Open and Distance Learning Strategy:
Workshop Report
Workshop Details
Date:
Time:
Place:
10 March 2015
10am – 4pm
Indlela, Olifantsfontein
Facilitator:
Ms Trudi van Wyk, Director: Career Development and Open Learning, DHET
Session 1 – Welcome and Introduction
Ms Patsy Garza, Project Manager: Turnaround Strategy, DHET welcomed everyone present and
gave a brief introduction to the workshop.
The workshop was attended by the following Colleges:
 Buffalo City TVET College
 Capricorn TVET College
 College of Cape Town TVET College
 Ekurhuleni East TVET College
 Ehlazeni TVET College
 Elangeni TVET College
 East Cape Midlands TVET College
 Esayidi TVET College
 EThekwini TVET College
 Ekurhuleni West TVET College
 False Bay TVET College
 Gert Sibande TVET College
 Ikhala TVET College
 King Hintsa TVET College
 King Sabatha Dalindyebo TVET College
 Lephalale TVET College
 Letaba TVET College
 Lovedale TVET College
 Majuba TVET College
 Maluti TVET College
 Mnambithi TVET College
 Motheo TVET College
 Ingwe TVET College
 Nkangala TVET College
 Northern Cape Rural TVET College
 Northern Cape Urban TVET College
 Northlink College TVET College
 ORBIT TVET College
 Port Elizabeth TVET College
 Sedibeng TVET College
 Sekhukhune TVET College
 Taletso TVET College
 Tshwane South TVET College
 Umgungundlovu TVET College
 Vhembe TVET College
Open and Distance Learning Strategy Workshop 10 March 2015:
Draft Workshop Report
1




Vuselela TVET College
Waterberg TVET College
West Coast TVET College
Western Public TVET College (Westcol)
The DHET was represented by:
 Ms Patricia Garza
 Ms Trudi van Wyk
 Mr Keith Loyns
 Mr Leon Sinclair
 Ms Harvey Seshothela
 Mr George Modiba
 Mr Cyprian Sonti
Project Manager: Turnaround Strategy, VCET Branch
Director: Career Development and Open Leaning, Branch H
Chief Director: Function Shift, VCET Branch
Director: Examinations, VCET Branch
SAC, Career Development and Open Learning, Branch H
Intern, Career Development and Open Learning, Branch: H
SAC, Turnaround Strategy, VCET Branch
Attendance register is attached as Annexure A
Ms van Wyk gave an overview of the workshop objectives and agenda (Annexure B).
The objectives of the workshop were to:
 Share the work that has been done in conceptualising Open Learning in Post-School
Education and Training;
 Discuss and share current open and distance learning initiatives in TVET Colleges;
 Discuss policy and other issues for the DHET in creating an enabling environment for open
and distance learning in TVET Colleges;
 Discuss and agree on a strategy for collaboration and cooperation in open and distance
learning; and
 Agree on implementation timetable and roles/responsibilities.
Ms van Wyk presented an introduction to Open Learning in Post-School Education and Training and
progress made in introducing Open and Distance Learning in the Post-School Education and Training
System (Annexures C and D).
During the session Mr Leon Sinclair outlined the critical issues of registration of Colleges to offer
Distance Education and the registration of Exam Centres for Distance Education students.
During the session several issues related to Open and Distance Learning in TVET Colleges were
raised and recorded. These include:
 The TVET Colleges’ policy environment needs to be assessed in terms of open and distance
learning. In specific the definition of distance students, FTEs, funding norms, assessment
and examinations.
 DHET does not have models for distance learning in TVET Colleges.
 ICT Infrastructure and connectivity of both rural and urban college campuses to support
teaching, learning and administration of distance education.
 Assessment policy and practices of distance education: the policy environment should be
adapted to deal with issues related to assessment and examinations. This includes the
management of ICAS, portfolios and year marks.
 Practical issues such as exam timetabling and available infrastructure and resources to
accommodate distance education students and to conduct exams.
 Movement of students from one college to the other with regard to transfer and facilitating
their already gained knowledge and registration/administrative information.
 The challenges emanating from the move to integrated theory, practice and work integrated
learning.
 Capacity building of management and lecturers in management, administration and
supporting distance education.
Open and Distance Learning Strategy Workshop 10 March 2015:
Draft Workshop Report
2
Session 2 – Panel discussion - Current open and distance
learning initiatives in TVET Colleges
Several Colleges are already offering distance education methodologies in their offerings. A list as
reported through the RSVP forms to the workshop was included in Annexure D.
The following colleges presented their Open and Distance Learning initiatives to the meeting:
 College of Cape Town – Annexure E
 False Bay College – Annexure F
 NorthLink College – Annexure G
 Gert Sibande College – Annexure H
 Majuba College (Majuba College shared their experience verbally)
During the session several issues related to Open and Distance Learning in TVET Colleges were
raised and recorded. These include:
 Political buy-in and support for distance education is important.
 The role of the College leadership is most important to get buy-in and support from staff.
 The student profile of colleges students necessitate that the model of distance education be
carefully developed and thought through. In the Majuba experience distance education was
initially developed for the working student that cannot attend college during the day.
 Every presentation recommended - Start small. It is a journey that takes time, new thinking
and resources.
 Practical issues around management of distance education:
o Get buy-in of staff takes time and effort.
o Intensifying a relationship between colleges and private providers to enable student
access to examinations and support
o Geographical challenges/restrictions for students that are far from the college
campuses in terms of attending sessions and writing exams.
o Importance of appointment of distance education managers and support staff.
o Distance education has a huge administrative component that must be resourced and
managed.
 Lecturers:
o Capacity building of lecturers in new methodologies, use of technology and support of
students.
o How to split lecturers between face-to-face and distance education offerings.
o How do you incentivise lecturers for doing distance education?
 Support to students:
o This component of distance education is the most important critical success factor.
o The development of a call centre facility assists distance education roll-out in
colleges.
o There is a diverse range of student support mechanisms that needs to be explored.
 Development of high quality learning materials:
o Development of learning materials for distance education is costly and necessitates
dedicated people to develop. In the case of False Bay College as well as Northlink
College, successful and experienced staff are contracted to write study guides.
o Sharing of materials is the only option to ensure cost effectiveness and quality.
o The example of Educare at the College of Cape Town – create a mechanism for
sharing of resources for the whole country.
 Use of technology
o Although print materials are still pivotal, the increased use of appropriate technology
must be explored.
o Connectivity remains one of the biggest barriers for distance education to be
implemented.
o Colleges are using different learning management platforms such as Blackboard,
Sakai or Moodle. It has scaling and financial implications.
o Developing an integrated system for face-to-face and distance education students
and lecturers has advantages of quality, collaboration between staff and that there
Open and Distance Learning Strategy Workshop 10 March 2015:
Draft Workshop Report
3
o
o


