Distance Learning University Research Articles

Diffusion of Innovations Approach to the Evaluation of Learning Management System Usage in an Open Distance Learning Institution

<p class="2">Academic institutions such as the University of South Africa (Unisa) are using information and communication technology (ICT) in order to conduct their daily primary operations, which are teaching and learning. Unisa is the only distance learning university in South Africa and also in Africa. Unisa currently has the highest number of students on the continent of Africa. In an attempt to bridge the gap between facilitators and students, Unisa introduced a learning management system known as myUnisa. MyUnisa is used by facilitators and students as a tool to conduct teaching and learning, and for communication. To the best of the researcher’s knowledge, factors that influence its acceptance and usage have not been studied prior to this study. The main deciders of the success of technology are the users, as is reflected in the well-established theories and models that exist to evaluate the acceptance of technology and innovation. The objective of this study was to understand the factors that contribute to the usage of myUnisa by students. An online questionnaire was used for data collection, and a quantitative analysis was conducted. Among others, the results reveal that complexity does not have a significant impact on the students' decision to use myUnisa.</p>

Bibliometric indicators in the context of regional repositories: proposing the D-index

In collaboration with the managers of a university, we have conducted an action research to gauge the adequacy of texts written by researchers in the doctoral programs of the institution as the input (content) for the university's distance learning program. For the analyses, bibliometric data were collected regarding the articles in question from the regional SciELO repository. This repository was chosen because the articles are mostly published in Portuguese, which is in the domain of the target readership of the distance learning project. It was observed that there was a need for an indicator that related the number of downloads of an article to the total number of downloads of the journal in which it was published. Thus, we propose the D-index, defined as the number of papers with download number ?d, as a useful index for characterizing the academic popularity (hits) of a journal. The first applications of the D-index in terms of professional practice were positive, given its usefulness and practicality. The D-index aids the analysis of the download of an article, which is a fundamental event for subsequent reading, internalization and learning. An analysis of this set of actions is essential to the context of regional repositories, as their mission also includes the dissemination of information to aid the learning and education of their readers.

A distance learning university and its economic impact in a country’s peripheries: the case of Hellenic Open University

Higher education institutions can contribute into regional growth via the services of teaching they provide, the research activity they develop and the administration spillover effects on the local markets they operate. This paper attempts to quantify the impact of university expenditures on the regionally produced product (GDP). More specifically, we focus on the expenditure effects of the Hellenic Open University on the GDP of the 13 Greek regions. In our analysis we distinguish between direct and indirect effects by identifying as direct effects all initial expenditures incurred by the HOU while we identify and subsequently calculate as indirect effects the increases in local output caused by the interactions of different sectors of the regional economy. For the calculation of indirect effects we use the input–output methodology. An input–output system shows the intermediate transactions between sectors and the primary inputs, as well as, the final demand of each sector. This is a general equilibrium system that records all the inter-sector transactions presenting a complete picture of the economy under examination and being the appropriate system to be used for calculating the total effect of university expenditure on regional GDP. Our results suggest that the economic impact of HOU is (a) significant to the Greek peripheries and its size varies across regions; (b) indirect regional effects boost the direct regional effects by 60 % creating an overall size of the HOU expenses GDP multiplier by 1.6 on average. Moreover, our findings may have two straightforward policy implications that could be useful to those exercising policy making: first, the quantification of HOU economic impact on all Greek peripheries is not only useful for assessing the economic role of HOU at regional level but it could also been seen as a benchmark in assessing the impact of other similar regional educational activities. Secondly, the economic impact of HOU in each periphery can be a useful tool in assessing alternative non-educational, regional projects, aiming to fight the high unemployment arisen due to economic crisis that bedevils Greece and its peripheries in the last 5 years.

Evaluating Mobile-Centric Readiness of Higher Education Institutions: The Case of Institutional Policies and Information Systems Students

Many higher education students live and operate in mobile-centric environments. The question is whether the policies of higher education institutions (HEI) are aligned with students’ readiness for mobile technology information access and interaction. To investigate this question from a policy perspective, nine policies from the open and distance learning (ODL) university in South Africa were analysed for providing institutional mobile-centric support. Policy document analysis was used to evaluate five information and communication technology (ICT) polices and four teaching and learning policies. The analysis focused on how the policies support the provision of mobile infrastructure, technical support and learning resources. To investigate from the students’ perspective, quantitative data was captured on Information Systems students’ readiness through a survey of a total of 129 respondents from the same university. The mobile-centric readiness of students was evaluated based on factors that could affect the readiness of students in accessing and interacting with mobile-centric services. The factors investigated were infrastructure ownership, knowledge of mobile phone features and mobile phone Internet activities. The findings revealed that Information Systems students are ready to use mobile phones as tools for information access and interaction, but some inadequacies were observed in the way the policies support the students’ needs. This study proposes some recommendations on how the policies could better support students’ mobile phone information access and interaction.

