The development, use, and timely promotion of Open Education (OE) has been effective in addressing myriad educational concerns, including inclusivity, accessibility and learning achievement, among many others. However, limited information exists in the literature concerning how OE could enhance Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), which is…

This study investigated predictors of Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) utilization by distance education librarians and drew out implications on library services in distance learning in Eswatini'. Eswatini is a small country in the Southern part of Africa where only a few studies on MOOCs have been conducted focusing on perceived usefulness,…

The Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL) conducted a dropout survey in order to determine why distance students studying with the College, drop out of the subjects they enrolled for. Information was collected from learners who dropped out of subjects they enrolled for, tutors and Head of Centres. Online and telephonic interviews were used…

Unisa has embraced the use of online learning and e-tutoring as a new approach to teaching and learning in an ODeL environment. According to the Community of Inquiry Theory, a learning community is important to enhance the social, cognitive and teaching presences for online learning to achieve student success. Online e-tutor and student…

The facilitation of learning by tutors is a worldwide phenomenon that is supported by most open and distance learning (ODL) institutions. It is a strategy employed to achieve academic success. This qualitative intrinsic case study explored the views of tutors at the University of South Africa (Unisa) about the implementation of the Integrated…

Communication transmits information, ideas and feelings from one person to another. But there are certain barriers which restrict the people's expression. These are social barriers, cultural barriers, temporal barriers, technical barriers, psychological barriers, contextual barriers and collaboration barriers. Therefore, present study was designed…

Today, more and more working adults are opting for the Open Distance Learning (ODL) mode to pursue their tertiary studies as it offers them the flexibility to study anywhere, any time and at one's own pace. But studying at a distance can be problematic for many learners, with the absence of regular traditional face-to-face sessions. Some find it…

Despite numerous supports for undergraduates, low success rate has been a growing concern in the South African university system. Guided by Moore's [1993. "Theory of Transactional Distance." In "Theoretical Principles of Distance Education," edited by Keegan, 22-38. London: Routledge.] transactional distance theory, this…

"Tuesdays with Morrie" is a 1997 non-fictional book by an American writer, Mitch Albom, which was later made into a film with the same title. It tells the true story of sociologist Morrie Schwartz and his relationship with Mitch Albom as his protégé. When the professor is diagnosed with a terminal disease, Mitch begins to visit him at…

The success of any open and distance learning (ODL) programme depends on how well it is evaluated. In the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), students are assessed and evaluated through continuous assessment as well as end of semester examinations. This paper focuses on Tutor Marked Assignment (TMA), which forms part of continuous…

A British study comparing the Kent Open Learning (KOL) tutor training with standard tutor training showed a significant increase in student-centered attitudes among tutors in KOL. (SK)

During the last years, development of open learning environments that support effectively their users has been a challenge for the research community of educational technologies. The open interactive nature of these environments results in users experiencing difficulties in coping with the plethora of available functions, especially during their…

The Open University of United Kingdom's Postgraduate Certificate of Education program is an 18-month, part-time course that annually trains over 1000 graduate teachers via electronic conferencing and open learning methods. The program provides every student and tutor with a Macintosh computer, printer, and modem and builds on face-to-face contacts…

A survey was conducted to identify how the Open University (OU) materials and strategies influence teaching staff in conventional institutions. Of the 59 responders, 14 were Open University tutors. OU textual materials were used by half; nonbook materials, mostly by OU part-time tutors, as were OU subject ideas and teaching strategies. (AF)