Open Distance Learning Context Research Articles

Empowering Minds from Afar: A Systematic Literature Review on the Effectiveness of Collaborative Learning in Open Distance Learning Context

Since the advent of modern technology, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, open distance learning (ODL) has become increasingly popular. ODL has emerged as a flexible mode of education that allows learners to collaborate online, breaking down geographical barriers. In the context of ODL, incorporating collaborative learning strategies has gained significant attention due to its potential to enhance the quality of education and foster a sense of community among learners. Cooperative learning in ODL is a pedagogical approach that encourages learners to actively engage with their peers, instructors, and course materials to construct knowledge. It leverages various technologies and online platforms to facilitate interactions among learners, creating a virtual classroom that transcends geographical boundaries. This systematic literature review provides insights into past studies on collaborative learning strategies, focusing on students' interest and motivation, retention, and achievements. The analysis of existing ODL practices aims to highlight the benefits and drawbacks of collaborative learning strategies in ODL. The results of this research contribute to our understanding of effective teaching methodologies in ODL. Additionally, it underscores the pressing need for innovative solutions to address the challenges of fostering collaboration among students.

Exploring the Impact of E-Learning Strategies on Enhancing Workplace English Competence at an Open Distance E-Learning (ODeL) University in South Africa

This study explores the implementation of e-learning strategies to enhance workplace English competence. The focus is on a semester module that consists of approximately 10,000 first-year university students in an ODeL context in South Africa. The study’s objective was to collect data and contribute to the field of language learning in the workplace. Guided by the TPACK theory, the investigation employed qualitative research methods, incorporating open-ended evaluation questions and an observation schedule. The instruments allowed for a deep exploration of students’ perspectives and experiences with e-learning strategies, specifically their impact on workplace English competence. The results of the study highlighted the positive effects of e-learning strategies on enhancing workplace English competence. Participants reported improved language skills, increased confidence in communication, and an enhanced ability to meet workplace language requirements. In addition, the findings revealed the significance of interactive multimedia materials, collaborative learning activities, and personalised feedback as effective pedagogical approaches in the module. The contributions of this study lie in its exploration and validation of e-learning strategies for the enhancement of workplace English competence at a distance learning university.

Exploring The Barriers Hindering Tutors Student Support in an Open Distance Learning Context

Exploring The Barriers Hindering Tutors Student Support in an Open Distance Learning Context

Enhancing Mathematics Teaching Practice Supervision in an Open Distance E-Learning Context: Challenges and Successes with 4IR

Enhancing Mathematics Teaching Practice Supervision in an Open Distance E-Learning Context: Challenges and Successes with 4IR

Examining Student Support in Implementing Open Distance Learning during COVID-19

In times of crisis and the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has observed exponential growth of online education as educators and students are required to stay at home and resume with online learning entirely. With the new norms in education, come new experiences and challenges. The demands in online learning have pushed both students and educators to maximise their information communication technology (ICT) skills and caused some to be unwillingly ready for the new normal. The purpose of this study is to describe the student support of registered students in open distance learning (ODL) institutions during the COVID-19 era. Active learning theory is adopted as a theoretical lens for the interpretation of the data. This study used a quantitative research method approach to gather insights regarding the student experience pertaining to technology integration in the ODL context during COVID-19. The findings uncovered challenges associated with online student support in ODL context. This paper provide recommendations to key stakeholders in higher learning institutions and future research directions. Keywords: active learning theory, COVID-19, information communication technology, open distance learning, student support

Engaging mathematics student-teachers in an Open Distance e-learning context

Isolation, lack of connection and/or belonging, difficulty maintaining engagement and motivation for learning are common complaints for students separated from teaching and support staff in distance education. Using a mixed-methods approach, this article utilises dimensions of student engagement: cognitive, emotional and social behaviour to argue on student-teachers’ engagement in mathematics learning for teaching in the Open Distance e-Learning (ODeL) context. A survey was administered to 654 students in an institution registered for Postgraduate Certificate in Education mathematics didactics course. Furthermore, five of the students were interviewed using emails and audio-recorded telephone calls. Findings reveal that student-teachers sometimes feel hopeless due to connectivity and data issues, which then impacts their time to engage with mathematics content. They also revealed that when they engage in discussion forums, they enjoy learning mathematics with their peers. It was also revealed that feedback on their assignments guides them on the correctness of their solutions as they otherwise would not have been able to do this on their own. It is recommended that further work be done to establish how cognitive engagement with mathematics can be positively impacted in an ODeL context.

