Proposed Training Module on Goal Setting and Decision-making Skills for Distant Learners

Inappropriate goal setting and decision-making skills are threat to distant learners’ completion of academic programme, development and social well-being. This was realised following two related studies carried out by the authors of this write-up in addition to facts from reviewed literatures as one of the factors responsible for low retention and completion rates among undergraduate learners in open and distance learning institution, To further x-ray the problem, a simple survey was conducted on Student counsellors’ responses with 57 Student counsellors representing 91.94% out of the 62 Student counsellors on the need to integrate training on goal setting and decision-making skills into learners support services. The findings suggested learner support services that should integrate the basic steps that were researched for setting achievable goals and decision–making skills necessary for implementing set learning goals. This paper therefore, proposed modalities that can be followed by support services unit of open and distance learning institutions in training learners diagnosed to have inappropriate goal setting and decision-making skills into modules. The modules were tested in training twelve volunteered undergraduate distance learners identified from previous study carried out by the authors. At the end of the trial testing the participated undergraduate distant learners were asked to rate the effectiveness of the activities involved in the training. The trust of the proposed module was to serve as a strategy in training the distant learners particularly, when low retention and completion rate are traced to inadequate skills for setting goals and decisions-making skills

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

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

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

Delivering digital higher education into prisons: the cases of four universities in Australia, UK, Turkey and Nigeria

Around the world, various correctional jurisdictions are struggling to enable the delivery of higher education into prisons. At a time when universities are moving increasingly online, very often access to the internet is restricted or disallowed in correctional environments. Four universities, all leading distance education providers in the countries in which they are based, are delivering higher education into prisons using technology to varying extents. This paper reports on regional differences in the provision of distance education into prisons, particularly using technology, in Australia, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Nigeria. In these four jurisdictions, there are significant differences in prisoner access to computer hardware, personal devices and to the internet. How these differences impact on the delivery of distance education is explored with an examination of various learning initiatives and lessons learned

Taking digital learning to prison: how four universities are using technology to deliver higher education into prisons in Australia, UK, Turkey and Nigeria

Around the world, various correctional jurisdictions are struggling to enable the delivery of higher education into prisons. At a time when universities are moving increasingly online, very often access to the internet is restricted or disallowed in correctional environments. Four universities, all leading distance education providers in the countries in which they are based, are delivering higher education into prisons using technology to varying extents. This paper reports on regional differences in the provision of distance education into prisons, particularly using technology, in Australia, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Nigeria. In these four jurisdictions, there are significant differences in prisoner access to computer hardware, personal devices and to the internet. How these differences impact on the delivery of distance education is explored with an examination of various learning initiatives and lessons learned

A perspective overview of the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the educational sector

There is no denying that the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant stress worldwide and impacted practically every aspect of human activity. The impacts of this deadly virus on education are not seen as gaining much-needed focus from the scientific research community. The majority of educational institutions globally switched to online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there were considerable differences in the technical readiness of various nations. In this regard, the study’s attempt to provide a way forward for how the educational sector ought to manage the challenges brought on by COVID-19 issues in support of online educational activities. Since some of the consequences that resulted have an impact on the educational sector, the answers presumably also should have included innovations that would improve scientific research to lessen its effects. Particularly, it appears there is still much that has to be done about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the educational sector. Hence, this perspective review study aims to explore the potential relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the educational sector while suggesting a way forward.</p