Contemporary Research on Open and Distance E-Learning

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Contemporary research on Open and Distance E-Learning at the Central Universityof Technology, Free State, South Africa: an Africanized approach

KJ De Beer Director: Academic Support and Research, Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In essence, the 11th Association for African Universities (AAU) General Conference during February 2005 in Cape Town especially enhanced the development of an Open and Distance E-Learning (ODEL) networking process within the NEPAD agreementof the African Union (AU). It actually implemented the Southern African Development Community (SADC) protocol for open academic agreements. Geographically, theCentral University of Technology, Free State (CUT) falls in the southern African region. Consequently, research in our Unit for Academic Development, primarily endeavours to cover the philosophy of ODEL within PAREN (Promoting African Research and Education Networking- Internet) in this part of the continent. ODEL is not static. Subsequently, modern perspectives are continually necessary for te

chnology utilization, said the former minister of Education in South Africa, Naledi Pandor at the AAU-conference (2005). The sharing of Higher Education Institutions ODEL facilities is becoming a fait de accompli which is further prioritised by the current global financial recession. Therefore, ODEL research seeks toprovide an urgent strategy as how to align and support existing infrastructuresfrom sub-regional to national and international (read Africanized) levels.

ORGANIZATION AND BACKGROUND

The CUT main campus resides in Bloemfontein, the capitol of the Free State province, adjacent to the Kingdom of Lesotho. CUT, a former Technikon which could becompared with polytechnics or community colleges elsewhere in the world, becamea fully fledged university of technology in 2003 (Cf. De Beer, 1998). It used

to serve four distance campuses which were closed down under the new higher education dispensation of the South African governments Department of Education (DOE). One of the four campuses, namely Welkom, was integrated with the former Vista University and integrated with its jewellery school into CUT.

The distance facility in Kimberley in the Northern Cape Province now forms partof the National Institute for Higher Education: Northern Cape (NIHE) which serves as a hub for four other Higher Education Institutions (HEIS). NIHE could be compared with some elementary components of an open university system for the Northern Cape. Basically, the Unit for Academic Development (UAD) of the CUT is doing research how to establish a management structure within a possible open university system, not only for NIHE, but to merge ventures in technology utilizatio

n within the whole sub-region. This sub-region could include the National University of Lesotho (NUL) and the University of South Africas (UNISA) distance education network from the Northern Cape and Namibia in collaboration with the projects of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL).

UNISA, which commenced with the very first Institute for Open Learning, also forms part of NIHE and has already established a network of inter active videoconferencing facilities in the bigger towns such as Springbok and Kimberley of the Northern Cape. In Kathu, the Further Training Education Institution (FTEI) trainsthe most advanced technicians for the mines in the Northern Cape.

Academically, the CUT main campus offers Science, Engineering and Technology programmes as well as practical management courses such as Public Management and Hu

man Resources Management. It also offers Health (Radiology and Dental Assistanttraining) and Environmental (Agricultural Management) programmes. Courses are mostly offered via traditional learning and teaching methodologies. Power point


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presentations are supported by a well established infra structure such as a library and information centre, IT laboratories, workshops and training facilities as well as a Science Park.

The Science Park is linked with the Meraka Institute of the Council for Scienceand Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria with an outdoor computer with a verylow signal capacity (Cf. Digital Doorway, 2009). This all weather machine could

be loaded with learning material and placed anywhere in the region to open limited access for open learning. One such experiment was done in the Kingdom of Lesotho and the idea is to expand research with expertise of COL on the project for the Northern Cape as well. This province is the largest in South Africa (over350 000 square kilometres). It is a semi desert area next to the West coast and sparsely populated with plus minus one million people. Most of the inhabitantsexperience socio economic problems and cannot afford full time tuition at universities.

To assist the part time students in the Northern Cape, a limited Web Course Tool(Web CT) support network has been extended from the Centre for E-Learning and Educational Technology (CELET) at the CUTs main campus. Web CT was upgraded to B

lackboard Campus Edition 8.

Little research has been done to merge the CUTs Information Technology System (ITS) in collaboration with other HEIS to develop a single and compatible system.Especially to establish an open university system with ODEL methodologies according to the spirit of the Higher Education Act (101) which formulates the idea of a single higher education dispensation (Higher Education Act, 2000).

This research article endeavours to enlighten colleagues about the research problem in southern Africa, namely that there exists a huge hiatus in the knowledgehow to construct a practical strategic plan for collaboration not only among HEIS but also with other existing research organizations which will be described indetail under the case description.

SETTING THE STAGE

In the economic sense of the word, both the Free State and Northern Cape provinces are rated less viable than the other seven provinces of the country. Contraryto this negative socio economic scenario, the Free State has some of the richest gold mines in the world. Its agricultural industry is well developed but hampered by droughts. In the Northern Cape, the De Beers diamond mines are contributing to the economic welfare of the province as well as the iron ore mines in Kathu. Some of the worlds best semi precious stones could be found in this semi desert region. It also houses the South African Large Telescope (SALT) and Meerkat, the impetus for the largest radio telescope in the world. The outcome of the South African bid next to Australia is still not known, but astronomy alreadyforms part and parcel of international research and international collaboration(Cf. De Beer, 2007).

First of all a viable infrastructure has to be implemented which must enhance mergers in technology networks as well as to merge it with the vision and missionstatements of the South African Department of Education (DOE), and the SouthernAfrican Regional Universities Association (SARUA) which subscribes to the SADC protocol on Education and Training.

More research is necessary with other HEIS of the African Council for Distance Education (ACDE), the Distance Education Organisation of Southern Africa (DEASA),the National Association for Distance and Open Learning of South Africa (NADEOS

A), the South African Association for Research Development in South Africa (SAARDHE), the South African for Academic Development Association (SADA) and the South African Association for Co-operative Education (SASCE). (Cf. ACDE. 2006).


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ODEL should be prioritised within HEIS International Offices and empower ODEL practitioners to attend all southern African conferences and workshops in this field to share existing IT project experiences of other HEIS such as the University of Pretoria (TELETUKS), UNISA, the University of the North West and the University of Stellenbosch.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A prominent overview of our research project at the CUT is to cover the ODEL indetail, however, with a view to technology under the e-learning facet. Without e-technology, ODEL cannot be operational. Subsequently the research problem willalways include the following:

Technology Concerns; Technology Components; and Management and Organizational Concerns.

Technology Concerns

A number of features of web-based hypermedia are also providing suitable mediumsfor the design of ODEL environments. The underlying object-oriented architecture of hypermedia systems accords with the need for representational diversity ofandragogic mechanisms and the ongoing re-construction that an evolutionary approach to the design of learning activity demands. Design and development processes to take account of features of the environment likely to influence of be influenced by interactive intervention of specific programmes. Quantitative and qualitative methods are also employed to enable evaluations of hypermedia designs and its environment of use (Trikic. 2001: 186).

Because ODEL is based on sharing facilities, HEIs local consortiums are formedbut must also merge with global consortia, built around disaggregated value chai

ns that will on their turn lead to more global virtual universities. Technological developments will drive the process, the nature of net-based relationships and qualities of the Web that are impacting on ODEL (Oblinger, 2001: 9) (Cf. NADEOSA, 2009).

ODEL will eventually force HEIs into mergers and alliances. Hubs will compileusers friendly services into single web sites to cut down cost and administration.

Employers in the labour forces are also using ODEL for their employees to acquire skills with Work Integrated Learning (WIL) on a flexible basis. (Monk, 2001:53).

