Contextual Content Analysis of Mission Statements of Open and Distance Education Institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa

The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent to which open, and distance education universities are fulfilling their stated purpose as higher education institutions in Sub-Saharan countries. The starting point of understanding the purpose of an institutions is to analyse the content of mission statements and the context in which the universities operate. The content of the mission statements of the six selected open and distance universities from Sub-Saharan countries were analysed using contextual content analysis. The role of mission statements is to communicate the purpose of the institution to stakeholders. Although most open and distance universities mentioned some of the principles of openness, many mission statements were silent on access, equity and student-centredness. The findings revealed that there is misalignment between what the university claims to do and their practice. This shows that these institutions did not consider the open and distance education principles and context when developing mission statements

Using Future Research Methods in Analysing Policies Relating to Open Distance Education in Africa

Many African countries have developed policies to reform their education system in order to widen participation in higher education. To achieve this, open, online and distance education based models have been advocated as the most viable delivery tools in expanding access to higher education. However, the policy analysis of Kenya, Rwanda and Zambia revealed that the integration of open, online and distance education in these countries’ education systems is inadequate. The purpose of this study is to analyse policies in order to determine why policy goals are not achieved and how the present reality and the past knowledge impacts on the desired outcome. The future research methods of forecasting is used because it looks at policy interventions with the aim of assisting us to understand probable development in education that may have led to the weak implementation of the policies

Phenomenological analysis of the lived experiences of academics who participated in the professional development programme at an Open Distance Learning (ODL) University in South Africa

Since online delivery of education has become a major approach to teaching in Open Distance Learning (ODL) institutions, it becomes critical to understand how academics learn to teach online. This study was designed to explore the lived experiences of academics who had participated in a professional development programme aimed at moving them from traditional distance teaching to online facilitation of learning. Giorgi’s phenomenological psychological method was used to analyse and retrospectively examine the learning experiences of the participant academics in order to establish how they lived, behaved and experienced the training programme. The participants described their experiences in relation to distinct lived worlds that included the world in relation to self, others, time, and their environment. The academics’ experiences and concerns provide insight into their skills development needs and the adequacy of the programme provided in addressing these and equipping academics for online teaching. The perspectives identified could serve to guide the development and promotion of professional development programmes for online teaching and learning

Lived Disablers to Academic Success of the Visually Impaired at the University of Zambia, Sub‑Saharan Africa

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) benchmark of persons with disability in every population is 15.6 per cent. However, the University of Zambia is way below that benchmark as it is home to less than 0.1 per cent of students classified as ‘disabled’. Within the 0.1 per cent, students with visual impairment are the majority, estimated at 70 per cent. The purpose of this study was to explore disablers (also known as barriers) to academic success faced by students with visual impairment at the University of Zambia. A Hermeneutic Phenomenological approach directed the research process. Seven purposively sampled participants volunteered to voice their lived experiences and a cluster of themes emerged thereafter. Emerging from their lived experiences are thirteen disablers that impede the learning experiences at University and key amongst them are: (i) negative attitudes; (ii) policypractice disjuncture; (iii) staff unreadiness and unpreparedness; (iv) inaccessible buildings; and (v) rigid curricula. Keywords: disablers; Hermeneutic Phenomenology; inclusive education; University of Zambia; visual impairmen

Lived Disablers to Academic Success of the Visually Impaired at the University of Zambia, Sub‑Saharan Africa

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) benchmark of persons with disability in every population is 15.6 per cent. However, the University of Zambia is way below that benchmark as it is home to less than 0.1 per cent of students classified as ‘disabled’. Within the 0.1 per cent, students withvisual impairment are the majority, estimated at 70 per cent. The purpose of this study was to explore disablers (also known as barriers) to academic success faced by students with visual impairment at the University of Zambia. A Hermeneutic Phenomenological approach directed the research process.Seven purposively sampled participants volunteered to voice their lived experiences and a cluster of themes emerged thereafter. Emerging from their lived experiences are thirteen disablers that impede the learning experiences at University and key amongst them are: (i) negative attitudes; (ii) policypractice disjuncture; (iii) staff unreadiness and unpreparedness; (iv) inaccessible buildings; and (v) rigid curricula

Making digital decisions: A Guide for harnessing the potential of online learning and digital technologies

The Digital Decisions project analysed how staff in higher education institutions in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa made decisions to make greater use of online learning. We explored challenges, how key decisions were made, and the impacts of these on students and staff. We also gathered views on good practices in digital decision making. The topics and the quotes found here are drawn from this. Creating any form of quality online teaching requires time and strategic thought. Digital technologies can increase flexibility but need to be combined with appropriate pedagogy and support for staff and students. This guide can help you make decisions and apply good practices to the development of online and digital education

Decision Making in Shifts to Online Teaching: Analysing Reflective Narratives from Staff Working in African Higher Educational Institutions

Many higher education institutions moved from in-person to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, but these shifts have a longer history and potential. They require challenging individual and collective decision making by staff, beyond their usual repertoire of practice. This paper, therefore, aims to understand the nature of decisions that staff made as they moved to online teaching, the reasons, processes, and reflections on the perceived impacts. Eighty-four participants with diverse roles connected to moving online from four institutions across Africa were purposively sampled. Using a constructivist paradigm and qualitative approach, participants were invited to describe decision-making experiences through short narratives with prompts around their context, decisions, and impacts. Twenty-two of these participants attended a workshop to augment the narrative data and identify good practices. Qualitative analysis directed by Activity Theory concepts revealed that decisions related to policy and rules, pedagogy, community, and technology were frequently cited by participants. The main objective expressed in these narratives was maintaining the continuity of education for students. However, mixed impacts were observed on student engagement, and further decisions were made in response to this. Common challenges related to tools and technology, and similarly, the biggest tension for implementing the decisions was found between tools and technology and the participants or their communities. Good practices include updating policies and introducing continuous assessment. Implications for reflective professional practice are discussed, including how previous practices are initially drawn on to try to reproduce in-person teaching online but then adapt in recognition of the tensions this raises

