The perception of faculty members of Namibian open distance learning institutions on the use of open educational resources

Abstract in English, Xhosa and VendaOpen educational resources (OER) is a new innovation coined to bridge the educational divide by way of providing free quality learning resources. Consequently, this study explored the perception of the faculty members of the Namibian open and distance learning institutions on the use of OER as a pedagogical approach. This study was prompted by the presumption that if ODL institutions adopt open educational resources to replace costly textbooks, an increased number of the Namibian population could access education in the equitable manner. The study focused on faculty members from the three public ODL institutions in Namibia, namely, the Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL), University of Namibia (UNAM)-Centre for Open, Distance and eLearning (CODeL) and Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST)-Centre of Open and Lifelong Learning (COLL). The following integrated theories were adopted to underpin this study: Transformative Learning Theory, Heutagogy Learning Theory, Cognitive Learning Theory and Social Learning Theory, Constructivism Learning Theory, Connectivism Theory and the Diffusion of Innovations Theory. The theories were compared to the findings to assess their applicability. This is a qualitative case underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm. Data were collected through interviews, non-participant observations and document analysis, and analysed through the inductive approach. The results of this study showed inconsistency between the perception of the faculty members and the use of OER within the ODL institutions in Namibia. Although the faculty members displayed positive attitudes towards the use of OER, very little has been achieved in the use of OER within the institutions for the benefit of the Namibian ODL students. The study identified challenges that impede the adoption of OER at institutional level, such as lack of institutional policies, lack of awareness, technological factors, as well as management support. The study further crafted strategies to address challenges, including the OER design based on the Diffusion of Innovation Model. The study advanced recommendations for consideration by the institutions and the faculty members as well as suggestions for future research. The knowledge contribution made by this PhD is the proposed OER design for adoption by the ODL institutions to facilitate the use of OER by faculty members.Ubuchule bokufunda ekuthiwa yiOpen Educational Resources (OER) licebo elitsha lokunikezela simahla ngemithombo yokufunda esemgangathweni, nelenzelwe ukukhawulelana nobunzima bokushiyashiyana emfundweni. Esi sifundo siphonononge indlela abacinga ngayo abahlohli bamaziko emfundo aseNamibia avulekileyo nafundisa abafundi bekude (iiODL), ngokusetyenziswa kweOER njengendlela yokufundisa. Esi sifundo sisuswe kukucingela ukuba xa amaziko emfundo avulekileyo nafundisa abafundi bekude enokusebenzisa izixhobo zokufunda ezivulekileyo endaweni yokusebenzisa iincwadi ezibiza imali eninzi, linganda inani labantu abanokuxhamla imfundo ngokulinganayo. Esi sifundo sigxininise kubahlohli bamaziko amathathu kawonkewonke, angawemfundo evulekileyo nafundisa abafundi bekude eNamibia, angala - iNamibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL), iUniversity of Namibia (UNAM) - Centre for Open, Distance and eLearning (CODeL) kunye neNamibian University of Science and Technology (NUST) - Centre of Open and Lifelong Learning (COLL). Kusetyenziswe ezi ngcingane zihlangeneyo zilandelayo njengezisekelo zokukhokela esi sifundo: Ingcingane Yokufunda Okuhambelana Nenguqu (Transformative Learning Theory), Ingcingane Yokufunda Ngokuziqhuba Komfundi (Heutagogy Learning Theory), Ingcingane Yokufunda Ngokuqiqa Neyemfundo Esekelwe Kwezentlalo (Cognitive Learning Theory and Social Learning Theory), Ingcingane Yokufunda Ngokuzakhela Ukuqonda (Constructivism Learning Theory), Ingcingane Yokufunda Ngoncedo Lobuchwepheshe (Connectivism Theory) kwakunye nengcingane Yokufunda Ngokunwenwa Kobuchule (Diffusion of Innovations Theory). Ezi ngcingane ziye zathelekiswa nokufunyanisisweyo ngenjongo yokukhangela