Panama and How Paulownia Can Help the Poorest Sector of the Nation

Tags: Panama, paulownia, education, reforestation, environment, Panama Canal, Native Americans To fully understand the benefits of living and retiring in Panama you must first gain a perspective about the country of Panama and how it compares to the United States.

The Republic of Panama situated in the lower part of Central America and the Caribbean.  The Republic of Panama is a small coastal isthmus nation with over 75,000 km 2 of area about the size of the State of Maryland with boundaries connecting it to Costa Rica and Colombia, and bisected by the Panama Canal.  The climate is tropical, wet and rainy with a mean temperature of 27.7 C and average annual rainfall of 190.8 mm.  Panama, a cultural melting pot, inhabited by diverse Native American groups, it was colonized by Spain and formed part of Colombia from 1821 until it declared independence in 1903 becoming the Republic of Panama.

The country now enjoys a politically stable and democratic government.  The Balboa, Panama’s exchange of currency is par with the US dollar, and is interchangeable with it, even in coin machines. Merchants accept all major credit cards recognized in the US and there is free trade between the countries.  American citizens can travel freely within the country.  The parallels continue:  The population is mostly Christian but enjoy complete religious freedom.  There is 110 AC electricity, they are in the Eastern Time zone, and have the same sources transportation.  Panama has a complete network of highways and many people travel by car or bus.  Major airlines also service the country, as well as public transportation and rail systems.

Panama’s strategic geographical position and the Panama Canal have made the country a world leader in marine transportation, finance and commerce.  The official language is Spanish but English is taught in most schools; and is the official second language. The literacy level of the population is 92.3% one of the highest in Latin America. 65% of the population is dedicated to commercial and service activities. 

Panama has a population of approximately 2.8 million people and an annual growth rate of 3.9%.  The per capita income is $2,794 a year one of the highest in Central America, with a .5% inflation rate the lowest in Latin America, and a 12.8% rate of unemployment. [1]

On the surface, Panama and the United States seem very close in culture and technology. In fact, Panama is closer to Texas than Texas is to New York City.  In spite of similarities, Panama is strikingly different in so many ways.  To grasp this, we must admit the painful; they are a third world country, with staggering demands and limited resources.  The third world does not live the healthy, well-educated abundant life we almost take for granted.  Panama is no different.  Some unique problems cannot be legislated away with a humane constitution or eliminated by technical advancement in urban areas.

Although having a relatively high per capita income this number hides the fact that 10% of the poorest sector of the country receive only 0.5% of the total income of the Nation while 10% of the richest receive 42% of the total income of the Republic.  Although one of the richest countries in Latin America it has one of the worst distribution of wealth.  This absence of social equity affects approximately 50% of the population in a significant manner.  The indigenous and other minority populations are affected most dramatically of all. [2]

During one of the darkest times in the history of Panama, the 1980’s when an international embargo was placed against the country and the banks froze all assets a financial anomaly occurred which is note worthy.  Although loans of almost all types were going into default, two areas did not appear to be affected by the economic situation:  home and educational loans.

In fact, the education industry experienced a slight increase in sales possibly because the increased amount of time unemployed people had on their hands.  No other country other than Japan readily comes to mind as having such a high respect for education.  When an educator dies people line up for the funerals.  No notable private school has ever gone bankrupt and the laws regarding educational institutions are quite favorable making the education business one of the most secure investments in the Republic of Panama.  Although schools do not make large earnings on the bottom line, they do demonstrate a steady income and growth potential.  Educational facilities are one of the “blue chips” in private industry in Panama.

For the above reason the Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) www.enocis.org has implemented a socio economic development project in the areas of extreme poverty of Panama, the PanAmerican Properties, Inc. paulownia elongata reforestation project. www.paulownianow.org The project has two objectives one, to create new sources of income for the poorest sector of Panamanian society and two, produce new sources of revenue for entrepreneurs with a high rate of return with an additional environmental benefit at no additional costs. You may read more about these opportunities or participate in the Paulownia Reforestation project at the following url. http://www.paulownianow.org/index_files/earth.htm

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[1] Real Estate and Terminology, CB Richard Ellis LA, 1999.  CB Richard Ellis is a US, internationally recognized real estate and development company traded on the US stock Exchange and operating in over 20 countries throughout the World.

[2] The National Census of Panama, the Office of the Comptroller General

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Enter the PanAmerican Properties Essay Contest.

Tags: essay contest, paulownia, empress tree, environment, PanAmerican Properties, Sons of David, lumber, biodiversity, forest management, conservation, ecosystems

Enter the PanAmerican Properties Essay Contest.

Reduce your carbon footprint with every tree you plant...

WORLDS FASTEST GROWING HARDWOOD SHADE TREE!

THE ROYAL EMPRESS TREE

Also known as Sapphire Dragon Tree, Paulownia, Kiri Tree, Foxglove Tree & Princess Tree

Paulownia trees are your best choice for a fast growing, beautiful tree that is unsurpassed in its ability to help our environment simply by growing.

Save the Earth Essay Contest

Trees on Steroids!! How planting paulownia trees, one of the fastest growing trees in the world, can help reduce your impact on the environment.

1. Entries received from 1 October 2008 to 30 November 2008 will be eligible to participate. All entries will become the property of the Sons of David Foundation, to be published at their discretion.

2. All entries should be from 750- 1500 words and may be submitted in English, Spanish, French and German. Send entries to essay@paulownianow.org

3. One winner will be selected within 60 days of the close of the contest.

4. The winning essay will be published by the Foundation on the Paulownia web site www.paulownianow.org and blog http://www.paulownianow.blogspot.com

5. The prize!! 100 paulownia seeds plus planting instructions, valued at more than $100 USD, will be sent to the winning contestant.

6. For any question please write to info@paulownianow.org. Your participation in this contest can make a difference in the lives of many living in extreme poverty.

Lumber from Paulownia trees has been greatly revered in Japan and China for centuries. With the decline of our native forests to the lumber industry, Paulownia trees have come into the spotlight worldwide for their ability to produce high quality timber at a much faster rate than any other hardwood tree.

With an extraordinary growth rate and huge air filtering leaves that convert carbon into oxygen at a higher rate than almost any other tree, Royal Empress Trees are rapidly becoming an important part of the solution to reducing our impact on the Earth.

