scholarly journals Covid-19 as an Accelerator for Training and Technology Adoption by Academics in Large-Scale Open and Distance Learning Institutions in Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mphoentle Puleng Modise ◽  
Geesje Van den Berg
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Professional Development ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Technology Adoption ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Open And Distance Learning ◽  
Learning Institutions ◽  
And Training ◽  
The Way

The Covid-19 pandemic provoked a paradigm shift never imagined by higher education institutions in the world, but especially in developing countries. Drawing on findings from a PhD study, this article aims to highlight the way in which Covid-19 accelerated professional development and training and technology adoption by academics in higher education institutions and large-scale open and distance learning institutions in Africa. A total of 20 academics and relevant stakeholders from two of Africa’s largest open and distance learning institutions were interviewed, and their views are reported. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings show an increase in training and professional development of academics during the pandemic. The study also reveals the way in which Covid-19 fostered the speed and ease with which technology was adopted and used by academics for teaching and learning. The results of this research study may contribute to research of various topics on technology adoption and academics’ professional development and training and future approaches post-Covid-19.

scholarly journals The reflective information literacy educator

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Whitworth
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Professional Development ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
The Way

The shift in perception, from librarians as providers of information to librarians as educators in the effective use of information, requires the profession to become aware of differing approaches to the development of teaching and of the professional consciousness of educators: also of the way certain forms of teaching and CPD are privileged over others within higher education institutions, and why. This paper reports on and synthesises a range of theoretical works in this area, to explain how becoming an effective information literacy educator requires not just an awareness of practice, but developing it, through a continous interaction between theory and practice. The librarian-as-educator must engage in professional development practices which, ultimately, require the continuous questioning of the very foundations of IL, and work actively towards raising awareness of these processes throughout their institutions.

Higher Education in Developing Countries

2018 ◽  
pp. 18-39
Author(s):  
Amir Manzoor
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Developing World ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Global Knowledge ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Open And Distance Learning

Due to globalization of economic activities and increased scope of higher education, higher education has become a priority agenda for countries around the globe. In order increase opportunities of higher education, institutions of higher education must enhance their quality and access through open and distance learning while following national and international standards. For developing countries, higher education opportunities through open and distance learning are important for economic prosperity and participation in global knowledge economy. Globalization has created numerous challenges and opportunities for higher education. These challenges are more significant for developing countries because of limited resources. At the same time, meeting these challenges is a top priority of developing world. This chapter examines numerous challenges faced by higher education in developing countries. The chapter also discusses how higher education institutions in developing world can use open and distance learning to cope up with these challenges.

Quality Assurance in Open and Distance Learning

2021 ◽  
pp. 22-35
Author(s):  
Amir Manzoor
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Economies Of Scale ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Case Analysis ◽  
Access To Higher Education ◽  
Open And Distance Learning ◽  
Learning Institutions

Today, open and distance-learning universities are regarded as a groundbreaking option to expand access to higher education. Economies of scale supported by a large number of enrolments have fueled the growth of open and distance learning institutions (ODLIs) across the globe. At the same time, many have raised serious concerns about the quality of education provided by ODLIs. This chapter presents a comparative case analysis of quality assurance (QA) programs in distance education at two large open and distance learning universities in Pakistan. The study explored QA policies and their implementation in the context of management practices and structures and internal and external environmental factors.

Promoting Digital Teaching and Learning

2019 ◽  
pp. 56-76
Author(s):  
Nicole Luongo
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Professional Development ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Professional Development Training ◽  
Professional Development Programs ◽  
Learning Options

This chapter explores various faculty development digital teaching and learning options that higher education institutions can offer distance learning instructors. The chapter explains specific methods of providing professional development opportunities for these educators. Some of these options are connected to promotion and tenure, acquisition of new technology, and personal satisfaction. Recently developed technological rewards such as digital badges and credentials are discussed in this chapter. The author explains how nationally recognized professional development programs can enhance professional development programs by offering new options to faculty. The author recommends that higher education institutions modify their current processes for offering professional development options for faculty who design and develop distance learning courses. The chapter suggests that faculty members need specific digital teaching and learning professional development training options when designing and teaching distance learning courses.

scholarly journals Green curriculum: Sustainable learning in higher education

2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willa Petronella Louw
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Study Material ◽  
Open And Distance Learning

