OPEN LEARNING RESEARCH PROJECT (12)

APPENDIX: F

Theme: African-focused research.

Author: Dr KJ de Beer

Key words:

African-focused research
African Council for Distance Education
Africanisation
Commonwealth of Learning
Peacekeeping Correspondence Instruction for African soldiers
Regionalisation
UNESCO
UNITAR
UNITWIN
World Technological University

Title of paper:

COLLABORATION FOR HIGHER LEVEL DISTANCE EDUCATION
THROUGH UNITED NATIONS STRUCTURES IN AFRICA

Dr KJ de Beer
Director: Distance Education
Central University of Technology, Free State
South Africa


COLLABORATION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH UNITED NATIONS STRUCTURES IN AFRICA

Abbreviated Abstract:

The United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Paris) is an unbiased international body which could accommodate all the bi-lateral technological ventures of the African continent simultaneously merging it multilaterally with the best academic institutions throughout the world. Especially with the United Nations Institute for Training and research (Genève) and the World technological University (Russia) in the fields of education, research and production.

However, it will be farcical to reason that only technological based institutions, i.e. universities of technology, technical and vocational institutions, will redress the educational imbalances of Africa at large. Because Africanisation forms part and parcel of the global educational paradigm change which aims to educate the whole person from pedagogical to andragogical levels.

An holistic universal education system is therefore necessary to develop a new technological infrastructure in which all academic teaching and technological training (co-operative instruction) can contribute towards concerted endeavors to enhance the process in developing countries.

Africanisation can solve political and cultural problems independently but can not foster a united socio-economic infrastructure through technological training in isolation. Future outcomes will inevitable be determined by interdisciplinary and globalised destinations of all Higher Level Education institutions, not only in developed and developing countries but within a whole new world order. Within this scenario the African council for Distance Education (ACDE) combines all the relevant role players to foster continental and global collaboration in open and distance learning. (OLTDE, 2004) When the programme UNITWIN/Chairs UNESCO in Paris, France, were launched in 1991, UNESCO set up an effective instrument to reinforce the twinning between higher education institutions for the advancement of knowledge. (UNESCO Chairs, 1998) UNITAR has been given the mandate to promote training and research in order to enhance the effectiveness of the United Nations. Training through partnerships and networks: UNITAR is able to link its research with the expertise of African and other international institutions.

OPEN LEARNING RESEARCH PROJECT (11)

APPENDIX : E

REPORT TO THE COUNCIL FOR HIGHER EDUCATION (CHE) OF AN INVESTIGATION LED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION: ENHANCING THE CONTRIBUTION OF DISTANCE HIGHER EDUCATION IN SOUTH AFRICA

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY: FREE STATE

Compiled by:

Dr KJ de Beer
Director: Distance Education

UNIT FOR ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT

2004-11-02

Table of contents:

Page:
Abstract 3-4

1. Orientation 4-5
2. Key national policy issues 5
in Distance Education since 1994
3. Criteria for DE 5-6
4. Future of DE- provision 6
5. Quality 6
6. Issues for additional research 7
7. Cost and funding 9
8. Strategies for quality assurance 9
9. Sharing learning resources 9-10
10. Learning centres 10-11
11. Conclusion 11-12
12. Recommendations to the VCET 12-13
13. References 13

Appendix A:

Cost analysis of the Kimberley distance campus

Appendix B:

Instruction of the DoE to reimburse subsidy payments

ENHANCING THE CONTRIBUTION OF DISTANCE EDUCATION IN SOUTH AFRICA: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE CUT

ABSTRACT

Due to a number of changes within the South African higher education system CUT will have to reconsider the role of distance education within the Free State and Northern Cape provinces (Cf. Council for Higher Education, 2004: 185-186).

Currently students enrolled for distance education constitute between 4% and 32% of FTE’S at traditional face-to-face universities. Altogether, only 10,96% of total FTE’S at face-to-face universities use distance education, while for Universities of Technology the figure is 4,74%.

