Program
Strategy
Knowledge Base
Framework on Open and Distance Learning In Higher Education
Profile and Information Needs of ODL
Providers
Knowledge base framework on open and
distance learning in higher education
Profile and information needs of ODL
providers
General
trends in open and distance learning
More
and more countries are offering open and distance learning and becoming an
integral part of the landscape of the educational system. The growth has been
stimulated in part by the new Internet-based and multimedia technologies and
also by recognizing that traditional ways of learning need to be reinforced and
supported by innovative methods if education for all is to be realized. The
fact that more and more traditional universities are rapidly transforming
themselves from single mode to dual mode universities in order to provide their
students with the best and up-to-date educational resources is highly
indicative of the trend towards open and distance learning (UNESCO, 2002). The
growing trend towards ODL is not without reasons. Many studies and documents
have identified many benefits to be derived from implementing open and distance
learning programmers on various aspects of education. As far as impact on the
education system is concerned, it makes the education system more open and
flexible towards a life-long learning society; increases independence and
individuality of learning and makes both Education for All (EFA) and Education
for Each (EFE) possible. Its effects on the teaching profession are also
evident. It contributes to new patterns of teaching as it requires new
competencies, skills, behavior, working style and methodology of teaching and
tutoring as well as contributes towards enhancing the status of the teaching
profession. The impact on learner is manifested in the balance required between
the increased independence, flexibility and self-control on the one hand and
ethics in learning and teaching through on-line on the other. It promotes more
learner-centered approach, and more enriched, higher quality and newer ways of
interaction among learners. Moreover, it helps the learner in facing the
complexity of planning a life-long learning event, the changes of career in
life, and the changing social environment and working and living style, etc.
(Wang Yibing, 2002)
Evidence
has also demonstrated that it can lead to innovation in mainstream education
and in the creation of a new global knowledge-based society. For governments,
it increases the capacity and cost effectiveness of education and training
systems as well as to reach target groups with limited access to conventional
education and training. It supports and enhances the quality and relevance of
existing educational structures; ensures the connection of educational
institutions and curricula to the emerging networks and information resources;
and promotes innovation and opportunities for learning (UNESCO 2002).
Definition and various typologies of open distance learning
To provide a
more common understanding, consistency and standardization in the definition
and scope of open and distance learning, some definitions and typologies of ODL
are offered below (excerpted from a paper by Dr. Chaiyong
Brahmawong, Thailand, 2003)
Distance education may be defined as an educational system where
instructors and students are physically apart. It represents approaches that
focus on opening access to education and training offerings, freeing learners
from the constraints of time and place and offering flexible learning opportunities
to individuals and groups of learners. Knowledge and experiences are imparted
via multi media packages to help students learn effectively at their dwellings
without attending regular classes. After completing all the requirements, they
are awarded degrees or certificates of equal value to those from traditional,
closed admission universities.
Distance education is characterized by seven key elements as
follows:
1) Separation of teacher and learner;
2) Systematic educational organization to support
self-learning; 3) Borderless and timeless: learning anywhere, anytime by
anyone;
4) Using technological media to unite teacher and
learner and carry the educational content and experience;
5) Providing interactive two-way interactive
communication among teachers and learners;
6) Allowing occasional face-to-face meetings for both
didactic and socialization purposes;
7) Adopting an industrialized form of education with the
emphasis on quality-assured mass production of learning packages so that all students
get equally high quality of self-learning materials.
Media
Structure
The delivery system of ODL institutions fall into one of the three
media structure: print-based, broadcast-based, and information and
communication technology (ICT) or E-Learning-based. Each media structure
employs one or two media and a set of supplementary media.Print-Based:
Under the print-based structure, prints in the forms of distance learning
texts, study guides and or workbooks are used as core media and audiovisuals (AV),
Radio/TV, CAI, tutorial, and on-screen teleconferencing are used as
supplementary media. Broadcast-Based: In the broadcast-based
approach, knowledge and experiences are imparted to distance learners via
Radio/TV programmes supplemented by prints, AV, tutorial, CAI, and on-screen
interactive instruction using teleconferencing and the Internet.ICT or
E-Learning Based: The most innovative distance learning approach
employs electronic learning (E-Learning)--a form of on-screen interactive
instruction (OSI) in the form of CAI, teleconferencing, and the Internet
supplemented by prints, AV, Radio/TV, and tutorial.
