A Corpus-Based Lexical Study of Agricultural Sciences in Open and Distance Learning Coursebooks

In the West African Region of Africa, the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) is the first full fledged university that operates in an exclusively open and distance learning (ODL) mode of education. NOUN focuses mainly on open and distance teaching and learning system, and delivers its courses materials via print in conjunction with information and communication technology (ICT), when applicable. This 'single mode' of open education is different from the integration of distance learning system into the face- to- face teaching and learning system, which is more typical of conventional Universities in Nigeria and other parts of the world. Thus, NOUN reflects a novel development in the provision of higher education in Nigeria. This study assesses the attitudes and perceptions of distance teaching and learning by students enrolled in the NOUN and of the National Teachers' Institute (NTI) compared to their experiences at conventional universities. One hundred and twenty (n = 120) randomly selected NOUN and NTI students of NOUN were the subjects of the study. The Students' Attitude and Perception Rating of Open and Distance Learning Institutions Inventory (SAPRODLII), developed by the researchers, was administered to the subjects to measure their attitudes and experiences. Results of the study showed that students generally have a positive perception and attitude towards ODL, compared to traditional forms of higher education.

This paper investigates how access to qualitative education for persons with disabilities (PWDs) can be improved through the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). The paper is anchored on Moore's theory of distance education. It employs qualitative survey research and findings show that majority of respondents believe that NOUN can fast-track access to education for PWDs. Also, the majority of respondents are of the opinion that one of the fastest means of removing the stigma against PWDs is their inclusiveness and integration through their unfettered access to Open and Distance Learning (ODL). However, the majority of the respondents are of the belief that PWDs may face challenges in accessing ODL due to endemic poverty and cultural distortions. The paper, therefore, concludes with recommendations for advocacy on the importance of ODL for the education of the PWDs as well as for the government to provide enabling environment to support ODL education in Nigeria by institutionalizing ODL education for PWDs. It also recommends the improvement and development of relevant information and communications technology (ICT) and more open educational resources (OER) for accessibility and inclusion of PWDs in ODL education delivery architecture. They must be combined with appropriate content and pedagogy as well as legislation to institutionalize the education of PWDs through ODL as offered by NOUN.

The paper posits the Regional Training and Research Institute for Distance and Open Learning (RETRIDAL) as an institution established for the purpose of enhancing Open and Distance Learning in the West African sub-region. The institute has pursued this mandate with an unparalleled vigour since its establishment in 2003 —a partnership of the Commonwealth of Learning and the National Open University of Nigeria. It is the opinion of this paper that enhancing the Open and Distance Learning mode of education in the West African subregion will require building capacity. Consequently, RETRIDAL has championed this cause through workshops and training sessions as well as commissioning research studies in Nigeria and other West African countries. The objective is to produce suitably qualified manpower that is able to utilise ODL to mitigate the exploding demand for access to education in the sub-region. The paper also foresees a future of ODL and RETRIDAL for West Africa, as many universities are keying into the distance education paradigm.

The study was designed to find out if the integration and promotion of the use of online conferencing as instruction delivery method in addition to the current instruction delivery method of use of printed material, audio and video CDs, and broadcast media had enhancing effects on open and distance learning in Nigeria; and helped in fostering overall attainment of the goals and objectives of the establishment of the National open University of Nigeria. The study employed an experimental approach, the population of the study consisted of the post graduate students at the Nekede study centre of the National Open University of Nigeria. M.Sc. students of information and communication technology and Educational technology were purposively selected as the sampled population; structured questionnaires were used as instrument for primary data collection. Interviews, personal discussions, and literature provided sources for secondary data. The instrument was validated by scholars from the Imo state University, Owerri Imo State Nigeria. The results from the survey were analyzed using descriptive and quantitative statics. The result from the study showed that students viewed the current instruction dell very mode in the national Open University of Nigeria as grossly insufficient, ineffective and inadequate. The student hence agreed that promotion of the use on online conferencing as instruction dell very method was very important the study further revealed that the promotion of the use of online conferencing is a catalyst for enhancing open and distance learning in Nigeria and hence a vehicle for promoting the overall attainment of the objective of the established of the national open University of Nigeria.

The paper focused on general cost indices in open and distance learning (ODL) in Nigeria. Existing literaturesat the international level and in the only single mode open and distance learning in Nigeria (National Open University of Nigeria – NOUN) were reviewed to ascertain the factors that affect cost in open and distance learning. The findings revealed neglect of some factors during cost consideration. The cost structure observed requires a proper integration of all the sub-sections in an open and distance learning to be able to have adequate budget system in an open and distance learning institutions. Key words: Open and distance learning, cost drivers, cost indices, cost function.

