Abstract
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the attention of distance education issues to the fore in a way not seen before. All forms of educational provision and sectors were affected by the pandemic. The aim of this conceptual leading article is to highlight three pertinent issues that need to be taken into account in Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) to ensure the relevance of the Post School Education and Training (PSET) sector in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and beyond. Based on a review of the literature, the article highlights three pillars of successful use of technology to enhance quality in PSET, especially in the wake of the worldwide transition to remote teaching and learning. The revised agenda comprises the questioning of previously held beliefs about learning and teaching; the responsiveness of curricula and ensuring the quality of ODeL offerings. It argues that unless traditional beliefs about teaching and learning are questioned and curricula are streamlined to align with the demands of the knowledge society, the value of PSET may be trivialised in a context that is so rapidly changing. It also argues that sound quality assurance mechanisms should be put in place to ensure sufficient depth in student learning experiences, rigour in assessment processes and confidence in graduates by employers and society at large. Using the theory of Connectivism as a lens, the authors provide a framework with some recommendations for sound ODeL teaching and learning practices that are relevant for the demands of the 4IR and beyond. The framework focuses on five pillars, which are foregrounding a student-centred approach; embracing appropriate technologies to support teaching and learning; strengthening the capacity to support success; ensuring appropriate assessment processes and regular curriculum revision and renewal.
Highlights
The advent of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has the potential to influence teaching and learning in the Post School Education and Training (PSET) sector in a profound manner
That we have considered the need to question previously held beliefs about learning and teaching; the responsiveness of curricula to the current education landscape and the need for good quality assurance mechanisms, we will interrogate some of the implications of these pillars using the lens of Connectivism
The current COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore the teaching and learning challenges with which the PSET sector has been struggling
Summary
The advent of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has the potential to influence teaching and learning in the Post School Education and Training (PSET) sector in a profound manner. Digitise content, to provide more flexible learning opportunities and to improve the quality of student learning While these trends were slowly taking place, the onset of COVID-19 forced institutions to shut down campuses and limit person-to-person physical contact for the greater part of 2020. Under these conditions, all PSET institutions had no option but to resort to emergency remote teaching and learning (ERTL). The article argues that unless traditional beliefs about teaching and learning are questioned and the curriculum is streamlined enough to align with the demands of the knowledge society and of the workplace, the value of PSET may be trivialised in a context that is so rapidly changing. Krull & Mhlanga Shaping open, distance and e-learning in post school education and training
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