E-Education and E-Learning
Concept of E-Education: An ICT-based educational system of which major
components are planned, prepared, implemented and evaluated electronically,
on-line and off-line, using information and communication technology as the
backbone for delivery.Scope of E-Education: E-Education embraces
three (3) areas of education: E-Management, E-Services, and E-learningE-Educational
Management: -- A electronic management system based on an
effective management model such as POSDCARE Model.
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Planning
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Planning
via Internet
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Organizing
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Virtual Organizations
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Staffing
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Recruiting via Internet
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Directing
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Controlling/Directing via e-mail, fax, phones, paging
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Coordinating
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Networking of coordinators
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Allocation of Resources
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E-banking, money transfer
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Reporting
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Sending reports via e-mails
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Evaluation
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Evaluation and monitoring via Internet
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Examples of E-Management may be found in the following areas:
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On-line real time teleconferencing
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E-mailing and corresponding
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Project monitoring and follow-up
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E-Procurement and inventory
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E-Budget management
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E- Public relations such as newsletters, bulletin boards,
e-journals
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E-Assignment and reporting
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E-Services: --A service system where rendering and receiving
services are processed via electronic means such as:
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Registration: new students, course registration;
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Information and documentation such as Library Services, Virtual
Library or E-Library
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Counseling and guidance
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Work placement service on-line
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E--Laboratories (Virtual Labs and simulated Labs)
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E-Learning: --Learning via Information and Communication Technology to support
interactive two-way communication among learners and instructors using the
combination of OSI and web-based instruction in the forms of digital and
analog, synchronous and asynchronous, and on-line and off-line delivery
systems. E-Learning may employ mainly digital, asynchronous, on-line, and
broadcast or a combination of analog, synchronous, off-line, and narrowcast
electronic media. E-Learning which imparts knowledge and information totally
via the Internet is called “on-line learning”.
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Issues in ODL
The need for
quality assurance and mutual recognition was a recurring issue cited in many
aspects of ODL, including the areas of policy, management, academic
programmers, collaboration and e-learning recognition. It will be shown later
that this ties up with the quantitative survey of the website topics preferred by
the respondents
Many
respondents were in agreement on the lack of ODL training for teachers.
Furthermore, the lack of specialists in this field and the need to train
faculty and personnel in the use of ODL technology have been repeatedly
mentioned.
Technology
access and affordability issues for learners were also raised. Similarly, it
was pointed out that funding or loan policies for ODL learners are not readily
available.
Many ODL
providers recognized the importance of partnerships and networking. They
mentioned the need for establishing collaborations at the national and
international levels.
ODL
Providers
AUSTRALIA
::
Curtin University of Technology
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Deakin University
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Monash University
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Open Learning Australia
BANGLADESH
CHINA
::
Yunnan Radio and TV University
CHINA,
HONG KONG SAR
::
Open University of Hong Kong
FIJI
::
Dr. BR Ambedkar Razak Open University
::
Indira Gandhi National Open University
::
Kota Open University
MYANMAR
PAKISTAN
PAPUA
NEW GUINEA
::
Polytechnic University of the Philippines Open University
SINGAPORE
::
Ramkanghaeng University
ODL
Associations
International
::
Consortium International Francophone de Formation a Distance
(CIFFAD)
::
Federation of Commonwealth Open and Distance Learning
Associations (FOCODLA)
::
International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)
Regional
::
African Distance Learning Association
::
Open Learning and Distance Education Association of Eastern
Africa (OLDEA-EA)
America:
North, Central and South
::
South-East Asian Ministers of Education Organisation Regional
Open Learning Center (SEAMOLEC)
::
European Association of Distance Teaching Universities
National
(Asia-Pacific)
::
Australian Association of Distance Education Schools (AADES)
::
Open and Distance Learning Association of Australia (ODLAA)
India
::
Indian Distance Education Association (IDEA)
::
Indonesian Distance Learning Network (IDLN)
::
Distance Education Association of New Zealand (DEANZ)
Legislation
Introduction
Rationale
The highest
form of promoting open and distance learning is through instruments that
legitimize the promulgation, acceleration and facilitation as well as the
removal of barriers and prohibitive structures to the establishment, practice
or improvement of distance education globally and locally. Existing legislation
ensures the commitment of international bodies and governments to formulate ODL
policies and programmes accordingly.