ukuba zingasebenziseka kusini na. Kusetyenziswe indlela yophando ngokuzathuza nokutolika izimvo ezahlukeneyo. Iinkcukacha zolwazi okanye idatha yaqokelelwa ngokuqhuba udliwano ndlebe nabathatha inxaxheba, ukuqwalasela abangathathi nxaxheba nokuphengulula imibhalo ukuze kudalwe ingcingane entsha. Iziphumo zesi sifundo zivelise ukungahambelani phakathi kwengcinga yabahlohli nokusetyenziswa kweOER kumaziko emfundo avulekileyo nafundisa abafundi bekude eNamibia. Nangona abahlohli bebonakalisa uthakazelelo ngokusebenzisa iOER, kuncinci kakhulu okwenziweyo malunga nokusebenzisa iOER kumaziko emfundo ekuncedeni abafundi baseNamibia kumaziko avulekileyo nafundisa abafundi bekude. Esi sifundo sichonge imingeni ethibaza ukusetyenziswa kweOER kumaziko emfundo, mingeni leyo ifana nokungabikho kwemigaqo nkqubo, ukungabikho lwazi, imiba yobuchwepheshe kwakunye nentswela nkxaso yabalawuli. Kuqwetywe amacebo obuchule okulwa nemingeni, macebo lawo aquka ukuqulunqwa kweOER esekelwe kwingcingane Yokunwenwa Kobuchule. Kunikwe iingcebiso nezimvo ezinokuqwalaselwa ngamaziko emfundo nabahlohli ngophando olusenokulandela olu. Igalelo lolu phando luyilo olucetywayo lweOER olunokwamkelwa ngamaziko emfundo avulekileyo nafundisa abafundi bekude ukuze kukhuthazwe ukusetyenziswa kweOER ngabahlohli.Zwiko zwa nnyi na nnyi zwa pfunzo (OER) ndi vhubveledzi vhuswa ha u ḓisa khethekanyo ya pfunzo nga u ṋetshedza wo vhofholowa zwiko zwa u guda zwa ndeme. Ngudo heyi yo wanulusa mbonalo ya miraḓo ine ya funza yunivesithi kana magudedzini a Namibia ya zwiimiswa zwa pfunzo yo vulelwaho nnyi na nnyi ya u guda u kule (ODL) nga ha u shumisa OER sa nḓila ya pfunzo. Ngudo heyi yo ṱuṱuwedzwa nga u humbulela ha uri arali zwiimiswa zwa ODL zwo ṱanganedza OER u thivha bugu dza u gudisa dzine dza ḓura, tshivhalo tshi re nṱha tsha vhathu vha Namibia vha nga swikelela pfunzo nga nḓila i linganaho. Ngudo yo sedza kha u bva kha zwiimiswa zwa nnyi na nnyi zwa ODL zwa Namibia, zwine madzina azwo avha Gudedzi ḽa Namibia ḽa u Guda ha Nnyi na nnyi (NAMCOL), Yunivesithi ya Namibia (UNAM) – Senthara ya Nnyi na nnyi, u Guda u kule na nga Lubuvhisia (CODeL) na Yunivesithi ya Saintsi na Thekhinoḽodzhi ya Namibia (NUST) Senthara ya nnyi na nnyi ya u Guda ha Tshoṱhe (COLL). Thyeori dzo ṱanganelaho dzi tevhelaho dzo shumiswa u tikedza ngudo iyi: thyeori ya u guda ine vhagudiswa vha ṱalutshedza na u tshenzhela zwipfi zwavho, thyeori ya u ta u guda ha iwe muṋe, thyeori ya u guda ya kuhumbulele na thyeori ya u guda ya matshilisano, thyeori ine ya dzhiela nṱha nḓivho na kupfesesele kwa vhagudiswa kha tshenzhemo yavho phanḓa ha musi vha sa athu u ya tshikoloni, thyeori ya u pfesesa u guda nga didzhithala na thyeori ine ya ṱalutshedza phimo ya mihumbulo miswa na kuphaḓalele kwa thekhinoḽodzhi. Thyeori dzo vhambedzwa na mawanwa u gaganya u tea hadzo. Heyi ndi ngudo ya khwaḽithethivi yo khwaṱhisedzwaho nga tshiedziso tsha saintsi ya matshilisano. Data yo kuvhanganyiwa nga kha inthaviwu, u sedza hu si na u dzhenelela na u saukanya maṅwalo, na u saukanya nga kuitele kwa u humbula. Mvelelo dza ngudo heyi dzo sumbedza u sa vha na thevhekano ya zwithu vhukati ha kuvhonele kwa miraḓo ine ya funza yunivesithi kana magudedzini na u shumiswa ha OER kha zwiimiswa zwa ODL ngei Namibia. Naho miraḓo ine ya funza yunivesithi kana magudedzini yo sumbedza vhuvha ha vhuḓi kha u shumiswa ha OER, ho swikelelwa zwiṱuku kha u shumiswa ha OER kha zwiimiswa hu tshi itelwa u vhuelwa ha matshudeni a ODL a Namibia. Ngudo yo topola khaedu dze dza thithisa u ṱanganedzwa ha OER kha ḽeveḽe ya tshiimiswa, u fana na ṱhahelelo ya mbekanyamaitele dza tshiimiswa, ṱhahelelo ya tsivhudzo, zwiṱuṱuwedzi zwa thekhinoḽodzhi, na thikhedzo ya ndangulo. Zwiṱirathedzhi zwo bveledzwa u amba nga ha khaedu, hu tshi katelwa na nyolo ya OER zwo ḓi sendeka nga muanḓadzo wa nḓisedzo ya tshiedziso tsha vhubveledzi. Themendelo dza u dzhiela nṱha nga zwiimiswa na nga miraḓo ine ya funza yunivesithi kana magudedzini na khumbudzo kha ṱhoḓisiso dza tshifhingani tshiḓaho zwo itwa. U shela mulenzhe ha nḓivho ho itwaho nga ngudo iyi ndi u kumedza nyolo ya OER uri i ṱanganedzwe nga zwiimiswa zwa ODL u thusa u shumiswa ha OER nga miraḓo ine ya funza yunivesithi kana magudedzini.Curriculum and Instructional StudiesD. Ed. (Curriculum and Instructional studies