However, the perceptions of ODEL are rapidly changing but still with the following red warning lights to forestall the idea that it is an ideal panacea for Higher Education in our region:

A nave faith in the new technologies to solve all of the problems of educational deprivation around the world is misplaced. Access to technology, lackof skills to use the technology for teaching and learning, and the cost of buying and renewing technologies form the rest of the equation. It will continue tobe the main impediments to the application of technologies for a much period than we are willing to accept. (Dhanarajan, 2001: 64). An absence of institutional commitment. A significant number of coursescurrently available on the Web and the Internet seem to be anchored not by inst

itutional commitment but individual enthusiasm. (Dhanarajan, 2001: 64). Poor level of investment in staff training. The current level of investment in staff development is totally inadequate for the tasks expected from a fa


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culty members requested to create learner conferred materials. The range of skills required to function in a multimedia environment are even more demanding. Institutions are quite enthusiastic about investing in new appliances, software programs and connections, but totally unrealistic when it comes to investing in training. (Dhanarajan, 2001: 65). Shifting costs away from institutions to individual learners. New approaches to ODEL via cyber pipes have also meant that the cost of learning is gradu

ally shifting from being an institutional responsibility to that of a learner responsibility. Not many home learners have the level of disposable income to payfor these in addition to tuition and other institutional fees. If providers ofeducation are not mindful, yet another barrier can emerge. (Dhanarajan, 2001:65). A mismatch between the global market and the local curriculum. The Internet and the Web make it possible for education beyond borders to take place. But from the few examples that we know, curriculum has not kept pace with a global classroom. Curricula design, not surprisingly, is mostly responsive to localneeds, and non-local learners suffer serious disadvantages. There is also the danger of creating new forms of imperialism, with one or two countries dominatinglarge parts of the educational market with their view and interpretation of kno

wledge and information. (Dhanarajan, 2001: 65).

Technology Components

State of the art technology is a natural choice to compile a wish list for CUTsfuture budgets because universities of technology ultimately have to keep up with the vast growing of the information age and knowledge business. Diana Oblinger (2001:1) says that the speed by which new knowledge, new practices and new products appear in the market priorities lifelong learning and ODEL. According toher references , the following technological trends will fuel the blending of ODL with e- learning:

New applications of Web technology will appear continually. Due to the

low cost of entry and the ease with which new applications can be developed andmodified, new products and services will appear almost daily; The Net get bigger and faster. The next generation Internet will be very high bandwidth, with very affordable costs. Quality of services, security andreliability will improve. We are already seeing the integration of voice, video and data. In addition, very powerful servers that provide huge amount of storage will contribute to the increasing value of the network (Greene, 2000). Reliability will improve. The importance of the Internet to all forms of business and education will increase. Consequently, steps will be taken to guard against catastrophic failure of the Internet due to either technical malfunctions of malicious attack; Wireless gains ground. New satellite systems will expand the coverage area and capabilities of voice, data and video wireless solutions. In fact, wireless technologies will begin to be deployed as a cost-effective alternative to wireless transmission. As prices fall, wireless may become especially importantin providing telecommunications services in remote areas that cannot economically be served using other technologies; Sizes get smaller. Palmtops, PDAs and handled PCs will continue to gain popularity. As they add improved communication capabilities and as access towireless digital services become more widely available, these smaller form-factor devices will become more commonplace in education; Storage increases. Multimedia and many other types of applications willcreate growing demand for storage. Fortunately, the price per megabyte of diskstorage is predicted to continue to fall by 50% every 15 to 18 months (PwC, 1998). Not only is the price falling, but the density of storage is increasing and

the form factor (i.e. size) of storage for PCs is shrinking; Displays become flexible. Although computer displays are lighter and have better resolution than ever before, new technologies such as organic light-em


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itting devices (OLEDS) are exceptionally bright, operate efficiently at low voltages and can potentially be made very inexpensively. These new displays will bethin, lightweight and flexible allowing them to travel to remote locations more easily than todays displays; and Mainframes are still cost-effective. For many of the applications likely to dominate the scene for distance and open learning, mainframes will be a part of the future. And they will continue to offer superior scalability, robust

ness, security and handling of data-intensive applications, such as decision support or data warehousing. In fact, for many enterprise-wide applications, mainframes offer a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) compared to other platforms (Cf. also Oblinger, 2001: 12).

Management and Organizational Concerns

Quite often the managers of HEIS commenced their academic careers as ordinary lecturers in a specific academic discipline and were promoted along academic achievements and eventually appointed as deans, registrars, deputy vice chancellors and principals. Ignorance about the specialised ODEL technology utilization subse

quently are often misunderstood or misinterpreted by ignorant managers. However, knowledge about technology as well as management skills such as how to budgetand collaborate with other HEIS are just important as political literacy. Political literacy about Africanization and globalization are forcing managers to make wider assessments, especially about ODEL with its rapid changing of technology. Fact of the matter is that no man is an island and managers need skilled advisers who can give direction in research as well as implementation.

Another concern is that board members of HEIs consist out of prominent personsfrom the private and public sectors and do not always have the insight about technology utilization. In South Africa, there are also politicians appointed by the government on the HEIs boards as well as representatives of labour unions.Consequently there are multiple concerns about the knowledge of board members wh

o have to debate or to condone decisions about ODEL. Concerns are that management and organizational matters are intertwined both with nave decisions about the latest technology or lack of consensus about how to implement existing and tested research on ODEL. Some of the core concerns are the following:

Untested leadership to manage change. ODEL requires sound management and leadership. The early pioneers in the field, such as Walter Perry of UK OpenUniversity, Ram Reddy of the Indira Gandhi National Open University of India, were academically respected, politically connected and astute, charismatic speakers and interlocutors, clever strategists and tacticians. They did not just manage; they initiated change. (Dhanarajan, 2001: 66) The real danger of losing our sense of equity and equality of opportunities. At the heart of educational innovations, such as ODEL, must be the concernto reach out to those in our communities who were never able to participate inany form of learning. (Dhanarajan, 2001, 66).

The uninformed manager or board member may for example ask: Why the philosophyof Open Learning? Although the answer is very simple, uninformed people willnot easily understand that Open Learning as such is not a method, but an educational philosophy. It is an open approach towards learning and teaching. In holistic terms it means when the whole approach to Higher Education (HE) is greaterthan the individual methodologies that may vary from:

Cooperative (group) learning in class; Co-operative Education (Work Integrated Learning: WIL) as in Experientia

l Learning or in-service training as in off campus real life exposure to technical job environments; E-learning both for on campus and off campus learning opportunities;


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Inter-active video conferencing for off campus learners at regional learning centres or satellite campuses with video back up copies for full time students; First generation distance education (Correspondence courses); Second generation distance learning (Dual contact or tutorial sessions)(De Beer, K.J. 1995); Third generation distance education (Education Technology such as web ba

sed, video based, computer based or the variety of interactive electronic overhead projectors and edu-walls with satellite link ups in collaboration with a diversity of higher education institutional networks); Learner-centred philosophies within Outcomes and Problem Based Educational Training known as progressivism (Cf. Sherrit, C.:1999); Blended Learning when a lecturer makes use of clippets or part of the above mentioned methodologies (Badenhorst. J.: 2004); Flexible Learning according to the exact meaning of the word flex, i.e. to bend or fold access, teaching, learning, assessment, articulation, mobilityand recognition of prior learning experiences according to the needs of individual students or societies or specific sub-regions (Mostert, J.:1999).

Still, the most important fact to keep in mind when one refers to the philosophyof ODEL is the political domain from which it is historically founded. It is all about an open democratic approach towards HE with all the revolutionary slogans for a free and open (read transparent) society. Education, read also HE, is not regarded as a privilege but a right (University Cape Town Art Collection.1990).

In itself, HE is not a static and passive entity but rather a pacemaker in itself and for social change. HEIs do often not strife to keep abreast with economic and industrial development. For example, when formal adult education in the West started to take shape during the Industrial Revolution to train the labour force and a literate society, it expanded along with rapid technological development in the 1920-1930 era. Eduard Lindeman and John Dewey formulated the democr

atic, learner-centered philosophy of education, known as Progressivism (Sherrit, C.:1999). This statement is often very difficult for representatives of labour unions to dissolve!

Project findings and experiences

We have noticed all the delicate issues, controversies that define the researchproblem for ODEL at the CUT for its collaboration with other HEIS within NIHE inthe Northern Cape and in the SADC region, but fortunately new forms of HEIs networks could henceforth conveniently assist equity-driven and marginalised institutions to benefit by an ODEL approach. Third wave mega networks opened up and developed new configurations such as the World Banks African Virtual University (AUV) (http://www.avu.org) based in Nairobi to serve anglo-phone and francophone sub-Sahara. It forms part and parcel of the new knowledge economy (Latchem, 2002).