One of the key advantages of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is to decrease the social and economic inequalities within the society (Villani, C. et al, 2018), through the dissemination of accurate and timely information. This is only possible where A1 technologies are effectively used to broadcast vital information or policies to people about issues that affect their well-being. One of such policies is the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) which was implemented by the Nigerian Government to forestall and further curb excessive spending and mismanagement of public funds. But one questions the adoption, implementation and efficacy of this financial policy on the Nigerian public servants, especially the staff of the federal government institutions of tertiary education. This policy also interferes with the existing financial policies in these institutions especially in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) educational systems with huge staff whose productive output depends on their social well-being orchestrated on adequate information. The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) is a leading ODL institution in Nigeria with 4615 workers. New government policies should not destabilise the smooth-running system and pitch her staff against the University Management or the National Universities Union against the Federal Government. Rather, a suitable subtle way of worming in government policies into the systems is ideal. In NOUN, no previous information, seminars or sensitisation was done to intimate the staff about the on-coming financial policy before its implementation despite availability of adequate AI technologies and commensurate staff to man them, hence making the staff very sad and humiliated! This has created disharmony, bitterness and rancour among the NOUN staff, especially in the academia. It has positioned the Nigerian government negatively before NOUN staff, making them continuously castigate the Federal Public Service of Nigeria. These unpleasant effects of the mass miscommunication on IPPIS demonstrate the pertinence of AI-powered broadcasting, that is, how mass communication of public policies can fail when AI-assisted broadcasting is absent. This paper investigates the level of awareness of NOUN staff about the need for the adoption and implementation of IPPIS as a government policy aimed at reforming the financial management process in Nigeria, the perception of NOUN Staff towards IPPIS and its benefits to them. The study, anchored on Robert Freeman’s Stakeholder Theory, led us to expand the theory into a multi-stakeholder theory for policy-making, based on empirical facts embedded in the model of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.

The teaching and learning on Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) is one of the most regulated professions globally. This is due to the specialty of the programme and the relevance of law to all spheres of life and the society. Hence, the upsurge demand of LL.B degree programme globally will subsists. In the UK, the total law student enrolments in 2011 grew from 70,500, to 122,755 by 2019/2020 and in 2020/2021 to 138,080. The LL.B enrolments increased from 89165 in 2019/2020 to 99780 in 2020/2021 sessions. The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) had increased admission of LL.B students from 2007 to 2015 and the total number of admitted law students in NOUN is 28921. A total of 197,015 LL.B degree holders had been called to the Nigerian Bar as at 2021. Yet many qualified citizens are deprived access to the study of LL.B programme in Nigeria due to low admission capacity that is based on quota in Nigeria and rigidity of conventional universities. // The emergence of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) as a viable alternative mode of delivery of LL.B has not received the needed support of the regulatory bodies in Nigeria. The main argument against ODL is that some components of LL.B programme are procedural and the skills practical, which are best learnt through face-to-face teaching and in residential university. This paper using doctrinal and case study methods identifies the concerns of the regulatory bodies, regarding teaching and learning on LL.B through ODL in the NOUN to include the admission process, the delivery mode and the number of intake. It also found that although 12 ODL centres have been approved by NUC, none is currently running LL.B programme. // The paper conclude that the position of CLE contradicts the apparent reality driven by information and communication technology (ICT) revolution that spares no sector or profession. The conventional universities, the courts and other levels of education are fast adjusting to this reality of information technology driven world as exacerbated by the emergence of Covid 19. On the basis of the findings and leveraging on the NOUN”s experience with the regulators, the paper proffers far reaching solutions. The paper therefore suggests an accreditation that emphases quality than tradition and perception and also recommends the introduction of ICT and artificial intelligence (AI) into the curriculum of teaching and learning on legal education and LL.B in Nigeria.