PanAmerican Properties is developing a reforestation initiative designed to create a neutral zone between the indigenous reservations, legitimately established by both international and national law and the non indigenous communities that are invading these reservations and are cutting down the forests to grow grass for grazing cattle.

This newly titled property separates both populations and not only reduces racial tension but also permits the indigenous communities restore their ecology and the environment.

The project offers the nation a politically correct solution to a longstanding serious issue. Strategic reforestation, whereby the Latino and the indigenous populations will be responsible for the growth and maintenance of the trees and be the beneficiaries of the income derived from the selective cutting of the forest.

This sustainable development offers an environmentally friendly solution to generate income for both groups in areas of extreme poverty. This project creates new jobs and sources of income for students graduating from the PanAm Pro training programs for small business, agriculture, agro forestry, and forest ranger.

PanAm Pro pursues non-confrontational, pragmatic, market-based solutions to conservation challenges. This makes it essential for us to work collaboratively with partners—communities, businesses, government agencies, multilateral institutions, individuals and other non-profit organizations.

Most of the world’s biodiversity exists in areas inhabited by people. Effective conservation cannot be achieved unless the people who live and rely on those lands are an integral part of the conservation process. The Foundation depends upon partnerships with indigenous people and local communities to conserve some of the most biologically critical and threatened ecosystems on Earth

PanAm Pro works with local communities to improve their quality of life from better management of the resource base, including water use, tourism and forest management. This will help maintain and improve local livelihoods, strengthen local economies and improve their capacity for conserving the remaining biodiversity.

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A Brief Overview of Subsistence Farmers in Panama

Tags: Slash & burn, deforestation, subsistence living, Panama, extreme poverty, indigenous, malnourishment, rice, marginalization Authored by M.C.

Despite a deceptively high national per-capita income, there is much poverty in Panama. The "poster child" of Panamanian poverty would be malnourished, rural and indigenous. There would be no shortage of models for such a poster; 87.7% of the rural indigenous population and 33.5% of the total rural population has been classified as suffering extreme poverty. This means they have a per-capita income of less than $470 dollars per year, insufficient to provide a minimum daily consumption of 2280 calories (Government of Panama, 1998).

At the same time, the natural resources, which sustain the rural population, and with wise use could produce an acceptable standard of living, are being depleted at an alarming rate. For reasons of climate, geographical location and topography, Panama has an apparent comparative advantage in wood and other forest products. Nevertheless, little has been done to develop this advantage.

Often, thousands of dollars of valuable wood is burned to clear land where less than one hundred dollars of rice or corn will be harvested. The annual rate of deforestation has been estimated at 50,000 to 70,000 Ha. per year. Areas of extreme soil degradation due to erosion comprise more than 2,000,000 Ha. More than 1,700,000 Ha. of land that is unsuited to agricultural production is currently in use, and will likely be added to the total of degraded land in the future. Thus, it is probable that the migration to urban areas will continue or increase from its current level (Stewert, 1996).

Who they are and what they are like about 45% of Panama’s population is classified as rural, with 1,007,247 rural non-indigenous and 206,489 rural indigenous people (GOP, 1998). While exact figures for the number of subsistence farmers are not available, a drive through the countryside will suffice to know that the majority of the rural working population is engaged in subsistence agriculture at least part of the year. Within two hour’s travel in any direction from Panama City’s tall buildings, one will encounter subsistence farmers.

In spite of the existing environmental laws, the campesino has had almost unrestricted access to forested land, even in protected areas (Stewart, 1996). There they practice migratory or "slash and burn" agriculture. Usually grains such as rice or tubers such as yucca are planted for about two years, after which the land is abandoned to regrow a forest fallow, or converted into pasture, and the cycle is repeated elsewhere. The campesino combines his unskilled labor with available land, without having to invest money that he doesn’t have, to produce a crop for his family’s consumption.

In areas where there is paid labor available, many campesinos will work for large landowners during part of the year. This depends greatly on transportation and availability of productive land. A man will often abandon planting his own crops to chop woody plants in pastures for $3 per day (Veraguas province) to $6 per day (Coclé) (Personal communication, 1999). He may leave his home for two or three months a year to cut sugar cane for the same daily wage. This indicates that the daily production of the migratory farmer is less than that- certainly an indication of extreme poverty, given the average family size of 5.6 persons (total rural) to 7.2 persons, for indigenous areas (GOP, 1998).

The rural poor spend an average of 71% of its meager income on food, leaving very little for other basic necessities. At the same time, 43% of the rural poor have access to land, indicating that the land, which is available, is underutilized for food or income production.

What are the unmet needs?

According to the government of Panama (1998), poverty is concentrated in rural areas (88% of the national total for extreme poverty), indigenous areas (88% of the total indigenous population is extremely poor) and affects children to a great degree (52% of all children under 5 years and 37% of the total population are poor). The government classifies extreme poverty as per-capita income less than $470 dollars per year, insufficient to reach the minimum daily caloric intake of 2280 calories. The poverty line is set at $726 per-capita per year, sufficient to assure a minimum requirement of calories, plus essential goods and services.

The government characterizes the poor rural population in the following manner (1998):

* Large families- average 5.6 members (national) to 7.2 (indigenous)

* Poorly educated- average 4.5 years of school, 20% illiteracy among the poor, 50% among indigenous women

* Rustic housing- 40% of rural poor (61% of indigenous poor) has dirt floors

* Need for potable water- 27% of rural poor (57% of indigenous) don’t have water systems

* Lack of sanitary facilities- 14% of rural poor and 60% of indigenous poor don’t have latrines or other facilities

* High degree of malnutrition among children- about 1 of 3 poor rural children and 1 of 2 poor rural indigenous children suffer from chronic malnutrition

(2 standard deviations less than average height for age)

* Lack of technical assistance- 5% of all farmers receive technical assistance, this falls to 2.6% among rural poor and 1% for indigenous

* Lack of credit for poor farmers- the non-poor receive 93% of the total value of all agricultural loans

* Deforestation, especially of watersheds, and soil erosion due to lack of soil conservation techniques, are serious problems in rural areas

* Marginalization of women and low productivity of young agricultural workers add to over-all family and community poverty

To sum up-

The large percentage of the Panamanian population, which lives in the countryside, faces a broad range of inter-related problems relating to income, nutrition, housing, water and sanitation and other basic needs.