Legislation is
the law or set of laws enacted by government or an official body. At the
international level, it includes treaties and agreements ratified by
governments. At the national level, it could take the form of Laws, Statutes,
Decrees, Royal Charter, Acts, Edicts, Proclamations, Pronouncements, Orders,
Ordinances and Regulations endorsed by legislature.
There are a
limited number of international laws and agreements with direct bearing on
distance education. However, with the advent of globalization and the rapid
development of information and communication technology (ICT), which is
propelling distance education growth internationally, governments are now
recognising the need for international regulations on quality assurance,
foreign education providers, consumer protection, copyrights and intellectual
property rights.
At the regional
level, the European Union has managed to make provisions for the development of
distance education under one of its Treaties. Although other regional
organizations are taking up ODL in their agenda and developing partnerships as
well as collaborative ODL programmes in Asia-Pacific countries, no binding
regional agreements on distance education exist so far in the Asia-Pacific
region.
Legislation on
distance education is aimed most often at the national level and at
state-controlled ODL institutions. In fact, many countries in Asia-Pacific have
passed a number of legislations directly affecting distance education. The most
common legal provisions have facilitated the systematisation of distance
education in the country; the establishment of ODL structures, institutions or
regulatory bodies; the recognition of distance education as a form equal to
conventional education; the use of innovative technologies and delivery systems
in distance education; and the release of government funding for ODL
initiatives. However, regulatory provisions for standardizing the delivery,
curriculum, instruction and evaluation of ODL programmers are often lacking.
Objectives
This section
has been set up to:
• Present the
existing ODL legislation at the international and national levels
• Discuss
different types of legislation and actual examples of legislation with direct
bearing on ODL programmers
• Present
global issues with implications on ODL and its legislation
International
and Regional Legislation
Policies and
Management
Introduction
Rationale
Open and
distance learning programmers take their cue from the policies set at different
levels – global or international, regional, national and institutional. The
success of any ODL programme essentially hinges on the responsiveness of
policies set forth, particularly at the institutional level (given that
supportive national policies on ODL exist) as these policies provide the guideposts
for the detailed operations and management of any ODL programme. Policies spell
out the requirements for the values that programmes are meant to uphold such as
maintaining academic quality and standards, providing student and faculty
support services comparable to those for traditional campus settings, equipping
staff and maintaining sufficient staff complement to deliver courses, and
committing financial resources for the programmers. The rapidity of
technological changes and the increasing trend towards collaboration for ODL
implementation call for a wider range of policy areas to take into account when
establishing new or expanding existing programmers.
Policies should
not be static in nature. As the ODL environment faces constant challenges, policies
must be periodically reviewed to determine if existing policies are still
appropriate and applicable in the context of the goals and objectives which an
ODL programme seeks to achieve.
The goal of
this section is to enhance the capacity of policy makers and ODL providers to
formulate policy frameworks and management guidelines in the implementation of
ODL programmes in Asia-Pacific. Towards this end, an overview of policies at
all levels, including actual examples, and management issues will be presented.
A summary of this section follows:
International
policies on
ODL emphasize the use of new technologies and methodologies that will improve
lifelong learning, increased and equitable access to education, and the
establishment of cooperative linkages in open and distance learning.
National
policies on
ODL form part of countries’ overall educational policies and reforms. They
provide directions relative to the extent of a government’s participation in
the ODL system, attainment of specific objectives such as serving the less
privileged sectors of society, use of ICT, and maintenance of quality standards
among ODL providers .
Institutional
policies
are borne out of an institution’s vision and mission. They provide the
reference points for an institution’s operating procedures and processes,
covering various areas such as academic, governance, faculty, student support
and technical and legal matters.
Management
issues on
ODL basically cover aspects that affect instructional design and delivery.
These include coordinated resource use and allocation, budgeting, scheduling,
selection of courses, and production media and quantity.
Objectives
This section
aims to:
• Familiarize policy makers, managers and
practitioners with the various policy areas and management issues that are
critical in implementing ODL programmes
• Provide examples or cases of international and
national policies related to ODL development
• Present institutional policy frameworks and
management guidelines for ODL programmes
International
and Regional Policies
International
organizations whose mandates can either be multi-sectoral or ODL-specific play
key roles in advocating sectoral reforms such as those on distance education.