Special edition: A Tribute to Nyameko Barney Pityana

Table of contents:1 Editorial – Olugbemiro Jegede: When the Unthinkable Happens (p. 1)2 Mandla S. Makhanya: Tribute to Professor Nyameko Barney Pityana (p. 5)3 Sir John Daniel: Unisa’s Unique Academic Odyssey (p. 8)4 Brenda M. Gourley: Force Majeure: Necessity Being the Mother of Invention (p. 10)5 Nicholas H. Allen and Susan C. Aldridge: Pityana – Visionary Service to a Global Community (p. 16)6 Tolly Mbwette: What Makes a Well Managed Modern Open and Distance Learning (ODL) University Much Closer to the ‘Ideal University of the Future’? (p. 18)7 James C. Taylor and Wayne Mackintosh: Creating an Open Educational Resources University and the Pedagogy of Discovery (p. 24) http://dx.doi.org/10.5944/openpraxis.0.0.5

Open and distance learning as the key driver of lifelong learning

The launching of the Blueprint on Enculturation of Lifelong Learning Malaysia: 2011-2020 marked a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to achieve its aim of becoming a high income nation by 2020. The effective implementation of the Blueprint requires the commitment of all stakeholders. Providers of lifelong learning (LLL) must have the necessary capabilities to drive LLL and gain the confidence of the general public to engage in LLL. This paper propagates that the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) with its attendant characteristics, is the way forward in driving LLL in Malaysia. The unique features of the ODL are discussed in the context of its major processes such as: Curriculum Design; Teaching and Learning; Assessment System; Facilities and Infrastructure; Learning Materials and Learner Support Services. (Abstract by authors

Best Practice Report on Widening Participation in Higher Education Study through Open Educational Resources