THE EFFECTS OF VOLUNTEERING ON STUDENT VOLUNTEERS

The aim of this study was to find out how students are influenced by the practical work (‘volunteering’) they do as part of a course in psychology at Unisa. Psychological and educational theories that can be related to volunteering are discussed briefly. Qualitative research was done by analysing students’ feedback on their voluntary work. Students reported mostly on the positive effects of volunteering, which is consistent with existing research. The most prominent of the positive psychological effects is that of self-awareness. A further very important effect is increased open-mindedness with regard to people of other cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. Other positive effects found are career awareness, a sense of achievement, and the opportunity to put theory into practice. It is concluded that students at an open distance learning university benefit from doing practical work related to their field of study, and they also contribute to communities’ development nationally and worldwide. ‘Volunteering’ (implemented more than 10 years ago) is compared to newer concepts such as ‘work-integrated learning’, ‘experiential learning’ and ‘service-learning’, and it is recommended that future planning for this course should attempt to bring volunteering more into line with these new concepts. A further recommendation is that more intensive research be done on the effects of volunteering on the transactional distance between students and university.

The quality of teaching and learning of BCom honours degree students at an open distance learning university in South Africa

ABSTRACTStudent support at Unisa involves a range of stakeholders providing academic and administrative support. The study was conducted among Unisa BCom honours students. The main objective of the study was to determine the educational quality of teaching and learning offered. Students were contacted by e-mail and asked to complete an online questionnaire. New methods on problem solving, investigating problems and formulating problems were found very useful and students gained independence in developing their learning capabilities. Available resources and supervision were not utilized to the full. Adequate financial aid seemed to be a problem. Support should be optimized and students should realize that all resources made available to them are crucial for their success. Students are of all ages and levels of maturity and have different needs and views regarding their studies. Unisa should endeavour to meet as many of these needs as is practically possible.

Implications for academic workload of the changing role of distance educators

The changing work roles and resulting workloads of distance educators hold significant implications for the wellbeing and mental health of academics. New work roles include redesigning curricula for online delivery, increasing staff-student ratios and demands for student-support, management of part-time staff, and 24-h availability. This research was conducted to investigate the perceived importance of various job roles constituting the quantitative and qualitative workload of distance educators at an open and distance learning university in South Africa. A quantitative, cross-sectional self-report survey design was employed. A stratified random sampling technique was used to ensure generalisability. The questionnaires were completed online, and the results were statistically analysed. The findings include a priority list of 40 distance educators’ work roles that may impact on their perceived workload. The article offers recommendations for policy development to facilitate a healthy workload allocation for distance educators.

Associations between Academic Performance, Academic Attitudes, and Procrastination in a Sample of Undergraduate Students Attending Different Educational Forms

This study focuses on differences between attitudes toward school, procrastination and academic performance among traditional and distance learning university students. The study sample consists of 162 participants, students of the Babes Bolyai University, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. The participants were asked to provide demographical data and completed two questionnaires (Attitude Towards School Scale, Scale of Active and Passive Procrastination). Results suggest that there are weak to medium associations between some aspects of procrastination and the academic attitudes of students. The students from both types of educational form show lower levels of academic results when they procrastinate more passively.

Uptake of OER by staff in distance education in South Africa

Open Educational Resources (OER) emerged within the context of open education which is typically characterized by the sharing of knowledge and resources and the exchange of ideas. Unisa as a mega open distance learning (ODL) university has publicly communicated its intention to take part in the use and creation of OER. As global and local university research on OER is limited, this prompted an investigation to gauge the uptake of OER at Unisa, by staff, with the purpose of institutional information gathering for decision making and planning in this area. During 2014, a survey was undertaken for this reason. The survey examined knowledge of OER, Intellectual Property (IP) Rights and Licensing, participation in OER, barriers to OER and OER in the Unisa context with a view to determining the stage at which the institution is in terms of adopting and engaging with the OER initiative. The results indicated that although there is knowledge and understanding of OER, this has not been converted into active participation. It further highlighted the barriers that are prohibiting the operationalization of OER and resulted in recommendations for planning and activities in respect of OER. The constructs investigated and the results thereof might not be generalizable to other contexts, although commonalities are likely. The insights should prove useful to a variety of contexts. The paper illustrates the need for institutions, irrespective of context, to take stock of the impact of initiatives and in this case evaluate how the institution and staff mature through various phases in the uptake of OER in order to guide effective planning, decision making and implementation.