The available resources- human and "natural" are poorly utilized, and in some cases, being lost. At the same time, the education and technical assistance, which are available, are not nearly sufficient to meet the need for learning the low-input techniques that are required in the situation of lack of credit or other money to invest in small-scale agriculture and community development.

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Women's Secure Access to Land and Productive Assets

Tags: paulownia, disadvantaged groups, women forests, socio-economic development

"The Gleaners" by Lewis Rubenstein (1908-2003) The land is nurturing the mother, who nurtures the child on her back who in time will tend the fields. For more about the Artist click here	Women need forests, Women need water, Access to education and to power, Freedom from bondage, Freedom from hunger. Let us bring them 'the honour'. Land to women is actually revolution. As it saves children from malnutrition And makes families function
Extract from Words of Women at the WRAP workshops in India: Across the developing world, rural women are among the poorest and most disadvantaged groups. They face gender-based discrimination, which is reflected in inequalities in their rights and in their access to resources – especially land, technology and social services, including education and health. Their voices in public life are seldom heard, as women are under-represented in decision-making at all levels. Moreover, their social and economic contributions to their households, and to their communities, are neither understood nor documented. Women’s access to land can be directly related to the important role played by them in rural economy, especially agriculture; it is a basic factor in food security for family and communities. However, women represent the majority of persons without title deeds to the land they use. In a changing socio-economic environment, where women are becoming heads of rural households at an accelerating rate, it is vital that the visibility of rural women farmers be raised; although the economic roles and contributions of women are increasing, their rights to land are not. It must be realized that respect for women’s land rights is something that will benefit the population as a whole. For more information on land use by women and indigenous populations please refer to our web site www.paulownianow.org.

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Panama vs Costa Rica: Reforestation – Reforestation The Role You Can Play and How You Can Benefit

Deforestation in Indonesia:Tags: teak, paulownia, FAO, reforestation, Costa Rica, Panama, Myrnamar, ENOCIS, Enoch Oling College, PanAmerican Properties

In an article in Newsday, Edward A. Gargan, says that in Bangsri, Indonesia has the last great teakwood forest. The wood ends up in places like Abdul Jambari's garden furniture workshop. For about $100, Jambari's chair will sit on a patio or deck somewhere in the United States or Europe. But that chair and the 4,000 others that are part of Jambari's latest export shipment, have left behind a swath of utter devastation, one of thousands that afflict this archipelago and spell the end of the majestic forests that once blanketed Indonesia.

Their disappearance also means the extinction of innumerable animal and plant species indigenous to this country. One-tenth of the tropical forests are located in Indonesia. In an unpublished report, the World Bank found that all the lowland forests in one of Indonesia's largest islands, Sumatra, will be extinct this decade, and that unless the government acts immediately to stop rampant illegal logging, "the only extensive forests that will remain in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Selawesi in the second decade of the new millennium will be the low-stature forests of the mountains."

Deforestation in Costa Rica:

In Costa Rica, people have denuded the forests to provide pastureland for cattle ranching. Pristine forests fell to make way for a world-wide demand for beef. Since the end of World War II, approximately 80% of the forests of Costa Rica have disappeared. Many people considered bananas or coffee, or even sugar cane, as the prime exports of Costa Rica. Sadly, the fact became apparent that top soil, the very life source to Costa Rica's agriculture, was becoming the prime export. Down from the denuded hills into the streams and out to the oceans, top soil was disappearing from the land mass, year after year. The deforestation of tropical rain forests is a threat to life worldwide. Deforestation has profound effects on global climate and causes the extinction of thousands of species annually. Stopping deforestation in the tropics has become an international movement and has promoted the search for ways to reverse its effects.

Reforestation in Central America:

The Costa Rican government, in a typically pragmatic approach to the problem, has offered excellent incentives for those interested parties who wish to assist in the reversal of the denuding of the country. The Forestry Law of Costa Rica, Article #70, recognizes Investor Status, for the development of reforestation projects, to any person who invests a minimum amount of US$100,000.00 to apply for "Permanent Resident Investor Status" in Costa Rica.

The individual must be present in Costa Rica for a minimum of one day each year to have their 'Cedula' (ID card) stamped, but the investor has the right to live and work in Costa Rica. The spouse and any children under the age of 18 have the right to live in Costa Rica (as well as children under age 25 if full time students and living with cedula holder). In addition it is granting tax free returns of dividends.

The Republic of Panama offers similar migratory status for investors of reforestation in that country.

It is a real win-win situation. The hills that covered with forests today were bare 10 years ago. Now they are green again growing a profit-crop for everybody.

Why Not Teak

Despite all of the above positive facts Teak reforestation continues to suffer a bad reputation in certain un-informed circles. The bad reputation can be traced to the early and mid 1970's when promoters were projecting unrealistic growth projections coupled with unrealistic prices. In an article of Dr. Raymond Keogh in Teak he says: "Growth rates which exceed an average of twenty cubic meters per hectare per year in twenty years are unlikely to be encountered".

But Teak has been particularly favored as the type of tree to use in plantations for various reasons: it grows fast; it has a worldwide reputation as a species, and few if any natural enemies. Teak does not support combustion (won't burn) and there is rapid growth in demand and price.

Costa Rica has a number of conditions that lend itself to the growing of teak such as the perfect climate with a pronounced dry season and a reliable rainy season which are both required for the growth of ideal teak, an excellent labor force, excellent Forestry Engineers who are all Government qualified, stable Government which ensures the viability of the growth. The perfect plantation sites for teak reforestation are found on those soils worn out by overgrazing cattle. Land and soil which has suffered many years of constant use and possible abuse and can no longer support a walking crop lends itself perfectly to site preparation for long term teak growing.

No longer can a person consider the merits of 100 year old teak versus plantation teak. Doing so would be a case of comparing the unobtainable to the available.

