SCURRYING FOR A SUCCESSFUL OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING MODEL IN MALAWI: PREVALENT ISSUES AND TRENDS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION
Keywords:
F2F, ODL, ICT, e-learning, technology, developing countries, study-circlesAbstract
Access and equity to Higher Education in Malawi remains a challenge as qualified students are left out due to limited classroom infrastructure in public universities. Between 1994 and 1996, only 5,561 students (30% female and 70% male) were enrolled in our universities. From 2008 to 2016, total enrollment has not surpassed 0.03%.Going by these realities; Malawi has two options for increasing access to higher education: either to expand the f2f residential hostel and classroom infrastructure, or diversify the ODL delivery mode so that it accommodates as many students as possible while supporting them with quality instruction. Nevertheless, due to the limitations inherent in the f2f, ODL is the most feasible option considering Malawi’s thirsty for education and her relative poverty levels. Accordingly, this paper analysed the challenges confronting Malawi education system. It further attempted to provide solutions to these problems. The paper utilised case studies and literature reviews. It therefore assumed a descriptive research design. At the end of the analyses, it revealed that ODL can only be successful if several factors were considered. These factors, nevertheless, differed from one country to another, and may not be treated to a-one-size-fits-all approach. Therefore, it was recommended that ODL providers should only employ well-tailored instructional strategies not just anything that worked elsewhere. A case at hand was that while modern technologies have found their place in education, their adoption must not be wholesale since they are not complete by themselves and do come with several issues. Moreover, technologies must not be considered as cost-cutting measures and or substitutes for human resources. We also recommended that ODL must neither be considered any inferior to F2F residential delivery mode nor must it be taken as a means for achieving quantiles without quality. Accordingly, the survival of ODL will immensely depend on how these issues are treated as they help shape the quantity and quality of the learning experiences.
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