stella_ _Ruth.ppt
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Leapfrogging 1 st Generation Distance
Education into 4 th and 5 th Generation
Distance Education at Makerere University:
A Study Materials Writers’ Experiences
Stella Achen and Ruth Nsibirano
Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
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Presentation Outline
Introduction
Identification of course writers
Tasks for course writers
Findings
Challenges
Recommendations
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Introduction
Greatest development and growth of new technologies in the 20 th and 21 st Centuries than any other century.
New technologies and systems are increasingly being used in education among other sectors.
Makerere University through the department of Open and
Distance Education(ODL) has run a 1 st generation mode of distance education(DE) programs
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Introduction Cont’d
In 1991,ODL was launched with two academic programmes
– Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Education
In 2001, two more academic programmes added-
Commonwealth Diploma in Youth in Development
Work programme (CYP) and Bachelor of Science
(External)
Student enrolment rose from 246 (1992) to 8,000 students in 2001
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Introduction Cont’d
Successful proposal to NORAD
ODL sought to leapfrog DE from 1 st to 4 th and 5 th generations of DE
A number of activities including developing course materials fit for the 4 th and 5 th generations DE programme
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Aim
Writers, Trainers, Project Administrators and reviewers (in and out of Mak)
Personality & context issues
This paper examines the experiences of the 20 course writers for the fifth generation modules
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Methods Used
Study designed
Qualitative and qualitative data was collected through
Study population = 20 course writers for the fifth generation modules
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Identification of course writers
Course writers were identified by the committee for DELP
Lecturers and practitioners from various disciplines
DELP conducted a series of workshops
Understanding a distance Learner
curriculum development for DE learners
Content for the 4 th and fifth generation of DE.
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Tasks for course writers
Writers were given time lines (month) for drafts of courses
Effects from change of working environments
Conflicting demands
Writers transformed their course materials to online
Poodle & moodle
Infrastructural issues
Uploaded MUELE
About 20 courses uploaded on MUELE.
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Findings
90 percent writers had never participated in such an activity.
A challenge to develop interactive online content
“It is much harder to writer materials for distance education learners because you must write content in form of a dialogue. It is also more time consuming because a lot of planning must be done”.
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Observations
Much easier to conduct face-to-face lectures than online lectures
Easier to drop out
University calendar affects scheduling of training workshops
Even harder to transform content to online learning materials with activities
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Best Practices and Lessons Learnt
Time constraints due to push and pull factors
Writers must be learners first
Communication & commitment is essential
Interpersonal skills (soft skills) needed
Embarrassment of writers by some facilitators.
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Recommendations
The University should train more human resources with skills for curriculum development of DE materials befitting the 4 th and 5 th generations.
The University should start more online DE programmes to decongest the campus
Facilitators should consider slow learners during sessions.
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END
Thank you for listening