The disruptive innovation of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots is affecting educational dominance, which must be considered by higher educational institutions. Open and Distance Learning (ODL) becomes imperative for the effective and interactive communication between the institutions and learners. Drawbacks of isolation, motivation, insufficient time to study, and delay feedback mechanisms are some of the challenges encountered by ODL learners. The consequences have led to an increase in students’ attrition rate, which is one of the key issues observed by many authors facing ODL institutions. The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), one of the ODL institutions in Nigeria, is limited to an existing e-ticketing support system which is manually operated. A study on 2000 students of the NOUN using an online survey method revealed that 579 students responded to the questionnaire, equalling 29%. Further findings revealed significant delay time responses and inadequate resolutions as major barriers affecting the e-ticketing system in the NOUN. However, despite the quantitative method employed in the study, an artificial intelligence chatbot for automatic responses was also developed using Python 3.8+, ChatterBot (Version 1.0.5) Chatbot Framework, SQLite (default ChatterBot Storage, NLTK, and Web Interface: Flask (for integration with a web application). In testing the system, out of the 579 respondents, 370, representing 64% of the respondents, claimed that the chatbot was extremely helpful in resolving their issues and complaints. The adaptation of an AI chatbot in an ODL institution as a support system reduces the attrition rate, thereby revolutionising support services’ potential in Open and Distance Learning systems.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the role individual innovativeness along with e-learning self-efficacy play in predicting the e-learning readiness of first- and second-year students of an open and distance education institutions in an African context.Design/methodology/approachTherefore, building on previous related research in this area, a quantitative approach was adopted to address the research questions and to establish whether a statistically significant relationship existed between individual innovativeness, e-learning self-efficacy, the independent variables; and e-learning readiness, the dependent variable. In total, 476 first- and second-years students of the university participated in the four-Likert-type scale survey. The research instrument which comprises 74 survey items was completed by 217 of the students. Statistical tools used for analysing data included both Pearson Product Moment Correlation coefficients andt-tests.FindingsIt was discovered that a strong positive and significant relationship was observed between individual innovativeness and e-learning readiness of first- and second-year students of the Yenagoa Study Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN); a statistically significant relationship was also found between e-learning self-efficacy scores and the e-learning readiness of the first- and second-year students of the Yenagoa Study Centre of NOUN; there was a statistically significant joint relationship between the three variables under investigation; findings equally revealed that male respondents had higher e-learning readiness than their female counterparts.Research limitations/implicationsLike every other study of this nature, this one also suffers some limitations. First, NOUN is a very large university with over half a million students spread across almost 78 study centres. This means that observation from just one study centre amounts to a very small sample size. This according to Schweighofer, Weitlaner, Ebner and Rothe (2019) jeopardises the generalisability and validity of study results. The authors also maintain that empirical data generated from surveys that usually rely participants' abilities to read and select responses without further interpretation by the researchers suffer from cognitive biases like social desirability. To address the above limitations, detailed studies involving all studies centres of NOUN be undertaken and other qualitative and or mixed research methodologies be adopted in the future.Practical implicationsThe implications for this study are that people who are innately innovative will willingly accept technology and by extension, learning in technology-rich environments like those found in like NOUN whose mode of study is blended learning inherently found in open and distance learning (ODL) institution. Therefore, this study is significant as it will provide relevant information to the management and administrators of NOUN, policymakers and regulatory institutions for the development, deployment and implementation of e-learning strategies. Findings will also benefit e-learning initiatives undertaken by similar institutions that adopt the ODL mode of education in Nigeria and other developing countries.Originality/valueEven though, studies on the antecedents of e-learning readiness have been widely conducted across diverse contexts, studies exploring the associations between individual innovativeness, e-learning self-efficacy and e-learning readiness are relatively hard to come by. The above two variables as predicting the e-learning readiness in the study context are comparatively new. This study thus focuses on the relationships between the individual innovativeness levels, e-learning self-efficacy beliefs of students and their e-learning readiness which ultimately determines their ability to sustain studies in an ODL institution.

Despite the existence of Directorate of Learner Support Services in National Open University of Nigeria, many students are unaware of the services and/or do not use them. The majority of students who consider leaving the University do not seek help from the Directorate. Female students particularly, fall in this category in National Open University of Nigeria. This substantiates research findings which argue that students who need help the most are the least likely to seek it out. As a matter of ethics, Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institution has an obligation to take steps toward retention and support of their students to become more engaged and more effective learners, and to build in them resilience. This paper examines ways of developing capacities to expand female student retention and building resilience for their success in National Open University of Nigeria. It combines student survey data, qualitative research with students, and analysis of institutional data to dissever information. It finds that to maximize female student retention and build resilience for completion of programmes admitted for, student and staff capacities could be developed through engagement nurtured within mainstream activities. This will not only engender a strong sense of belonging but will also build in the female students, confidence and resilience to complete their study. Further, the University Management needs to nurture a culture of belonging and creating the necessary infrastructure to promote female student engagement, retention and success.