In the case of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) they envisagefour possible scenarios for HEIS:

Global big business dominated by the strongest role players; The Trojan Horses to slip in international qualifications; Community hubs; and University/business hybrids (Latchem, 2002)

Academic staff development is therefore under tremendous pressure too when HEIs

tell academe to change, but still holding them accountable by traditional curricula. (Cf. Latchem, 2002). Subsequently the Managements of HEIs should be consequent to assist their units for academic development to re-engineer and re-inve


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nt curricula that are based on andragogical forms. (CF. Bezuidenhont, 2003) Learning that is collaborative applications-driven and constructivist. Unfortunately, there are still too much conflict between managerial levers (especially in African universities) to apply modern curricula and the languid feedback loop ofacademic boards and committees which stops change taking place writes Colin Latchem (2002). However, he is convinced that academe is not inherently anti-change. In fact most lecturers are willing to embrace new initiatives as long as i

t is positive.

In business driven curricula, it is of course necessary to have a thorough student support system to assist them to reach the outcomes within an OL system. Tait (2000) says that elements of client-or customer centred ness in our approachto students should be acknowledged. Not any longer the old references to students, but in a differentiated analysis regarding:

Age; Gender; Employment or unemployment; Disposable income;

Educational background; Geographical situation; Special needs (disabilities); Language; Ethnic and cultural characteristics and Communications technology connectedness.

Course writing must subsequently be adapted to provide an OL approach to studentsupport because worthwhile student support can only take place when the specific demands of students/clients are met. This includes the various forms of assessments (continuous or only grading) says Tait (2000).

Course demands may be for full contact or dual contact or web based teaching and

learning. Tate (2000) makes the statement that there is little research done on students support within OL. Especially what is less often recognised is the cognitive function of student support, certainly where these services include tutoring and assessment: Such an understanding of the role of student support comes primarily out of social constructivist ideas that knowledge is in a real sensemade and remade by participation in learning. Where the support of students mediates teaching embodied in courseware, then it clearly relates to learning, andthus to cognitive outcomes. It also and necessary relates to the objective ofproviding an environment where students feel at home, where they feel valued, and which they find manageable. In this way we can see that the three core functions are truly interrelated and interdependent.

Diverse schematic figuration images can be created to portray the ODEL infrastructures of HEIs, depending on their individual characteristics because as Tait(2000) concludes: There is no universal blueprint for the establishment of student support systems, open as they are to a range of variations across the characteristics of student cohorts, programmes of study, educational cultures and geographic in all their complexity.

Therefore ODEL and ICT are a disruptive technology that creates opportunities for new organisational models and strategies says Colin Latchem and Donald Hanna(2002).

ODEL-curriculation will of course become more difficult, especially to support lecturers to become aquanted with the changing methods of course delivery. Lectu

rers may experience it as losing control of their students (Brigss, 1999: 317).


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Open Access

Open access for students to a HEIs forms the very core of the philosophy of ODEL. That is the widening of access with success for the system in open but to ensure success applicants are still have to be selected according to HEIs criteria. Two possibilities, entrance or rejection stare any applicant in the face.

If it is rejection on academic qualifications only, it may be fair, but when itis due to space and financial reasons, it discriminates against potential students who might have become very successful academics. This is where the new strategic approach of African Universities involves working with and supporting activities in partner institutions to enhance their institutional capacity in ODEL.

Teaching methodologies thus have to be adapted for co-operations so that HEIs can increase equitable access to their demand-driven programs (Kuzvinetsa, 2005:2).

The fact that the ODEL-model is more cost effective, i.e. where additional infrastructures are not unnecessarily duplicated, more money will be available to fin

ance the very poor applicants with good academic points on the Swedish scale, toenter HEIs. ODEL, which has a proven track record of flexible and modular course provision, becomes a viable and sustainable option for converting African millions of human resources currently subsisting on less than US $ 1 per day froma liability to an asset that can become pivotal in social economic development states professor. Dzvimbo Kuzvinetsa (2005).

The rejected applicants on the grounds of their academic points on the Swedish scale (South African benchmark for access to HEIS) are also given a chance withinan ODEL-system to enter HE via bridging programmes. Multiple examples alreadyexist in South Africa such as the NIHE in the Northern Cape.

Of course the open access philosophy still poses problems of its own. Often ind

ividual course groups or social groups could keep on demanding to dominate a certain facility. Subsequently group behaviour should be monitored very closely and must be discouraged (Briggs, 1999: 324).

A large strong group of IT students does not necessary mean it is a needs or demand driven course if they are not going to get a place in the job market. It becomes a balancing trick not to be misled either by such behavior patterns.

ODEL is also aimed to enhance student persistence. Mantz Yorke (2004; 26) deliberately does not use retention because its is deliberate while persistence does not necessarily imply the lack of a break in engagement, and encompasses re-engagement with the same provider after a deliberate break (the term repeat business might be used here).

Equal access to ODEL is also reliable for adults with disabilities or caring responsibilities. These student cohorts may have specific needs arising from theircircumstances. Their attendance patterns are more vulnerable. Subsequently they have to work at their own pace and may take longer than the average studentsto finish their academic qualifications. By its very nature ODEL offers more flexibility and customized curricular to full fill in the needs of these students(Edmunds, 2001: 11).

CURRENT CHALLENGES FACING THE CUT

In essence the mentioned case scenario is far more problematic than the few research challenges that meet the eye. Especially the ignorance about the internationalisation and Africanization aspects. One of the major challenges is to conve


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rt the international office of the institution to integrate ODEL expertise. Morespecialized research has to be done on ODEL mergers. Academic managers must also play an academic diplomatic role in ODEL organizations in southern Africa, such as the Vice Chancellor of our institution, Prof T Mthembu, already does in SARUA. Specialized ODEL orientation should be implemented in detail especially todo the proverbial balancing trick between the price of technology and the best ways to merge it with existing structures and organisations both in the public as

well as in the private sectors. The current recession does not make it a simple exercise. Subsequently, the huge backlog in financial resources in our sub-region will force fellow HEIS to share facilities and to seek collaborative opportunities. Many challenges other than budgetary constraints and sharing the limited human resources as well as political and ethnic conflicts, civil wars, HIV/Aids and corruption can be quoted here though it does not exactly fall within theparameters of the ODEL philosophy.

International organisations such as UNESCO and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) will have to support the fostering and the implementation of ODEL policies within the broader educational and human resource development strategies and policies of member nations (AAU. 2005).

It is inevitable that no university can build its corporate image outside the above mentioned infrastructure because such a university will not be acknowledgedby the people or by international organisations. Even quality assurance practices will be Africanized within the African Quality Assurance Network (AQUANET) between quality assurance agencies. Some of the requirements will be: how accessible are the programmes of African universities, articulation issues, mobility;recognition of prior learning (RPL) to build academic credits and quality standards for needs driven academic curricula.

Global Challenges for the Curricula

Internal epistemological challenges to the HE-curriculum are:

Post Modernism and Scientism (Luckett. 2001).

Luckett (2001) propose an epistemically diverse curriculum which can be developed within the concept of OL to cover the following four important ways:

The traditional cognitive learning of propositional knowledge; Learning by doing for the application of disciplinary knowledge; Learning experientially, and Developing epistemic cognition as to be able to think reflexively and contextually about learning.

The challenge to integrate the above knowledge production into a traditional content-based curriculum could only be achieved with an ODEL-approach to address both the local and global trends in HE curriculation.

For example, the curricula should be relevant to African students but also be relevant in global terms (Cf. Prinsloo, 2003)

Because HE is shifting from supply-driven to demand-driven, pressures for greater relevance and accountability, the impact of globalisation and informationand communications technology (ICT), competition from new providers, and the need to be more self-sustaining. HEIs seek solutions to these challenges in openand flexible learning (better known in North America as distributed learning) an

d ICT. Educational opportunity is being extended across physical, political andsocio-economic divides and millions of learners around the globe now learn through these means. (Daharajan, 2001). In (Latchem, C. 2002) Open and flexible le


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arning is increasing access, reducing costs, and taking the first steps to placethe learner at the centre of the educational transaction.

SOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Ruth Williams writes in Higher Education in Europe (2000, 520) that there is much confusion about the use of the expression open and distance learning. It i

s thus helpful to start with a definition of ODEL. As her Strategic Study makesclear: Open learning is flexible learning that makes education more accessibleto students (than the traditional forms of learning). Distance learning is a form of study and one way of pursuing open learning (Cf. De Beer and Bezuidenhout,2006).

