The Task of Making Open, Distance and e-Learning Attractive

Abstract

PCF10 Sub-theme: Fostering Lifelong Learning // Open, distance learning (ODL) has been with us over the years; however, very few accepted it until the outbreak of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It seems like COVID-19 was an ODL messenger sent to convince the world of the need to imbibe the distance learning pedagogy. During the pandemic, schools which hitherto had no formulated policy on distance learning had to imbibe the distance learning pedagogy to sustain their academic curricula. To sustain the drive, policy making bodies on education must formulate policies that will enshrine the use of distance learning in the education system. To build a resilient education system demands a deliberate effort by actors and stakeholders in the education sector viewing ODL as a tool to fast-track the learning process. Two studies were conducted within the period of the COVID-19 pandemic (between 2020 and 2021) – a cross-sectional study of 255 students from five major institutions located in the Niger Delta, Nigeria and a study involving students, faculties, civil servants and some uncategorized individuals selected from nations in Africa, Asia, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Canada. Results obtained from the analysis indicate the need to rejig the drive on distance learning and access to ODL mode of teaching and technology. // Paper ID 6148