The Responsiveness of Teacher Education Managers at an ODeL College to Resilience and the Well-Being of Staff Working from Home During COVID-19

<p style="text-align: justify;">The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has increased anxiety and stress among teacher education managers and has given rise to the question of whether they have the competencies to execute their operational responsibilities productively. The theories of resilience and transformational leadership underpin this study in which teacher education managers’ resilience and their responsiveness to the well-being of staff executing their operational practices in an open distance e-learning context were explored. A qualitative approach was adopted and virtual video conferencing interviews with teacher education managers were used to explore how they mitigated their strategic and operational roles and their managerial functions to ensure the well-being and organisational performance of staff working from home. Results revealed the experiences of distance managers to have been positive in that they implemented organisational strategies to mitigate the challenges faced to ensure wellness and performance among staff working from a distance. Further research applying a mixed-method design should be undertaken to determine how resilient managers and staff working from home are. That may yield different results.</p>

Exclusion Reloaded: The Chronicles of Covid-19 on Students with Disabilities in a South African Open Distance Learning Context

Students with disabilities have been going through different forms of discrimination and exclusion. These include inaccessible learning materials and learning platforms, negative attitudes from lecturers, fellow students and more. This paper comes from a qualitative study that sought to explore how Covid-19 deepened these educational inequalities at an Open Distance Learning institution in South Africa. The results of the study reveal that institutions of higher learning had to quickly adjust their teaching and assessment to online mode. This led to heightened exclusion of students with disabilities as their examinations had to be postponed to second semester due to lack of preparations for special examinations. Students also reported experiencing extra pressure as they had to write double the examinations at the end of the year. Some students reported lack of access to assistive technologies which they normally borrow from the library, this was because the Post Office was not operating during the National Lockdown Level 5. The novel nature of Covid-19 is such that the real barriers it caused on people and students with disabilities in particular and it will keep revealing itself gradually. This paper ends by making recommendations on how an ODL institution could accommodate the needs of students with disabilities to enhance their learning experiences during pandemics or natural disasters.

The role of organisational performance in moderating human resource management and outstanding outcomes in open distance learning context

Plausible factors interrelated in human resource management (HRM), organisational performance (OP), and outstanding outcomes (OO) in open distance learning (ODL) context laden tightly with educational technology were explored. It was aimed at exposing the moderating role of OP between HRM and OO (services, products, and systems). Qualitatively, HRM included selection and recruitment, work definition, training program, performance measurement, compensation scheme, career planning, quality assurance, and employee participation. OP was influenced by HRM and leading to OO. Quantitatively, HRM, OP, and OO were independent, moderating, and dependent variables respectively. Responses from 158 faculty were completed. Eight of 11 hypotheses assessed were validated by the analysis utilising structural equation modelling (SEM). Career planning was the most significant influence while selection and recruitment, work definition, and quality assurance were not validated. Besides, OP led to OO. Importance-performance analysis (IPA) and customer-satisfaction index (CSI) discovered 18 attributes as the pillars of HRM and OP.

The role of organisational performance in moderating human resource management and outstanding outcomes in open distance learning context

The role of organisational performance in moderating human resource management and outstanding outcomes in open distance learning context

Experiences of Nontraditional Students and Academics of the Recognition of Prior Learning Process for Admission to Graduate Studies: A South African Case Study in Open Distance Learning

The purpose of this study is to report on the recognition of prior learning (RPL) experiences of students and academics in a graduate context at an open distance learning (ODL) institution. Although students and academics are the key participants in the RPL process for access to graduate studies, their experiences regarding the process, specifically in an ODL context, appear to be under-investigated, given the limited number of studies conducted at distance learning institutions. Within an interpretative paradigm, the study followed a qualitative approach. A case study design was used to collect data employing open-ended questionnaires for students and academics involved in reviewing the RPL application students. The study involved research participants who were directly involved in the RPL process. The findings revealed that, apart from granting them admission to graduate studies, RPL candidates benefited from the process on a personal and academic level. The key aspects of RPL, such as preparation of evidence for assessment, which is similar to those of sustainable assessment, contribute to students becoming aware of their learning potential. This research contributes in a manner that provides more insight into this important academic experience of nontraditional students. This study recommends that an RPL process be an empowering and quality student experience that aims not only to prepare them for RPL assessment but also for the context after access to graduate studies.

Toward a Framework for Quality Assurance of library and Information Science Education in an Open Distance e-Learning Environment in Eswatini

This paper is based on a study that is aimed at developing a framework for quality assurance of Library and Information Science (LIS) education in an Open Distance e-Learning (ODeL) environment. The study was anchored on the interpretive research paradigm and entailed a literature review. LIS, as a field of study that is delivered on an ODeL platform, is proposed for Eswatini. The quality of such a programme is of great concern among stakeholders. This study develops a framework for quality assurance in the development of LIS programmes in an ODeL context in Eswatini.