They provide authority, incentives and resources that could persuade countries
to adopt their resolutions.
Regional Directory
Central Asia East Asia Oceania South Asia South-East Asia
South-East
Asia
• Open and distance learning among South-East Asian
countries forms part of their overall educational reforms as spelled out in
their national education acts/policies and related legislation in line with the
goal of providing greater access to and equity in educational opportunities.
• South-East
Asian countries have made considerable inroads into the open and distance
learning system at least within their national boundaries. Brunei, as an
exception, has not gone into ODL due to its small size and the vast
opportunities for its citizens to avail of educational opportunities in the
traditional way. Cambodia and Lao PDR have so far concentrated on a particular
clientele – training teachers in Cambodia and non-formal basic education in Lao
PDR
• Collaboration
among distance learning institutions has been undertaken particularly in
Indonesia and Malaysia, through the Indonesian
Distance Learning Network (IDLN) and the Open
University of Malaysia, respectively.
• The use of
educational technology or ICTs for education is increasingly promoted. Almost
every country has an equivalent IT Master Plan supporting this.
• The
Resolutions of the 2nd Conference of the Central Committee of the Communist
Party of Vietnam in December 1996 adopted as one of the resolutions, the
expansion of continuing education forms, particularly distance education, in
line with the thrust of Education for All.
• Policy areas
or issues needing attention as the region becomes more visible in ODL are:
duplication of programmes within a country, which can lead to inefficient use
of resources; collaboration with foreign institutions in programme delivery;
greater private sector participation in ODL programmes considering the dearth
of government resources; acceptability of new educational technologies and the
availability of trained manpower.
South-East
Asia
ODL management
This resource
provides a detailed outline of managing distance education. It covers aspects
of governance, operations, managing teaching and learning and benefits and
costs of open and distance learning systems.
Qualities and
management skills for leading ODL institutions are defined in this paper using
cases from Thailand.
Intended to
help decision makers, this paper covers three main points: choice of
technologies and their impact on cost, access and quality; organizational
structures for ODL (including management of ODL and partnerships); and an
evaluative framework for proposed activities using open and distance learning.
Designed for
planners, policy makers and other decision makers, this guide discuses the
basic tasks involved in managing distance education programmes and staffing
requirements for carrying out those tasks.
[Contributed by Colin Latchem, Advisory Board Member]
The
paper is designed as a guide for institutions formulating strategic plans for
open and flexible learning: The institutional strategic focus must be clear,
all of the stakeholders must be consulted, and all of the desired changes must
be negotiated throughout the institution. The paper includes two case studies,
one from an Australian university and another from a technical and vocational
college in Barbados.
In
Asia-Pacific
ODL Academic
Programmes
Introduction
Rationale
An overall view
of the Asia-Pacific region’s academic programmes in distance education is
important because it reflects how well the ODL institutions are responding to
the education needs of the region and the individual countries in general. It
also fosters regional collaboration and avoids unnecessary duplication.
Although many
programmes may not be offered internationally at the moment and most were
developed to meet local needs first, ODL providers usually take the lead in the
international expansion of education starting with their existing programmes.
When internationalisation is high on the agenda, it helps to know what exists
and what the gaps are in the current programmes.
Having a
regional picture also assists national policymakers, academic administrators
and educators in understanding or defining their own country’s contributions,
capabilities, specialisations and gaps relative to the whole region.
Objectives
This section
has been developed to:
• Present the
trends in academic programmes offered by distance education in the Asia-Pacific
region based on a number of selected institutions
• Provide an
inventory of programmes in the region by degree, field and institution.
Trends
in Programmes Offered
In
Asia-Pacific, the fields of study by distance education are as wide-ranging as
that offered by conventional institutions. Based on a small survey by UNESCO
and the websites of selected institutions, the most popular field offered
across institutions, regardless of degree type, is Management and Commerce.
This is closely followed by the broad field of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
and by the field of Information Technology. The fields on Education as well as
Agriculture, Environmental and Related Studies are not as popular. Being
relatively specialised fields, Medical and Health Sciences, Law, Engineering
and Technologies as well as Natural and Physical Sciences are offered by very
few institutions.