Intensification of teak plantations

The rotation of new high-intensity teak plantations is generally between 20 and 25 years (Torres, 1999; Ugalde Arias and Pérez Cordero, 1999), which is three to four times shorter than for older low-intensity plantations. The expected mean annual increment (MAI) is more than 10 m3 per hectare per year (as compared with 3 to 8 m3 per hectare per year in low-intensity plantations on good sites) (Subramanian et al., 1999; Maitre, 1983). With intensive management, there is growing concern about the adverse effects of short-rotation monoculture, particularly on the environmental and productive sustainability of successive rotations with high nutrient uptake. The decline in productivity during the second rotation was already an important concern many decades ago (Blanford, 1933; Davis, 1940). The evidence suggests that this is most often a result of the failure to implement various prescriptions (Evans, 1999).

Nevertheless, the current intensification calls for more studies on soil properties, nutrient cycles and possible impacts on productivity. Other concerns related to intensive management include the narrowing of the genetic base in production stands and its consequences for long-term productivity, and environmental impacts of application of fertilizers and pesticides. Growth rates and yield under different conditions and treatments are of particular interest, particularly in the context of increasing investment in teak and unrealistic claims of productivity (Gangopa-dhyay, 1997).

Expansion of teak to areas with diverse ecological conditions

Many of the new high-intensity plantations are in areas that would have been considered marginal for teak growing two decades ago. Some plantation sites in Latin America are in areas with extremely high rainfall (over 4 000 mm per year) and no or very slight dry seasons. These conditions are not found in the natural range of distribution of the species but seem favorable to its growth. However, as most research has been done in other areas, new problems could be encountered.

Particular attention to pest and disease monitoring is especially called for in plantations newly established in ecological conditions that are marginal for the species. In Côte d'Ivoire, for example, root rot disease caused important damage in a young plantation at the limit between the evergreen and the mixed deciduous forest zones. This type of problem could be related to environmental factors but could also result from inadequate silvicultural practices (lack of thinning). Pest and disease problems may be aggravated by the low level of genetic diversity of the selected planting material used in high-yielding plantations. Integrated pest management (IPM) research is thus indispensable to expanding the frontier of teak planting, as well as additional research on provenance or genetic material and site matching.

Marketing in a global economy

A related issue is marketing of teak wood, especially in the context of the emergence of new production centers and, more important, the growth of farm planting. No systematic studies are available on the future demand for teak, specifically taking into account the potential changes in consumption pattern, including the potential for substitution. There is also an urgent need to develop information systems that focus on assessing and analyzing supply, demand, prices, etc. and that make the information accessible to those involved in cultivation, processing and marketing of teak wood. (C.T.S. Nair and O. Souvannavong C.T.S. Nair is Senior Forestry Officer in the Forestry Planning and Statistics Branch, FAO Forestry Department. Oudara Souvannavong is Senior Forestry Officer in the Forest Conservation, Research and Education Service, FAO Forestry Department.)

A Viable Alternative: Paulownia Elongata

With an extraordinary growth rate and huge air filtering leaves that convert carbon into oxygen at a higher rate than almost any other tree, Royal Empress Trees are rapidly becoming an important part of the solution to reducing our impact on the Earth.

Paulownia trees are your best choice for a fast growing, beautiful tree that is unsurpassed in its ability to help our environment simply by growing.

Lumber from Paulownia trees has been greatly revered in Japan and China for centuries. With the decline of our native forests to the lumber industry, Paulownia trees have come into the spotlight worldwide for their ability to produce high quality timber at a much faster rate than any other hardwood tree.

Environmental Qualities for Micro Industry:

Growth Rate

· Grows 10-15 feet a year

· Can grow to a harvestable sized timber tree in 7-10 years.

Regeneration

· Tree should be cut back to the ground in early spring of year two for even faster growth.

· Paulownia trees can regenerate up to 7 times from 1 stump.

Animal Fodder

· The leaves of the Paulownia are high in protein (21%) and nutrients, providing a good fodder for livestock.

Intercropping

· Paulownia trees are excellent for intercropping (growing different crops together in same field). They are used widely in China by farmers who plant them in the fields and grow grain crops beneath them. The trees roots go very deep and do not compete with the crops for water and nutrients.

· Grain crops planted beneath Paulownia trees have a higher yield because the trees improve the climate and reduce the damaging effects of strong winds.

· When the leaves drop they decompose quickly and release valuable nutrients back into the soil.

· After 8-10 years the trees can be cut for timber and become an added income for the farmers. They will regenerate again from the cut stumps, saving the cost of replanting the fields.

· In China, paulownia trees are being used successfully in agroforestry projects and for intercropping with agricultural crops on close to 5 million acres of farmland.

Environmental Qualities and Statistics of Paulownia Trees:

Paulownia is truly a remarkable solution to some of the world's most pressing social, environmental and economic problems holding a record of 31 feet in 7 months.

Paulownia grows successfully in many regions of the world and has found many friends over the last ten years since it became accessible. It is widely used to beautify cities and proven to reduce air pollution especially CO2. It is highly sought after as it is considered to bring good luck where ever it is planted.

· Each tree removes 48 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year. (115,200 lbs. per acre per year)

· Each tree releases about 13 lbs. of oxygen per day. (31,200 lbs. per acre per day)

· Each acre of trees will scrub 13 tons of harmful CO2, gases and dust from the air per year.

· Each tree can absorb 24 gallons of wastewater per day. (57,600 gallons per acre per day)

· Gentle on the earth, few surface roots, long taproot that helps to lower water table and prevent salinity. A very clean tree, no berries, no sap drop, drops its leaves in autumn and they disintegrate within a few days.

· Non evasive water sensitive root systems.

· Public Health Benefit - CSIRO studies confirm eucalyptus react with pollution causing problems for asthma sufferers. Paulownia absorbs more pollution and has a very low pollen count.

· The paulownia has a beautiful flower in the fall generally a lavender color it is eatable and has medicinal qualities known for it association with the lungs. Mix with protein foods for a cure for bronchitis and many other lung associated problems.

Conclusion: Although Teak attractive production numbers per hectare and reasonable financial return for managed forests paulownia is a better financial investment and proves to be beneficial instead of detrimental to the environment.

The rotation of new high-intensity teak plantations is generally between 20 and 25 years (Torres, 1999; Ugalde Arias and Pérez Cordero, 1999), which is three to four times shorter than for older low-intensity plantations. The expected mean annual increment (MAI) is more than 10 m3 per hectare per year (as compared with 3 to 8 m3 per hectare per year in low-intensity plantations on good sites) (Subramanian et al., 1999; Maitre, 1983). With intensive management, there is growing concern about the adverse effects of short-rotation monoculture, particularly on the environmental and productive sustainability of successive rotations with high nutrient uptake. The decline in productivity during the second rotation was already an important concern many decades ago (Blanford, 1933; Davis, 1940).