Digital Decision: Understanding and supporting key choices in online and blended teaching in Sub-Saharan Africa

Key findings The Digital Decisions project analysed how staff in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa made decisions to make greater use of online learning. We explored challenges, how key decisions were made, and the impacts of these on students and staff. We also gathered views on good practices in digital decision making. Key findings of the project are that: What were the challenges? Key difficulties in decision making were that staff lacked essential knowledge and skills, and that the primary tool for their work – a technology-mediated connection between them and the students - was constrained and not consistently available for all. Staff faced challenging decisions when they noticed limited attendance by students, who for reasons such as timing, awareness, connectivity or availability of appropriate devices, were not engaging as expected. Pedagogical decisions were challenging because accepted approaches in areas such as assessment were known to not be suitable to online learning. Staff may know what they were aiming to achieve (for example, increased engagement of students with teachers and peers) but not how to achieve this. Alternatives to accepted approaches were unfamiliar, or not in line with policies (such as the use of social media tools for teaching, or moving away from face to face exams). What types of decisions were made? Rule and policy related decisions were a common focus, given that the existing policies were not appropriate to online and blended learning. These could take time but were ultimately seen as important and beneficial to progress in delivering effective online and blended teaching. As noted above, pedagogical decisions in areas such as assessment and activities were also commonly required. Decisions to proactively reach out and engage with the student community were seen to be essential, recognising their unfamiliarity and potential lack of motivation or confidence to engage online. Staff became aware that their roles were changing, and this could prompt concerns for their jobs as well as interest in personal development. How did decision making happen? In the context of the pandemic, providing continuity of teaching was the key objective influencing senior management decisions across the whole institution. Other staff made decisions in their areas with the objective of teaching and supporting students effectively through a period of substantial change. Tensions were apparent between the objectives of individual decision makers and their communities, rules and tools. These tensions had to be accounted for in decision-making, such as in considering limited staff capacity to deliver the desired training or course creation activities, and making choices about tools that some students were not be able to access. The use of new forms of communications technology for making and communicating decisions was very apparent – staff as well as students adapted to new ways of working across locations. There were positive stories about the use of tools among staff, but decision making about tools for teaching were fraught with tensions, due to the problems of connectivity and device availability already mentioned. What were the impacts of decisions? In line with the key objective, the primary impact of these decisions on students was seen to be a continuation of teaching and the mitigation of pandemic-related disruption. This can appear to be distinct from using technology to innovate or offer a better study experience to students, however there was evidence that the decisions had supported improved opportunities and access to learning materials, prompted students to develop their digital literacies, and increased satisfaction for some. There were also opportunities to have a positive impact on areas such as assessment, which already required attention. The majority of staff saw positive impacts for students, but there was recognition that some students had no ability to access the internet at all, were left behind, and needed to be supported in other ways. The positive impacts aligned well with institutional goals of offering flexible and accessible learning, overcoming barriers of distance. There was also a recognition that the resilience of teaching had improved and that this could be beneficial in the future, with more ability to teach through any crisis or unpredictable event they could face. For staff, valuable skills had been developed, but for some, workload had increased to a worrying level. What good practices should be shared? The experiences of participants led them to describe a range of practices that had positive impact. Attention to these in decision making should be effective for other staff and institutions as they move online. Good practices in pedagogy include the introduction of continuous and formative assessment, proactive communication with students and clear information about course activities, and, in blended learning, identifying how to make best use of the combination of in-person and online study time. Institutional policies need to be revised to be appropriate to online and blended learning. Some flexibility in the application of policies can also be important to support staff to deliver teaching for students in any interim period before this is complete. Institutional strategies should also look to compensate staff for new costs incurred in order that they can complete their work, and incentivise their efforts to learn and adapt to new ways of working. Along with workload planning and harnessing of benefits such as sharing resources across locations, this can encourage a positive attitude towards these changes among staff.The project co-created a professional development resource that summarises key areas of decision making and related good practices: Making Digital Decisions. This resource encapsulates findings on good practices in a practical format, with a set of ‘Key decisions’ and guidance on good practice across six themes derived from the project workshops: Upskilling staff and students Changing the pedagogy Overcoming barriers Working together Effective strategies for teaching Achieving quality This report complements the Making Digital Decisions resource by providing a rich and more detailed analysis of our findings

Openness in Education as a Praxis: From Individual Testimonials to Collective Voices

Why is Openness in Education important, and why is it critically needed at this moment? As manifested in our guiding question, the significance of Openness in Education and its immediate necessity form the heart of this collaborative editorial piece. This rather straightforward, yet nuanced query has sparked this collective endeavour by using individual testimonies, which may also be taken as living narratives, to reveal the value of Openness in Education as a praxis. Such testimonies serve as rich, personal narratives, critical introspections, and experience-based accounts that function as sources of data. The data gleaned from these narratives points to the understanding of Openness in Education as a complex, multilayered concept intricately woven into an array of values. These range from aspects such as sharing, access, flexibility, affordability, enlightenment, barrier-removal, empowerment, care, individual agency, trust, innovation, sustainability, collaboration, co-creation, social justice, equity, transparency, inclusivity, decolonization, democratisation, participation, liberty, and respect for diversity. This editorial, as a product of collective endeavour, invites its readers to independently engage with individual narratives, fostering the creation of unique interpretations. This call stems from the distinctive character of each narrative as they voice individual researchers’ perspectives from around the globe, articulating their insights within their unique situational contexts