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Distance Learning in the Nigerian context

Dr. Suleiman Ramon-Yusuf PhD.

Director, Department of Open & Distance Education

National Universities Commission

Abuja Nigeria

sbramon2001@ yahoo.com

http://www.nuc.edu.ng

Introduction…1

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Nigeria: Basic Facts

• Africa’s most populous nation, 164 Million people: [ 250 Ethnic groups; 500 Languages]

• Location: West Africa, between Latitude 4o and 14o N and Longitude 2o and 15o E

• Total Land Area= 923,768Km2 (356,669 sq m).• Federal Republic, 36 States + 1 Federal Capital

Territory, 774 Local Government Areas

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NUMBER AND TYPES OF HE INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA

HEI Federal State Private Total

Univers-ities

37 37 50 124

Poly/ Monotechs.

43 52 15 110

CoE 21 44 21 86

Total 101 133 86 320

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5Federal State Private

37 37 50

Universities

Federal Universities37%

State Universities37%

Private Universities50

Chart Title

NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM STATISTICS

ODL IN NIGERIA

• Home study/ correspondence variety popular early to mid-20th century.

• ODL Policy framework: Long standing recognition as means of enhancing access. NPE since 1977

• ODL Policy goals: Provide access to quality education and equity

in educational opportunities for those who otherwise would have been denied.

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ODL IN NIGERIA….2

• ODL Policy goals: Meet special needs of employers by mounting

special certificate courses for their employees at their work place.

Encourage internationalization especially of tertiary education curricula.

Ameliorate the effect of internal and external brain drain in tertiary institutions by utilizing experts as teachers regardless of their locations or places of work.

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ODL IN NIGERIA…3

• POLICY VS PRACTICE ?• Policy stipulates ODL implementation at

ALL levels of Education.• Yawning Gap between Policy and

practice……• In reality only at tertiary level:National Teachers’ Institute (NTI)University sub-sector

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IMPERATIVES FOR ODL IN NUS

DD for HE far outstrips SS. In Nigeria, over a million candidates sit

Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) annually, existing 124universities can only absorb about 350,000 new entrants

Need for Paradigm shift to enhance access

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ODL In the University system

• Yet to be fully exploited..

• 1 Unimode University (NOUN)

• 6 Dual- mode institutions

• Enrolment:

<50,000 in Dual mode DLCs + abt. 35,000

in NOUN.

• Many Universities expressing interest !!10

ENROLMENT IN ODL PROGRAMMES

UNIVERSITY ENROLMENT

conventional f2f

DLCs

NOUN

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ENROLMEMT IN DL CENTRES

S/NO UNIVERSITY DLC ENROLMENT

1. Ibadan 12, 750

2. Lagos 10,381

3. Abuja 16,791

4. Maiduguri 3,624

5. FUT, Yola 1,204

6. OAU Ile-Ife 5,000

GRAND TOTAL 49,750

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NUS ODL MODEL

• In the NUS…. ODL = Supported Blended Learning.

• interactive texts at the heart of teaching and learning. supplemented with other resources such as: CDROM: DVD: or USB sticks to deliver; e-books, simulations, assessment etc

• No attendance of classes or face-to-face contact, unless for Examinations, periodic facilitation and practicum. 13

NUS ODL MODEL..2

• Predicated on a pedagogy that is led by resources and not reliant on face-to-face intervention.

• Study centre system should: offer both academic and social support. Act as the focal points of learning communities have agreed standards of accommodation in

facilities and equipment + Functional ICT• [See “Guidelines for open & distance learning in Nigerian

Universities” visit www.nuc.edu.ng14

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Assessment….

• will include CA ( minimum of 1 MA/ 40 Hrs of study ) + summative assessment, e.g. exams , portfolios, that provide for validation of achievement

• Task will occupy a minimum of 10% of study time. The course score should depend on both the continuous and final assessment.

• Effective marking and feedback require rapid return – a target maximum of 3 weeks is appropriate but ICT may allow this to be reduced.

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Assessment ….2

• Loading on staff may be reduced by the use of automatically marked ICT-based Assignments.

• CA should be well entrenched and should include TMAs and CMAs

• Evaluation and assessment should include Summative assessment that validate achievement of Learning objectives

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NUC ODL Guidelines…..

• Curriculum:• -congruent with the approved MAS/ BMAS for the

programme. • Learning outcomes clearly articulated in terms of

competencies, skills and behavioural attributes

Pedagogy:  Learning objectives should be well defined Pedagogy -should be appropriate to meet the Learning

objectives well written Study guides should lead study Programmes should be updated at appropriate

frequency

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NUC ODL Guidelines ….2

• Staffing •  adequate qualified faculty for programme leadership,

resource and assessment generation, and tutor monitoring- normally a minimum of 6 academic staff should be associated with each academic programme but staff may also be associated with other programmes

Academic staff mix-by-rank should comply with the NUC guidelines of Professorial cadre: Senior Lectureship: Lecturer 1 and below in the ratio of 20:35:45 for comparability of quality and standard.

• -Staff should be appropriately skilled in terms of subject and ODL pedagogy.