This document provides an overview of the literature and includes the full set of case studies provided by partners describing how OER can or might influence participation in higher education in different states across Europe. Executive summary 1. The level of participation and achievement within higher education is viewed as crucial for social and economic development. While widening participation in higher education is a goal of all 46 countries within the European Higher Education Area there is no common or simple definition of what widening participation means in practice. In principle it is a variable mix between how many people, what type of people and what type of achievement those people gain through engaging in higher education level study. 2. Whether from the perspective of the learner or a higher education institution it is possible to consider the availability, accessibility, affordability and acceptability of taught educational provision and educational resources. A large number of physical, social, economic, cultural and psychological factors or barriers influence how many and what types of people participate and what achievements they gain. 3. There has been a growth in interest in open education and open educational resources. This interest in openness both builds upon the pioneering work of open and distance learning institutions to address widening participation, many of which participated in this study, and also extends the concept of what it means to participate or engage in higher education level study. 4. Open educational resources come in many forms and their availability, accessibility, affordability and acceptability vary depending on the licence used and the technology employed to create and deliver them. As with participation in higher education there are a number of multi-faceted and multi-layered reasons why people may be excluded from using open educational resources. 5. The evidence from the pioneering work of the partners in this study is that open and distance learning offers great scope to expand the availability and accessibility of higher education study where traditional campus based institutions cannot take on many more students as quickly or where students wish to ‘learn why they earn’ as life long learners. It can also be more affordable and acceptable although this depends on individual contexts in individual countries. The modular nature of their programmes also provides more flexibility for there to be higher education study achievement below a first cycle Bachelors qualification. 6. The partners’ work with publishing open educational resources indicate that this can also greatly increase the opportunities for people to engage with informal (self-organised and non credit bearing) or non-formal (peer group or employer organised and non credit bearing) higher education study. Such opportunities are able to provide better bridges into formal study for those groups currently excluded from higher education study and better bridges with employers and voluntary organisations seeking more customised educational experiences for their employees or members. 7. These developments around openness and in particular open educational resources are leading the partners in this study to closely examine their business models and modes of operation in terms of how many people they recruit and teach, what type of people they recruit and teach, the modes by which they provide educational resources and structure educational experiences and what constitutes successful engagement or participation. 8. New policies and practices are required at all levels in the higher education system to address issues of openness and open educational resources in higher education study and the role that both can play in increasing and widening engagement and participation

The Future We Want”: Teacher development for the transformation of education in diverse African contexts

The sixth DETA conference, with the theme “The future we want”: teacher development for the transformation of education in diverse African contexts, was held in Mauritius in July 2015. It had the ambitious agenda of bringing together more than 200 delegates from more than 15 African countries to reflect on the future of education in Africa. This target was largely met with 115 paper presentations by delegates from Botswana, Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. The presentations considered the following subthemes: 1. Teaching children in diverse African contexts 2. Pedagogies that will achieve “the future we want” for education in Africa 3. The role and impact of technology on teacher development 4. Quality in education as a prerequisite to establish “the future we want” for education in AfricaProceedings of the 6th biennial International Conference on Distance Education and Teachers’ Training in Africa (DETA) held at the Mauritius Institute of Education, Réduit, Mauritius, 20-24 July 2015

Quality Assurance in Higher Education for Flexible Open Distance Education/Learning in Papua New Guinea

This thesis is a case-study of Quality Assurance (QA) practice and policy discourses for Flexible Open Distance Education/Learning (FODE/L) in the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Higher Education (HE) sector. From a global to local sensemaking perspective, analysis was applied to QA for FODE/L in PNG Universities. The main argument is that PNG FODE/L has the potential to bloom providing QA is supported as an inclusive organisational culture. PNG FODE/L currently exists within a fragmented, broken and unstable QA system. The study utilised a qualitative research design approach using multiple data collection methods. Four primary data sources were used: first, semi- structured individual interviews with selected leaders of PNG universities; second, focus group interviews with FODE/L practitioners; third, open-ended questionnaires administered to students and finally, documentary evidence – FODE/L QA policy documents collected for analysis. Qualitative data analysis involved an exploratory approach for thematic coding through an interpretive process. Findings highlight existing QA grey areas. First, inclusive QA practice for FODE/L is yet to be established and sustained within QA cultures and frameworks at meso (national) and micro (institutional/individual) levels of practice. Second, meagre QA policies exist at national and institutional levels. Third, QA leadership and management lack visionary leadership for an innovative, sustainable ethical and positive FODE/L for a harmonised PNG HE sector. Given the findings, this study identifies opportunities for a sustaining QA culture and proposes a QA framework based on ethics, integrity and moral standards, called The Ethics Enterprise QA Model for PNG FODE/L. This proposed model might shape and improve the current PNG FODE/L system, hence providing research data for relevant planners and policy makers of PNG HE. Significant to research, this study fills a gap in PNG FODE/L literature. Whilst PNG FODE/L blooms, informed practice and policy through research remains vital for HE