This stance reiterated in a SOCRATES-ODL working paper, which defines ODL as the use of new methods (both technical and otherwise) to improve the flexibility of learning in terms of space, time, choice of content, teaching resources, and/or to improve access to educational systems from a distance (European Commission, 1998 Williams, 2000: 520). ODEL rather is a concept that is applied to a wide range of activities. Much of the development of ODEL in Central and Eastern

Europe Africa and elsewhere reflect a variation in activities and also in the use of terminology. It also reflects a variation in the extent to which those developments map-on to the definitions quoted above. Undoubtedly, this variationis the result of different national contexts and priorities, but it also comesfrom a lack of understanding of, and confusion about, terminology and definitions. Although ODEL developments in Africa may not all strictly adhere to the definitions of modern forms of teaching and learning mentioned above, alternatives to the traditional forms of education and training are starting to be developed (Cf. Williams, 2000: 520)

Subsequently the Academic Development Plan of the CUT which is in tandem with its Manual of Policies and Procedures (CUTMOPP) that derives from National Legislation (NEPAD) promotes regional, national and international research collaboratio

n (CUTMOPP, 2008). And Although CUTMOPP at this stage does not specifically useODEL terminology, it already implies networking with SADC and other African states. In this sense CUTMOPP already encapsulates the vision and mission of theAssociation of African Universities intention to play a supportive role in the development within African Partner Institutions (APIs) of applicable mixed modeor blended ODEL teaching and learning types (Kuzvinetsa, 2005).

This is why the CUT has to ad value to its current curricula to develop existingprogrammes into synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning on campus orout of the main campus in Welkom and Kimberley within NIHE. Eventually a AVU-network to provide for the increasing number of students. It is obvious that thedevelopment of virtual campuses in Africa is a reality. The paucity of resources, says Kuzvinetsa of the AAU (2005: 10) as well as the demands of the new modern upcoming learner is now forcing African universities to think creatively about how they can deliver their programmes to an ever changing student profile on the continent.

It is in this creative tension between vision and reality that the CUT can add value to what African HEIs are engaged in ODEL (Cf. Kuzvinetsa: 2005).

In essence ODEL is about sharing resources. Due to shoe string budgets for Higher Education in Africa, HEIs cannot afford to duplicate facilities to the further detriment of the hungry and the poor. ODEL therefore is the logic answer tomake use of innovative teaching and learning techniques with modern technology to reduce rural poverty (Cf. Connections, 2005).

It is also more likely that international organisations, such as UNESCO and theCommonwealth will assist to provide resources to Africas most crippling problem


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s. Most African States (ex British colonies) are members of the Commonwealth (Association of Commonwealth Universities, 2005). This fact will also forces South African Universities to collaborate within ODEL driven strategies to quality for international recognition and possible financial support. It could also become a local prerequisite to qualify for state subsidy.

Internationalisation

In 1999 the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) was established to further for example teachers education in its 53 Africanmember states. It also strives for international co-operation for the development of education through the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD) andthe African Union (AU, 2004).

Very important is the IICBAs ability to utilise ODeL to train and develop a critical mass of teachers in the most cost effective manner. Another characteristic is its partnership with African intergovernmental organisations and nongovernmental institutions to identify and execute comprehensive strategies for Africas

educational development (AU, 2005).

ICCBA links African Ministries of education to enhance Information and Communication Technology. One of its key objectives of the ICCBAs ODeL project is to adapt the courses within African countries.

In 2000, world leaders set eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that aim to transform the conditions of human kind in the 21st century. From this globalperspective the holistic philosophy of OL was given a huge boost within the Commonwealth of Learning who promotes this idea since its establishment in 1988 in Canada. (COL, 2005)

COL participates in forums that bring together agencies-governmental, intergover

nmental, or non-governmental-that have similar or complementary objectives, forexample, in the Global Knowledge Partnership; the ongoing work with UNESCO, UNICEF and other development agencies in a range of areas including initiatives supporting the EFA agenda, secondary school reform and health education; the building of African capacity in distance education through their membership on the executive committee of the ADEA (Association for the Development of Education in Africa) supporting humanitarian agencies in their educational and training activities (UNICEF, UNHCR, OXFAM); and participating on the WETV Foundation Board. (Macdonald, 2000: 463).

The Federation of Commonwealth Open and Distance Learning Associations (FOCODLA). Cooperates with Commonwealth professional associations to assist them to applyopen and distance learning in continuing professional education. Also to organise effective ways to follow up on the expectations of the Education For All (EFA) conference in Dakar. (Macdonald, 2000: 463).

The development of a formal relationship with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperations (SAARC) distance education facilities is a high priority.As part of its role as a catalyst for collaboration, COL will explore ways to partner with the Indian educational television, Gyan Darshan, and the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), to include educational programming useful toCommonwealth countries covered by the satellites footprint: East Africa through the Pacific and South Asia. In addition, the potential for the creation of an Eastern African facility for distance education development as well as the feasibility of establishing a facility for research and training in distance educat

ion in the Pacific will be significant initiatives. In cooperation with the Commonwealth Secretariat, and possibly the ADEA Working Groups on Teacher Trainingand Distance Education, COL organizes a sub-Saharan Africa policy dialogue on te


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acher training through ODL. Learning methodologies to improve training. (Macdonald, 2000: 464).

Africanization

NADEOSA also collaborated with COL to organize their annual inter-national conference in Durban June 2003. It forms a consortium with the South African Institu

te for Distance Education (SAIDE) and other African associations such as the Regional Training and Research Institute for Open and Distance Learning (RETRIDAL)in Nigeria as well as DEASA. (Cf. De Beer, 1999).

An African Ministers Conference on ODEL were also held in early 2004 in partnership with the South African Department of Education and UNESCO, which made recommendations that will enable African countries to make maximum use of ODEL and incorporate it into their education frameworks. COL is working with the Department and UNESCO in taking forward these recommendations. (COL: 2005 and DEASA, 2009).

In February 2005, COL collaborated with the World Bank, UNESCO and the AAU to or

ganize a joint conference in Cape Town. Substantial workshops forged closer ties among university vice chancellors while an African Quality Assurance Network (AQUANET) was also established. (AAU: 2005).

The Association of African Universities (AAU) is a not-for-profit continental organisation with a membership of 175 HEIs drawn from 44 African countries and all sub-regions of the continent. Since its founding in 1967, the AAU has been serving as the collective voice and principal regional forum for consultation, exchange of information and co-operation among the institutions of higher educationin Africa. Key areas featuring in its Core Programme have been: Strengthening of institutional capacity, Promotion of networking and institutional collaboration, and support forresearch on higher education issues,

Policy advocacy, promotion of quality assurance and academic mobility, and Enhancing access to scholarly information. (AAU, 2005).

The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) is a registered charity witha membership of 500 universities across the Commonwealth. It was founded in 1913 and since then has served as the principal forum for discussion, the exchangeof information and co-operation among the institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth. Its programmes, inter alia, promote academic mobility, institutional collaboration, research networks, research on higher education issues, (inparticular borderless higher education and benchmarking institutional management processes.

Another important sub-division of the AAU, namely PAREN (The Promoting of Research and Education Networking-Internet), is already on track and collaborates withthe Canadian Independent Development Agency (CIDA) as well with the AVU, a project of the World Bank. (AAU: 2005).

Most important for South African Universities is the establishment of SARUA (Southern African Regional Universities Association) which operates according to theSADC protocol within the greater NEPAD structures. (SADC-Protocol, Article 7:14). In ODEL terms the African Council for Distance Education (ACDE) promotes ODEL methodologies such as Flexible and Blended learning. (AAU, 2005).

The former South African Minister of National Education, Ms Naledi Pandor, commi

tted her Departments desire for technical partnerships with other African universities to establish a new African university infrastructure. (AAU, 2005).


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In addition, the IICBA, of UNESCO, underpins the COL and AU initiatives within the NEPAD Secretariat on educational issues. Substantial development work has also been done on science and technology for industrialisation. (UNESCO, 2004).

Thinking Beyond Scenarios for the CUT

Our vision should be to Africanize a differentiated but single co-ordinated Afri

can higher, further and vocational education system of the southern African of Regional Universities Association (SARUA) within the Association for African Universities (AAU) in tandem with NEPAD.

On the micro level, an open university system should be established to encapsulate the following institutions: The University Free State (UFS); The Central University of Technology Free State (CUT); The UNISA Regional Distance Facilities; Further Education and Training Institutions (FETIs); Vocational colleges (Agricultural and Nursing); and NIHE and other collaborating HEIS.

