Abstract
The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) is Nigeria’s only university dedicated to providing education through the use of distance instructional methods. So far, however, the lack of availability and poor distribution of course materials, which underpin instructional delivery at NOUN, continue to be hindrances to achieving the university’s vision and mission. There are delays and difficulties in developing and distributing materials to students and Study Centres. Many pioneer students cannot graduate because of this challenge. This paper examines the process of developing self-instructional course materials at NOUN. It reflects on the challenges associated with the quantity, quality, and timely production of course materials, labelled “the hills, the wills, and the skills” obstacles. The paper concludes that there is a need for better professional development in order to provide efficient ODL delivery.
Highlights
Since its independence in 1960, Nigeria has demonstrated its commitment to education as a tool for national and personal development and as an inalienable right of its citizens (NOUN, 2006)
The National Open University of Nigeria was established because the carrying capacity of the face-to-face conventional tertiary institutions in Nigeria was insufficient
Students are admitted into the various academic programmes in National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN)’s Schools and Centres based on the minimum academic standard for all universities that was approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC, 2005)
Summary
Since its independence in 1960, Nigeria has demonstrated its commitment to education as a tool for national and personal development and as an inalienable right of its citizens (NOUN, 2006). The National Open University of Nigeria was established because the carrying capacity of the face-to-face conventional tertiary institutions in Nigeria was insufficient. NOUN is Nigeria’s only specialist provider of open and distance learning at the tertiary level. It is the country’s largest tertiary institution in terms of student numbers, and it operates from the administrative headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria, with Study Centres spread throughout the country. NOUN is committed to openness and publishes many of its courses as open courseware on its Web site (see http://www.nou.edu.ng/noun/NOUN_OCL/courses.htm). This instructional mode is designed to provide students with the opportunity to acquire knowledge, skills, and techniques that may be relevant to either their present work situation or to future career prospects
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