A case study exploring the development of the Jamaica Masters On -line Project.

摘要

This study is a review of the Jamaica Masters Online Project, which was developed as a response to the need for a culturally responsive program of professional development for practicing art teachers in Jamaica. This population is currently underserved by conventional institutions at the tertiary level. The project is a collaborative effort between the Ohio State University Department of Art Education and the Edna Manley College in Jamaica. It will be conducted partly in Jamaica, partly-on-line, and result in an MA degree from the Ohio State University. The review covered the period June 2004 to June 2006 and examined the complexities involved in its development, framing these in the education-globalization debate and using a postcolonial mode of critique.;The study examined the contemporary social, cultural, political and economic issues with which Jamaica currently grapples and showed how these are intensified by the phenomenon of globalization. This cultural context served as a foundation for understanding Jamaica's cultural concerns in the current global environment and the need for culturally relevant art education programs at this time in the country's development. It also provided a basis for understanding the value of education to Jamaica as a site of resistance against global pressures.;The project has a ten year vision and its overarching goal is to assist the EMC to develop and deliver its own graduate programs. This process would begin with upgrading the EMC's staff to the MA and eventually the PhD levels, equipping them with the necessary skill and experience to develop culturally relevant programs. The collaboration would also facilitate the expansion of faculty and student involvement in joint international research, education projects and publications.;In examining the complexities involved in the development of the project the above mentioned goals were used as the criteria for evaluation. This review also looked at how the project participated in national development, in ways that supported Jamaica's national interests and how it supported a culturally relevant program of learning.;This was the first attempt at evaluating this project, and the findings are meant to assist in the continued development of the project.