Such an open university system could co-operate within SARUA and its ODEL substrates such as: ACDE; DEASA; NADEOSA; World Bank; AVU; AAU; COL; and UNESCO

New thoughts and ideas of HEIs corporative images are now to break down the old

perceptions of poor quality first generation DE-practices into that of excellent quality ODEL users friendly methodologies to stay competitive in the global village of HE and the labour market.

Obviously much still has to be done to counter act the public is negative perception of correspondence distance education and poor student retention and passrates. Even 30 years after the founding of Open Universities in Britain, Hong Kong and else where in the world, perceptions of non-campus based HE as second rate still persists. (Dhanarajan, 2001: 63).

REFERENCES:

African Council for Distance Education (ACDE). 2006. Founding conference. UNISA.

Afrcan Union. 2005. SA Media. Press clippings. University of the Free State.

African Virtual University AVU). 2008. http://avu.org (Assesssed: 2008-01-30)

Association of African Universities. 2005. 11th AAU General Conference: Cross-border Provision and the Future of Higher Education in Africa. Conference Documents. 21st 25th February.

Association of Commonwealth Universities. 2005. Press Release. Cape Town 11March.

Badenhorst JJC and De Beer KJ. 2004. Blended Learning at the Central University of Technology, Free State. E/merge 2004 Conference. Blended collaborative learning at Southern Africa. 28 June 10 July.


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Bezuidenhout, J. 2002. Unpublished research protocol for a D.Tech degree. Central university of Technology, Free State.

Briggs, A.R.J. 1999. Open Doors? Moddelling accessibility of learning resourcefacilities. In Journal of Further and Higher Education, 23 (3); 317-327

.

Commonwealth of Learning. 2005. Open and Distance Learning Policy. www.col.org/programmes/reporting/eval 02.htm (Assessed: 2005-05-26).

Connections. 2005. A news publication of the Commonwealth of Learning, 10 (1).

Central University of Technology, Free State. 2008. Academic Development andPlan. Manual of Policies and Procedures (CUTMOP).

De Beer, K.J. 1995. Distance (contact) teaching at the Technikon OFS branchesin Selected conference papers of the 17th World Conference of the Internationalcouncil for Distance Education, Birmingham, United Kingdom. June.

De Beer, K.J. 1998. Technilon Free State A Historical Structural Analysis:A Case Study in Philosophical Ideas. Conference on Ideology in HigherEducation. Technikon Free State. 17-18 September.

De Beer. K.J. 1999. UNESCO Africa and the World Technological UniversityMovement. An International Seminar on the Concept of a Technological University. Technikon Free State. 27 28 October.

De Beer, KJ. 2005. An Africanised study of astronomical history in the NorthernCape (South Africa) for purposes of secondary and higher education programmes in Tourism Management. African Astronomical History Symposium. Cape Town. November 8-9

De Beer, K.J. and Bezuidenhout, J. (2006) The Context of Open Learning. Progressio. UNISA.

Dhanarajan, G. 2001. Distance Education: Promise, performance and potential. In Open Learning, 16 (1) 6

Digital Doorway. 2009. Meraka Institute. CSIR. South Africa. www.csir.co.za (Assessed: 2009-10-12).

Distance Education Association for Southern Africa (DEASA) 2009. Annual Conference, Maseru, Lesotho. 20-22 September.

Edmunds, M. 2001. Equal Access to Open Learning. In Adults Learning, 12 (6) 1-15.

Higher Education Act (101). 2000. Department of Education. South Africa.

Kuzvinetsa, D. 2005. 11th AAU General Conference: Cross-border Provision and theFuture of Higher Education in Africa. Conference Documents. 21st 25th February.

Latchem, C. and Hanna, D.E. 2002. Leadership for Open and Flexible Learning. In Open Learning, 17 (3): 205-215.

Luckett, K. 2001. A proposal for an epistemically chiverse curriculum for SouthAfrican higher education in the 21st century. In South African Journal

of Higher Education, 17 (3) 49-61.


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Macdonald, H.I. 2000. The Commonwealth of Learning: Its second decade and the three year plan 2000-2003. In the Rand Table 356: 459-470.

Monk, D. 2001. Open/distance learning in the United Kingdom. Why do people doit here (and else where)? In Perspectives in Education, 19 (3): 53 66.

Mostert, J W and De Beer, KJ. 1998. A proposed flexible learning mode for the further and higher education institutions of the Free State. LINKS/SAAD/SAARDHE CONFERENCE, University of the Free State Bloemfontein, 24 September 1998.

National Association for Distance Education and Open Learning of South Africa (NADEOSA) Annual Conference. University of Pretoria. 17-18 Augustus. http://www.nadeosa.org.za (Assessed: 2009-10-12).

Oblinger, D. 2001. Will E-business Shape the Future of Open and DistanceLearning? In Open Learning, 16 (1): 1-25.

Pandor, N. 2005. AAU Conference. Cape Town.21st February.

Prinsloo, P. 2003. The quest for relevance: preliminary thoughts on the issue of relevance in higher education in South Africa. In Progression, 25 (1):61-75.

Sherrit, C. 1999. Hong Kong and Taiwam: Two Case Studies in Open and DistanceLearning. In Asian Affairs Hong Kong.

Tait, A. 2000. Planning Student Support for Open and Distance Learning. In Open Learning, 15 (3) 228-298.

Trikic, A. 2001. Evolving open learning environments using hypermedia technology. In Journal of Computer Assisted Learning 17: 186-199. Black well Science Ltd

.

United Nations Educational Scientific Organisation (UNESCO). 2004. International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA).www.unesco-iicba.org (Assessed: 2005-01-21).

University of Cape Town Art Collection. 1998.

Yorke, M. 2004. Retention, persistence and success in on-campus higher educationand their enhancement in open and distance learning. In Open Learning,

19 (1): 20-32.

APPENDIX A: RELEVANT ACCRONYMNS

ACDE- African Council for Distance Education.COL - Commonwealth of Learning.DEASA Distance Education Association of Southern Africa.MINEDAF Ministers of Education in Africa.NADEOSA- National Association for Distance and Open Learning Education in SouthAfrica.NEPAD New Plan for African Development Partnership for Africas Development.SARUA South African Regional Universities Association.

Contemporary research on Open and Distance E-Learning at the Central University


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of Technology, Free State, South Africa: an Africanized approach

KJ De Beer Director: Academic Support and Research, Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In essence, the 11th Association for African Universities (AAU) General Conference during February 2005 in Cape Town especially enhanced the development of an Open and Distance E-Learning (ODEL) networking process within the NEPAD agreementof the African Union (AU). It actually implemented the Southern African Development Community (SADC) protocol for open academic agreements. Geographically, theCentral University of Technology, Free State (CUT) falls in the southern African region. Consequently, research in our Unit for Academic Development, primarily endeavours to cover the philosophy of ODEL within PAREN (Promoting African Research and Education Networking- Internet) in this part of the continent. ODEL is not static. Subsequently, modern perspectives are continually necessary for technology utilization, said the former minister of Education in South Africa, Naledi Pandor at the AAU-conference (2005). The sharing of Higher Education Institu

tions ODEL facilities is becoming a fait de accompli which is further prioritised by the current global financial recession. Therefore, ODEL research seeks toprovide an urgent strategy as how to align and support existing infrastructuresfrom sub-regional to national and international (read Africanized) levels.

ORGANIZATION AND BACKGROUND

The CUT main campus resides in Bloemfontein, the capitol of the Free State province, adjacent to the Kingdom of Lesotho. CUT, a former Technikon which could becompared with polytechnics or community colleges elsewhere in the world, becamea fully fledged university of technology in 2003 (Cf. De Beer, 1998). It usedto serve four distance campuses which were closed down under the new higher education dispensation of the South African governments Department of Education (DO

E). One of the four campuses, namely Welkom, was integrated with the former Vista University and integrated with its jewellery school into CUT.

The distance facility in Kimberley in the Northern Cape Province now forms partof the National Institute for Higher Education: Northern Cape (NIHE) which serves as a hub for four other Higher Education Institutions (HEIS). NIHE could be compared with some elementary components of an open university system for the Northern Cape. Basically, the Unit for Academic Development (UAD) of the CUT is doing research how to establish a management structure within a possible open university system, not only for NIHE, but to merge ventures in technology utilization within the whole sub-region. This sub-region could include the National University of Lesotho (NUL) and the University of South Africas (UNISA) distance education network from the Northern Cape and Namibia in collaboration with the projects of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL).