An E-Portfolio as an Assessment Strategy in an Open Distance Learning Context

There has been a growing interest in using an e-portfolio as an alternative method of assessment in an open distance eLearning environment. The use of an e-portfolio as another method of assessment in Environmental Education (EE) has not been sufficiently researched. The purpose of this study was to explore how the use of an e-Portfolio as an alternative method of assessment enhances pre-service teachers' technological pedagogy in an environmental education module. Qualitative data was collected using interviews and document analysis. The study employed interpretive paradigm, connectivism theory, and purposive sampling. A qualitative approach was employed to analyse and identify emerging themes from the data. The qualitative findings are that the e-portfolio was significant in assessing sustainable education, enhanced the pre-service teachers' digital pedagogy. Challenges included a lack of computer skills, connectivity, support during compilation of e-portfolio, and sufficient activities to promote teachers' digital pedagogy.

TEACHING AND LEARNING SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES IN OPEN DISTANCE E-LEARNING

The transformation of higher education, in line with the South African Constitution, has led to increased enrolments of students with disabilities. However, limited research has been conducted on teaching and learning support these students receive. Access of students with disabilities in higher education is a human rights issue yet research shows that it has not been linked to increase in instructional support. As such, their participation has been limited. Some of the barriers limiting their participation are lecturers’ negative attitudes due to lack of disability awareness and the unavailability or inadequacy of support in teaching and learning. As a result, higher education institutions have not succeeded in creating enabling teaching and learning environments for these students. This paper seeks to initiate discussion about the teaching and learning support needs of students with disabilities, particularly in an Open Distance e-Learning context and to propose strategies that can be employed to increase the quality of their participation and improve their academic outcomes.

E-Pedagogical Support Strategies to Teaching Methodology of Economics Students at an Open Distance Learning University

A systematic review of the literature of e-pedagogical support strategies for an open distance learning context was done to explore the knowledge “gap” on existing scholarly works. This paper investigates the use of pedagogical support strategies employed to support student learning in an online Teaching Methodology of Economics course. The research followed a pragmatic approach—an explanatory mixed-methods design—to conduct the research. An online questionnaire and eDiscussion forum entries were employed to collect data. Convenient and purposive sampling of postgraduate students (n=179) in Teaching Methodology of Economics were selected. Students voluntarily completed the online survey. Findings and practical implications were formulated to advance online pedagogical strategies to support student learning and thus promote essential competencies for the course in the college of education at an open distance learning university. The current study has only examined a small sampling of student views regarding pedagogical strategies employed in a teacher education online course. More research is needed to establish whether a larger sample, comparing similar courses in the teacher education programme, will yield different results.

Institutional barriers to learning in the South African open distance learning context

The discourses surrounding student success and risk have shifted emphasis from the concept of risk as residing with student attributes, aptitudes and socio-economic history to the concept of contextualized risk, which is a result of the interaction between student, institution and the broader higher education context. This shift in discourse has led to a change in understanding the role that institutions play in “creating” at-risk students through institutional culture, procedures, policies and assumptions about the nature of teaching and learning. Institutional barriers to learning have received relatively little attention in the scholarship of teaching and learning when compared to the wider body of research on student-bound risk factors. Institutional barriers to learning refer to those institutional characteristics that, when combined with the attributes of the student body, create inadvertent barriers to successful study completion. This article makes use of frameworks derived from prior research into the barriers to learning and established models of student support to identify what students perceive as institutionally embedded barriers to teaching and learning in an institution in the South African open, distance and e-learning context.

Developing a Mobile App for Learning English Vocabulary in an Open Distance Learning Context

Academic success depends on the comprehension of a language, which is linked to vocabulary learning. Many distance students in South Africa find it difficult to comprehend learning in a language other than their mother tongue. Finding effective strategies for enhancing English vocabulary of university students amidst the spatial, temporal, and pedagogic distance associated with Open Distance Learning (ODL) practices remains a challenge. To address the need for enhancing vocabulary development, mobile application systems (apps) were explored as the best vehicle for the delivery of the vocabulary learning. Mobile learning technologies are ideal in the ODL context because they are flexible, accessible, available, and cater for a myriad of interaction activities. The purpose of the study is to design and implement a mobile-based application aimed at enhancing English vocabulary teaching and learning. Using the Design-Based Research methodology, this study maps the steps taken to develop a vocabulary learning mobile app named VocUp; it describes the architecture, user interface, features of VocUp, and advocates for contextually-conscious and learning-driven app development.