Almost all
institutions offer non-degree, Bachelor’s degree and even Master’s degree
programmes. But very few programmes leading to a Doctoral degree are observed
in the region. ODL institutions choose to develop academic programmes mainly
based on national and education goals, the intended targets, the labour market
demand, and the adaptability of particular fields to the distance education
format.
Some
institutions with a national mandate to train teachers would naturally have a
strong education department or programme. Catering to the demand of the work
force and the international market, some private institutions would emphasize
information technology or management programmes.
Despite the
demand for particular fields, some institutions may find it difficult to offer
these entirely by distance education because of the special requirements for
laboratories or other components which are more efficiently handled by
face-to-face interaction. The challenge to come up with strategies for offering
these programmes by distance format remains.
Technology and
Delivery Systems
Introduction
Rationale
Choosing
technologies and developing technology strategies that would best serve
education needs is a critical role of policy makers, managers and practitioners
in distance education. Contrary to common understanding, educational technology
covers much more than just media and delivery systems (print, audio, video or
ICT or computers). It is the whole system of tools, processes, approaches and
designs used by people and organizations to facilitate learning.
The most
appropriate set of technologies that would respond to integrated education
needs is not necessarily the most expensive or advanced. The discussion of
emerging technologies such as online learning and new structures such as
virtual universities are made not to urge everyone in that direction, but to
assist policy makers, planners and managers in making informed decisions. In
the end, the success of an ODL programme will be viewed not in terms of
technologies used, but in terms of its ability to meet the education needs of
individuals, organizations, nations and societies.
The references
at the end of this section are arranged by themes and by countries within each
theme to emphasize the diversity in technological approaches to distance
education.
Objectives
This section
aims to:
• Present the
various components of technology and delivery systems in distance education
• Discuss
emerging trends and developments in ODL technology and delivery systems
• Share
guidelines in planning for technologies in distance education
• Provide a
list of references on the experiences of different countries in using distance
education technologies
Components
of Technology and Delivery Systems
It can not be
emphasised enough that educational technology is more than just media and
delivery. Decision makers should consider all these components when planning
for ODL technology and delivery systems:
• Systems approach and instructional design. This
describes the integrated approach to the development of programmes in distance
education in the context of the learner as well as the institutional, national
and social aims.
• Performance and interaction. This refers to the
participation and response of people to the ODL system or programme including
aspects of behaviour, attitude and learning/teaching interaction.
• Methodologies and techniques would include among
other things teaching/learning methods, curriculum design and materials
development.
• Media and delivery systems. Distance education has
evolved through print-based, broadcast-based and ICT-based systems of delivery
using various media - text, audio, video and objects. The planning of delivery
systems also demands consideration of infrastructure, hardware and software.
• Distance education environment and services are
critical in achieving the ideals of distance education -greater access, more
flexibility and improved quality of learning. Some environmental and support
requirements critical to ODL programmes include: student support centres
(academic and technical), staff development and support centres, knowledge base
resource centres (e.g. libraries), learning centres, laboratories, and
web-based environments.
• Distance education evaluation refers to the
processes and tools for assessing the added value of ODL, the learning and
teaching experience, student and teacher performance, and technology cost among
others.
Emerging
Trends
ODL
institutions can not ignore the rapid developments in information and
communication technologies (ICTs). Many recognise its great potential; others
feel threatened by it in many ways; and some feel the pressure to acquire the
latest technologies lest they be left behind. The sudden rise in Internet courses
and the emergence of new education structures are some of the consequences to
this rapid growth in ICTs.
E-learning
E-learning
technologies include a range of ICT-based or digital tools which may be
delivered online (e.g. web-based courses) or offline (e.g. CD ROM). ODL
institutions as well as conventional institutions recognise the potential of
e-learning to improve the quality of teaching/learning interactions. ICTs also
meet the current learning demands of the market for flexibility, easy
communication and instant access to global resources. Consequently, the use of
the Internet and the World Wide Web for higher education instruction and
training has been quickly gaining momentum.
Because
e-learning is relatively new even in developed economies, there is a need for
research on cost-benefits and appropriate techniques and methodologies that
would maximize its use in higher education. The region could also benefit from
e-learning models specific for Asia-Pacific. Likewise, e-learning policies and
strategies that are appropriate to countries in the region have to be
formulated at the national and institutional levels.
