Open and Distance Education Searchlight Presentation 9 June

Open and Distance Education Searchlight Presentation – 9 June 2017 Prof Jenny Roberts Institute for Open and Distance Learning College of Graduate Studies Unisa buckjj@unisa. ac. za

Different terminologies Flexible learning Correspondence education Open learning Distance learning Independent study OD L Blended learning E Learning

Distance Learning • Separation of teacher and learning • Time, place or both • Institutional accreditation • Official recognition of study • Use of mixed media • Print, radio, television, computer based, audio

Same and Different Time SYNCHRONOUS ASYNCHRONOUS v Classroom teaching v Learning resource v Face to face tutorials centres which students visit in their own time v Home study v Tutorial support by email v Podcasts and vodcasts v Seminars v Workshops v Audio and video conferences v Radio with listener response capability v Skype

Open learning Open Learning is any form of learning with strong emphasis on flexibility and learner centredness. It is open in terms of access, delivery and interpretation (Paine, 1989; Rowntree, 1992)

Open learning v Giving learners the choice about: v Medium – print, online, video, television v Place of study – home, workplace, regional centre v Pace of study – own pace, paced, structured etc v Support – tutors, audio conferences, helplines v Entry and exit points v Methods of assessment

Principles of Open Universities v. Egalitarianism (open to all) v. Equality of educational opportunities (gender, race, economic status) v. Lifelong learning v. Flexible curricula v. Learner centredness v. Autonomous learning (Heutogogy) v. Learning through communication and interaction Adapted from: Peters, 2008

Open learning exercise How Open is Unisa?

E-learning E Learning learning focuses on the intersection of education, teaching, and learning with ICT (Friesen, 2009). “E learning is the use of electronic media for a variety of learning purposes that range from add on functions in conventional classrooms to full substitution for the face to face meetings by online encounters” (Guri Rosenblit, 200)

Iron Triangle – Sir John Daniel, J. , 2013

According to Daniel (2013), if you stretch the triangle and achieve, simultaneously, wider access, higher quality and lower costs, you need technology.

Contact (F 2 F) vs Distance Education CONTACT • On campus class meeting • Direct contact with both teachers and students • Traditional rigid format of set times and dates • Widely accepted as the standard education • High costs DISTANCE • Technologically mediated delivery of course material • Non contiguous communication between student and teacher • Economies of scale • Less expensive • Flexibility of place, time and venue

E-Learning vs Distance Education E-LEARNING • Use of connected media to deliver course material • Access to learning via the use of technology • Ability to promote varied interaction • Can be used in both contact and distance education context DISTANCE • Technologically mediated delivery of course material • Non contiguous communication between student and teacher • Economies of scale • Less expensive • Flexibility of place, time and venue

Open Learning vs Distance Education OPEN LEARNING Open learning policies and practices that permit entry to learning with no or minimum barriers with respect to age, gender, or time constraints and with recognition of prior learning. These policies need not be part of a distance education system but are comple mentary to it. DISTANCE • Technologically mediated delivery of course material • Non contiguous communication between student and teacher • Economies of scale • Less expensive • Flexibility of place, time and venue

A blended learning approach combines face to face classroom methods with computer mediated activities to form an integrated instructional approach. In the past, digital materials have served in a supplementary role, helping to support face to face instruction.

History of ODL 1840: Sir Isaac Pitman’s short hand course 1946: 1 st distance teaching university Unisa 1969: 1 st Open university UKOU

3 generations of flexible learning pedagogies Behaviourist/Cognitive Self paced Individual Study: Watson/Skinner Constructivist Groups: Dewey, Vygostsky Connectivism Networks and Collectives: Siemens, Downes Anderson and Dron (2011)

Behaviourism Reward and punishment Responsibility for student learning is on the teac Lecture based and highly structured

Constructivism Knowledge is actively constructed based on personal experience A search for meaning by the learner Personal motivation – students own beliefs, attitudes and prop knowledge Collaborative and cooperative learning

Connectivism A Learning Theory for the Digital Age (Siemens, 2005) Connectivism is thesis that knowledge is distributed across a network of connections, and therefore that learning consists of the ability to construct and traverse those networks (Downes, 2007)

Distance Education Mega Universities The term "mega university" was coined by Sir John Daniel, then VC of the UK Open University, to refer to universities with more than 100, 000 students. Anadolu University Turkey 880 000 Universitas Terbuka Indonesia 460 000 Indira Ghandi India 3 500 000 Sukhothai Thailand 172 000 Korean National UO Korea 142 332 National Centre for DL France 120 000 Open University UK 200 000 Unisa South Africa 350 000 Payame Noor Iran 800 000 National Centre for DL Spain 260 000

Status of Open Universities v. Over 90 Open universities around the world v 15 in India alone v 1 st Open university in India (IGNOU) established in 1985

Advantages of ODL v. Overcoming physical distance v. Addresses time and scheduling problems v. Increased capacity – massification v. Democratising education v. Bringing quality education to those who would otherwise be unable to afford it v. Cost effective education for developing nations v. Provides second chance to those who missed out on higher education v. Enables lifelong learning Can you think of other advantages – particularly in the South African context?

Limitations of ODL • • • Perceived as second rate Quality issues Plagiarism Requires well trained academic staff ? ? ?

ODL Challenges v. Quality of teaching and learning v. Addressing massification v. Student drop out v. Faculty workload v. ODL research v. Incorporating technology

ODL Research in South Africa

The Unisa ODL Research Thrusts Student support Ms Zodwa Ntuli Technology enhanced learning Dr Lydia Mbati Alternative assessment Dr Patrick Mafenya and Prof Ramu Naidoo Future roles of staff Prof Jenny Roberts

Prof Jenny Roberts Associate Professor Institute for Open and Distance Learning (IODL) College of Graduate Studies (CGS) Unisa buckjj@unisa. ac. za PH: 012 3376132 Cell: 0832522500