Since the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 has run amok on everyone’s lives, as well as on teaching and learning concern, with over 1.5 billion learners not attending schools, in April 2020 AAOU has joined a partnership with COL in the programme International Partnership of Distance and Online Learning for COVID-19. This programme is created to bring together institutions/ organisations committed to supporting learning at this time of crisis. Access to pooled resources, shared expertise, and online training through a common gateway will build capacities and facilitate collaborative projects…

As the partnership was being launched, Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President and CEO, said: “COL is standing with all our stakeholders – governments, educational institutions, teachers, learners and parents during these times of crisis. We need concrete action on the ground to help teachers and students to continue the teaching-learning process without disruption. This is not a time for planning but for action. Let us pool our expertise and resources to ensure that the doors of education remain open for all. The response from our partners is overwhelming and we thank each one of them for their commitment and support.”

Altogether, there has been 44 partners since the time of the launch (Friday, 17 April 2020), and the numbers will grow in the coming days ahead.

Since the partnership has been going, there has been “Guidelines on Distance Education during COVID-19” and 12-part video series  which is a key resource for educators facing the forced transition to online teaching caused by COVID-19 launched by COL. Topics covered range from the choice of teaching methods to ideas on how to implement online learning to understanding different learner needs and providing targeted supports to the use of emerging technologies, and much more. The 12-part video series feature insights from Dr Tony Bates, renowned leader in the field of online and distance education.