Strategies for Improving Open and Distance Learning Process for Student-Teacher Engagement in Developing Countries

Strategies for Improving open and distance learning process for a Student-Teacher
engagement in Developing Countries:
(A case study of National Open University of Nigeria)
Student`s name
Institution

Abstract
 The fundamental goal of open and distance learning education is to offer an education that
will be accessible anytime/anywhere for all categories of persons. The open and distance
learning is a technology-based learning and educators' pedagogical practice when using
technology could be influenced by their knowledge about their curriculum as well as their
capabilities to integrate ICT into teaching. it is obvious that technologies are being
developed at an ever-increasing rate and researches have shown that 95% of universities
which can accommodate the student more than 10,000 offers distance learning so that
students can learn from their homes using the internet. (Clerk and Mayer 2003). Open and
distance learning has been mostly used in developing countries like Nigeria as it is an all-
inclusive education process which caters for all and sundry.
 Keywords: Open and Distance learning (ODL), Strategies and Engagement.

Introduction
 Open and Distance Learning is a learning environment in which various learning decisions
are made by the students rather than the teachers.
 The students have decisions on what to learn, whether to learn or not, from whom to learn,
how to learn, what to do next after the decision and finally how to get access to learning
materials. (Barikor, 2003).
 In Open and Distance learning, there is various freedom from traditional barriers of the
conventional system. As its name implies, Open connotes elimination of restrictions, barring
and creating the opportunity for studies for different calibre of people (Ibara, 2003).
 This is characterized by the following things.
 Learners and teachers or instructors are physically separated.
 Educational organizing the instructional program.
 Media/technology usage.
 It can be Synchronous in a single to multiple or single to single environment where learning
process takes place in real time or Asynchronous and separated by distance and time – in
which learning process occurs at a given selected by the student and the learners will learn
on their own paces as compared to other students paces (Walter, 2002, Keegan 1996, Ojo
&Olakulehin, 2006).

Introduction cont...
 Distance Learning courses are increasing in higher education, studies have shown that students and
instructors, as well as students and students interactions, enhance education at a distance as it improves
attitudes, encourage earlier completion of course work, allows deep meaningful opportunities, increase
retentions and builds learning communities. (Anderson 2003, Trucker 2003, wills, 1995, Hillman, 1999).
 Open and distance learning is a better means of supporting learners in the attainment of social, economic and
academic development. The high demand application of Open and distance learning is due to the new
innovations and the use of information communication technologies (ICT).
 In the developing countries, for instance, Nigeria where there is a high level of ICT illiterates, then the issues
of ODL are increasing.
 ICT literates should use their new skills to educate those who are ICT illiterates so that they can gain
knowledge to be used in ODL process.
 Also, the challenge may occur on the sides of literates during the process of learning in order for them to gain
knowledge then their technology might become obsolesce. Thus the great challenge for ODL is the way how
to make education a lifelong learning process.