Up for the future
ing both the complexity of the organisation and the potential for wayward behaviour. “Combined, this demands a more professional approach to governance.”
“I suggest that universities can balance the two and actualise the benefits of good governance, without compromising the academic project, institutional autonomy and academic freedom. It just requires new ways of thinking.”
Makhanya discussed the academic project, describing the challenge of today’s graduates exiting from university “with an understanding of the subjects taught but little else. Is it the university’s role to develop students into engaged and responsible, ethical citizens or is it the lecturers’ function to produce a disciplinespecific expert? Can a balance on both sides be achieved?
“The central pillar of quality, which reflects on both the academic project and the sustainability of the university, must be recognised,” he continued. “A critical concern in providing learning is how to provide it in a manner that reaches the greatest number of people, while ensuring [a] quality offering.
“Open distance online learning is sometimes seen as the panacea for massification and the opportunity to bridge geographic distances. However, experience dictates that there are many factors that influence achievement of the optimal
The minister cautioned that while it is an imperative to expand distance education provision, this must happen carefully; e-learning will require a comprehensive ICT infrastructure for all public post-school institutions and professional development programmes for staff in the various aspects of open distance learning.
Continuous research
“We need to establish a dedicated distance capacity for Technology, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and adult education, create a network of distance education providers and of shared learning and support centres. This is even more important given the reality that distance education in any developing country often has a high failure rate. state, for example, it is non-negotiable that open distance learning systems must be coupled with responsible access, success and increased throughput.
Student support
“A s w e b e c o me increasingly focussed on online and e-learning modalities, students must be equipped to take advantage of the affordances of technology. We should not, however, make assumptions that because students can competently use gadgets like smartphones and games, they will also use them for study purposes.
“Students need to learn how to study online and at a distance — leveraging media-rich content and having access to strong student support services.
Without more detailed insight into the pedagogy of e-learning, success and throughput will remain a challenge. Coupled with this is available infrastructure, including bandwidth and networks. Connnectivity constraints and costs are also vital considerations.”
Makhanya stressed that in the post 2015 agenda, learning needs to be revitalised in the context of the e-learning model, to facilitate student interactions in virtual learning environments.
“Universities must begin designing the learning environment more as an ecosystem than a curricu-
“Distance provision cannot expand significantly until better retention, success and throughput can be assured. Continued research into factors affecting drop-out, stop-out and failure rates needs to take place and be acted upon to ensure success,” he stressed.
Critical debate
Vibrant debate was a highlight of the main conference day, with panelists Professor Tolly Mbwette, African Council for Distance Education, Professor Alan Tait, director of international development and teacher education at the Open University, United Kingdom and Professor Asha Kanwar, president and CEO of the Commonwealth of Learning. Leading the panel discussion was Professor Paul Prinsloo, Open Distance lum. Universities must know their students — student profiling and business intelligence are becoming increasingly important.
Data analytics today enables far more nuanced, systemic information that can guide both policy options and development interventions. We should be using it much more.
“Pivotal in achieving the agenda for post-school education is academic leadership that understands and subscribes to the principles of care and respect for students, and has the will to make a difference.
“I would like to see a global research project where universities participate in an assessment exercise to gauge their standing in the areas of governance, academic innovation and e-learning, student support and quality, the results of which should be shared among the participating institutions. Individual universities might also use them to identify collaboration partners for growth and development.
“The theme of this conference is ‘growing capacities for sustainable distance e-learning provision’. We need to understand the true uptake and capability of universities today to successfully deliver the scale and quality of services required in higher education and to take on new responsibilities and occupy new spaces in a sustainable manner,” Makhanya concluded. Learning research professor with Unisa.
In response to Prinsloo’s opening question about the current distance learning situation, Kanwar stressed that there are very important developments taking place which will have a major impact. “We are only now beginning to wake up to these developments. Reputations will be built on quality.
“We need to invest and earn credibillity based on learner support of Massive Open Online Courses, which will make the world a classroom.
“We need more emphasis on peerto-peer and not just teacher-to-pupil. We also need flexibility in developing countries in terms of providing where there is limited connectivity. We also have to move beyond capac- ity to capability — moving from outputs to outcomes.”
“The finer distinction between resident universities and open distance education is dying away as all of us are evolving to use some sort of extended learning,” said Mbwette. He concurred with Kanwar’s comments about bandwidth, saying that the ever pressing question is whether the bandwidth in a country is sufficient to support distance education.
He also commented on the importance of online distance institutions seeking the world to ensure content is always of high quality. “Also, all lecturers need to be information technology literate.”
“There is fascinating change.” said Tait, “In my opinion, the open university is much higher on content excellence without being selective in terms of student. Students select us from their fractured educational pathways. We have a tremendus responsibility to support our students.
“Social, economic and political assumptions about who should study needs re-examination in all countries. The issue of girls and young women is still hugely underrepresented in education, both in access and completion in many countries, yet education of women brings wide development outcomes for health, livelihood and futures of children. Inclusion relates to social justice — to effective and improved functioning of community, society and economy.”