UNISA, which commenced with the very first Institute for Open Learning, also forms part of NIHE and has already established a network of inter active videoconferencing facilities in the bigger towns such as Springbok and Kimberley of the Northern Cape. In Kathu, the Further Training Education Institution (FTEI) trainsthe most advanced technicians for the mines in the Northern Cape.

Academically, the CUT main campus offers Science, Engineering and Technology programmes as well as practical management courses such as Public Management and Human Resources Management. It also offers Health (Radiology and Dental Assistanttraining) and Environmental (Agricultural Management) programmes. Courses are m

ostly offered via traditional learning and teaching methodologies. Power pointpresentations are supported by a well established infra structure such as a library and information centre, IT laboratories, workshops and training facilities a


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s well as a Science Park.

The Science Park is linked with the Meraka Institute of the Council for Scienceand Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria with an outdoor computer with a verylow signal capacity (Cf. Digital Doorway, 2009). This all weather machine couldbe loaded with learning material and placed anywhere in the region to open limited access for open learning. One such experiment was done in the Kingdom of Le

sotho and the idea is to expand research with expertise of COL on the project for the Northern Cape as well. This province is the largest in South Africa (over350 000 square kilometres). It is a semi desert area next to the West coast and sparsely populated with plus minus one million people. Most of the inhabitantsexperience socio economic problems and cannot afford full time tuition at universities.

To assist the part time students in the Northern Cape, a limited Web Course Tool(Web CT) support network has been extended from the Centre for E-Learning and Educational Technology (CELET) at the CUTs main campus. Web CT was upgraded to Blackboard Campus Edition 8.

Little research has been done to merge the CUTs Information Technology System (ITS) in collaboration with other HEIS to develop a single and compatible system.Especially to establish an open university system with ODEL methodologies according to the spirit of the Higher Education Act (101) which formulates the idea of a single higher education dispensation (Higher Education Act, 2000).

This research article endeavours to enlighten colleagues about the research problem in southern Africa, namely that there exists a huge hiatus in the knowledgehow to construct a practical strategic plan for collaboration not only among HEIS but also with other existing research organizations which will be described indetail under the case description.SETTING THE STAGE

In the economic sense of the word, both the Free State and Northern Cape provinces are rated less viable than the other seven provinces of the country. Contraryto this negative socio economic scenario, the Free State has some of the richest gold mines in the world. Its agricultural industry is well developed but hampered by droughts. In the Northern Cape, the De Beers diamond mines are contributing to the economic welfare of the province as well as the iron ore mines in Kathu. Some of the worlds best semi precious stones could be found in this semi desert region. It also houses the South African Large Telescope (SALT) and Meerkat, the impetus for the largest radio telescope in the world. The outcome of the South African bid next to Australia is still not known, but astronomy alreadyforms part and parcel of international research and international collaboration(Cf. De Beer, 2007).

First of all a viable infrastructure has to be implemented which must enhance mergers in technology networks as well as to merge it with the vision and missionstatements of the South African Department of Education (DOE), and the SouthernAfrican Regional Universities Association (SARUA) which subscribes to the SADC protocol on Education and Training.

More research is necessary with other HEIS of the African Council for Distance Education (ACDE), the Distance Education Organisation of Southern Africa (DEASA),the National Association for Distance and Open Learning of South Africa (NADEOSA), the South African Association for Research Development in South Africa (SAARDHE), the South African for Academic Development Association (SADA) and the Sout

h African Association for Co-operative Education (SASCE). (Cf. ACDE. 2006).

ODEL should be prioritised within HEIS International Offices and empower ODEL p


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ractitioners to attend all southern African conferences and workshops in this field to share existing IT project experiences of other HEIS such as the University of Pretoria (TELETUKS), UNISA, the University of the North West and the University of Stellenbosch.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A prominent overview of our research project at the CUT is to cover the ODEL indetail, however, with a view to technology under the e-learning facet. Without e-technology, ODEL cannot be operational. Subsequently the research problem willalways include the following:

Technology Concerns; Technology Components; and Management and Organizational Concerns.

Technology Concerns

A number of features of web-based hypermedia are also providing suitable mediums

for the design of ODEL environments. The underlying object-oriented architecture of hypermedia systems accords with the need for representational diversity ofandragogic mechanisms and the ongoing re-construction that an evolutionary approach to the design of learning activity demands. Design and development processes to take account of features of the environment likely to influence of be influenced by interactive intervention of specific programmes. Quantitative and qualitative methods are also employed to enable evaluations of hypermedia designs and its environment of use (Trikic. 2001: 186).

Because ODEL is based on sharing facilities, HEIs local consortiums are formedbut must also merge with global consortia, built around disaggregated value chains that will on their turn lead to more global virtual universities. Technological developments will drive the process, the nature of net-based relationships an

d qualities of the Web that are impacting on ODEL (Oblinger, 2001: 9) (Cf. NADEOSA, 2009).

ODEL will eventually force HEIs into mergers and alliances. Hubs will compileusers friendly services into single web sites to cut down cost and administration.

Employers in the labour forces are also using ODEL for their employees to acquire skills with Work Integrated Learning (WIL) on a flexible basis. (Monk, 2001:53).

However, the perceptions of ODEL are rapidly changing but still with the following red warning lights to forestall the idea that it is an ideal panacea for Higher Education in our region:

A nave faith in the new technologies to solve all of the problems of educational deprivation around the world is misplaced. Access to technology, lackof skills to use the technology for teaching and learning, and the cost of buying and renewing technologies form the rest of the equation. It will continue tobe the main impediments to the application of technologies for a much period than we are willing to accept. (Dhanarajan, 2001: 64). An absence of institutional commitment. A significant number of coursescurrently available on the Web and the Internet seem to be anchored not by institutional commitment but individual enthusiasm. (Dhanarajan, 2001: 64). Poor level of investment in staff training. The current level of invest

ment in staff development is totally inadequate for the tasks expected from a faculty members requested to create learner conferred materials. The range of skills required to function in a multimedia environment are even more demanding. I


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nstitutions are quite enthusiastic about investing in new appliances, software programs and connections, but totally unrealistic when it comes to investing in training. (Dhanarajan, 2001: 65). Shifting costs away from institutions to individual learners. New approaches to ODEL via cyber pipes have also meant that the cost of learning is gradually shifting from being an institutional responsibility to that of a learner responsibility. Not many home learners have the level of disposable income to pay

for these in addition to tuition and other institutional fees. If providers ofeducation are not mindful, yet another barrier can emerge. (Dhanarajan, 2001:65). A mismatch between the global market and the local curriculum. The Internet and the Web make it possible for education beyond borders to take place. But from the few examples that we know, curriculum has not kept pace with a global classroom. Curricula design, not surprisingly, is mostly responsive to localneeds, and non-local learners suffer serious disadvantages. There is also the danger of creating new forms of imperialism, with one or two countries dominatinglarge parts of the educational market with their view and interpretation of knowledge and information. (Dhanarajan, 2001: 65).