Paulownia elongata every ten years can produce approximately 680 cubic meters of lumber every ten years while teak takes 20-25 years to produce approximately 380 cubic meters of lumber in twice the time. The current and present world market price for paulownia is higher than that of teak.

After selective harvesting of teak there will be a new expense for replanting, not so for paulownia elongata not to speak of the related environmental benefits.

If you would like further information on paulownia elongata in Panama, it’s environmental and investment benefits, reforestation and investment incentives offered by the Government of Panama you might want to contact PanAmerican Properties, Inc or look at their paulownia web site www.paulownianow.org and how they are working with the Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) Panama and the underserved populations of the country to offer new socio and economic opportunities for the neediest sectors of Panamanian society.

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La Universidad Enoch Olinga (ENOCIS) Lanza Nueva Sitio de Web en Español

Tags: ENOCIS, Enoch Olinga, Panama, Martin Torrijos, Reforestacion, Informatica, Pueblos IndigenasLa Universidad Enoch Olinga ha determinado la necesidad de lanzar un nuevo sitio de web en español enfocando en los logros de Panamá, America Latina y el Caribe.

Macon, Georgia, 15 de abril de 2008:   El lanzamiento del programa de Inglés Básico de ENOCIS para estudiantes de habla hispana en 2007 ha logrado atraer tal afluencia de estudiantes que la Universidad Enoch Olinga se ha visto en la necesidad de establecer un nuevo sitio de web en español de Panamá, Latinoamérica y el Caribe www.panama.enocis.org .  ENOCIS espera que este nivel de atención personal para el cuerpo estudiantil logre una mayor satisfacción con el programa, al estar en condiciones de responder rápida y personalmente a sus necesidades.  Anteriormente, ENOCIS utilizaba una oficina centralizada en los Estados Unidos para atender las solicitudes de estudiantes alrededor del mundo.  Uno de los directivos de ENOCIS Panamá, Yecenia Aguilar C, señaló, “Espero que esta atención más personalizada, usando el idioma y cultura natales de cada estudiante, mejore la experiencia educativa,” agregando que, “Evidentemente, es necesario desarrollar un lenguaje universal que pueda ser usado en todo el mundo para minimizar los malos entendidos y la confusión entre distintas razas y culturas.” 

El Enoch Olinga College of Intercultural Studies, Inc., como se le conoce en inglés, es una institución en línea de educación superior cuyo propósito es brindar el equivalente a una licenciatura de cuatro años de duración a estudiantes internacionales quienes, por diversas razones, no pueden asistir físicamente a una universidad acreditada.  Existe una gran demanda por educación superior en muchas regiones del mundo que no puede ser satisfecha localmente, debido a recursos limitados, falta de un cuerpo docente calificado, o el gasto de asistir a instituciones educativas tradicionales.  La costosa alternativa de viajar al extranjero para continuar estudios universitarios es viable para muy pocas personas.

La educación y el acceso a oportunidades es lo que separa a las naciones tecnológicamente “desarrolladas” de las que están “en vías de desarrollo”.  No debería existir una relación vinculante entre la excelencia, la capacidad de servir a la comunidad, y los recursos financieros que permitan educar a los niños para que contribuyan al avance tecnológico de sus naciones. 

ENOCIS trata no solamente educar personas pero también capacitar nuestras estudiantes en materia que es pertinente y aplicable en el área y puede ser útil en mejorar la calidad de sus vidas allá sin la necesidad de migrar a la Ciudad aumentando el nivel de pobreza urbana.

ENOCIS creo que la educación de la mujer contribuye inmensamente a la estabilidad de la sociedad y contemplemos la educación de mujeres como hombres en estos programas rurales. Si las mujeres son productivas en sus áreas natales normalmente quiere quedar en la misma área para crecer sus familias. Por esta razón ENOCIS tiene una seria de programas que también puede implementar como eco turismo, contabilidad básica, salud ambiental, reforestación, acuacultura, informática, construcción rural, cocinería y panadería, para menciona algunos. Varios de estos iniciativas Ud. puede ver en nuestro nuevo sitio.

Como el Excelentísimo Presidente de Panamá digo "La única manera en que vamos a romper este ciclo perverso de pobreza, es que podamos educar y mejorar la calidad de vida de nuestros niños."- Lic. Martín Torrijos, Presidente de la República de Panamá, 7 de abril, 2006

La Universidad Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) Panamá es un proyecto desarrollado con ayuda de la Fundación Hijos de David y con la cooperación de la Oficina de Política Indigenista del Ministerio de Gobierno y Justicia de la República de Panamá y su coordinador Profesor Sergio Tocamo M. Sub Director.  El propósito de ENOCIS es ofrecer oportunidades académicas a los pueblos más necesitados del mundo.  Para más información sobre el proyecto ENOCIS, por favor visite los sitios web www.panama.enocis.org en español y www.enocis.org. en ingles.   Educación: La Herramienta para Romper las Cadenas de la Pobreza.

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PROS AND CONS OF ONLINE EDUCATION FOR THE WORLD CITIZEN

PROS AND CONS OF ONLINE EDUCATION FOR THE WORLD CITIZEN

“The Earth is One Country and Mankind its Citizens”

Tags: e-learning, on line adult education, continuing adult education, Hilton Hotel, Sloan Consortium, Phoenix University, Capella University, Enoch Olinga College, ENOCIS, on line education, CenterPoint, measurable results, underserved peoples, PLUS, Western Union Quick Collect, Eduventures, ExecuTrain, New Horizons, asynchronous education, andragogy, pedagogy, self-directed education, synergy, distance education

Introduction:

The differences between online and on campus course methodology lead to a comparative discussion of pedagogical and andragogical theory and the pros and cons of this education model

Pedagogy describes the traditional instructional approach based on teacher-directed learning theory. Andragogy describes the approach based on self-directed learning theory. Malcolm Knowles, a recognized leader in the field of adult education, coined the term andragogy from the Greek words aner, meaning adult, and agogus, meaning guide or leader, to describe the art and science of helping adults learn (Knowles, 1992).