Virtual Teaching Dispositions at a South African Open Distance Learning University

Previous research investigated academics’ use, knowledge and adoption of emerging technologies in an open distance learning (ODL) environment in some depth. Investigating the key characteristics and implicit competencies underlying online teaching at this South African ODL institution should further promote an understanding of academics’ uptake of virtually mediated instruction. The Virtual Teaching Dispositions Scale (VTDS) was used to assess the professional teaching dispositions associated with effective online instruction. The aim of this study was to identify associations between virtual/technological presence, pedagogical presence, expert/cognitive presence and social presence among academic staff members at an ODL institution, making suggestions for improving online teaching in this environment.

Education for sustainable development through e-learning in higher education: experiences from Portugal

E-learning in higher education can be of great relevance in effective life-long learning education for sustainable development in a population of students who are simultaneously full time employees. The aim of this research was to assess the Education of Sustainable Development effectiveness through e-learning in higher education in a case study. The expectations and experience of students who enrolled in more than one programme in environmental and/or sustainability science (bachelor, master, and doctorate), offered by Universidade Aberta, the Portuguese Distance Learning University, were analysed. The six dimensions analysed were: general expectations; learning quality; teaching resources, pedagogical tools and evaluation; acquired competences in education for sustainable development; satisfaction and interactions; and reasons to pursue enrolment in a new programme at Universidade Aberta. Data was collected using semi-structured qualitative interviews. The results showed that the surveyed students felt that they attained a high level of motivation and satisfaction, and had reached an effective learning outcome of knowledge, competences, values, attitudes and behaviour in environment and/or sustainability sciences. For these reasons they were motivated to return to Universidade Aberta and enrol for further training in the sustainability area. These results are built upon previous work developed by the authors, and allow us to conclude that formal e-learning programmes can provide an effective alternative to face-to-face training, allowing students to pursue their studies, in a flexible, collaborative and interactive way, whilst holding down full time jobs. In this way, Education for Sustainable Development in an e-learning regime can contribute to, and have a role in, the transition to sustainable societal patterns.

O PAPEL DA UNIREDE NA CONSTRUÇÃO DAS POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS PARA A EAD NO BRASIL

The initial public policy for distance education in the country, made with “ProLicenciatura”, was built on a dialogue with representatives from partner institutions, through mediation of UNIREDE. The Pro-Licenciatura was the first experience of the federal government to start the implementation of distance graduation programs in public universities. In a time when we discuss distance education institutionalization in universities, the rescue of historical negotiation and discussion to the creation and expansion of distance learning courses can be an important differential for us to think in diversified and contextualized proposals for distance learning in universities. This article proposes to examine the role of UNIREDE on building a public policy for distance education in the country that privileged dialogue and cooperation between representatives of higher education institutions, specifically the period of construction of a public policy for distance education in the country. The methodological approach is based on documental research, since the central question of the study is related to a specific policy with the theoretical scope in the field of cultural studies which enables to use different media and discuss whether or not it can be used as a legitimate expression of thought of a particular group. The results of our survey indicates that UNIREDE had a key role in the dialogue of the construction of public policies in distance education, including the creation of proposals and selection criteria of the Higher Education Institutes (IES), coordinating groups and minimizing the unequal power relations between various groups that participated in the process.

Academy of Construction for University Applicants as a Tool of University Online Marketing

The article is devoted to Academy of Construction for University Applicants distance course. The course is posted on university Distance Learning Portal (http://dl.spbstu.ru) based on Moodle. The course is a tool of university online marketing. The main benefits for students trained in this course are analyzed.

Polishing the Thinking on the Role of Open and Distance Learning in Socio-Economic Development: Exposing the Missing Functions of Higher Education

Open and Distance Learning universities have a missing mission if they fail to provide socio-economic development to all of society. Higher education is considered as the panacea to socio-economic development by nations, the world over. It brings to the individual mental treasure, knowledge and skills that are useful in the development of a country and hence, it is the bedrock to socio-economic development. The philosophy of ODL which include, among others, access, flexibility and free choice by learners is its competitive advantage and is the centrepiece of societal improvement. For socio-economic development to be achieved, large numbers of people in society, including women, have to be highly educated so as to capacitate them with knowledge of high standards of health, disease prevention, participation in political and economic activities, farming, self-reliance skills, among other things. ODL meets this role of equipping society with higher education knowledge and skills which are requisite for socio-economic development. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n11p177

Work Engagement in Female Academics at an Open Distance Learning and a Contact University in South Africa - A Review and Critique