A comparison of the utility of data mining algorithms in an open distance learning context

The use of data mining within the higher education context has, increasingly, been gaining traction. A parallel examination of the accuracy, robustness and utility of the algorithms applied within data mining is argued as a necessary step toward entrenching the use of EDM. This paper provides a comparative analysis of various classification algorithms within an Open Distance Learning institution in South Africa. The study compares the performance of the ZeroR, OneR, Naive Bayes, IBk, Simple Logistic Regression and the J48 in classifying students within a cohort over an 8 year timespan. The initial results appear to show that, given the data quality and structure of the institution under study, the J48 most consistently performed with the highest levels of accuracy.

Economics student teachers’ views on the usefulness of a flipped classroom pedagogical approach for an open distance eLearning environment

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore to what extent a flipped classroom pedagogy (FCP) design as a digital pedagogical tool enhances student teachers’ learning in economics education at an open distance e-Learning (ODeL) university.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory study used a quantitative approach and online survey design. The sample consisted of 214 Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and 157 Baccalaureus Educationis (BEd) (senior and further education and training phase) student teachers. A closed structured online questionnaire, Flipped Classroom Pedagogy Questionnaire, designed on a four-point Likert scale, was used to collect data. Descriptive and inferential data were computed to explore student teachers’ learning to teach an economics education in a teacher education course. Ethical clearance was granted and therefore adheres to the policy on research ethics of the university.FindingsEmpirically, the findings of this paper revealed that the FCP digital pedagogy enhanced economics students’ academic performance and perceptions in an online open distance learning environment. Furthermore, student teachers perceived that the functionality of the FCP experience as an online strategy was useful and effective for their learning. Therefore, these findings confirmed and extended what is revealed by earlier research studies regarding the debate on the usefulness of the FCP approach as a powerful technology-integrated teaching design in teacher education courses.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this investigation could not be generalised because a small sample was selected. Further investigation is needed regarding comparing other similar modules of the PGCE/BEd (senior and FET phase) programmes over a longer investigative period in the college. Further research should be explored, employing a mixed-methods approach on how student teachers perceived academic support in the FCP strategy towards self-directed learning.Practical implicationsUltimately, several implications for using the FCP approach emerged, in particular for rethinking teacher education programmes to support and accommodate the digital learner. To implement this approach successfully, faculties should formulate clear intended outcomes for implementing the FCP pedagogical approach. In addition, faculties at higher education institutions should seriously consider the merits of the FCP approach in order to avoid becoming redundant. Therefore, lecturers who intend to use this strategy either through a contact, blended or ODeL mode of delivery, are compelled to provide consistent, ongoing constructive feedback and monitoring required learning tasks.Social implicationsThe paper empowers PGCE/BEd (senior and FET phase) students to teach the subject in a diverse society.Originality/valueThis research study has shown that student teachers perceived an FCP approach in an online platform as an empowering tool that is both effective and useful and that positively impacts on their lived experience in an ODeL context. It extends the epistemology (subject of knowledge) of the effectiveness of the FCP strategy as an enhancer for student learning in an ODeL environment, teacher education in particular. Furthermore, a noteworthy contribution is made towards the application of the FCP as one of the digital pedagogies in teaching economics in an ODeL context. This exploratory study also makes a methodological contribution to the validation of an online data collection instrument for use in future studies.

Use of online interactive tools in an open distance learning context: Health studies students' perspective*

Background: Open distance learning (ODL) institutions provide educational challenges with specific reference to the training of nurses. They have adopted online technologies to facilitate teaching and learning. However it is observed that most nurses do not use or minimally use tools such as a discussion forum for online interaction to facilitate teaching and learning.Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine how the discussion forum as an online interactive tool be used in an ODL institution to enhance student-to-student and student-to-lecturer online interactions.Design: Quantitative and descriptive in nature.Method: No sampling was done. An online questionnaire was sent to all 410 second and third years Health Services Management students around the world registered with a specific ODL institution during the second semester. Eighty seven students responded to the questionnaire. Data analysis was done quantitatively and descriptively in the form of diagrams.Results: The findings indicated that 84.9% of students own computers, and 100% own cellular phones, but only 3.8% participated in online discussion forum. Some students indicated that they were technologically challenged. Some lecturers interact minimally online and are not supportive to them. The institution does not give them the support they need to acquire the necessary skills to utilise these technologies.Conclusion: The article suggests that lecturers, active interaction in an online discussion forum as a way of supporting students, are fundamental to effective teaching and learning.The university should consider providing intensive mentoring to students to enable them to utilise the available technologies optimally.