Online Distance Learning Programme Research Articles

International partnerships in developing and deploying health open educational resources

AbstractLack of training opportunities for new and practicing health care professionals constitutes a major barrier to patient care in many developing countries. Open Educational Resources (OER) hold the potential to provide more training materials and alternative learning opportunities for health professionals. OER are teaching and learning materials made freely and openly available for students, faculty, and self learners around the world. OER is not an online distance learning program. The focus of OER is on scaling up teaching and learning capacity in partner institutions by co‐creating new learning materials and converting existing materials into OER.The context for which OER content is produced is often different from the contexts in which it is used. Thus, one of the major challenges of OER is to understand how to create a sustainable OER model to ensure that OER production and use fit different learning and teaching environments. The panel will share their perspectives on the following issues: How are different types of OER created and packaged for delivery and use? What are the challenges brought about by different contexts of knowledge creation and use? How do we design new tools and leverage the existing tools (Sakai course management system, Adobe Connect and similar web conferencing systems, OpenCast and lecture capture systems) to facilitate the creation and use of knowledge? How can we produce sustainable models of OER creation and use?

Twelve tips for supporting online distance learners on medical post-registration courses

There is an increased interest in online distance learning programmes targeted at medical professionals as they are often marketed as providing an ideal way to study due to the flexibility to access high quality materials anywhere, any time and any place. Traditionally, however, online distance learning programmes have low retention rates. Online distance learners are distinctive students who have more constraints than traditional face-to-face students such as time issues as many are working full-time and have family commitments. Lack of student support has been identified as a major factor in students dropping out of online distance learning courses. This article examines the characteristics of a good support system for online distance learning courses and provides practical advice on implementation from development through to evaluation.

Elements of success at a traditional/virtual university: lessons learned from three years of growth in cyberspace

Within three years, Park College (Park University, as of January 1, 2000) has developed an online distance learning program that serves more than 1,700 students per term worldwide. This case study looks at the steps that Park went through and the direction it is now headed.