This research focused on the work engagement as represented by the sub-dimensions of vigour, absorption and dedication in female academics at two universities in South Africa. An open distance learning (ODL) university, as well as a traditional contact university were targeted. A positive psychological paradigm perspective guided the research. A cross-sectional survey design was used. In total 187 permanently employed female academics at the two universities completed the survey. The findings included that the work engagement scores of the female academics were just above average. It is recommended that universities introduce a management strategy to facilitate, nurture and encourage the experience of work engagement among female academics and that these academics take personal responsibility for their own wellness. Furthermore, they need to act on the initial signs of decreasing work engagement, rather than dismissing it as mere fatigue or lack of energy. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n7p324

Psychological Well-being (PWB) and Personal Problems (PP) in University Students: A Descriptive Study in Distance Learning Context, Preliminary Results

The present research work examines the distance learning university student from UNAD university (Colombia), regarding the psychological well-being area as a basic dimension of human beings and also under the perspective of the personal problems adjustment and adaptation.Pre-degree courses students samples were used and standardized research instruments were applied to evaluate the variables, reviewing explanatory theoretical models in a historical line and its application in a population with particular characteristics.The results from this study show high levels of psychological well-being and an appropriate personal problems management, contributing with remarkable data in reference to the distance learning university students researching field

Roles and student identities in online large course forums: Implications for practice

<p>The use of large online discussion forums within online and distance learning continues to grow. Recent innovations in online learning such as the MOOC (massive open online course) and concomitant growth in the use of online media for the delivery of courses in traditional campus based universities provide both opportunity and challenge for online tutors and learners alike. The recognition of the role that online tutors and student identity plays in the field of retention and progression of distance learners is also well documented in the field of distance learning. Focusing on a course forum linked to a single Level 2 undergraduate module and open to over 1,000 students, this ideographic case study, set in a large distance learning university, uses qualitative methodology to examine the extent to which participation in a large forum can be considered within community of practice (COP) frameworks and contributes to feelings of efficacy, student identity, and motivation. The paper draws on current theory pertaining to online communities and examines this in relation to the extent to which the forum adds to feelings of academic and social integration. The study concludes that although the large forum environment facilitates a certain degree of academic integration and identity there is evidence that it also presents a number of barriers producing negative effects on student motivation and online identity.</p>

Matching Core Competencies To Key Success Factors In Odl, Some Views From The Zimbabwe Open University

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is increasingly being incorporated into many Zimbabwean college and university programmes. The Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) is the only fully fledged open and distance learning University in Zimbabwe. This study assesses the core competencies of the ZOU with a view to establishing whether these match critical success factors in ODL. The study employs a case study approach where documentary evidence and the author's experiences are the main sources of information. The critical success factors in ODL identified in this study include technology related factors, learning approach, course related factors and learner support services. The study revealed that the main competencies of the ZOU are its capacity to deploy in different geographical areas for the convenience of learners, the ability to produce learning materials and a comprehensive learner support system. The University also has competent and experienced staff, a strong brand which has continued to attract students and staff even when some programmes had been suspended, resource mobilization, vibrant alumni, sound industrial relations, advisory boards, an established research department and research culture, good marketing and public relations function, an established quality assurance department and other human resources related competencies. With the above mentioned competencies, the ZOU has made significant progress in matching its competencies with the critical success factors in ODL. It is recommended that the University introduces ethics workshops for employees so as to reduce negative publicity about ZOU employees. It is also recommended that the University increases consultation and cooperation with regulatory authorities. To increase enrolment of foreign students, the University should leverage on its resourceful ICT department to provide online courses and tutorials.

Unpacking Quality Assurance Issues in Distance Education, Using the University of South Africa, a Mega Open Distance Learning University as an Example

Unpacking Quality Assurance Issues in Distance Education, Using the University of South Africa, a Mega Open Distance Learning University as an Example

A comparison of engagement and interaction among university distance learning students

When facilitating instruction in distance learning environments, educators are presented with challenges in student motivation and development of community. We used a mixed-method approach to analyse the interaction patterns and quality of discussion among distance learning college students who used two different course tools to complete assignments. Six patterns of discussion emerged from the posts: agreement, disagreement, countering, belief, statement, and re-state. We used a five-point scale to assess the quality of students’ posts. The student posts from VoiceThread™ (VT) assignments had higher quality scores and higher frequency of countering and belief statements. Whereas, the student posts from discussion board (DB) assignments had lower quality scores and a higher frequency of re-statement and agree statements. Student feedback regarding the use of the VT tool was positive. Additional analysis of using the VT tool with different types of assignments and in other online courses is necessary.