There is clearly a need for the CUT to continue to offer predominantly face-to-face programmes, but this should not be rigidly applied. For example, it may well be that the University of the Free State and Central University of Technology could best fulfill their declared regional niche development role by offering many of their programmes for permanent employed learners who cannot attend full time classes within the Free State Higher Education Consortium. Realisation of such institutional goals would almost certainly involve substantial use of blended learning. Blended learning curriculum delivery is where two or more curriculum delivery modes are blended into the most effective delivery mode for a specific part of a curriculum, utilising a variety of teaching strategies such as problem based learning, obe, etc.

According to the HEQC-strategies for ensuring the quality of e.g. short courses, would require new accreditation requirements in collaboration with SETAs. This accreditation process would include demonstrating institutional readiness to offer such accredited programmes also as distance programmes. It must fulfill a range of criteria governing quality distance education provision. Once the HEQC-criteria have been met, SAIDE suggested to the Ministry that no further restrictions be placed on the educational methods that institutions use to fulfill their missions and achieve their goals. It is argued that the accreditation processes which the HEQC has put in place for programmes moving into distance education mode are now sufficiently refined to ensure that the quality concerns of the Ministry will be resolved. With regard to existing DE programmes of the CUT, recommendations 3,4 and 5 of the SAIDE-report focusing on quality assurance, will ensure that reasonable levels of quality are achieved (CHE, 2004).

Moreover, it is suggested that the Ministry should not apply any additional criteria to the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) who offer distance education (DE) such as the CUT, except insofar as any programme moving from a predominantly face-to-face mode of delivery to a predominantly distance education mode of delivery. In particular it should be noted that applying “caps” of lower than around 500 learners contradicts the financial logic of distance education. It is subsequently suggested that permission be granted for CUT that the Kimberley and Kroonstad distance campuses could enroll up to 500 learners.

It is, however, clear from stakeholder representations that the Programme and Qualification Mix (PQM) process urgently needs to be refined, especially with respect to the concept and functioning of regional clearing houses and participation of the new UNISA in these, as well as what is understood by unnecessary duplication. Any judgment on duplication / overlap need to be based on an investigation to establish what is the “same” or “different” about any given programme. Equally, issues of quality, the area targeted (regional or national), whether a programme is a niche programme or not, and the need for such a programme (number of distance learners), need to be taken into consideration.



Orientation

The Corporate Academic Plan 2004 of the CUT clearly states that:

“Consistent with the National Plan for Higher Education (NPHE) objectives
vis-á-vis distance education and the creation of a dedicated distance education institution, the Department of Education (DoE) has in July 2004 given notice to this institution to phase-out its distance education services…

Subsequently, it was instructed by the DoE that the affected students in Kimberley must form part of the National Institute for Higher Education: Northern Cape. The affected students at Welkom will be incorporated into the Welkom Campus (the previous Vista University Campus).

However, the implications of the CHE-report (2004) on distance education, holds no direct implications for the status quo at the CUT. In fact it enhances the indirect possibilities for accredited distance short courses (e.g. Service Learning Programmes) and web based E-learning (to supplement main stream curriculum) at Learning Centres (Cf. recommendations for a network of Learning Centres, of this document, infra, point no 10). Regional Learning Centres are generally referred to as distance facilities or “branches” of HEIs- main campuses (e.g. the Kimberley and Kroonstad distance facilities of CUT). This terminology have already been applied in a previous Blue Print (2002) for the CUT. However, it was changed back to distance campuses by the DoE (Cf. Appendix B).

CUT is also a founder member of the National Association for Distance and Open Learning (NADEOSA) which is closely co-operating with SAIDE, the African Council for DE and the Commonwealth of Open Learning. The importance of these affiliations is testimony that the CUT is nationally recognized as one of the historically HEIs who offered DE. Membership of NADEOSA and international invitations to participate in DE- conferences ipso facto qualifies the CUT to be part of the family of DE- institutions both nationally as well as internationally. Dr KJ de Beer is also an executive member of NADEOSA and is dually familiarized with the contents of the SAIDE-report to the CHE (Cf. co-executive member, E.O. Mashile’s representing NADEOSA on the CHE Project: The Role of Distance Education in the South African Higher Education System, p. 191 of the document).

