Pushing through the boundaries: A tale of implementing e-learning in a developing country

Date
2010-11Abstract
The Centre for Open and Lifelong Learning (COLL), Polytechnic of Namibia (PoN) is responsible for coordinating and administrating the institute’s distance education programmes. Of recent, COLL has taken on the responsibility to design, develop and deliver e-learning courses for the benefit of distance education students. This is in response to the PoN’s want of producing students that can perform within a knowledge based economy and as steered by globalisation pressures. Such a task is daunting especially seeing as Namibia is considered a ‘developing’ nation and constrained by a number of issues such as poor bandwidth, restricted computer and network access and limited human resources with technical ‘know-how’. However, COLL is forging ahead to offer e-learning as a mode of study and in doing so improving strategies for supporting teaching and learning at a distance. // COLL is piloting two e-learning courses this year, and is in the process of developing another eight for implementation in 2011. The piloting involves planning and development of e-learning courses with PoN lecturers (the e-learning course developers) through to implementation with students and finally conducting overall evaluations. This process is moving ahead even though there are a number of glaring challenges to the implementation of such a technically enhanced mode of study. In order to do so we have followed Ascough’s (2002) model and have carried out empirical research to feed into the development of e-learning. This paper will briefly discuss the process of developing e-learning courses for Namibia within the four stages proposed by Ascough (2002) namely, undertaking analyses; setting goals and objectives; selecting teaching strategies and administrating evaluations. I discuss the challenges faced and highlight some strategies for implementing e-learning under constrained circumstances.
Subject
Collections
Metadata
Show full item recordRelated Items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Assessing the need for a quality framework designed specifically for managing the provision of online distance education in developing countries
Inglis, Alistair (2010-11)Quality assurance and quality improvement processes employ quality frameworks to ensure comprehensive coverage of the factors affecting students’ experiences of learning. The importance of quality frameworks has increased ... -
Acquiring Digital Education Leadership Capabilities through Heutagogy: A Case of C-DELTA Implementation at Makerere University
Kabugo, David; Kakeeto, David (Commonwealth of Learning (COL), 2019-09)Although the need for Digital Education Leadership (DEL) credentials is rising among educators at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in both developing and developed contexts, occupying this niche through conventional ... -
Qualitative and Interactive e Learning through “VSAT”
Pole, Ramprasad (2010-11)“Nothing is permanent except change”. In a world where change is the only constant there is a need for tools techniques to help institutions become more effective. In a competitive world there is a need for ways to stay ... -
Developing Strategies for successful Science and Technology programmes in Open Universities of Developing countries
Rangappa, K S; Narasimharao, B Panduranga (2010-11)As human civilization progresses from one era to another era the education and its delivery also undergoes changes and transformations as per the experience and needs of the society of that era. The present day system had ... -
Revamping Indian Education System: Setting a Democratic, Accessible and Equitable Model for Developing Countries
Lakshmi Reddy, M V (2010-11)It is high time that all the policy makers and implementers at all stages, levels and sectors of education must really feel guilty of their individual and collective failures in promoting desired access, infrastructure, ...