Distance education and, in particular, online education or e-learning is primarily directed to non-traditional learners. Historically, non-traditional learners have been defined as persons over age 25 (Whisnant, Sullivan, & Slayton, 1992). However, Knowles (1980) defined adulthood as "the point at which individuals perceive themselves to be essentially self-directing" (p. 46). Self-directedness is not necessarily correlated with age.

More young people are choosing non-traditional education to start and advance in their careers while completing and furthering their formal education. "Typical distance learners are those who don't have access to programs, employees who work during scheduled class hours, homebound individuals, self-motivated individuals who want to take courses for self-knowledge or advancement, or those who are unable or unwilling to attend class" (Charp, 2000, p. 10). Three key elements surround the online learner: technology, curriculum, and instructor (Bedore, Bedore, & Bedore, 1997). These elements must be keenly integrated into one smoothly and operationally functional delivery tool.

While an online method of education can be a highly effective alternative medium of education for the mature, self-disciplined student, it is an inappropriate learning environment for more dependent learners. Online asynchronous education gives students control over their learning experience, and allows for flexibility of study schedules for non traditional students; however, this places a greater responsibility on the student. In order to successfully participate in an online program, student must be well organized, self-motivated, and possess a high degree of time management skills in order to keep up with the pace of the course. For these reasons, online education or e-learning is not appropriate for younger students (i.e. elementary or secondary school age), and other students who are dependent learners and have difficulty assuming responsibilities required by the online paradigm.

Millions of students use e-learning solutions in over 140 countries: corporations such as Kodak and Toyota and education providers like ExecuTrain, New Horizons, the Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS), Phoenix University amongst the hundreds of schools and colleges.

Studies have shown student retention to be up to 250% better with online learning than with classroom courses. Several recent ones have helped frame the debate. The Sloan Consortium published a widely distributed report titled “Growing by Degrees: Online Education in the United States in 2005” that examined the growing prevalence of online education across U.S. institutions.

In addition, a study conducted by the Boston-based consulting firm Eduventures found that, while about half of institutions and more than 60 percent of employers generally accept the high quality of online learning, students' perceptions differ. Only about 33 percent of prospective online students said that they perceive the quality of online education to be "as good as or better than" face-to-face education. Ironically, 36 percent of prospective students surveyed cited concern about employers' acceptance of online education as a reason for their reluctance to enroll in online courses.

But what actually drives quality? A March 2006 report released by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education identifies six quality indicators: mission, curriculum and instruction, faculty support, student and academic services, planning for sustainability and growth, and evaluation and assessment.

The debate rages on while the Pros and Cons of Online Adult Education for today’s international students are constantly analyzed to determine if this type of education platform can deliver predictable and measurable results.

The Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) is one institution which uses this type of delivery system. ENOCIS enhances their learning experience by offering many other “value added”, cost reducing benefits to students. Online pupils can apply for scholarships available to students of excellence and other financial aid programs like the Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), with attractive interest rates. They also provide convenient payment facilities, on line banking, Western Union Quick Collect, bank cards and a student who is granted a loan can start repaying it after two months if they have a corporate guarantor.

ENOCIS online education also offers students 24 x 7 support. They provide both semiprivate and private telephone amenities, through which a student can call at discount rates and speak with professors and student advisors.

Pros of Online Education:

The key advantages of the online education experience are briefly explained below:

1. Cheaper: Online courses may be more affordable than those offered at colleges or trade schools. You may also save on transportation costs like gas, bus passes, and parking permits because you don't need to commute to school and there are no housing or meals plans to worry about since you do not need to live on or near a college campus. Housing expenses and other costs associated with living expenses are usually the most expensive aspects of a college education, so by taking an online course you could save quite a bit of money.

The best part of online education is the absence of travel and immigration problems. Some students may prefer not to pursue traditional on campus education, as it involves traveling to attend lectures. With online education, an applicant does not need to travel. Courses simply require accessing the Internet in order to begin the learning process.

2. More Convenient:  By taking courses online, you're able to decide when you study and for how long. You are also able to schedule your studying around your work or social schedule.

Since you're not bound to a classroom, you may do your work wherever you have access to a computer and the Internet. You'll be able to set your own pace and decide exactly how fast you want to go over the material.

Take online courses when you need them, not based on some college's annual or semester schedule. You can learn when you need it (Just-In-Time) A course is as close as a computer with an Internet connection.

3. Flexibility:  with no set class times, you decide when to complete your assignments and readings. You set the pace. In some programs, you can even design your own degree plan. The online students can carry out their private or official work, along with the online education. As it provides the convenience of time flexibility, a student can login and logout as per his desire whereas, the traditional education do not provide such flexibility in learning.

Flexibility of online education allows the student control over their studies. They can allot more time in the topics, which they feel comparatively hard and vice versa. The speed of learning depends solely upon the students.

4. Technology:  With the help of the scientific technology, students can do their online education at any place. The only mandatory pre-requisite is the availability of computer along with an Internet amenity. Side benefits include the learning new technologies and technical skills

5. Availability: distance-learning opportunities have exploded over the past few years, with many accredited and reputable programs.

6. Accessibility: with an online course, you can work on the course just about anywhere you have computer access. Your learning options are not constrained by your geographic location. The new virtual classrooms have created a myriad of learning opportunities for global learning and education center. On line education is a new era experience adapting to the needs of the world citizen.

7. Self-Directed: you set your own pace and schedule, so you control the learning environment.

 8. Time Spent in Classroom: now you can take a course on just about any subject without ever having to be in, or travel to, a classroom so you have very little wasted time. Note, however, that some distance-education programs still do have an in-class component and normally to receive a fully accredited US university degree an international student must spend one or two semesters on campus.

9. High Quality Dialog: Within an online asynchronous discussion structure, the learner is able to carefully reflect on each comment from others before responding or moving on to the next item. This structure allows students time to articulate responses with much more depth and forethought than in a traditional face-to-face discussion situation where the participant must analyze the comment of another on the spot and formulate a response or otherwise loose the chance to contribute to the discussion.