Mrs Jenny Glenny, Managing Director of SAIDE and member of the NADEOSA Executive Committee, serves on the CHE and keeps NADEOSA members up to date about the issues regarding distance education and the subsequent blurring boundaries with face to face contact lectures. Jenny Glenny reiterates the fact that the CHE-document as such should not be regarded as a SAIDE-report but that SAIDE was only part of a national, SAUVCA and international research team. SAIDE was only a co-compiler of the report. Yet until this date, no response has been received from the Minister of Education whether the proposals for DE and a possible new task team to do further research were acceptable or not. SAIDE however, expects a more positive stance towards DE than in the case of the previous minister of education. This is one of the main reasons why the CUT remained a member of NADEOSA, especially when the association also included “Open Learning” in its mission. As a full member, CUT via its participation in NADEOSA, stays related to Distance Higher Education and Open Learning.

Prof Wally Morrow of SAUVCA, also delivered a paper at NADEOSA’s conference in 2003 about the pre-mature perceptions on distance education. He also advised SAUVCA members not to close their distance campuses pre- maturely. The former Technikon FS (CUT) was also requested to submit questionnaires about its own distance education programmes to SAUVCA, but the required information does not directly reflect anywhere in the report. Our response to SAUVCA overlaps in many areas, e.g. with student support, financial support, governance, size and shape addressed in the CHE-report (2004: 163; 166; 185; 186).

Key national policy issues in DE since 1994

The main implication for CUT is to become part of a co-ordinated national network of learning centres in for example within the Free State Higher Education Consortium to share distance facilities (Cf. p. 22).

Criteria for the provision of DE

My own experience as Director for DE is that the CUT does not always meet the regional needs of the learners of the distance campuses, e.g. programmes in advanced IT, Engineering, Health and Environmental Sciences while accredited short courses were always requested by advisory boards of CUT- DE campuses, except for Kroonstad where Management Sciences may be regarded as sufficiently enough. However, short courses in Agricultural Management were always in demand within the maize triangle (Kroonstad/Bothaville).

In the former QwaQwa distance campus, Welkom and Kimberley, CUT management programmes overlapped respectively with the University Free State, UNISA and other partners within the National Institute for Higher Education: Northern Cape. Due to the unwarranted strain on scarce resources caused by duplication, the DoE promotes the idea of a cross-sectoral comprehensive distance education institution for the whole of South Africa under the UNISA umbrella. The implication for the CUT is to co-operate within such a single co-ordinated structure if it wants to continue or extends its current Distance Education-programmes in the Free State and Northern Cape, particularly programmes at postgraduate level with Web CT support which is a priority for learning support (p. 33).

Future of DE provision

If CUT decides to continue/maintain its DE component, a mixed mode (read Blended Learning) which includes e- learning, is proposed with a strong focus to expand SET programme offerings of delivery within a network of technologically well-equipped centres, e.g. in a similar way as the Edupark in Polokwane (Cf. p.35). In the edupark model, a great variety of HEIs and other private partners offer DE according to their own delivery methodologies and maintain their individual academic characters. The HEIs claim their own state subsidies and only pay for shared facilities of the edupark in partnership with private companies who also develop lecture rooms and IT laboratories.

Quality

The key issue for the CUT is to offer equal quality higher education to both full-, part time, and distance education learners (Cf. pp. 97-99).

This implies almost the repetitious refrain for Higher Distance Education:

· Equal Academic support (study materials)
· Equal Learner support (counseling)
· Equal Library and Information Services (books)
· Equal Financial support (bursaries and grants)
· Equal Governance (senate and the student council).

Part time lecturers at the DE- campuses of CUT have to be trained in outcomes-based and learner-centered methodology. Subsequently, more dedicated time should be planned by main campuses staff for quality support to distance campus facilities and learners.


