Promoting ODL through eLearning: a reflection on the role of eLearning policies and strategies

1. Promoting ODL through eLearning: a reflection on the role of eLearning policies and strategies Bopelo Boitshwarelo,Centre for Continuing Education,University of Botswana

2. Introduction Background E-Learning plays a critical role in supporting Higher educational institutions(HEIs) to provide access to high quality and relevant academic programmes . In particular e-Learning can promote Open and DistanceLearning(ODL) in these institutions by: • increasing access, • enhancing flexibility, • improving quality of learning materials/environments. Open and distance learning reflects both the fact that • teacher and learner are removed in time and space from each other, • learning situation includes greater dimensions of openness and flexibility in terms of: • of access, curriculum or other elements of structure The use of ICTs enhances the achievement of ODL goals more effectively.

3. Introduction cont’d What are the trends? The past decade has seen a rapid growth of eLearning in universities in Africa e.g. • acquiring infrastructure, • hardware, • software and, • in some instances coming up with units that coordinate eLearning activities. An emerging trend has been for universities to develop either policies or strategies for eLearning. • They play a major role in ensuring the effectiveness of eLearning in HEIs. • When eLearning is effectively deployed then it can lead to the growth of ODL. Goal of the presentation This paper therefore reflects on the role of eLearning polices and/or strategies with a particular focus on ODL. Specifically it looks at some strategies and analyses how they articulate their commitment to ODL.

4. Context and methods • I am involved in an eLearning Strategy Development Taskforce at UB • One role(TOR) involved benchmarking against eLearning policies/strategies of other institutions regionally and globally. • Aim of this paper is to extract statements that commit eLearning to ODL and make an analysis of key terms used. • 9 Universities from some commonwealth countries.

5. Exploring ODL statements from eLearning policies/strategies: Table 1

6. Exploring ODL statements from eLearning policies/strategies: Table 1 cont’d

7. Synthesis of the statements Collectively the strategies essentially commit to ODL through: • Promoting greater/open/convenient/flexible access to • Educational programmes • Educational resources • Learner support services

8. Synthesis of the statements cont’d 2. Providing flexibility in terms of • Access( place and time) • Teaching and learning approaches • Delivery modes • Meeting learning needs emanating from differenr circumstances. • Independent/personalised learning 3. Recognising • Part-time learners • Learners at a distance • Non-conventional/traditional learners • Distributed learners

9. Implications for UB • At UB there is no formal document guiding eLearning • This has meant that although the university is reasonably resourced, ODL activities have not benefited much from the available eLearning resources. • Clearly, an arbitrary approach to eLearning has not yielded noticeable results for ODL at UB. • Perhaps the imminent strategy will go a long way in addressing this deficiency

10. Conclusion Elearning is one way of realising the potential of ODL If this potential is to be fully realised, universities need to move from arbitrary ways of doing eLearning to developing eLearning policies/strategies which spell out how they wish to make optimal use of ICTs for teaching and learning proceses particularly ODL. The role of ODL practitioners is therefore to ensure as much as possible that such discrete policies/strategies categorically state how ODL will benefit(Inglis, 2007) Furthermore, a greater role should be played at the point of use where practitioners need to identify and exploit the full strategic potential of ICTs for ODL in their institutions (Gunn et al, 2009).

11. References Curran, C. (2004). Strategies for e-learning in universities. National Distance Education Centre and Dublin City University, Retrieved 8 August, 2011 from http://repositories.cdlib.org/cshe/CSHE-7-04/ . Gunn, C., Csete, J. & Barnett, J. (2009). Aiming for the right place: eLearning strategy past, present and future. In Same places, different spaces. Proceedings ascilite Auckland 2009. http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/auckland09/procs/gunn-symposium.pdf Inglis, A. (2007). Approaches taken by Australian universities to documenting institutional elearning strategies. In ICT: Providing choices for learners and learning. Proceedings ascilite Singapore 2007. http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/singapore07/procs/inglis.pdf Mackintosh, W. (2005). Can You Lead From Behind? Critical Reflections on the Rhetoric of E-LEARNING, Open Distance Learning and, ICTs for Development in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In A. A. Carr-Chellman (Ed.), Global Perspectives on E-LEARNING: Rhetoric and Reality (pp. 222-240). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications. Melton, R. F. (2002). Planning and Developing Open and Distance Learning: A quality Assurance Approach. London: Routledge Falmer. Rosenberg M. 2002. E-Learning: Strategies for Delivering Knowledge in the Digital Age New York: McGraw-Hill Inc. UNESCO (2002). Open and Distance Learning: Trends, policy, and strategy considerations. Paris: UNESCO.