10. Student Centered:  Within an online discussion, the individual student responds to the course material (lectures and course books, for example) and to comments from other students. Students usually respond to those topics within the broader conversation that most clearly speak to their individual concerns and situations resulting in several smaller conversations taking place simultaneously within the group. While students are expected to read all of their classmates' contributions, they will become actively engaged only in those parts of the dialog most relevant to their needs. In this way, students take control of their own learning experience and tailor the class discussions to meet their own specific needs. Ideally, students make their own individual contributions to the course while at the same time take away a unique mix of information directly relevant to their needs.

11. Level Playing Field: In the online environment learners retain a considerable level of anonymity. Discriminating factors such as age, dress, physical appearance, disabilities, race and gender are largely absent. Instead, the focus of attention is clearly on the content of the discussion and the individual's ability to respond and contribute thoughtfully and intelligently to the material at hand.

On line adult education can be more effective and better for certain types of learners (shy, introverted, reflective, language challenged, those that need more time). Distance education courses are often better for people who learn through visual cues and experiential exercises.

12. Synergy: The online format allows for a high level of dynamic interaction between the instructor and students and among the students themselves. Resources and ideas are shared, and continuous synergy will be generated through the learning process as each individual contributes to the course discussions and comments on the work of others. The synergy that exists in the student-centered virtual classroom is one of the unique and vital traits that the online learning format posses..

13. Access to Resources: It is easy to include distinguished guest experts or students from other institutions in an online class as well as allow students to access resources and information anywhere in the world. An instructor can compile a resource section online with links to scholarly articles, institutions, and other materials relevant to the course topic for students to access for research, extension, or in depth analysis of course content material in the global classroom.

14. Creative Teaching: The literature of adult education supports the use of interactive learning environments as contributing to self-direction and critical thinking. Some educators have made great strides in applying these concepts to their on ground teaching. However, many classes still exist which are based on boring lectures and rote memorization of material. The nature of the semi-autonomous and self-directed world of the virtual classroom makes innovative and creative approaches to instruction even more important. In the online environment, the facilitator and student collaborate to create a dynamic learning experience. The occasion of a shift in technology creates the hope that those who move into the new technology will also leave behind bad habits as they adopt this new paradigm of teaching. As educators redesign their course materials to fit the online format, they must reflect on their course objectives and teaching style and find that many of the qualities that make a successful online facilitator are also tremendously effective in the traditional classroom as well.

Cons of Online Education:

Briefly explained are some factors that could negatively affect your success with distance learning courses:

1. The Technology:

a. Equity and Accessibility to Technology: Before any online program can hope to succeed, it must have students who are able to access the online learning environment. Lack of access, whether it be for economical or logistics reasons, will exclude otherwise eligible students from the course. This is a significant issue in rural and lower socioeconomic neighborhoods and educating the underserved peoples of the world. Furthermore, speaking from an administrative point of view, if students cannot afford the technology the institution employs, they are lost as customers. As far as Internet accessibility is concerned, it is not universal, and in some areas of the United States and other countries, Internet access poses a significant cost to the user. Some users pay a fixed monthly rate for their Internet connection, while others are charged for the time they spend online. If the participants' time online is limited by the amount of Internet access they can afford, then instruction and participation in the online program will not be equitable for all students in the course. This is a limitation of online programs that rely on Internet access.  Equity of access to learners of all backgrounds and parts of society

b. Requires New Skills/Technologies: if you're not computer-savvy or are afraid of change or new technologies, then online education will probably not work for you. The online students are required to learn new skills, such as researching and reviewing the Internet. For the online students, they need to learn the techniques of navigation on an online library for necessary information. Technical training and support of learners and instructors

c. Computer Literacy: Both students and facilitators must possess a minimum level of computer knowledge in order to function successfully in an online environment. For example, they must be able to use a variety of search engines and be comfortable navigating on the World Wide Web, as well as be familiar with Newsgroups, FTP procedures and email. If they do not possess these technology tools, they will not succeed in an online program; a student or faculty member who cannot function on the system will drag the entire program down.

d. Limitations of Technology: User friendly and reliable technology is critical to a successful online program. However, even the most sophisticated technology is not 100% reliable. Unfortunately, it is not a question of if the equipment used in an online program will fail, but when. When everything is running smoothly, technology is intended to be low profile and is used as a tool in the learning process. However, breakdowns can occur at any point along the system, for example, the server which hosts the program could crash and cut all participants off from the class; a participant may access the class through a networked computer which could go down; individual PCs can have numerous problems which could limit students' access; finally, the Internet connection could fail, or the institution hosting the connection could become bogged down with users and either slow down, or fail all together. In situations like these, the technology is neither seamless nor reliable and it can detract from the learning experience.

2. The Institution: Many online education facilities are relatively new with many courses and hence, lack in modern instructors for instructing the new curriculum. Estimates show that there is still a need for an increase of more 50% of qualified instructors for online education.

b. The Administration and Faculty: Some environments are disruptive to the successful implementation of an online program. Administrators and/or faculty members who are uncomfortable with change and working with technology or feel that online programs cannot offer quality education often inhibit the process of implementation. These people represent a considerable weakness in an online program because they can hinder its success.

Sometimes administration cannot see beyond the bottom line and look at online programs only as ways to increase revenues and are thus not committed to seeing online programs as a means of providing quality education to people who would otherwise not be able to access it. In such a case, an institution that is not aware of the importance of proper facilitator training, essential facilitator characteristics, and limitations of class size would not understand the impact that these elements can have on the success of an online program.

3. The Facilitator

Lack of Essential Online Qualities: Successful on-ground instruction does not always translate to successful online instruction. If facilitators are not properly trained in online delivery and methodologies, the success of the online program will be compromised. An instructor must be able to communicate well in writing and in the language in which the course is offered. An online program will be weakened if its facilitators are not adequately prepared to function in the virtual classroom.

An online instructor must be able to compensate for lack of physical presence by creating a supportive environment in the virtual classroom where all students feel comfortable participating and especially where students know that their instructor is accessible. Failure to do this can alienate the class both from each other and from the instructor. However, even if a virtual professor is competent enough to create a comfortable virtual environment in which the class can operate, still the lack of physical presence at an institution can be a limitation for an online program. For the faculty as well as the participants, such things as being left out of meetings and other events that require on-site interaction could present a limiting factor in an online program.

