FIRING BLANKS: DEBATE WITH DR RAJNI CHAND about her PhD Thesis on Flexible Learning at USP where she is now Director of the Centre for Flexible Learning. Better still, for Fiji's sake, Bainimarama should Resign

WHISPERING BEHIND THE SCENES: Mahmood Khan, Winston Thompson and Anjeela Jokhan conferring after USP Council meeting

DR RAJNI CHAND has given over two decades of her service to USP, unlike Aiyaz Khaiyum's UNCLE who came back to Fiji after 2006 COUP, and was appointed Chairperson of the USP Audit and Risk Committee.
Dr Chand and many other Fijians, especially women staff, survived and continued teaching despite Bainimarama's treasonous COUP

“The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.” — Dr Rajni Chand, quoting Ralph Nicols in her PhD thesis, "Listening Needs of Distance Learners: A Case Study of EAP Learners at the University of the South Pacific"

Chand, R. K. (2008, June). Listening Needs of Distance Learners: A Case Study of EAP Learners at the University of the South Pacific (Thesis, Doctor of Philosophy)
University of Otago.

This study focuses on student listening needs in the context of the English for Academic Purposes program taught by distance education at the University of the South Pacific. It explores the relationship between learners’ awareness of the learning strategy they use for developing their listening skills and their teachers’ knowledge of the strategy use and listening needs of learners.

Using an ethnographic case study approach, the study was conducted at various campuses and centres of the University of the South Pacific. Interviews were conducted with five EAP/study skills teachers; five subject/course teachers; 19 past learners and 10 present learners of the EAP/study skills course. Questionnaire data was also obtained from 19 past learners and 153 present learners. In addition, a course material analysis was carried out.
The study confirms and adds weight to the conclusions of earlier researchers such as Berne (1998), and Mendelsohn (2001) who explain that discrepancies exist between L2 listening research and practice. The findings of this research indicate that teachers differ from their learners in terms of learners’ knowledge and understanding of listening skills and learning strategies in use. The findings also indicate that even though learning had taken place in this distance education context some face-to-face teaching would have been desirable. A combination of distance teaching with longer teacher–learner contact for distance teaching of listening skills is recommended, since regular contact between teachers and learners is seen by learners as very beneficial and more likely to lead to a better development of listening skills. It also helps create an awareness of learners’ present and future listening needs. The nature of distance teaching at the University of the South Pacific, and the challenges faced by both teachers and learners are discussed in this study, and the requirement for further needs analysis in regard to distance EAP courses are noted.
The study concludes with recommendations for strategy training for distance learners as well as for raising teacher awareness about the importance of strategy teaching. It is also recommended that similar studies be undertaken in other language skills courses offered by distance at universities like USP such as reading, writing and speaking courses.
Date: 2008-06
Advisor: Stracke, Elke; Alm, Antonie
Degree Name: Doctor of Philosophy
Degree Discipline: Department of English / Linguistics Programme
Publisher: University of Otago
Keywords: Distance education; Oceania.
Click link below to read Dr Rajni Chand's thesis

https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10523/201/RChandthesis.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Dr. Rajni Kaushal Chand is the new Director for CFL for the next 3 years (2021 – 2023).  She has been with USP for over 25 years as a student, teacher, researcher and course coordinator. She has travelled extensively in the USP region and internationally and has in-depth knowledge on Open and Distance Learning (ODL) for small and  developing South Pacific regional countries. She has presented her research findings at various international ODL, Applied Linguistics and Indian Diaspora conferences.  Dr. Rajni Chand has also worked in the course development and editing sections for USP’s Distance Learning section.

Dr. Rajni Chand holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Otago. She received a position in the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Women and Leadership in ODL training program and has recently been appointed a mentor in the COL’s CommonwealthWiseWomen mentoring programme. She is also the chairperson of Board of Trustees for femLinkPacific; a major regional feminist media NGO.

Books Chapters:

• Chand, R. (2020). “It rains a lot here”: Online assessments versus Mother Nature”, in Naidu, S and Narayan, S (Eds) Teaching and learning with technology: pushing boundaries and breaking down walls, https://orep.usp.ac.fj/edu-sharing/components/render/c343e6ae-5db6-4eff-a54a-a8d7ea43b970, USP: Suva.
  

• Chand, R. (2020). “Under the shadow of Girmit era”, in Amba Pande (ed) Women in the Indian Diaspora: Historical narratives and contemporary challenges, Springer Science+ Business Media: Singapore. 
  

• Chand, R. (2008).  Media for Language and Education in the Pacific Islands. In B. Prasad and S. Singh (Eds.). Media and Development: Issues and Challenges in the Pacific Islands (pp. 232-269). Fiji Institute of Applied Studies and Auckland University of Technology.
  

• Rao, C.; McPherson, K.; Chand, R. and Khan, V. (2003). “Assessing the impact of IELTS preparation programs on candidates’ performance on the General Training reading and writing test modules”, Cambridge: University of Cambridge, British Council and IDP Australia, Volume 5, October.

Books:

• Chand, R. (2009), A student’s guide to bibliography and referencing, Pacific Educational Resources, Lautoka.
  
• Chand, R. and Khan, V. (2004). Referencing and Bibliography Writing: A guide for university students, Suva: USP.
  

