Virtual Tutorials in Adult ODL: A WizIQ Case Study of Wawasan Open University

Phalachandra Bhandigadi,Ishan Sudeera Abeywardena

doi:10.5944/openpraxis.6.1.101

Abstract

Wawasan Open University (WOU) was established in 2007 with the sole aim of providing affordable and accessible higher education opportunities to working adults in the fields of business, technology, education and liberal studies. As part of its Open Distance Learning (ODL) delivery, WOU provides tutorial support for students every semester through 5 sessions of 2 hours each. These tutorials are considered to be crucial in the learning process as they provide an opportunity for students to get their doubts clarified by a subject matter expert (tutor) in a synchronous environment. In the initial years, the University used face-to-face and video conferencing modes for conducting tutorials. However, both these modes have their own limitations. As a possible alternative, WOU has since ventured into Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) in the form of WizIQ to remedy some of these limitations. This paper discusses in detail the processes which took place in migrating to WizIQ tutorials and provides some best practices for implementation.

Highlights

Wawasan Open University (WOU) is a relatively young not for profit higher education institution in Malaysia
All WOU programs are accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and approved by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE)
In an attempt to standardise the use of WizIQ across WOU, a Standard Operational Policy and Procedure (SOPP) was developed in 2013

Summary

Introduction

Wawasan Open University (WOU) is a relatively young not for profit higher education institution in Malaysia. The first is a dedicated online Learning Management System (LMS) based on the moodle platform which allows students, tutors and course coordinators to interact in a virtual environment. The University appoints tutors every semester for the courses being offered These appointments are based on their academic qualifications and teaching experience with respect to conducting the two hour tutorial sessions. This paper discusses how WOU has adopted the use of WizIQ to provide tutorial support for its adult ODL students. In an attempt to standardise the use of WizIQ across WOU, a Standard Operational Policy and Procedure (SOPP) was developed in 2013 This SOPP provides details about the purpose, scope, definitions / acronyms used, responsibilities and authority of various stake holders when using WizIQ for conducting tutorial sessions.

Possible scenarios during the class

Findings

Conclusion