distance education programs in the Pacific Islands. In particular, the Flipped Classroom approach - an instructional strategy where students have access to enriching course content online - is being used for the distance education programs. Flipped classrooms offer students convenience and flexibility of studying their subjects of interest without having to incur in hefty travel costs and tuition fees involved in participating in the same courses offered on physical campuses. Participating students are also awarded with course completion certificates after fulfilling all the requirements laid down by the university. These certificates are recognised in several public and private institutions in countries such as Australia and New Zealand, hence giving the students a better chance of exploring possibilities in highly competitive international markets and deepening international collaboration in their home countries. Furthermore, as the geography of these islands makes them highly prone to fatal disasters, these countries have also developed disaster mitigation infrastructure and programs for preparing their population in events of force-majeure...(continued)...
