ODL PLATFORM 2 This post ought to have been posted last week Monday but for some issue. But since then, it is increasingly becoming necessary to intensify advocacy in favour of ODL given the expressed pervading ignorance that is being reinforced by current practices in the country. Most practices that are elements of the part-time or sandwich mode reinforce anti-ODL practices and exacerbate resistance t change. In view of this, as part of our weekly outreach, we will be dwelling more on what ODL means. Please share this writeup. WHAT IS ODL? Open and distance learning (ODL) combines two forms of education – open and distance – that focus on expanding access to learning. It is characterised by two factors: its philosophy and its use of technology. Most ODL systems have a philosophy that aims to: • remove barriers to education, and • allows students to study what they want, when they want and where they want. In short, ODL is about increasing educational access and increasing educational choice. ODL systems typically use technology to mediate learning, for example: • printed workbooks • audio • radio • the web / Mobile Tablets There is no one method for providing ODL, so a wide variety of courses are described as ‘open learning’ or as ‘distance learning’. The variety is instructive. In some cases, students work almost entirely by themselves (like in the old correspondence courses); in others they study in groups (e.g., interactive radio); and in still others they might meet together at intervals (e.g., distance teacher training). While there is no one way, the blended learning approach is te best at least for now and this is what is envisaged in the Guidelines of 1999. Apart from issue of methodology, there is an equally wide variety of purposes to which ODL is put, ranging from primary education to post-school study of the secondary curriculum and, ultimately, professional updating. So, distance learning allows for self-paced, student-centre and flexible learning as against unbriddled face-to-face in the regular mode or part-time mode. FOR EMPHASIS, PLEASE NOTE THAT IT - allows students to study what they want, when they want and where they want - It is therefore flexible - characterised with limited face-to-face contacts - It does not involve endless weekend classes NEXT WEEK DISTANCE LEARNING: FOR WHOM? AND RECENT TRENDS. THANK YOU AND HAVE A HIGHLY REWARDING WEEK
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 06:28:19 +0000
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