This study investigated the effect of mathematics innovation and technology on students' academic performance in open and distance learning. Quasi - experimental research design was adopted for the study. The population for the study consisted of all the 200 level primary education students at the National Open University of Nigeria (Ekiti and Lagos State Chapter).The sample of this study was made of 60 students randomly selected using stratified sampling technique. Hypotheses were postulated to find out whether, (i) mathematics innovation and technology influences academic performance of open and distance learning students (ii) location and gender disparity influences academics performance of students in mathematics. The study became necessary following the emerging trend of National University Commission (NUC) in sustaining the development of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN by) ensuring human capacity building at workplace. The study revealed that mathematics innovation, location, gender and technology influences academic performance of students in mathematics. Based on the findings it is recommended that mathematics innovation and technology should be embraced in Open and Distance Learning so as to enhance better performance of students in mathematics.

Though open and distance learning (ODL) has gained prominence in many countries, there are widespread fears for the quality of ODL  programmes. Taking the case of the Bachelor of Arts in Primary Education programme of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), this paper examined theeffectiveness of these programmes in their efforts to contribute to the development of human capacity. Noting the scepticism society holds againstODL programmes, the study sought to establish the comparability of the competence of ODL and conventional face-to-face programme finalists. Thefindings were that there is no significant difference in the competence of the two groups. Therefore, it is concluded that the public should rest assured of the credibility of ODL as an avenue for the development of human capacity and take advantage of ODL programmes.Keywords: Programme evaluation; ODL; Human capacity development

The success of any open and distance learning (ODL) programme depends on how well it is evaluated. In the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), students are assessed and evaluated through continuous assessment as well as end of semester examinations. This paper focuses on Tutor Marked Assignment (TMA), which forms part of continuous assessment process. TMA plays an important role in providing useful feedback to learners. Students are required to work alone on their TMA and the marked TMA scripts returned to students with tutors’ comments serving as a means for feedback. Research evidence indicates that timely/continuous feedback is essential to facilitate learning. In this context and considering the nature of distance learners believed to be physically, temporally and spatially separated from their tutors, this paper seeks to assess how TMA is implemented in NOUN with a view to determining the extent to which the intended purpose is achieved. 320 students, 60 tutorial facilitators, and 180 copies of TMA marked scripts formed the sample for this study. Adopting the descriptive survey design with both qualitative and quantitative approaches in data collection and analysis, the study addressed the following fundamental questions: What type of tutor comment is written on TMA marked scripts What is the time interval between students’ submission of TMA response and receipt of the marked scripts What is the level of TMA cheating among students To what extent does TMA contribute to students learning Findings revealed a wide gap between the intended purpose of TMA and the reality on ground. Suggestions are made on measures to be taken to minimize the gap.

A great political thinker, Aristotle, while giving analogical description of the nature of humankind opined that, “Man is, by nature, a political animal.” and that, “he who is not is either a Priest or a beast, most especially the latter.” This analogy implies that there is politics wherever you meet more than two people in a discussion. However, such confabulation could be regarded as periphery politics of matrimonial, religious, associational or mercantile interests but not partisanship, which needs political parties as vehicles to gain access into the corridors of power. Democracy may be seen as the bedrock of partisan politics because the intention of the players is to take control of government. However, against this general assumption, this is not the limit of democracy as it could be applied in administration and policy implementation. This paper, therefore, intends to explain how democracy works in the operation of the National Open University of Nigeria in pursuance of the National Policy on Education, especially its mission to extend access to education to otherwise disadvantaged Nigerians, including those who are behind the bars, through the Open and Distance Learning (ODL). The paper also discusses the challenges and offers some solution.

COVID-19 Pandemic leads to closure of schools in a bit to curtail and contain the outbreak in Nigeria. However, this has resulted in a complete halt to formal education which primarily affects the teachers, students, and parents. The objective of the study was to investigate the views of Nigerians on integrating distance e-learning into the Nigerian education curriculum. Distance e-learning, the alternative learning method adopted in many countries to rescue formal education, suffers in Nigeria. The significance of distance e-learning and its positive impact on learners’ academic achievements cannot be overstated, especially at a higher level of education. Nigeria has the experience of using distance e-learning, for example, the National Open University of Nigeria`s academic programs (both undergraduate and postgraduate).  Nigerians are ready to adapt this learning method as a viable option during any emergency in the country. However, there are many concerns about accepting the learning method. These include recognition of the certificate obtained, and the access to infrastructures needed: computers, printers, scanners, internet etc. The country shall leverage the successes recorded by the National Open University of Nigeria to integrate distance e-learning into the National curriculum. Policymakers, especially in the education sector, shall provide the enabling environment (policies and infrastructures) needed to integrate distance e-learning into the Nigerian educational curriculum. The motivation and reward system shall be institutionalised at all levels to encourage adequate participation of stakeholders. This chapter highlights new insights for policymakers to ensure successful adaption and integration of distance e-learning into the Nigerian curriculum.