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OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA: LEADING THE
WAY TO FLEXIBLE LIFE LONG LEARNING
Mansor Fadzil
and Abtar Kaur
Open University Malaysia
dr_mansor@unitem.intranets.com & p2abtar@umcsd.um.edu.my
Abstract:
This paper attempts
to give an overview of the first Open University set up in Malaysia, that is
Universiti Terbuka Malaysia (UNITEM). It starts with the a concept of learning
adopted which ideally emphasizes new ways and habits of thinking about learning
such as self-managed learning, learning on demand, knowledge sharing and
managing communities of learning. To support these, UNITEM has come up with a
two-prong strategy to learning, which addresses the learner’s curriculum and
the institutional curriculum. Next, the paper emphasizes the role of technology
and how ICT is being used to achieve a more personalized set of learning
outcomes. The paper ends with a set of fundamental principles of academic
methodology adopted by UNITEM.
Introduction
Open University of Malaysia or Universiti
Terbuka Malaysia (UNITEM) was officially established on 10 August
2000. UNITEM’s mission is to provide flexible, easily accessible
and affordable life long learning opportunities to distant learners. Before we
proceed with UNITEM’s role as an open learning institution, it is apt at this
juncture to clarify the two terms: open and distance learning. Whilst
there is no one definition of open and distance learning, there are various
approaches to understanding the terms. A popular definition of distance
learning is one given by Rowntree (1992) which states that distance learning is
learning that occurs at a distance from one's teacher. This is usually
supported by pre-recorded, packaged learning materials leading to the
achievement of specific learning objectives. According to Rowntree,
despite being separated from their teachers in time and space, learners are
still being guided by them. Whilst the definition of distance
learning is quite clear in terms of the 'distance' between the teacher and the
student, the definition of open learning has been subjected to various
interpretations. According to the definition given by the Manpower Services
Commission, U.K. (1984), open learning can be interpreted as flexible learning,
i.e. a learning environment that allows the learner to learn at the time, place
and pace of his/her choice. Further, Rowntree suggests that anyone interested
to know about the openness of open learning has to look at three main
components, namely: a) Who? – The ease with which someone can become a learner
without restrictions of age, qualifications, wealth, job etc; b) What? – The
extent to which a learner is free to decide the content, objectives and
assessment methods of the program and c) How? - The extent to which the learner
is free to decide the pace of learning, the teaching and learning strategies
used and the manner of collaboration with peers and experts. Based on the
above constructs, the following distinctions may be made between distance
learning and open learning:
Distance and Open Learning
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Distance Learning
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Open Learning
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Who
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Specific in terms of age, qualifications
and sometimes geographical setting
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More flexible on age, qualifications and
geographical setting
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What
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Content and assessment methods are
predetermined, learner is led to achievement of learning objectives in a
step-by-step manner
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Apart from being led to achievement of
certain learning objectives (institutional curriculum) the learner is given
the option to achieve his/her curriculum
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How
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Number of credits a learner may take are
predetermined and peer-to-peer and learner-to-instructor collaborations are
limited to those of face-to-face or by telephone.
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Learner may choose the number of credits,
learning is self-paced and there are more options for peer-to-peer and
learner-to instructor collaborations with the use of Information
Communication Technologies.
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To summarize, it is rather difficult to
classify a program as purely distant or open, although a distance learning
program can achieve its aims without incorporating any degree of openness. An
open learning program, on the other hand while maintaining the distance factor
is supposed to be more flexible in terms of the 'who', 'what' and 'how' of
learning. However, this is not always the case. The British Open University as
well as the Open University Hong Kong has a limit to it's openness. While they
are quite flexible as to the 'who' using age as the main criteria for
admission to basic degree programs, the other two aspects, namely the 'what'
and 'how' are quite restrictive. Manjulika and Reddy (1999) in their book
Unexplored Dimensions of Open Universities, indicated that most mega
open universities for example Anadolu (Turkey); Sukhotai Thammathirat Open
University (Thailand), Korea National Open University, Universitas Terbuka
(Indonesia); and University of South Africa are less open even where the 'who'
is concerned as they impose an entry requirement in terms of qualifications.