Issues for additional research

Of the five most relevant issues, namely the financing of DE, access to IT and that of the language of instruction; learning centres and expansion into Africa are the most important aspects for the CUT to investigate (p. 100).

A co-ordinated approach is constantly necessary for the CUT and the Free State Higher Education Consortium regarding:

· Learning Centres which is also in line with SAUVCA’s ideal for multi- purpose centres. The CUT thus have to seriously establish joint research programmes to investigate such models.

· Africanizing its DE-services which is absolutely essential for the CUT to position itself within the family of HEIs on the African continent. As such Blended Learning networks linked to a network of Learning Centres will definitely pave the route for the CUT into Africa.


Cost and funding

One of the implications of the current DoE policy on capping for CUT is that distance campus learner numbers will force the main campus to restrict new intake to balance FTE subsidies. However, the CHE document sets the minimum intake targets at 500 per learning centre (p. 186).

According to the CHE document it is difficult to differentiate between the costs of all HEIs who offer DE, due to inefficiencies in their financial analysis (p. 116). Subsequently, it does not provide a blueprint for the CUT. However, the CUT has to figure out the following:

Ø Full contact costs:

Some costs are related to learner enrolments (functional related)
Some costs are not related to enrolments
Stepped functions




Continuously rising of costs
Find Function
Averages

Total revenue
Total Cost
Surplus



Ø Dual DE-contact costs:

DE is characterized by economics of scale i.e. bigger is better when learner numbers increase.
Small DE courses, however, do not generate economics of scale.
Mix mode delivery (Cf. Blended Learning) is thus more cost effective because it is developed for both the main campus as well as for the perusal of learning centres.

To have a mix of synchronous and asynchronous delivery is the ideal. Due to the profit margins, the CUT should plough it back into the development of its learning cetres and to the advantage of the respective local communities. Although it is supposed to apply for both contact and traditional contact face to face learners, this was not always the case at the CUT. Profits generated by the learning centres must now be reimbursed to the DoE to the detriment of further development of the CUT-DE programmes (Please refer to the attached cost analyses: Appendix A and the DoE-instruction to reimburse subsidy payments: Appendix B).


Strategies for quality assurance:

Throughout the whole research process for the SAIDE report, investigators were directly confronted with the quality of DE materials and offering types. Subsequently the CUT is also compelled to comply with the next two HEQC- documents:

Ø Proposed criteria for the HEQC’s First Cycle of Audits: 2004-2009: Discussion Document, March 2003.
Ø Proposed Criteria for the Programme Accreditation Cycle: 2004-2009: Discussion Document, September 2003 (not circulated) (Cf. p. 146).

Consequently the CUT directly experienced the practical implementation of the HEQC’s standards for quality improvements during this Committee’s recent auditing of the Distance Campuses in Kimberley and Kroonstad respectively in May and August 2004. Therefore to comply with quality standards, the following essential HEQC issues deriving from their first cycle of audits are very important for the CUT to follow up:

Ø Learner support (face to face contact classes and counseling services to DE- learners)
Ø Material development (according to quality assurance criteria)
Ø Ethical marketing (not exploiting the respective communities)
Ø Assessment practices (equal practices as at the main campus).

Sharing learning resources

Concurrently with the quality aspect, cost, funding and fly by night schemes to exploit the DE industry, were the main concerns of the SAIDE- research team.

Therefore the DE-industry should be reformed between the DoE and the Department of Labour to make available funds for learning resource development in co-ordination with Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA’s). Consideration should also be given to the use of donor funding for the development of resources according to community driven and national driven needs (pp. 166-167).

In this respect it is proposed that the CUT should engage in:

Ø Developing learning resources for DE- learners in the Free State and Northern Cape, also in programmes for Engineering, Health and Environmental Sciences.
Ø Professional development for DE- lecturers by the Unit for Academic Development.
Ø Partnerships with the public and private sectors’ community needs.
Ø Equal incentives for DE- lecturers.
Ø Curriculum development and copy rights according to the CUT policy.
Ø Capacity building strategies for further research in DE- strategies.
Ø Access and equity for learners of various backgrounds.
Ø Generic graduate qualities for DE- learners (RPL, articulation and mobility to the main campus).
Ø Collaborative networks within the Free State Higher Education Consortium.

