Designing the University of Botswana Distance Education System: A Systems Approach

Abstract

PCF5 Sub-theme: Cross-cutting Themes // Designing a distance education system for a dual mode university is a complex process that can benefit from a systems approach. The decision to re-design the distance education system at the University of Botswana (UB) was based on the findings that the Department of Distance Education had not functioned to its full capacity partly because of an unclear system. Therefore, the effort to re-design the distance education system from a systems perspective was framed by the Ideal Systems Design Approach. // The process of re-designing the distance education system for UB went through a number of phases; (i) establishing the need through a research study; (ii) developing the design plan (iii) developing the system (iv) institutionalizing the designed system. // The purpose of this paper therefore, is to share the experience of applying a systems approach in designing the distance education system for UB and the impact it would make on increasing access to university programmes. Furthermore, the experience illustrates the value of stakeholder involvement. The UB experience has demonstrated that such a process results in high level of ownership of the system, ownership of the collective decisions that were made, as well as commitment to the system. // The high level of accountability of the systems stakeholders is likely to impact the operation of the system and to increase the success factor including facilitating the realization of the objective of increasing access to UB programmes through the distance education mode. Involving the community of stakeholders as designers is also a tool that managers can use to keep pace with developments in the wider context of the system’s environment. // Paper ID 633