To provide a more comprehensive view of UNITEM’s
open learning concept, the ‘who’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ constructs are used. The
‘Who’ – includes working people with minimum academic qualifications but with
appropriate and relevant experiences. Fresh high school graduates who fail to
gain entry to on-campus degree programs are also our learners. The
‘What’ and ‘How’ – include courses which are designed and developed to suit a
variety of learner constraints such as: a) Learner time - learners are not
required to attend all the face-to-face classes which are held fortnightly
throughout a semester; b) Access to information - learners are given a basic
set of reading materials, but are supported with more information through the
use of a dedicated web portal; and c) Number of credits per semester - learners
are free to choose the number of credits, however this will be based on an
assessment procedure carried out by an instructor.
UNITEM’s Concept of Open Learning
While many people may perceive life long
learning as a process whereby one continues to enroll in a learning institution
to collect a string of degrees, diplomas and certificates, life long learning
at UNITEM embraces a bigger concept of learning. It is about creating new
ways and habits of thinking about learning such as self-managed learning,
learning on demand, knowledge sharing and managing communities of learning.
To support open, flexible and life long
learning, UNITEM has come up with a two-prong strategy to learning, which
addresses the learner’s curriculum and the institutional curriculum. With
flexible life long learning forming the crux of UNITEM’s learning philosophy,
learners are given appropriate support for competitive flexible learning. The
learner is viewed as an active individual who possesses the ability to
construct new knowledge and who needs new knowledge for his/her day-to day
interactions. Furthermore, in the workplace, learning-on-demand is seen as
crucial to the learner’s security of employment. It stresses that a
person should be able to quickly reach out to a store of knowledge at the time
when it is required. Towards this end, innovative techniques and a combination
of media are necessary. The technology (web and multimedia) is harnessed
to support the learner in meeting the learner’s curriculum and the institutional
curriculum. The following diagram depicts the various interactions that will
support such an endeavor.
UNITEM understands that learners have their
own personal mission and goals when they enroll as a student. In
recognizing this fact, UNITEM has embark on the use of Information
Communication Technologies (ICT) to support what UNITEM refers to as the
learner’s curriculum. We are obliged to ensure that the learner is well
supported and that the learner is successful in his/her quest for new
knowledge. We also try to identify new knowledge and skills that learners will
need to survive in a competitive world. In order to constantly update learners
on new information and skills, the web will become an important interface. Some
of the key characteristics of the ICT are online searches, asynchronous online
discussion boards, chats, email, providing learners with online workspaces,
online assessment and personal homepages.
In meeting his/her curriculum, the learner
may use online search engines to quickly locate and access important
information. A mature learner will have questions that need answers, but are
not found within the confines of printed materials. Learners may also engage in
active use of important information by meeting virtually with peers and
instructors through discussion boards and emails. These asynchronous styles of
communication can immerse learners in authentic learning whereby messages are
constructed in the form of text. Apart from that different file formats (word
document, spreadsheet, presentation slides) as well as multimedia elements can
be uploaded or attached to these asynchronous messages. In this respect, it is
anticipated that a mature learner will use the computer to first construct
meaning based on information he/she had read from the print materials supplied
to him/her coupled with his/her experiences (work and other prior knowledge).
Further the use of online workspaces, take the cognitive load off the learner
as the learner works on a piece of work either individually or in a group. In a
group, online workspaces allow learners to contribute their thoughts
irrespective of a ‘leader’ as is often encountered in other types of learning
situations. To engage the learner in a virtual learning community, chats can be
held from time to time. Chat is a text-based communication between
students or between students and instructor about a particular topic in a
synchronous mode. Lastly, to ensure the learner has internalized some
basic concepts about a topic, online self-assessment is provided. Learners can
log into the system and self-test themselves, when they are ready. The
instructor has the option to check on learners’ scores and further support them
by giving online advise or help.
On the other hand, UNITEM also has a role to
play as an institution in managing information for learners by creating the
institutional curriculum. Specially constructed printed modules are given
to learners on the first day they enroll with UNITEM. These modules guide
learners towards achieving basic understanding of content. To further
support the learners, face-to-face meetings are held fortnightly. The
instructor in this environment is the facilitator. As such, he or she models
inquiry and questioning, creates a student-centered and directed learning
environment, and provides learning resources, guidance and scaffolding in
response to research questions that student teams wish to pursue. The
instructor also motivates students to explore and ‘facilitate’ or ‘scaffold’
their understanding of the world. In certain cases, learners are provided
with CD-ROMs which may contain all or some of the following: animations, video
clips and sound clips to support the printed modules or to support some
interactions on the web. As we are aware that information can only be
appreciated if it is well managed, we provide an avenue, where important and
relevant information from the web is identified and archived in the form of
hyperlinks. The identification and archiving of these links help overcome
the information explosion dilemma faced by information surfers. The mailing
list facility is an efficient way of keeping learners updated and informed of
current knowledge, class related interactions and announcements. Coupled with
this is the online discussion board, which aids the instructor to guide learner
discussions geared towards the institutional curriculum.