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NUC G/lines….3

• Staffing... -Student advisers should be available for

information, advice and guidance (IAG)

 There should be a Minimum of 2 administrative staff for not more than a cluster of 4 academic programmes.

-The institution should have the ability to demonstrate technical support ( in-house or out-sourced).

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NUC G/lines…..4

ACADEMIC LEARNER SUPPORT:Tutor: Student Ratio= 1:50Tutors should be trained or have

validated ODL qualifications ( through orientation, seminars, on-line workshops, conferences on ODL programmes).

Channels of communication should be diverse and cater for student need, i.e. surface mail, phone, email etc.

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NUC G/lines….5

Marking and feedback to meet international standards.

Feedback on assignments and examinations should be prompt

(within 3 weeks for Assignment; within 10 weeks for Exams )

Feedback should reflect areas of students’ weaknesses, strengths and appropriate corrections

• Expectations for new / prospective DL Centres??

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SETTING UP A DISTANCE LEARNING CENTRE….FIRST STEPS

Approval by University Senate Approval by Governing Council Develop Institutional ODL Policy : Policy on:Course materials… purchase, develop or bothStaffing. Recruitment, career progression/ tenure

trackTechnologySystem of learner supportQuality Assurance 23

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Setting up a distance learning centre….first steps 2

Strategic + Action Plans

Set-up DL Planning & Implementation C’tee

University-wide Understanding of Concept, Principles and Practice of contemporary DL

Internalize NUC ODL G/Lines Advocacy& sensitization

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First Steps…..3

• Induction of Staff especially A CADEMICS [Large pool of subject-matter experts exists]

• Convert ANALOG Academics to DIGITAL

• Adopt SYSTEMS APPROACH

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Capacity Building…

• Capacity building is KEY:

• All categories of staff [ academic staff: teachers + Tutors: E-teaching skills critical

• Information Advice & Guidance• Administrative• Technical

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Capacity Building….2

• Set up multi-disciplinary course teams: [instructional design experts + subject matter experts + ICT experts ].

• Develop course materials [ mixed media]

• 70% course materials required before approval – [case-by- case]

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Capacity Building…3

• Set up ICT infrastructure

• Deploy appropriate technology

• Match men to technology

CHALLENGES OF ODL IN NUS

Institutional capacity gaps : Inadequate Course Wares Weak Learner support system Inappropriate delivery mechanisms Regulatory capacity gaps

Professional capacity gaps:Dearth of competent Practitioners [Teachers;

Tutors; IA&G staff ]Paucity of QA personnel

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TACKLING THE CHALLENGES..

NUC/BC/OUUK PROJECT: Collaboration between NUC , British Council Nigeria &

OUUK

Overarching objective: Bring the standard of ODL practice in Nigeria up to level of global best practice

ODL stakeholder roundtable in November, 2008 - a forum for discussions on issues bordering on a suitable ODL Model for Nigeria

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NUC/BC/OUUK ODL Project

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MOU…….

ODL PROJECT…2

Stakeholders’ workshop on 26-27 March, 2009: out come :Development of Guidelines for ODL in the Nigerian university system [ Eligibility to offer DL; Delivery guidelines, programme accreditation instrument]

Train the Trainers Initiative : (Dec. 2009 – March 2011)

E-teaching workshops: nominated group of DL teachers from 7 Nigerian universities.

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ODL PROJECT…3

• TtT Initiative:• A series of 5 workshops + Intervening conversations facilitated by

OUUK staff: Prof. Swithenby et. al.• Workshops focused on course module designs+ associated support• General studies courses:

– Use of English – CDL University of Ibadan– Philosophy and Logic – CDL, OAU Ile-Ife– Nigerian Peoples and Culture – CDL, University of Maiduguri– Science and Society – CDL Federal University of Technology,

Yola– Entrepreneurship – DLI, University of Lagos and CDL, University

of Abuja

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T-t-T Workshops

ODL PROJECT…4

• Other aspects of TtT:Assessment [ incl. e-assessment]ICT for resource development and

delivery; ICT for student support.

Designation as National Trainers

40 graduates : certified NUC/BC/OUUKCASCADE

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ODL PROJECT…5

• Next steps: [ project assessment]

• University level cascading [a few DLCs]

• Roll-out of Pilot Modules [ Finalization done]

• Development & Roll-out of other selected courses/ modules [ a few…DLI ? ]

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ODL PROJECT…6

• Consortium formation (6 Universities) Steering group: VCs – oversight; policy, finances Coordinating group {Executive Group: Directors} Agreement to collaborate in :Development and delivery of learning

resources, courses/modulesStudy centre network Choice of VLELong term Resource production mechanism

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REQUIRED….?

Greater commitment @ highest level [VCs]

Strengthen Collaboration among consortium members

Strengthen partnership with OUUKBuild synergiesSET UP INSTITUTE FOR ODL

PEDAGOGY…..OUUK/NUC39

Future Prospects…?

• Perennial problem of Inadequate access to HE must be ameliorated.

• ODL is the answer

• With greater stakeholder commitment & support + hard work+ collaboration, the Future of DL in Nigeria is bright.

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Thank you and God Blesswww.nuc.edu.ng