Issues and Challenges in Open and Distance e-Learning: Perspectives from the Philippines

Patricia Brazil Arinto

doi:10.19173/irrodl.v17i2.1913

Abstract

Rapid advances in information and communications technology in the digital age have brought about significant changes in the practice of distance education (DE) worldwide. DE practitioners in the Philippines’ open university have coined the term ‘open and distance e-learning’ (ODeL) to refer to the new forms of DE, which are characterised by the convergence of an open learning philosophy, DE pedagogies, and e-learning technologies. This paper discusses the issues and challenges that ODeL poses for the Philippines’ open university from the point of view of the institution’s leading ODeL practitioners. The paper concludes with a discussion of the policy development and administrative changes required to support innovative teaching practice across the institution. The findings and conclusions are relevant for other institutions in the same stage of ODeL development.

Highlights

Rapid advances in information and communications technology (ICT) have brought about significant changes in the field of distance education (DE) since the mid-1990s
This paper reports part of the findings of a collective case study of open and distance e-learning” (ODeL) course design practice in a DE institution based on the experiences of 10 university faculty
The issues and challenges identified by the research participants may be classified into two: (1) the need to stimulate innovative practice among University of the Philippines – Open University (UPOU) faculty who remain unengaged in ODeL; and (2) the need to support and sustain innovative practice among the innovators (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Rapid advances in information and communications technology (ICT) have brought about significant changes in the field of distance education (DE) since the mid-1990s. These are encapsulated in the shift by many DE institutions from print-based to online delivery using virtual learning environments (VLEs) and various Web technologies. At the University of the Philippines – Open University (UPOU), a single-mode DE institution in the Philippines, the term “open and distance e-learning” (ODeL) has been coined to refer to the new mode of online or Web-based DE. Using online portals and VLEs further enables DE institutions to support both independent learning and collaborative learning through “increasingly complex pedagogical structures” (Haughey et al, 2008, p. 15)

Methods

Results

Conclusion