Learning Centres

A major implication throughout the CHE document for the CUT is to comply with the following:

The issue of a network of regional and national learning centres for distance education was not officially part of the remit of the CHE advice. However, a number of the stakeholders’ presentations to the CHE Task Team motivated for a co-ordinated approach to learning centres (Cf. p. 189).

Note was made of the large number of DE centres currently in operation around the country. Some 200 were indicated by the 2003 SAUVCA Occasional Paper, Learning Delivery Models in Higher Education in South Africa, of which UNISA reportedly accounted for 43 learning centres. The notion of a “centre” is no doubt open to many interpretations, as it clearly covers a range from sophisticated regional centres, such as UNISA have in most provincial capitals, to classrooms rented in a school, e.g. the CUT in Kimberley and Kroonstad. A thorough exploration how to co-operate with the UNISA network within the Free State Higher Education Consortium is thus recommended for the CUT to plan for the immediate future.

SAUVCA proposes in addition that:

All public HEIs should be guided through incentives towards developing strong co-operation in establishing shared, properly staffed, well-equipped, well-maintained, properly managed, and jointly financed Higher Education Learning Centres. These Higher Education Learning Centres should provide effective administrative and logistical support, sites for the delivery of ODL programmes with effective teacher-student interaction (such as audio-visual and computer assisted support), access to on-line library services, and personal computers (possibly with broad-band connections) and other reliable communication facilities, available to all public HEIs (SAUVCA: 2003 in CHE document 2004).

It is further proposed in the SAIDE-report (CHE, 2004) that a national task team be established by the CHE which involves SAUVCA in investigating mechanisms and procedures for the establishment of national public higher education learning centres and suggests that the investigation should cover exploring potential partnerships with other departmental initiatives establishing multipurpose centres.

SAUVCA suggests that UNISA as the single dedicated higher distance education institution should play a key role in co-ordinating the functionality of the higher education network, on the grounds that this institution will remain the dominant player in distance education in the foreseeable future. Moreover, UNISA will have additional commitment to such a network, given the emerging quality criteria and the increasing requirement of computer literacy for graduates in the 21st century. Clearly, co-ordination would require close consultation with other institutions including the Free State Higher Education Consortium so that their needs as well as those of UNISA shape the nature and operation of the network.

Conclusion

The White Paper of 1997 commits South Africa to a system of higher education that promotes equity of access and a fair chance of success, that meets national development needs including those for high-level person power), that supports a democratic ethos and a culture of human rights, and that contributes to the advancement of knowledge (p. 191).

This investigation demonstrates the crucial contribution of distance education to such a system, especially with regard to affording lifelong learning opportunities to working students, to students from disadvantaged communities, to adults and especially women, to people with disabilities, and to those living in the more remote areas of the Free State and Northern Cape.

This contribution could be greatly enhanced should a network of learning centres for the higher education system be developed on the African continent.

However, the nature and scale of the potential contribution of distance education will be seriously undermined if the concerns about quality that were identified by the research across the different types of institutions, especially in large-scale programmes, are not tackled and resolved. This will also be a prerequisite for the CUT.

Simultaneously, initiatives to provide innovative and high quality distance education should be facilitated and adequately resourced by the CUT’s Unit for Academic Development and the Centre for E-learning and Technological Education.

Finally, virtual centres of innovation in course design can assure that expertise is widely shared in ways that are conducive to critical discourse, creative thinking, and the advancement of knowledge. Although both the Deans: Academic Development and for Planning should be sincerely encouraged to enhance these ideals at the CUT, the main emphasis will be on institutional planning.

