Tutoring in Open and Distance Learning: Challenges in theUse of Internet Based Platforms in Two Selected RegionalCenters of the Zimbabwe Open University (original) (raw)
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The philosophy of distance education is that it removes barriers to learning. Individuals learn what they want, when they want, and where they want. All this freedom is accomplished by a variety of technologies. Hence technologies in printed and non-printed formats can be used. This study focused on the challenges that students encountered on the E-learning Platform at the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU). The study used a qualitative approach using a case study design. Structured interviews and document analysis were used to collect the data. According to Flick (2009) these enables the generation of appropriate descriptive information on the phenomenon under study. Purposive sampling was used identify the students; lecturers from the four faculties of the ZOU who have used the e-platform Key informants from the Information, Communication Technology (ICT) department of ZOU were also interviewed. The findings of the study show that ODL students face challenges when accessing the e-platform. Students, lecturers and even most ICT personnel do not have the capacity to use the myVista internet based programme. This is an e-tutoring programme which allows learning to occur between the student and the tutor on line. The study recommended as a priority that all students, lecturers and key ICT personnel be trained in the use of the e-platform especially the myVista programme. ZOU should put in place a policy on how e-tutoring should be conducted. This would help to make the e-platform materials student friendly. Furthermore there is need to improve students' computer literacy skills.
Quality in distance higher education is one of the main concerns among institutions today. This study sought to explore students' experiences with quality tutorials in ZOU an open and distance education institution. The study employed the descriptive survey design and generated both quantitative and qualitative data using a questionnaire with both open-ended and closed items. A sample of 189 students was selected from a population of 1500 returning students using the purposive sampling technique. Data was presented in simple frequency tables and analysed thematically. The study found out that generally students were satisfied with the arrangements for tutorials as communication came on time and tutorial rooms used were seen as conducive. Students expressed dissatisfaction with the ability of their tutors to promote active adult students' participation, inconsistence in lecturer attendance, poor quality tutorial package, waning commitment, economic hardships and the failure to use modern technologies in tutorials. The study recommended the taking of urgent, bold and decisive steps to train tutors on adult and distance education methodologies and the use of modern technology in teaching. Further research need to be done on the quality of a tutorial package for distance learners and motivating adult learners.
2016
Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is gaining prominence in African Universities. Universities in Africa use distance learning mode where materials are sent to learners, supplemented with a fewer contact sessions through study centers. With the advent of new technologies for teaching and learning, African Universities are also moving towards online teaching and learning. This paper presents the benefits and challenges associated with the use of technology in ODL mode in Botswana Higher Education context. Web based surveys were used to collect the data for this study. The study was carried out among the online lecturers and learners in two institutions of Higher Learning in Botswana. 9 experienced lecturers and 25 learners who had used technology for their ODL teaching and learning participated in this study. Findings indicate that, major benefits of using technology for online teaching and learning include interaction and student engagement; access to latest information; content shari...
The purpose of this study is to explore ways in which technology can be used to improve learner support at BOCODOL, focusing on reducing turnaround time of assignments. Programme Coordinators and Tutors require such feedback so that they can choose appropriate technology to improve the implementation of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) at BOCODOL. The research also reviews the effectiveness of Information Technology (IT) in administration of ODL at BOCODOL. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to 555 respondents comprising 500 ODL learners from and 8 Tutors from Francistown region. Data were analyzed using graphs where by similar responses were grouped. The findings of the study were that the email would enable ODL learners to receive assignment feedback more quickly and be able to incorporate comments made by the tutor in their learning. Questions of access should be taken into consideration when implementing IT. Information Communication Technology (ICT) used should be accessible to all learners not only those who can pay. Participants would like BOCODOL to install WIFI technology in all its regions for ease of access to its learners. Recommendation is that tutors avail assignment feedback to their learners through email and BOCODOL fully implement appropriate technology for e-learning.
Ankara Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi, 2016
This study examined University stakeholders' (academic and technical staff) attitude toward the use of E-tutoring for distance learning in Nigeria. It specifically investigated attitude towards the use of E-tutoring based on gender, working experience and area of specialization. Questionnaire was used to collect data from 157 respondents involved. Four research questions were answered while three hypotheses were tested. Mean and percentage were used to answer the research questions and independent t-test for the hypotheses. Results indicated :stakeholders had positive attitude (mean score :3.10); no significant difference between male and female (t-test value of df (155), t = 1.49, p > .05); no significant difference between experienced and less experienced (t-test value of df (155), t =-.84, p > .05); no significant difference between stakeholders(df (155), t = 1.69, p > .05). It was recommended that etutoring should be more incorporated into distance learning in Nigeia.
Tutor Effectiveness: Conceptions of Student Teachers at Zimbabwe Open University in Masvingo
2013
Tutoring is an age-old practice .There are some requisites for tutors to be effective. Content knowledge is an essential ingredient for effective tutoring and many other personal attributes. If a tutor is received as genuine and having a genuine desire to listen, students will be willing to open up and discuss their problems. Good mastery of subject matter by the tutor contributes to tutor effectiveness as students turn up for tutorials if they feel they benefit from tutors` contributions. Much of the quality of tutoring depends on the attitude of the instructor and their capabilities in using technology. Research suggests that the effectiveness of distance learning is based on preparation, excellent communication skills and the instructors' understanding. A survey was conducted at Zimbabwe Open University in Masvingo region to establish tutees' perceptions of the effectiveness of the tutors' teaching courses in the Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Development Programme (BECDECD) using questionnaires. Respondents were of the opinion that most tutors had impressive subject mastery and were usually thoroughly prepared for tutorials and methodology used was viewed by most participants as suitable. However, there were sentiments that tutors hardly communicated with students outside tutorial sessions. Tutors' marking was viewed as communicative, but feedback was not timely and tutors did not use any modern teaching media. Some of the personal attributes such as openness, humility and accessibility were viewed as wanting on the part of some tutors. The study recommended that more tutor workshops be run to emphasize and reemphasize essential ingredients of effective tutoring and that the tutors make use of technology available at the regional campus, among other things.
