Jennifer GlennieTony MaysAugust 2009

Policy in Distance Education: Staffing issues

Except where otherwise noted, this work is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License

Overview

Some introductory remarks on policy making Identification of any distinctive nature of staffing

issues in distance education Detailed identification of policy issues in staffing

for distance education National as opposed to institutional policy issues Consideration of which of these might need

separate consideration from a distance education perspective

National policy Purposes of national policy Symbolic – to mark major political shifts (in SA, for example,

the shift away from apartheid to liberation, from illegitimacy to legitimacy) with recurring themes of equity, redress and entering into the global economy. Such policy provides a vision to which to aspire, and potentially space for actors to move into.

Changing practice on the ground Encourage different and/or good practices Close down poor practices, But beware it can close down unfamiliar (often equals

distance education) practice! Noted that RSA still does not have a national ODL policy;

the NPHE was formulated on a continuum of practice Noted that Unisa cannot currently access SDLA funding

for part-time staff like tutors

Policy issues

The importance of symbolic policy should not be underestimated, although it can be dangerous…

Actually changing practice, however, requires a clear implementation plan and the resources (financial, human and structural) to accompany it. Examples abound in SA of policy with no or grossly inadequate implementation plans

Even then, there are a range of other impediments to the successful implementation of policy which aims to effect change

An example of symbolic policy

The 1997 White Paper on Higher Education in South Africa

The Ministry supports the development of a national network of centres of innovation in course design and development, as this would enable the development and franchising of well-designed, quality and cost-effective learning resources and courses, building on the expertise and experience of top quality scholars and educators in different parts of the country

Distinctive considerations for distance education?

Why might one consider it necessary to have distinct policy for distance education around staffing issues?

The nature of distance education is different in some key respects: Learners and educators are separated in time and space for

the majority of time The student profile is usually different:

older/part-time/working/greater proportion of disability and different gender ratios

There is a division of labour among staff who must then work together in a coherent way to achieve their purpose. This results in a different staffing structure.

There is a scarcity of appropriately qualified staff or even of people with experience of this mode

Key polices around staffing

Staff complement Provides for the different roles played in d e: course designers,

course co-ordinators, tutors, graphic designers, and full range of admin staff (despatch, assignment management, registry etc) as well as for full- and part-time and contract staff depending on job content (Quality assurance requirements -QAR and institutional policy-IP)

Appropriate desirable ratios (e g tutorial-student, course-coordinator-student) in place for the full range of activities (QAR and IP)

Special account is taken of the requirements of learning centres/decentralised support (QAR and IP)

See 8.2 and 8.3 of Nadeosa QC. ( National Policy-NP, QAR and IP

Key policies around staffing

Staff development All staff to be inducted into ODL AND to engage in ongoing in-

depth professional development in their area of work. (NP, QAR, IP)

An appropriate mix of staff development opportunities should be available, including short and long term, skills training and in-depth study, in accordance with the identified training needs of the institution. (QAR, IP) e.g. Non-formal conscientising; non-formal and formal induction (e.g. Rhodes); semi-formal targeted in-service development (e.g. Assessor training but Staff;student ratios? Semesterisation? Monitoring?)

Staff development opportunities and the actual or prospective role to be played should be matched. (QAR, IP)

See also 8.8 and 8.9 of Nadeosa QC

Key policies around staffing

Workload There should be an explicit profile of the role and functions of

each staff member ( NP?, QAR, IP) In particular, provision should be made for academics to do all

that is required of them including research (NP?, QAR, IP) Remuneration should be commensurate with the above and the

load of the particular person (QAR, IP) Unacknowledged work should receive recognition, with new

roles being created as necessary (IP) e.g. Module coordinator, Programme manager, SLA Coordinator, Tutor coordinator, Online tutor ...

See 8.11 and 8.12 of Nadeosa for consideration on demands of online support

Key policies around staffing

Human Resource Systems Effective performance management and appraisal systems should

be in place (NP, QAR, IP) Rewards, with a motivational intent, should be given for all

aspects of the performance –including those relating to course development, teaching and management of learning (NP,QAR, IP)

The standard HR systems regarding recruitment, conditions of service, staff welfare, industrial relations etc should be in place (NP, QAR,IP)

See also 8. 13 of Nadeosa QC

Key policies around staffing

Other Procedures and training for outsourcing various function such as

printing, couriering, registration should be in place (QAR,IP) Dynamic and responsive systems needed for rapid deployment of

decentralised support staff – normally these will outnumber core central staff

There is always room for improvement and to be involved in education is to be involved in change (IQMF)

Key resources

Designing and delivering distance education: quality criteria and case studies from South Africa (2005, Nadeosa) Pages 35 and 36

www.nadeosa.org.za Criteria for institutional audits (2004,CHE) Criterion 9 Criteria for programme accreditation (2004, CHE) Criteria 3

and 4 www.che.ac.za Unisa Integrated Quality Management Framework intranet

Thank You