Recommendations to the VCET

In hind sight, the recent HEQC visitation to the CUT and its distance campuses as well as the Welkom campus, by implication, prioritized the values of distance education in concurrence with that of the CHE document. Without pre-empting the HEQC-report to the CUT in 2005, it could raise the following critical questions for the consideration of the VCET and which must be simultaneously conferred to the CHE document:

* Equal academic standards, especially for part time distance learners at the Welkom campus. The Quality Assurance Manager should also ensure that a proper Quality Assurance plan is implemented.
* Equal contact time classes for distance learners, the same as for part time learners at the main campus of the CUT.
* Management by a permanent appointed supervisor in the Unit for Academic Development to regularly co-ordinate the academic administration for the CUT at its distance facilities.
* That the post of the manager of the Kimberley Distance Campus should be upgraded to a permanent post level in order to be in a full time capacity to represent the CUT at all HEIs forums in the Northern Cape.
* That the Kimberley distance campus extends its services to Upington with a view to co-operate with the Satellite Campus of the Vaal University of Technology. (VUT) (Cf. the fact that the Deputy VC: Academic Affairs of the VUT was the chairperson of the HEQC visitation to the CUT).
*That the Kroonstad distance campus should be allowed to take in new enrolments for 2005 as a sub-campus of the Welkom CUT campus.
* Tangible evidence for co-operation with UNISA and the University Free State in the Northern Cape as well as the Northern and Eastern Free State within the Higher Education Consortium of the Free State. This implies the sharing of facilities such as classrooms, libraries, computer laboratories and part time lecturers in Kimberley, Upington, Kurruman, Welkom, Kroonstad, Sasolburg, QwaQwa and Aliwal North (Cf. Career Prep Programme offering facilities of the UFS as well as for RPL).


Finally, it is suggested that the VCET consider the following:


Marketing for Kimberley and Kroonstad up to the maximum learner intake of 500 per campus.
Giving a mandate to the Dean Academic Development to co-ordinate recommendations with the Director: distance education and the distance education managers of the Free State Higher Education Consortium.
Expand possible postgraduate courses which lends itself to DE modes to assist post graduate learners at a distance.
Instruct the Senate to re-evaluate the position of the CUT within SADC and the rest of the African continent for co-operation with a national and continental network of learning centres.
To apply the former concept of “Learning Centres” in the Blue Print of the CUT (2002) which is in accordance with the definition of Learning Centres in the CHE document (2004). Subsequently quality web based E-learning courses and materials should be equally used for full time, part time and distance learners. Each Learning Centre should be equipped with sufficient computer access points to enable all learners to have equal access to the contents of courses together with the usual face to face delivery.
The VCET should possible re-think its application to the DoE for a satellite campus at Welkom because it will be too cost expensive. I propose that the VCET rather consider partnerships with other HEIs’ distance programmes (e.g. telematic delivery), the public and private sectors within an EDUPARK concept such as in Polokwane. Also in the case of the Kimberley Distance Campus, it should instead form part of an EDUPARK concept in partnership with UNISA, UFS the mining sector and Provincial Government of the Northern Cape. As such it will also adhere to the SAUVCA concept of Learning Centres.

References

Blue Print for the Technikon Free State. 2002. Bloemfontein.

Corporate Academic Plan. 2004. Central University of Technology, Free State. Bloemfontein.

Council for Higher Education. 2004. Enhancing the contribution of Distance Higher Education in South Africa. Report of an investigation led by the South African Institute for Distance Education. September. Pretoria.


Signed:

http://academicdevelopment.blogspot.comDR KJ DE BEER Date:
DIRECTOR: DISTANCE EDUCATION 2004-11-05

OPEN LEARNING RESEARCH PROJECT (10)

APPENDIX: D

RESEARCH ON QUALITY ASSURANCE AT THE REGIONAL LEARNING CENTRE KIMBERLEY, CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, FREE STATE

CJ DUVENHAGE
KJ DE BEER
2006



ABSTRACT

Due to the new Higher Education landscape in South Africa, Universities of Technology will have to adapt to the changing socio-political scene on and off their campuses. This implies that public accountability is becoming the most significant vehicle of government policy and an integrated part of decision-making models. Subsequently, it also implies part time services to distance campuses or at regional learning centres too. In 2004, the Higher Education Quality Assurance Committee (HEQC), audited the Kimberley Regional Learning Centre of the CUT exactly according to the universal standards related to quality assurance for part time or so called distance learners. These universal concepts entail self-evaluation practices, selection approaches, efficiency and performance and of course, public accountability.