A Better Understanding of the Access to Education through Online Learning in the Case of Zimbabwe.
The worldwide proliferation of electronic information and communication technologies (ICT) is linked to the unprecedented opportunities for synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning. In Zimbabwe, universities and colleges have turned to the use of ICT, typically known as eLearning, to complement teacher led instruction on campus. For that reason, colleges and universities in this country have become traditional users of ICT in teaching and learning. In the context of Zimbabwe, by January 2014,about 40 % (5.2 million) of the country’s population became Internet users. This compares with 15.7 % (1.95 million) in 2011, and 0.4 % (. 052 million) in the year 2000.In spite of the rapid increase in the population of Internet usersin Zimbabwe, research shows that online learning adoption has not reached its full potential. To shed light on the question on how farZimbabwe as a country has come towards a position of optimizing the use of ICT in the provision of education in the nontraditional areas, this studyutilized technology and socialchange as a theoretical approach within which qualitative data were collected through interviews, a focus group, andcontent analyses of existing documents to explain, clarify and summarize the positive forces and limitations to the use of online education. The study aimed at gaining a better understanding of the role ICT plays in improving access to quality education in the primary and secondary schools, and for professional development, and human capacity building in a developing country such as Zimbabwe. Data from the study showed that even in a declining economic climate in Zimbabwe, professional development continues to take place through the use of ICT. Effort from the private sector and government is being made to harness the power of technology in teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools too. The government of Zimbabwe, believing in the promise of education, that education contributes towards social and national economic development, has adopted an aggressive policy in support of the use of online learning.However, sufficient capital outlays are not being invested in creating an enabling environment and infrastructure needed for a real national take off in the use of ICT in teaching and learning in Zimbabwe.
The worldwide proliferation of electronic information and communication technologies (ICT) is linked to the unprecedented opportunities for synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning. In Zimbabwe, universities and colleges have turned to the use of ICT, typically known as eLearning, to complement teacher led instruction on campus. For that reason, colleges and universities in this country have become traditional users of ICT in teaching and learning. In the context of Zimbabwe, by January 2014about 40 % (5.2 million) of the country " s population became Internet users. This compares with 15.7 % (1.95 million) in 2011, and 0.4 % (. 052 million) in the year 2000.In spite of the rapid increase in the population of Internet usersin Zimbabwe, research shows that online learning adoption has not reached its full potential. To shed light on the question on how farZimbabwe as a country has come towards a position of optimizing the use of ICT in the provision of education in the nontraditional areas, this studyutilized technology and socialchange as a theoretical approach within which qualitative data were collected through interviews, a focus group, andcontent analyses of existing documents to explain, clarify and summarize the positive forces and limitations to the use of online education. The study aimed at gaining a better understanding of the role ICT plays in improving access to quality education in the primary and secondary schools, and for professional development, and human capacity building in a developing country such as Zimbabwe. Data from the study showed that even in a declining economic climate in Zimbabwe, professional development continues to take place through the use of ICT. Effort from the private sector and government is being made to harness the power of technology in teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools too. The government of Zimbabwe, believing in the promise of education, that education contributes towards social and national economic development, has adopted an aggressive policy in support of the use of online learning.However, sufficient capital outlays are not being invested in creating an enabling environment and infrastructure needed for a real national take off in the use of ICT in teaching and learning in Zimbabwe.
Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 2013
Zimbabwe Distance Open University is enrols students from both urban and rural settings. The majority of students living and working in rural areas have limited or no access to computers and electricity as a result the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in the learning process is very limited. Though government has realized the importance of developing ICT for learning purposes, in practice very little has materialized in the provision of the ICT technology especially in rural areas. The majority of Zimbabwe Open University students have expressed difficulties in coping with their studies partly due to lack of supplementary reading materials from internet. The research will use a descriptive survey method to extract information regarding use of ICT from students living in rural areas and those in urban areas. Observation on what actually takes place in the library and learning process will be highlighted by the researching team comprising three lecturers who all work for ZOU. A contrastive approach will be used to compare the performance of students with access to internet with those without access to internet. Interviews of ZOU students and lecturers will be used to collect data.
Student perceptions of distance learning at advanced level in Zimbabwe
Thirty-four Zimbabwean Advanced level students at a Catholic run boarding school were surveyed in regards to their perception of having distance education at high school level. The country is experiencing an increase in technology use, resulting in calls for the introduction of online education through distance learning (Bukaliya & Musika, 2011). The purpose of this survey study is to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of high school students in Zimbabwe towards distance learning. Participants completed a 15-item tool with domains in computer, internet, online learning, teachers and overall expectations of online education. The results showed that most of the participants favored the introduction of blended learning at Advanced level as opposed to having online learning. It is the author's recommendation that steps should be made towards training instructors in online teaching, and helping schools introduce blended education into their curriculum. Professional development of teachers should also focus on the training of using computers in the classroom.