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Leapfrogging 1st Generation Distance Education into 4th and 5th Generation Distance Education at Makerere University: A Study Materials Writers’ Experiences
Stella Achen and Ruth Nsibirano
Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
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Presentation Outline
Introduction Identification of course writers Tasks for course writers Findings Challenges Recommendations
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Introduction
Greatest development and growth of new technologies in the 20th and 21st Centuries than any other century.
New technologies and systems are increasingly being used in education among other sectors.
Makerere University through the department of Open and Distance Education(ODL) has run a 1st generation mode of distance education(DE) programs
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Introduction Cont’d
In 1991,ODL was launched with two academic programmes – Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Education
In 2001, two more academic programmes added- Commonwealth Diploma in Youth in Development Work programme (CYP) and Bachelor of Science (External)
Student enrolment rose from 246 (1992) to 8,000
students in 2001
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Introduction Cont’d
Successful proposal to NORAD
ODL sought to leapfrog DE from 1st to 4th and 5th generations of DE
A number of activities including developing course materials fit for the 4th and 5th generations DE programme
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Aim
Writers, Trainers, Project Administrators and reviewers (in and out of Mak)
Personality & context issues
This paper examines the experiences of the 20 course writers for the fifth generation modules
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Methods Used
Study designed
Qualitative and qualitative data was collected through
Study population = 20 course writers for the fifth
generation modules
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Identification of course writers
Course writers were identified by the committee for DELP
Lecturers and practitioners from various disciplines
DELP conducted a series of workshops
Understanding a distance Learner
curriculum development for DE learners
Content for the 4th and fifth generation of DE.
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Tasks for course writers
Writers were given time lines (month) for drafts of courses Effects from change of working environments
Conflicting demands
Writers transformed their course materials to online Poodle & moodle
Infrastructural issues
Uploaded MUELE
About 20 courses uploaded on MUELE.
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Findings
90 percent writers had never participated in such an activity.
A challenge to develop interactive online content
“It is much harder to writer materials for distance education learners because you must write content in form of a dialogue. It is also more time consuming because a lot of planning must be done”.
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Observations
Much easier to conduct face-to-face lectures than online lectures
Easier to drop out University calendar affects scheduling of training
workshops Even harder to transform content to online learning
materials with activities
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Best Practices and Lessons Learnt
Time constraints due to push and pull factors
Writers must be learners first
Communication & commitment is essential
Interpersonal skills (soft skills) needed
Embarrassment of writers by some facilitators.
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Recommendations
The University should train more human resources with
skills for curriculum development of DE materials
befitting the 4th and 5th generations.
The University should start more online DE programmes
to decongest the campus
Facilitators should consider slow learners during sessions.
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END
Thank you for listening
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