In follow up reports to the HEQC what has been done to ensure better services to part time distance learners, the manager of the Regional Learning Centre and the director for distance learning launched an ongoing research project on quality assurance to find answers to problems that the HEQC audit has revealed. The following article contains the very first phase of an ongoing process to research universal standards that implies universal standards for other universities of technology as well. In short, to scientifically benchmark standards.

1. DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTENT

Evaluation is a sub-function of management, also indicating universal relationship between planning and other functions of management. It serves the purpose, inter alia, of identifying the strengths and weaknesses of institutions, and assists leaders/ managers in their planning and decision-making processes. It also helps them to modify and develop scenarios to accomplish institutional goals within their respective societies.

Consequently, evaluation processes have to include ongoing programmes of self-analysis by means of which an institution continuously gathers information about itself. It should also be a deliberate process used by the institution to conduct assessment of its own activities to determine discrepancies, and to suggest and implement corrective measures and improvements.

Self-evaluation is also a pragmatic process. Therefore, the design of the self-evaluation process can be adapted to suit the specific circumstances of any institution. It is done in relation to the campus climate and external environment especially at its distance campuses.

In some instances the South African situation could be compared with the rapidly changing global landscape where distance education learners are expected to comply with the expectations of multicultural labour market. Simultaneously, international competition in labour markets will force Higher Education Institutions, which includes Universities of Technology, to improve the general quality of their diplomats and graduates, because comparative quality between various countries will become the main issue, and quality assessment, the main problem.

The first phase of quality assurance at institutions of Higher Education normally includes the establishment of independent self-evaluation programmes.

External evaluation with regard to co-operative partners in Higher Education could be referred to as phase two. All Universities of Technology in South Africa are evaluated by the Higher Education Quality Committee of the external validation and provision for quality education and training to coincide with a National qualification Framework. This part refers to phase three of quality assurance in the research paper.

2. INTRODUCTION

Universities of Technology realise the pressure of public accountability borne by distant learners, employers and the government. The control of costs, elimination of duplication (and in some cases, unique options which are perceived to be too costly) and evidence of other efficiencies are aspects to be considered by legislative authorities and agencies regulating Universities of Technology. Similarly, demands for greater productivity in Universities of Technology offering Distance Education will continue to be made with greater frequency than at any time in the past.

Along with the focus on accountability comes pressure to adopt “the business model” with its greater emphasis on “the bottom line.” (Koorts: 1996)

Staff productivity is definitely part of the issue, but there is an increasing concern for distant learner productivity and more attention to such aspects as dual contact hours and academic support.

The consumers and other partners in Higher Education have become much more sophisticated. They look for accountability, but also seek quality. They are more likely to define quality in the language of the “quality improvement movement”, that is, satisfaction with customer resources as represented by the size of libraries, staff-to-learner ratios, and the number and size of grants and contracts won by staff components. They evaluate increased competition among Higher Education providers, because the outputs must be to their advantage as consumers. They expect a market bounding with competitive pricing (tuition) and differentiation (quality). (Ibid.)

However, the problem of massification in Distance Education is becoming a major obstacle in the way of quality education. Negative socio-economic factors in South Africa contribute to a worsening future scenario. Research conducted by the Joint Enrichment Programme found that 34 percent of all young people are “marginalized or very marginalized” (that is, in prison, unemployed or unskilled, and with little prospect of legal employment). A further 43 percent are in danger of becoming marginalized. Population projections estimate that over 50 percent of the population will soon be under 21 years of age. This means that serious work needs to be done if these young people are to have a secure future. (Cullinan: 1996)

According to Tugend (1996) a financial crises could also compel for example British Universities to terminate the tradition of free Higher Education and to retrench staff while the impact of enrolment increases. Similar demands for free Higher education at, and easier access to institutions in South Africa, such as University of Technology’s Distance education, are also becoming more insistent. In comparison, “it is a rather gloomy prospect” as G. Roberts, Vice-chancellor of the University of Sheffield and Chairperson of the Vice-chancellors’ Committee in Britain, phrased it.(Ibid.)