4. Perceptions/Reputation: while slowly changing as more and more mainstream colleges and universities embrace distance learning, there still is a stigma attached to distance education to the student’s interaction in the online education. Some of the students believe that, there are few opportunities with regards to face-to-face interactions and feedbacks.

5. No Instructor Face Time:  If your learning style is one where you like personalized attention from your teachers, then online education will probably not work for you.

6. Little Support:  students are expected to find their own resources for completing assignments and exams, which is empowering for some, but daunting for others.

There is little support and limited guidelines provided in online education system. Online students are required to search as per their own imaginations for completing exams and assignments.

7. Lacking Social Interaction: while you often interact with classmates via email, chat rooms, or discussion groups, there are no parties or offline get-together's.

If you enjoy meeting new people and learn better while you're interacting with other people, you may want to reconsider online education.

8. No Campus Atmosphere:  part of the traditional college experience, of course, is the beauty of the campus, the college spirit, but you have none of that with distance-education courses.

Since you're not on campus or in classes, you may lack opportunities to meet other students. You will not have many opportunities to interact face-to-face with your professors, so they may not have a real sense of who you are as a person.

9. Making Time: if you are a procrastinator or one of those people who always needs an extra push to complete work, you may have a hard time making time for your online classes. On line learning requires new skills and responsibilities from learners

10. Academic honesty of online students: requires a new mindset to online assessment.  Most education experts agree that rote memory testing is not the best measure of learning in any environment and new measurement and evaluation tools are evolving.

a. Treat every test as if it were "open book." Use questions that challenge students even if they use resources when forming their answers. This practice is more like our real life tests anyway. Use online testing as a means, not an end. Assessments should not only measure learning, but serve as part of the learning process.

b. Publicize content, format, rules, and honor codes to students in advance.

Students are less prone to cheating if they understand what to expect on tests. Ensure that they are appropriately prepared. Post the question formats, test length, and time limitations well in advance. Post study guides that students can use to prepare. In addition, announce rules for the test, especially limitations on the resources students can use. Finally, post or link to the college policies so that students are aware of the implications of cheating.

c. Ask questions that require application of knowledge. The most important way to overcome online cheating and realistically assess student understanding is to use application level questions. Essays, case studies, and other complex question types can be challenging to answer even if you are looking at the book.

d. Learn the writing style of students before testing. A great deal of written communication passes between online students and the instructor. Pay attention to the writing style of students and save samples. Online instructors report that with a little awareness, it is easy to recognize work that is not the student's own.

e. Use questions that require personal input from students.  Require some personal opinions from students in answers. Ask students to provide examples from their own lives. These kinds of personal details are difficult to fake.

f. Set a reasonable time limit for completion.  Limiting the amount of time for which students can access a test makes any form of cheating difficult to implement. Don't be too restrictive, but don't give students forever either. Do not make the test available until the day you want students to begin taking it.

11. Types and effectiveness of assessments: The importance of outcomes in online learning cannot be over emphasized. Does the program have measurable results? Are students learning what you say they should be learning? Then there are institutional outputs: course completion rates, job placement rates (if that's the goal of the institution), graduation rates, student success on third-party tests, and student satisfaction scores.

These factors, both the pros and cons, contribute greatly to making an informed decision about the direction of your career path and how you are going to accomplish your goals: on line, in the classroom or a combination of both.

Institutions and companies that use continuing education to meet their needs also face similar decisions.  Institutions that deliver online education are confronted with a series of challenges, including the search for good faculty, use of technology, and provision of adequate student services. To learn more about quality indicators and their relation to institutional, faculty, student, and public needs, the corporation CenterPoint interviewed several people with intimate knowledge of online education:

Amongst the people queried were, Lynn Kelting-Gibson, a professor of Elementary Education at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana, Sal Nuñez and Carol Young, alumni of online doctoral programs at Capella University.

When asked about their on line learning experiences, Carol Young replied “I was worried that it would be too distant; that I wouldn't get to know anybody; that the coursework wouldn't be as challenging. After my first set of classes, I knew that wouldn't be the case. There were only 15 to 16 learners in each class and the faculty was very helpful. I was surprised how quickly you could really get a communication going among everyone online”

Sal Nuñez of Capella commented “When I started comparing the curriculum with that of traditional programs, I realized they were the same. Then when I saw the tremendous amount of work that I had to do, I said, "Wait a minute—this is pretty intense." At that point, quality definitely wasn't a concern”.

The Sloan Consortium report “Growing by Degrees: Online Education in the United States in 2005” found that 64 percent of chief academic officers and faculty believe that it takes more discipline for a student to succeed in an online course than it does in a face-to-face course. What are some of the challenges for online students?

Lynn Kelting-Gibson thought “In many ways, online education is more challenging than face-to-face courses. Students have to be more prepared; they have more readings and more assignments. Online education is much more intense than a face-to-face program. I think sometimes faculty makes online courses harder to compensate for the lack of face time with students”.

More and more major business and industry is turning to on line continuing education as a viable and cost effective resource for training its personnel. Hilton Hotel has 380 hotels worldwide and is represented in 66 countries. Hilton selected 70 courses from SkillSoft's management, business and IT curricula, which SkillSoft delivers to the company's worldwide workforce through its in-built learner management system, SkillPort. Hilton also subscribes to Books24x7 so that it can offer a reference source to its 400+ IT specialists, providing them with access to the latest IT publications. As well as running and hosting SkillSoft content and allowing Hilton to track learning on a local, regional and national scale, SkillPort also delivers online courses from other learning providers - acting as a branded, customized portal for easy access to e-learning.

When you weigh the benefits and advantages of on line adult continuing education the cost of study and flexibility of scheduling tip the scales of programs like the Enoch Olinga College distance learning program on line adult continuing education is becoming a world wide respected form of education.

However, as with any situation, there are both pros and cons with the concept of online education and the benefits of the virtual or global classroom. You may want to evaluate both before you decide on an online education program. By examining the advantages and disadvantages, you will be able to make a more informed decision. But, at the end of the day, online learning is independent learning. A lot of structure has been put into online programs, but it still comes down to a learner sitting in front of a computer by him or herself. The knowledge you receive or the benefits it will generate either in development of self esteem or increasing earning capacity will depend sole upon you the student.

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