There is a
tendency to provide e-learning which is not interactive enough and is a source
of discouragement for learners. It will be useful for long duration courses to
support e-learning material instead of print material only, but e-learning is
not any better than conventional learning or other ODL methods. Different
approaches will be useful for different target learners with different
aspirations and levels.
• Alternative national strategies for e-learning.
To encourage e-learning growth at a national scale, governments could adopt
several strategies such as:
• Create a new
e-learning institution.
• Encourage
private-sector and international providers to develop e-learning for
post-secondary education and training.
• Use
e-learning as a means to transform post-secondary education to make it more
cost-effective, more learner-centered and more economically relevant.
• Develop or
facilitate a national e-learning business sector.
• Develop or
facilitate a national archive of e-learning materials
• Do nothing
(should careful analysis reveal that e-learning is not appropriate, affordable
or a priority at the moment).
• National policy issues in e-learning. It is
very likely that e-learning will be a significant element of the future of
education. Therefore, the issue for national leaders is not one of direction
but readiness and scale. Here are some of the issues:
Planning
for Technologies
To
be able to plan, decide on and implement technologies for education, it is
important to be guided by basic principles and factors for consideration.
Perhaps the first question to ask is the reason why new technologies are being
brought into the picture
Directory
: Planning for Technologies
Choosing Media
• Availability and
convenience. Find out what technologies are available and acceptable to a
target audience.
• Local and national
constraints. Pay attention to the geographical, regulatory and economic
constraints that define access to particular media.
• Curriculum. Start with the
curriculum rather than a particular medium, not the other way around.
• Costs. Lay out clearly the
rationale for using technologies. The print-based medium is presumably the
cheapest, but there could be solid social and educational arguments (e.g.
improved quality of learning) for moving away from it.
Cost-reduction strategies
•
Go for high population courses.
•
Restrict the number of course options.
•
Go for long course lives.
•
Choose low-cost media and technologies.
•
Avoid cost-inducing actions (e.g. use of copyrighted materials).
•
Pass costs to the student (e.g. charge fees or transfer cost of the activity
from the institute to the student).
International
Collaboration
Introduction
Rationale
International
collaboration in open and distance learning may be classified into two types
according to their thrust of activities – multi-purpose networking initiatives
and collaborative delivery of ODL programmes.
Multi-purpose
networking initiatives facilitate wide-scale promotion of distance education,
information and research sharing, and discussion of international and regional
issues. It could provide a venue for the formulation of international and
national.
On the other
hand, institutional collaboration for programme delivery broadens the
perspective of partners who need to adapt to each other’s working style,
methods and viewpoint. It provides avenues for partner institutions to build
and upgrade the qualit
Objectives
The aims of
this section are:
• To present
various forms, activity thrusts and cases of international networking and
collaborative programme delivery related to ODL in higher education.
• To provide
guidelines for successful collaboration in ODL programme delivery.
Quality
Assurance
Introduction
Rationale
Quality
assurance in open and distance learning is essential because in some countries,
the distance mode of learning has not been fully accepted. As more and more
providers compete within national borders and in the global market, quality
assurance for higher education in general and distance education in particular
is becoming even more necessary.
A number of
reasons for establishing quality assurance mechanisms and processes follow:
• to promote the integrity of courses and
programmes;
• to ensure that degrees are respected and accepted
particularly by employers;
• to maintain parity between on-campus and distance
learners;
• to continuously improve the quality of programmes
within a dynamic environment;
• to protect students and the public from programme
scams and abuse;
• to ensure commitment of staff and employees.
It is still
debatable whether quality assurance measures for distance education
institutions need to be more stringent than that of traditional schools. It is
clear however that ODL providers should not receive any special treatment;
otherwise, they will never receive the same respect as the quality programmes
of conventional education.
Although there
are aspects of distance education that need special attention in terms of
quality assurance, the general mechanisms for assuring quality in conventional
higher education are applicable to distance learning institutions. This section
will present those mechanisms and at the same time, discuss the challenges
brought upon by the distance learning environment to traditional approaches of
quality assurance.