are no difference between a distance education student and face-to-face students
such as in the case of Gert Sibande College.
Use technology appropriately. From low (such as printed) to high-tech (LMS). In the
case of Northlink College they are also using SMS system successfully to
communicate, inform and support students.
The accessibility of LMS to students outside the college environment.
Funding of distance education in colleges
o Most of the colleges that implement distance education/blended learning registered
students as full time/part time students in the current environment.
o How do you remunerate lecturers for doing distance education?
o Student funding through NSFAS are not supported in distance education. There is a
need to revisit the NSFAS criteria.
Sharing amongst TVET Colleges.
o Information
o Experiences
o Resources
o Infrastructure
Session 3 – Provincial Perspective on Open Learning
Centres - Western Cape Experience and lessons that can
be learnt
Mr Keith Loyns, Project Manager: Function Shift who previously worked for the Western Cape
Department of Education presented a personal perspective and lessons learnt in a previous project
where Open Learning Centres were introduced in Colleges in the Western Cape (Annexure I).
During the session several issues related to Open and Distance Learning in TVET Colleges were
raised and recorded. These included:
 The importance of student support was reiterated.
 Learner support is costly and has to be planned and funded.
 National government intervention, such as in the case of the Western Cape, is necessary to
establish a network of student support centres across the country.
 Multi-purpose functionalities of student support centres contribute to open learning objectives.
 The need for the development of a national model for a network of learning support centres
has been expressed.
 DHET to provide guidelines for support of distance education students, including costs.
Session 4 – Strategy for coordination, collaboration and
cooperation in Open and Distance Learning
During the final session of the day, Ms van Wyk summarised issues to be contained in the proposed
Strategy for coordination, collaboration and cooperation in open and distance learning in TVET
Colleges. These include policy and other issues for the DHET in creating an enabling environment
(Annexure J).
In summary:
Policy and other issues for the DHET in creating an enabling environment - Coordination
 Defining what Open and Distance Learning in TVET colleges is and what is a distance
education student/offering?
 Develop a national model for the implementation of open and distance learning in TVET
colleges (focussing on sustainability)
 Capacity building of lecturers and managers
Open and Distance Learning Strategy Workshop 10 March 2015:
Draft Workshop Report
4







Develop a funding model for the implementation of open and distance learning in TVET
Colleges
Improved access to ICT
Learner support centres, professional support services and a network of examination centres
Assessment and Examinations
Network of high quality providers
Curriculum relevance
Advocacy and communication strategy.
Collaboration/Coordination
 Develop a shared understanding of open learning in TVET Colleges
 Develop a database of examples of distance education in TVET Colleges
 Case studies
 Develop a platform for sharing. The first opportunity is the 4th International North-South TVET
ICT Conference that will take place in September in the Western Cape.
 Materials development/sharing
The workshop requested the DHET to:
 Share information on private registered institutions that might approach colleges for
assistance in examination of distance education institutions.
 The VCET Branch communicates to colleges an interim arrangement on how to deal with
distance education students in the absence of a strategy and policy. Colleges requested a
MOU or Letter of Agreement to allow participating colleges to continue with current Distance
learning offerings until a National Policy on Distance Learning for TVET colleges is
implemented.
Ms van Wyk concluded the workshop by thanking the Colleges for their participation and in specific
the College principals in attendance for their leadership and support. She also thanked the
presenters from DHET and the Colleges, Ms Patsy Garza for inviting all the Colleges and the
administrative staff for their hard work.
All documentation will be shared electronically.
The report of the workshop will be made available to participants within a week.
The draft Strategy for coordination, collaboration and cooperation in open and distance learning in
TVET Colleges will be compiled for inputs and comments. The final draft will be ready for wider
consultation by the end of March.
The workshop adjourned at 15:30
Open and Distance Learning Strategy Workshop 10 March 2015:
Draft Workshop Report
5