Technology Components

State of the art technology is a natural choice to compile a wish list for CUTsfuture budgets because universities of technology ultimately have to keep up with the vast growing of the information age and knowledge business. Diana Oblinger (2001:1) says that the speed by which new knowledge, new practices and new products appear in the market priorities lifelong learning and ODEL. According toher references , the following technological trends will fuel the blending of ODL with e- learning:

New applications of Web technology will appear continually. Due to thelow cost of entry and the ease with which new applications can be developed andmodified, new products and services will appear almost daily;

The Net get bigger and faster. The next generation Internet will be very high bandwidth, with very affordable costs. Quality of services, security andreliability will improve. We are already seeing the integration of voice, video and data. In addition, very powerful servers that provide huge amount of storage will contribute to the increasing value of the network (Greene, 2000). Reliability will improve. The importance of the Internet to all forms of business and education will increase. Consequently, steps will be taken to guard against catastrophic failure of the Internet due to either technical malfunctions of malicious attack; Wireless gains ground. New satellite systems will expand the coverage area and capabilities of voice, data and video wireless solutions. In fact, wireless technologies will begin to be deployed as a cost-effective alternative to wireless transmission. As prices fall, wireless may become especially importantin providing telecommunications services in remote areas that cannot economically be served using other technologies; Sizes get smaller. Palmtops, PDAs and handled PCs will continue to gain popularity. As they add improved communication capabilities and as access towireless digital services become more widely available, these smaller form-factor devices will become more commonplace in education; Storage increases. Multimedia and many other types of applications willcreate growing demand for storage. Fortunately, the price per megabyte of diskstorage is predicted to continue to fall by 50% every 15 to 18 months (PwC, 1998). Not only is the price falling, but the density of storage is increasing andthe form factor (i.e. size) of storage for PCs is shrinking; Displays become flexible. Although computer displays are lighter and ha

ve better resolution than ever before, new technologies such as organic light-emitting devices (OLEDS) are exceptionally bright, operate efficiently at low voltages and can potentially be made very inexpensively. These new displays will be


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thin, lightweight and flexible allowing them to travel to remote locations more easily than todays displays; and Mainframes are still cost-effective. For many of the applications likely to dominate the scene for distance and open learning, mainframes will be a part of the future. And they will continue to offer superior scalability, robustness, security and handling of data-intensive applications, such as decision support or data warehousing. In fact, for many enterprise-wide applications, mainf

rames offer a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) compared to other platforms (Cf. also Oblinger, 2001: 12).

Management and Organizational Concerns

Quite often the managers of HEIS commenced their academic careers as ordinary lecturers in a specific academic discipline and were promoted along academic achievements and eventually appointed as deans, registrars, deputy vice chancellors and principals. Ignorance about the specialised ODEL technology utilization subsequently are often misunderstood or misinterpreted by ignorant managers. However, knowledge about technology as well as management skills such as how to budget

and collaborate with other HEIS are just important as political literacy. Political literacy about Africanization and globalization are forcing managers to make wider assessments, especially about ODEL with its rapid changing of technology. Fact of the matter is that no man is an island and managers need skilled advisers who can give direction in research as well as implementation.

Another concern is that board members of HEIs consist out of prominent personsfrom the private and public sectors and do not always have the insight about technology utilization. In South Africa, there are also politicians appointed by the government on the HEIs boards as well as representatives of labour unions.Consequently there are multiple concerns about the knowledge of board members who have to debate or to condone decisions about ODEL. Concerns are that management and organizational matters are intertwined both with nave decisions about th

e latest technology or lack of consensus about how to implement existing and tested research on ODEL. Some of the core concerns are the following:

Untested leadership to manage change. ODEL requires sound management and leadership. The early pioneers in the field, such as Walter Perry of UK OpenUniversity, Ram Reddy of the Indira Gandhi National Open University of India, were academically respected, politically connected and astute, charismatic speakers and interlocutors, clever strategists and tacticians. They did not just manage; they initiated change. (Dhanarajan, 2001: 66) The real danger of losing our sense of equity and equality of opportunities. At the heart of educational innovations, such as ODEL, must be the concernto reach out to those in our communities who were never able to participate inany form of learning. (Dhanarajan, 2001, 66).

The uninformed manager or board member may for example ask: Why the philosophyof Open Learning? Although the answer is very simple, uninformed people willnot easily understand that Open Learning as such is not a method, but an educational philosophy. It is an open approach towards learning and teaching. In holistic terms it means when the whole approach to Higher Education (HE) is greaterthan the individual methodologies that may vary from:

Cooperative (group) learning in class; Co-operative Education (Work Integrated Learning: WIL) as in Experiential Learning or in-service training as in off campus real life exposure to technical job environments;

E-learning both for on campus and off campus learning opportunities; Inter-active video conferencing for off campus learners at regional learning centres or satellite campuses with video back up copies for full time stude


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nts; First generation distance education (Correspondence courses); Second generation distance learning (Dual contact or tutorial sessions)(De Beer, K.J. 1995); Third generation distance education (Education Technology such as web based, video based, computer based or the variety of interactive electronic overhead projectors and edu-walls with satellite link ups in collaboration with a dive

rsity of higher education institutional networks); Learner-centred philosophies within Outcomes and Problem Based Educational Training known as progressivism (Cf. Sherrit, C.:1999); Blended Learning when a lecturer makes use of clippets or part of the above mentioned methodologies (Badenhorst. J.: 2004); Flexible Learning according to the exact meaning of the word flex, i.e. to bend or fold access, teaching, learning, assessment, articulation, mobilityand recognition of prior learning experiences according to the needs of individual students or societies or specific sub-regions (Mostert, J.:1999).

Still, the most important fact to keep in mind when one refers to the philosophyof ODEL is the political domain from which it is historically founded. It is a

ll about an open democratic approach towards HE with all the revolutionary slogans for a free and open (read transparent) society. Education, read also HE, is not regarded as a privilege but a right (University Cape Town Art Collection.1990).

In itself, HE is not a static and passive entity but rather a pacemaker in itself and for social change. HEIs do often not strife to keep abreast with economic and industrial development. For example, when formal adult education in the West started to take shape during the Industrial Revolution to train the labour force and a literate society, it expanded along with rapid technological development in the 1920-1930 era. Eduard Lindeman and John Dewey formulated the democratic, learner-centered philosophy of education, known as Progressivism (Sherrit, C.:1999). This statement is often very difficult for representatives of labou

r unions to dissolve!

Project findings and experiences

We have noticed all the delicate issues, controversies that define the researchproblem for ODEL at the CUT for its collaboration with other HEIS within NIHE inthe Northern Cape and in the SADC region, but fortunately new forms of HEIs networks could henceforth conveniently assist equity-driven and marginalised institutions to benefit by an ODEL approach. Third wave mega networks opened up and developed new configurations such as the World Banks African Virtual University (AUV) (http://www.avu.org) based in Nairobi to serve anglo-phone and francophone sub-Sahara. It forms part and parcel of the new knowledge economy (Latchem, 2002).

In the case of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) they envisagefour possible scenarios for HEIS:

Global big business dominated by the strongest role players; The Trojan Horses to slip in international qualifications; Community hubs; and University/business hybrids (Latchem, 2002)

Academic staff development is therefore under tremendous pressure too when HEIstell academe to change, but still holding them accountable by traditional curricula. (Cf. Latchem, 2002). Subsequently the Managements of HEIs should be cons

equent to assist their units for academic development to re-engineer and re-invent curricula that are based on andragogical forms. (CF. Bezuidenhont, 2003) Learning that is collaborative applications-driven and constructivist. Unfortunate


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ly, there are still too much conflict between managerial levers (especially in African universities) to apply modern curricula and the languid feedback loop ofacademic boards and committees which stops change taking place writes Colin Latchem (2002). However, he is convinced that academe is not inherently anti-change. In fact most lecturers are willing to embrace new initiatives as long as it is positive.

In business driven curricula, it is of course necessary to have a thorough student support system to assist them to reach the outcomes within an OL system. Tait (2000) says that elements of client-or customer centred ness in our approachto students should be acknowledged. Not any longer the old references to students, but in a differentiated analysis regarding:

Age; Gender; Employment or unemployment; Disposable income; Educational background; Geographical situation;

Special needs (disabilities); Language; Ethnic and cultural characteristics and Communications technology connectedness.

Course writing must subsequently be adapted to provide an OL approach to studentsupport because worthwhile student support can only take place when the specific demands of students/clients are met. This includes the various forms of assessments (continuous or only grading) says Tait (2000).

Course demands may be for full contact or dual contact or web based teaching andlearning. Tate (2000) makes the statement that there is little research done on students support within OL. Especially what is less often recognised is the co

gnitive function of student support, certainly where these services include tutoring and assessment: Such an understanding of the role of student support comes primarily out of social constructivist ideas that knowledge is in a real sensemade and remade by participation in learning. Where the support of students mediates teaching embodied in courseware, then it clearly relates to learning, andthus to cognitive outcomes. It also and necessary relates to the objective ofproviding an environment where students feel at home, where they feel valued, and which they find manageable. In this way we can see that the three core functions are truly interrelated and interdependent.

Diverse schematic figuration images can be created to portray the ODEL infrastructures of HEIs, depending on their individual characteristics because as Tait(2000) concludes: There is no universal blueprint for the establishment of student support systems, open as they are to a range of variations across the characteristics of student cohorts, programmes of study, educational cultures and geographic in all their complexity.

Therefore ODEL and ICT are a disruptive technology that creates opportunities for new organisational models and strategies says Colin Latchem and Donald Hanna(2002).