Objectives
This section
has been set up to:
• Offer guidelines and models for quality assurance
in ODL
• Present the various mechanisms for quality
assurance in higher education and distance education
• Discuss the challenges in the quality assurance
of ODL
• Provide a list of case studies on quality
assurance in Asia-Pacific countries.
Guidelines
Quality
assurance should cover all the aspects and elements necessary for implementing
ODL programmes. Hence, various stakeholders need to be considered in every
stage of quality assurance development. Quality systems should also be set up
in the context of an institution’s vision and mission, objectives and core
values relative to ODL.
• System design
• Programme
design, approval and review
• The
management of programme delivery
• Student
development and support
• Student
communication and representation
• Student
assessment
Indicators of ODL
quality
1.
Policy development and management
• Policy
framework for distance education within an institution
• Reporting
achievements and developments in distance education
•
Acknowledgement of expertise in distance education within promotion/tenure
criteria
• Provision of
release time for academic staff engaged in course writing and peer review
2.
Staff development
• Conduct of
professional development programs for academic staff
• Conduct of
staff awareness program in relation to institutional distance education policy
• Access to
expertise/ advice on materials design
• Access to
expertise/ advise on instructional media
• Access to
expertise/ advice on the use of computer/ communication technologies employed
for external delivery
3.
Service provision
• Institutional
responsiveness to student enquiries
• Receipt of
learning materials
• Timely
pre-preparation of materials by academic staff
• Technical
quality of learning materials
4.
Process of distance education
• Availability
and use of preparatory materials to assist students in their role as external
student generalized information related to the distance learner
• Review of
'instructional blueprints' by expert panel against academic and distance
teaching criteria
• Study
materials and processes
-
Account for student background
-
Appropriate materials and learning
-
Interactions
• Perceived
teaching quality
• Variety of
interactions
• Lecturer
availability to students
• Assignment
marking
• Student
feedback on the quality of student support and administrative services supplied
by the institution
• Monitoring
student progress and achievement.
Mechanisms
The mechanisms
for quality assurance are: accreditation or certification; external review; and
internal review.
Accreditation
Accreditation
is done by a number of agencies to help learners know when a particular
programme of study taken in a place other than their home countries is of high
quality relative to the standards set in their home countries or vice-versa.
One of the key questions that a prospective distance learner should ask is
whether or not the course, programme or institution he plans to join is
accredited, or if not, at least certified. Accreditation is important since the
recognition and value of courses and the transferability of credits help
learners in their choices.
In the
Asia-Pacific region, accreditation agencies include the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation, Australian
Universities Quality Agency, and India’s National Board of Accreditation.
The Open University of Hong Kong, formerly called the Open Learning
Institute of Hong Kong, used to submit to the accreditation process of Hong
Kong’s accreditation body.
External review
External review
bodies can be composed of faculty members from other institutions, members of
professional organizations, employers, and experts from abroad. External review
resembles peer group evaluation. The process usually involves review of the
curriculum and course syllabi, advice on project development and oversight of
examinations. Although external review is not used too often, it is critical
for new providers.
Internal review
Internal review
is done by an institution’s own staff, hence, a self-evaluation process. It
aims to instill in the staff a culture of keeping quality standards. The process
is guided by several parameters that are themselves based on the policy areas
and elements that are necessary for running ODL programmes.
• policy
development and management
• staff
development
• Service
provision.
• process of
distance education
Under each
cluster are several criteria with the corresponding units concerned and standards
or benchmarks.
Conclusion
Monash
University,
one of the leading open and distance learning providers in Australia has
formulated a comprehensive document on policy and procedures for quality
assurance for its programmes. Clustering is by technical and administrative
support service units: learning and teaching support; teaching units; library
services; student records and admissions; examinations and certification;
administrative and management information systems; and computer centre.
For each
cluster, the types of services provided with detailed
activities/responsibilities are mapped with quality criteria or quality
assurance objective and monitoring procedures. Under learning and teaching
support, for example, types of services include course development, materials
production, and academic support for students and staff.
Today Open and
Distance Learning have become one and the famous High Learning Educations in
the World because many more institution are born to fulfill the system of
studying nowadays.
References
Special thanks
to:-
Regional
training workshop on ODL, Shanghai
Policy
makers review the Asia-Pacific ODL KB website