Designing an e-Model for Open and Distance Learning in Pakistan

This descriptive research focused on designing an e-model for open and distance learning (ODL) in Pakistan. After studying various e-models, blended learning and issues relating to ODL in Pakistan, the researcher designed and executed an e-model on a group of students. The researcher designed and offered online Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) offered by Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) Islamabad, Pakistan. The participants’ feedback supported e-model as a solution to their problems which they were facing in traditional ODL programs. The online courses improved their learning, reduced their expenses incurred on attending tutorials, improved tutor-students and student-student interaction. Keywords: e-learning, open and distance learning, English language teachin

Leveraging on New Technologies and Their Impact on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

In this digital age, there is little that escapes technologies. They influence the way we work and communicate, and are a mainstay for many businesses today. Higher education is similarly affected, as many of the latest teaching and learning innovations are built on the internet and web-based technologies. A well-equipped information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure is therefore essential for higher education institutions. ICTs provide the resources needed to complement the university’s pedagogy and delivery system, and they are important enablers for revitalising higher education and for inculcating a new teaching and learning culture amongst academics and students. For an open and distance learning (ODL) institution like Open University Malaysia (OUM), technologies are indeed integral and represent the vital link between what is necessary and what is innovative. It is through technologies that OUM has been able to spread its wings in Malaysia and internationally as well. This paper will illustrate the leverage of new technologies in a higher education institution as exemplified by OUM. A university’s ICT infrastructure must be continuously enhanced and improved in order to develop best practices and maximise the benefits of technologies in a holistic and comprehensive manner. Thus, this paper will also describe the way forward for higher education institutions looking to adopt even newer developments in technology. (Authors' abstract

Online and Distance Education for a Connected World

Learning at a distance and learning online are growing in scale and importance in higher education, presenting opportunities for large scale, inclusive, flexible and engaging learning. These modes of learning swept the world in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The many challenges of providing effective education online and remotely have been acknowledged, particularly by those who rapidly jumped into online and distance education during the crisis. This volume, edited by the University of London’s Centre for Online and Distance Education, addresses the practice and theory of online and distance education, building on knowledge and expertise developed in the University over some 150 years. The University is currently providing distance transnational education to around 50,000 students in more than 180 countries around the world. Throughout the book, contributors explore important principles and highlight successful practices in areas including course design and pedagogy, online assessment, open education, inclusive practice, and enabling student voice. Case studies illustrate prominent issues and approaches. Together, the chapters offer current and future leaders and practitioners a practical, productive, practice- and theory-informed account of the present and likely future state of online and distance higher education worldwide

Influencing mathematics students' academic success through online intervention: A case study

Open distance learning (ODL), by the definition, subscribes to the limited direct engagement of the students with the learning institution. The University of South Africa, Western Cape, has placed key emphasis on providing an array of electronic support platforms to assist students with their needs in quantitative literacy skills. Consequently, as a part of this additional learning support, an online environment was designed in which the students, enrolled for various mathematics modules, were able to access an array of educational resources. Findings from similar studies suggest, that the utilisation of employment of additional learning support could show a positive effect on students’ academic achievement in distance learning. Therefore, a quasi-experimental research study was conducted to investigate this supposition by comparing the assessment outcomes among various student groups subjected to the additional learning support interventions. It has been found that online intervention might affect the success rate of the students, however, not necessarily in a simple or in the anticipated way