ODEL-curriculation will of course become more difficult, especially to support lecturers to become aquanted with the changing methods of course delivery. Lecturers may experience it as losing control of their students (Brigss, 1999: 317).

Open Access


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Open access for students to a HEIs forms the very core of the philosophy of ODEL. That is the widening of access with success for the system in open but to ensure success applicants are still have to be selected according to HEIs criteria. Two possibilities, entrance or rejection stare any applicant in the face.

If it is rejection on academic qualifications only, it may be fair, but when itis due to space and financial reasons, it discriminates against potential studen

ts who might have become very successful academics. This is where the new strategic approach of African Universities involves working with and supporting activities in partner institutions to enhance their institutional capacity in ODEL.

Teaching methodologies thus have to be adapted for co-operations so that HEIs can increase equitable access to their demand-driven programs (Kuzvinetsa, 2005:2).

The fact that the ODEL-model is more cost effective, i.e. where additional infrastructures are not unnecessarily duplicated, more money will be available to finance the very poor applicants with good academic points on the Swedish scale, toenter HEIs. ODEL, which has a proven track record of flexible and modular cou

rse provision, becomes a viable and sustainable option for converting African millions of human resources currently subsisting on less than US $ 1 per day froma liability to an asset that can become pivotal in social economic development states professor. Dzvimbo Kuzvinetsa (2005).

The rejected applicants on the grounds of their academic points on the Swedish scale (South African benchmark for access to HEIS) are also given a chance withinan ODEL-system to enter HE via bridging programmes. Multiple examples alreadyexist in South Africa such as the NIHE in the Northern Cape.

Of course the open access philosophy still poses problems of its own. Often individual course groups or social groups could keep on demanding to dominate a certain facility. Subsequently group behaviour should be monitored very closely an

d must be discouraged (Briggs, 1999: 324).

A large strong group of IT students does not necessary mean it is a needs or demand driven course if they are not going to get a place in the job market. It becomes a balancing trick not to be misled either by such behavior patterns.

ODEL is also aimed to enhance student persistence. Mantz Yorke (2004; 26) deliberately does not use retention because its is deliberate while persistence does not necessarily imply the lack of a break in engagement, and encompasses re-engagement with the same provider after a deliberate break (the term repeat business might be used here).

Equal access to ODEL is also reliable for adults with disabilities or caring responsibilities. These student cohorts may have specific needs arising from theircircumstances. Their attendance patterns are more vulnerable. Subsequently they have to work at their own pace and may take longer than the average studentsto finish their academic qualifications. By its very nature ODEL offers more flexibility and customized curricular to full fill in the needs of these students(Edmunds, 2001: 11).

CURRENT CHALLENGES FACING THE CUT

In essence the mentioned case scenario is far more problematic than the few research challenges that meet the eye. Especially the ignorance about the internati

onalisation and Africanization aspects. One of the major challenges is to convert the international office of the institution to integrate ODEL expertise. Morespecialized research has to be done on ODEL mergers. Academic managers must als


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o play an academic diplomatic role in ODEL organizations in southern Africa, such as the Vice Chancellor of our institution, Prof T Mthembu, already does in SARUA. Specialized ODEL orientation should be implemented in detail especially todo the proverbial balancing trick between the price of technology and the best ways to merge it with existing structures and organisations both in the public aswell as in the private sectors. The current recession does not make it a simple exercise. Subsequently, the huge backlog in financial resources in our sub-re

gion will force fellow HEIS to share facilities and to seek collaborative opportunities. Many challenges other than budgetary constraints and sharing the limited human resources as well as political and ethnic conflicts, civil wars, HIV/Aids and corruption can be quoted here though it does not exactly fall within theparameters of the ODEL philosophy.

International organisations such as UNESCO and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) will have to support the fostering and the implementation of ODEL policies within the broader educational and human resource development strategies and policies of member nations (AAU. 2005).

It is inevitable that no university can build its corporate image outside the ab

ove mentioned infrastructure because such a university will not be acknowledgedby the people or by international organisations. Even quality assurance practices will be Africanized within the African Quality Assurance Network (AQUANET) between quality assurance agencies. Some of the requirements will be: how accessible are the programmes of African universities, articulation issues, mobility;recognition of prior learning (RPL) to build academic credits and quality standards for needs driven academic curricula.

Global Challenges for the Curricula

Internal epistemological challenges to the HE-curriculum are:

Post Modernism and

Scientism (Luckett. 2001).

Luckett (2001) propose an epistemically diverse curriculum which can be developed within the concept of OL to cover the following four important ways:

The traditional cognitive learning of propositional knowledge; Learning by doing for the application of disciplinary knowledge; Learning experientially, and Developing epistemic cognition as to be able to think reflexively and contextually about learning.

The challenge to integrate the above knowledge production into a traditional content-based curriculum could only be achieved with an ODEL-approach to address both the local and global trends in HE curriculation.

For example, the curricula should be relevant to African students but also be relevant in global terms (Cf. Prinsloo, 2003)

Because HE is shifting from supply-driven to demand-driven, pressures for greater relevance and accountability, the impact of globalisation and informationand communications technology (ICT), competition from new providers, and the need to be more self-sustaining. HEIs seek solutions to these challenges in openand flexible learning (better known in North America as distributed learning) and ICT. Educational opportunity is being extended across physical, political andsocio-economic divides and millions of learners around the globe now learn thro

ugh these means. (Daharajan, 2001). In (Latchem, C. 2002) Open and flexible learning is increasing access, reducing costs, and taking the first steps to placethe learner at the centre of the educational transaction.


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SOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Ruth Williams writes in Higher Education in Europe (2000, 520) that there is much confusion about the use of the expression open and distance learning. It is thus helpful to start with a definition of ODEL. As her Strategic Study makesclear: Open learning is flexible learning that makes education more accessible

to students (than the traditional forms of learning). Distance learning is a form of study and one way of pursuing open learning (Cf. De Beer and Bezuidenhout,2006).

This stance reiterated in a SOCRATES-ODL working paper, which defines ODL as the use of new methods (both technical and otherwise) to improve the flexibility of learning in terms of space, time, choice of content, teaching resources, and/or to improve access to educational systems from a distance (European Commission, 1998 Williams, 2000: 520). ODEL rather is a concept that is applied to a wide range of activities. Much of the development of ODEL in Central and EasternEurope Africa and elsewhere reflect a variation in activities and also in the use of terminology. It also reflects a variation in the extent to which those dev

elopments map-on to the definitions quoted above. Undoubtedly, this variationis the result of different national contexts and priorities, but it also comesfrom a lack of understanding of, and confusion about, terminology and definitions. Although ODEL developments in Africa may not all strictly adhere to the definitions of modern forms of teaching and learning mentioned above, alternatives to the traditional forms of education and training are starting to be developed (Cf. Williams, 2000: 520)

Subsequently the Academic Development Plan of the CUT which is in tandem with its Manual of Policies and Procedures (CUTMOPP) that derives from National Legislation (NEPAD) promotes regional, national and international research collaboration (CUTMOPP, 2008). And Although CUTMOPP at this stage does not specifically useODEL terminology, it already implies networking with SADC and other African st

ates. In this sense CUTMOPP already encapsulates the vision and mission of theAssociation of African Universities intention to play a supportive role in the development within African Partner Institutions (APIs) of applicable mixed modeor blended ODEL teaching and learning types (Kuzvinetsa, 2005).

This is why the CUT has to ad value to its current curricula to develop existingprogrammes into synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning on campus orout of the main campus in Welkom and Kimberley within NIHE. Eventually a AVU-network to provide for the increasing number of students. It is obvious that thedevelopment of virtual campuses in Africa is a reality. The paucity of resources, says Kuzvinetsa of the AAU (2005: 10) as well as the demands of the new modern upcoming learner is now forcing African universities to think creatively about how they can deliver their programmes to an ever changing student profile on the continent.

It is in this creative tension between vision and reality that the CUT can add value to what African HEIs are engaged in ODEL (Cf. Kuzvinetsa: 2005).

In essence ODEL is about sharing resources. Due to shoe string budgets for Higher Education in Africa, HEIs cannot afford to duplicate facilities to the further detriment of the hungry and the poor. ODEL therefore is the logic answer tomake use of innovative teaching and learning techniques with modern tec