Strategies for Implementation of Open
Learning
One may ask how all this planning is
feasible. To create effective open learning programs, careful planning and an
understanding of student needs and course requirements is important. We
have adopted a team approach to ensure this two-prong strategy which is
successful and that includes the forming of a dedicated team which includes
heads of departments, content experts, instructional designers, content
editors, and multimedia and visual designers. Some of the major issues
discussed at this point are standardizing formats, naming of file conventions,
determining strategies for dealing with loading time as well as issues of how
to design the materials to optimize the learners’ navigation capabilities and
strategies. Some crucial decisions often need to be made with regard to
the facilities and materials that will support the learner’s curriculum and the
institutional curriculum. In content development, the important question
to ask is, which content will go on the web, which is more appropriate for multimedia
and which for print. Apart from that, pedagogical issues concerning teaching
and learning in a distance environment are of major concern. A distance learner
often feels isolated and disconnected from his/her peers and instructors in a
distance education environment. Thus, a major pedagogical issue is how to keep
the learner connected. The pedagogy of the web is also closely linked to the
manner hyperlinks are placed in informational sites as well as the use of
hyperlinks (websites) for further exploration.
With the incorporation of the web into the
total learning environment, it is important that learners as well as online
instructors are given the appropriate skills. As the web is most appropriate
for collaborations, creating and maintaining an online discussion poses the
main challenge to distance educators and learners. Learners need to
understand the meaning of cooperative and collaborative activities so that they
may obtain maximum benefits by working and sharing ideas with their peers using
the right techniques.
Apart
from that, technological issues play a crucial role as well.
Technological issues are mainly related to the support given to learners in
terms of hardware and software. Availability of computer resources and
bandwidth are major issues in such instances. In this respect, UNITEM has
formed liaisons with in-situ private institutions which will provide such
facilities as for example, computer labs which are equipped with internet
connections. However, it is recognized that while planning and preparing
the technology support is important, continued support, both technological and
human based, throughout a course is vital if the course is to maintain momentum
and be successful.
To
ensure effective learning, the following fundamental principles of academic
methodology have been adopted by UNITEM:
a)
Context: people learn
best when examples, content and activities are related to their work
environment and are clearly defined;
b)
Pacing: Learners need the
extra support of content development which will help pace the learning out for
them. Thus it is important that learners are not overloaded with content.
c)
Interactivity: In order
to ensure the learner is digesting and applying the content learnt, it is
important that the materials are as interactive as possible. Interactivity has
taken many forms and this includes, guided print-based activities, online
discussions, face-to-face meets and phone-ins.
d)
Reinforcement: Pertinent
concepts and skills are reinforced throughout the learning cycle and students
are given ample opportunities to do this through online discussions.
e)
Assessment: Students are
evaluated at many levels and at most times it is accompanied by immediate
feedback.
In
sum, UNITEM is seen as an institution that will lead the way towards successful
life long (along-the-life) learning as UNITEM has a clear idea of what is
needed for the learner by the learner and the institution. This idea is
realized with the incorporation of various delivery techniques such as print
materials, face-to-face interactions, phone-ins, multimedia materials and the
web. We believe that what learners need is not only instruction but also
accessibility in order to connect knowledge in their head with the knowledge in
the world – basically flexible, life long learning options.
References
Derek Rowntree (1992) Exploring Open and
Distance Learning, London: Kogan Page, 20.
Manjulika, S and V. Venugopal Reddy (1999) Unexplored
Dimensions of Open Universities, New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House Pvt
Ltd..
General trends in open and distance learning
Definition and various typologies of open distance learninginition and various typologies of
Role/Contribution of ICTs to ODL
Building the knowledge base
Building the UNESCO ODL website
Layout for UNESCO ODL website
Introduction/Background
Profile of ODL providers
ODL issues cited
Limitations of current information sources and the Internet
Survey of ODL website cotent
Intended use of ODL website
Professional contribution
Discussion and recommendations
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