Journal Articles:

• Chand, R. (2014) “Access to information: questions on equality, gender and geographical gap in relation to suicide prevention”, Journal of Pacific Studies, Vol. 35, Special issue.
  
• Chand, R. (2012). Key challenges and opportunities facing the Community radio sector in the Pacific Island Countries, FemLINKPACIFICEMegazine  Special Edition: The Thirteen 25 Report (November 2012 – February 2013 Edition), pp 17-19.
  
• Chand, R. (2011) English use among South Pacific Islanders at The University of the South Pacific, SEDI Journal, Vol 15 (2), pp 73-90.
  
• Chand, R. (2007) Same size does not fit all: Insights from research on listening skills at The University of the South Pacific (USP). International Research and Reflection in Open and Distance Learning Journal (IRRODL), Vol. 8(3). http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/383/951
  
• Chand, R. (2014) “Access to information: questions on equality, gender and geographical gap in relation to suicide prevention”, Journal of Pacific Studies, Vol. 35, Special issue.

Unpublished PhD Thesis:

• Chand, R. (2008) Listening needs of distance learners: A case study of EAP learners at The University of the South Pacific.  University of Otago.

Conferences:

• Rethinking Strategies: Online tests and exams, paper presented at USP’s CFL webinar series, 13 May, 2020 Suva, Fiji.
  
• Indian Diasporic Identity: Language policies or politicizing languages, paper presented at Banaras Hindu University conference titled: People of Indian Ancestry and Indian Culture: Historic and Contemporary Contexts, 19-20 January, 2019 Varanasi, India.  
  
• Girmit in literature texts in Fiji schools, paper presented at Commemoration of Centennial of Abolition of Indian Indentureship: An international conference, 22-24 March, 2017 Lautoka, Fiji.   
  
• Multilingual or Multidimensional: The case of teaching English across 5 time zones and 12 countries, paper presented at ALLA/ALANZ/ALTAANZ conference, 30th Nov - 2nd Dec, 2015 Adelaide, Australia.

• Women in the Indian Diaspora: Issues of Discrimination and Empowerment: Women in Fiji Islands, 10-11 January, 2014 New Delhi, India.
  
• Access to information: questions on equality gender and geographical gap, paper presented at Oceania Development Network Biennial Conference, 11-12, September, 2013 Suva, Fiji.
  
• Transformative pedagogies:  Crossing boundaries in teaching English language, Paper presented at VC’s Forum on Learning and teaching University of the South Pacific, 3 October, 2013 Suva, Fiji.
  
• Research skills development framework: UU114 and the RSD, paper presented at VC’s forum on Learning and Teaching, University of the South Pacific, 11 September, 2012 Suva, Fiji.
  
• Language and Literacy: Case Study of Practice across 300 million square kilometres and a Dozen Countries. Paper presented at the 2nd combined conference of ALAA and ALANZ, 29TH Nov- 2ND December 2011, Canberra, Australia.
  
• Learning outcomes from a generic course to specific disciplines: Lessons from UU114, paper presented at VC’s forum on Learning and Teaching, University of the South Pacific, 22 September 2011, Suva, Fiji.
  
• Disaster Response & Preparedness: Analysis and overview of contributions on the role of community radio in disaster management and Preparedness” case study of femLinkPacific’s suitcase radio. Paper presented: AMARC (World Community Broadcasters organisation) Conference, 8-13 November, 2010, La Plata, Argentina.
  
• Teaching across the Curriculum: Focus on Climate Change, Paper presented at Oceanic Conference on Creativity and Climate Change at the University of the South Pacific:  17th September, 2010, Suva, Fiji.   
  
• Language Issues in English-medium Universities: Case of ESL learners at a regional South Pacific university”, Paper presented at Language Issues in English-medium Universities; A global Concern Conference at University of Hong Kong, 18-20 June, 2008 Honk Kong.C
  

From USPSA:
While we are on nepotism and corruption, here are other promotions that have gone unnoticed in the past 15 years:
1. Bainimarama’s brother who was moved from Assistant Roko to Permanent Secretary
2. Bainimarama’s brother who was promoted to an Ambassador
3. Bainimarama’s daughter who was appointed as CEO of the Fiji Sports Council. Also the current chair of FHL Properties.
4. Bainimarama’s daughter who is the President of Fiji Netball. Used to be the manager.
5. Bainimarama’s daughter appointed to a senior position in the Ministry of Civil Service
6. Bainimarama’s sister-in-law who went from some officer in the FAB Scholarships section to Director iTaukei Language and Culture at Ministry of iTaukei Affairs (where her husband is PS, see 1)
6. Bainimarama’s brother-in-law who ironically went to jail for manslaughter then becomes the Commissioner of Prisons. He was also the Chair of Fiji Rugby until he was pressured to resign last year by World Rugby for letting convicted rapists play provincial rugby.
7. Bainimarama’s nephew who found a job at the Department of Information after the 2006 coup. Currently a senior diplomat at Fiji’s UN mission in New York.
8. Bainimarama’s son-in-law, Development Manager at Fiji Rugby Union.
9. Bainimarama’s sister-in-laws husband is the Director Force Development at Republic of Fiji Military Forces.