<p>The United Nations (UN) constituted 2005–2014 as the decade for educational sustainable development when bridges have to be built between academic institutions and their communities. In this article I will therefore do a literature search from 2005–2011 on what it means to be a sustainable university with a sustainable curriculum by looking at case studies from other higher education institutions in order to begin to give guidelines for such an endeavour in an open and distance learning (ODL) institution. Thereafter I will focus on recommendations on how to transform present study material into a green curriculum by using a qualification in Human Settlements as a case study.</p>

scholarly journals РИЗИКИ СОЦІАЛЬНО-ЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ ВІДПОВІДАЛЬНОСТІ ЗАКЛАДІВ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ В УМОВАХ ГЛОБАЛЬНИХ СТРУКТУРНИХ ВИКЛИКІВ ПАНДЕМІЇ COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 151 (5) ◽  
pp. 8-18
Author(s):  
Валентина В. Яценко
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Risk Indicators ◽  
And Cluster Analysis ◽  
Economic Responsibility

The article seeks to explore the effects posed by the COVID-19 pandemic that triggered a global crisis in the area of education followed by drastic disruptions in the educational framework. However, a large-scale shift to distance learning via online platforms has mitigated the collapse risks in higher education and training. An emphasis is put that universities turned up almost ready for transition to remote learning in the COVID-19 settings. The research hypothesis is the statement that the implementation of monitoring of the actual level of e-learning performance and responsibility of higher education institutions enables timely response to the possible pandemic outbreaks and prompt actions to combat its severe consequences. The aim of the study is to identify risks of socio-economic responsibility for higher education institutions in the context of global structural challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. To attain the research agenda, the following methods have been employed: factor and cluster analysis, taxonomy method, and the dendrogram technique. The factor analysis revealed the key risk indicators; the cluster analysis identified 4 clusters which group the HEIs by the degree of distance learning performance and their responsibility; the dendrogram and taxonomy approaches facilitated visualizing of the actual and acceptable low distance learning performance and the degree of responsibility in HEIs. The results of processing the online reporting of 50 higher education institutions from the "Top 200 Ukraine" ranking over 2015–2020 and the results of academic staff and student questionnaires on the Google forms platform revealed 2 groups of risk indicators for socio-economic responsibility and 4 risk clusters for higher education institutions. The highest number of the universities under study (54% (27 out of 50)) refer to Cluster 3 with low level of distance learning performance and low degree of university responsibility. The dendrogram-based visualization of the results obtained has allowed to assess the current and boundary levels of distance learning performance and responsibility in the settings of COVID-19 pandemic. In case of deterioration of epidemic situation, the monitoring of distance learning components at higher education institutions provides for making appropriate adjustments as well as contributes to developing and implementing a strategy to enhance the University economic performance and its social responsibility in the area of distance learning at under the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Including the excluded in Open and Distance Learning in Namibia: Policy transformation to maximise the inclusion of students with visual impairments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isobel Green ◽  
Mirjam Sheyapo
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Open And Distance Learning ◽  
Policy Transformation

It is evident that there is an increase in the enrolment of students with disability in Higher Education, particularly Students with Visual Impairments (SVI). However, it is also sad to note that, this group of students remain excluded and thus are less visible in Open and Distance Learning (ODL). The current pandemic (COVID-19) has put to test, the preparedness and pro-activeness of most higher education institutions to include students with disabilities in different modes of teaching and learning. This paper observed, reviewed, and analysed various legislatives to determine the preparedness of different ODL Centres of selected HEIs in Namibia. Amongst others, some national and institutional legislatives revealed lack of obliging guidelines to compel HEIs to commit to the inclusion of students with disabilities particularly the SVI. The paper concludes that there is lack of policy guidelines in HEIs toward inclusive education and consequently most institutions remain reluctant to prepare and be proactive to include SVI in the ODL programme. The paper calls for policy transformation at national, ministerial, and institutional, to move toward inclusive education through all modes of learning.

scholarly journals Quality Improvement, Quality Assurance, and Benchmarking: Comparing two frameworks for managing quality processes in open and distance learning

2005 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alistair Inglis
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Quality Framework ◽  
Institutional Contexts ◽  
Open And Distance Learning ◽  
Similarities And Differences

<P>Managing quality processes become critically important for higher education institutions generally, but especially for institutions involved in open and distance learning. In Australia, managers of centers responsible for open and distance learning have identified two frameworks that potentially offer ways of conceiving of the application of quality processes: the Quality Framework published in Inglis, Ling, and Joosten (1999); and the Benchmarking Framework published in McKinnon, Walker, and Davis (2000). However, managers who have been considering applying one or other framework within their institutional contexts have had to face the issue of how they should choose between, or combine the use, of these frameworks. Part of their dilemma lies in distinguishing among the related functions of quality improvement, quality assurance, and benchmarking. This article compares the frameworks in terms of their scope, institutional application, structures, and method of application, and then considers what implications the similarities and differences between the frameworks have for their use.</P>

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