In view of the above, Universities of Technology will have to adapt to the changing socio-political scene on and off their campuses. Koorts (1996) warns that in general, Universities of Technology are compelled to review the strengths and weaknesses of their curricula, instructional methods, research and community service through quality leadership. This should be done in conjunction with other partners in Higher Education.

3. RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN INSTITUTIONAL SELF-EVALUATION

The general idea of evaluation models is to improve institutional self-evaluation. However, due to the accelerated societal changes in the modern world, Universities of Technology are further compelled to take into consideration those self-evaluation models which are aimed at achieving the relationships between strategy, the environment, the reaction of management, the quality system and institutional improvements in other Higher Education institutions with holistic quality mechanisms. Kells and Van Vught (19988: 71) stipulate the following goals:

v Needs assessment
v Economic analysis
v Basic research
v Small-scale testing
v Fields evaluation
v Policy analysis
v Fiscal accountability
v Impact assessment

Selecting from the varying models that have been researched, the University of Technology Free State and the University of the Free State, for example, have implemented some elements or sub-elements of the following manuals:

v The Institutional Self-Study Model
v The S-W-O-T Analysis Model
v The Institutional Effectiveness Cycle Model
v A suggested Self-evaluation Model of Kells for Hogeschool Grootennieuw.

After attending collaborative workshops with Kells during his visit to the University Free State in 1992, the University of Technology Free State also embarked on a naturalistic selection approach in view of establishing a Total Quality Management (TQM) programme. In accordance with the current transformation process in Higher Education in South Africa, the University of Technology Free State is implementing most of the sub-elements of his suggested model, in order to achieve Quality Education Management. (Vermeulen, 2001) cf.

4. APPROACHES TO INSTITUTIONAL SELF-EVALUATION:

Various approaches to institutional self-evaluation exist, of which the following are typical examples:

v A democratic approach
v An autocratic approach
v A bureaucratic approach
v A naturalistic selection approach


4. 1 THE NATURALISTIC SELECTION APPROACH

Universities of Technology could also for example, give preference to the naturalistic selection approach, as it includes some elements of a democratic approach, while simultaneously avoiding autocratic and bureaucratic pitfalls.

Kells also refers to the naturalistic inquiry process as the “natural selection model” by means of which specific types of institutions succeed in surviving, while it makes life intolerable for others. “like biological species, organizations are supposed to go through a process with three stages: namely variation, selection and retention.” (Kells and Van Vught 1988: 24)

Retention in this sense means that certain institutions are only successful if their environment does not change. However, when the environment changes drastically – e.g. in the South African socio-economic and political scenario – will be faced with the problem of responding to their new circumstances. (cf. Ibid: 25)

It could even be compared with “horizontal reduction” or “management of decline”. In this scenario radical political changes compel administrators to merge and consolidate academic forces for basic survival. (cf. Berdahl et al. 1991: 93)

“Ethnographic portrayal” (cf. Lewy 1991: 223) in institutional self-evaluation (ISE) programmes is still of the utmost importance, especially in a South African context. It does not need to be an essentially political enterprise, provided that the common aims encapsulated in a unified perspective only deal with understanding: “…actualities, social realities, and human perceptions that exist unattained by the obtrusiveness of formal measurement or preconceived questions.” Naturalistic inquiry attempts to present true-to-life episodes documented through natural language (own italics) and representing as closely as possible how people feel, what they know and what their concerns, beliefs, perceptions, and understandings are. (Elliott in Lewy 1991: 219)

In South Africa, a predominantly new way of thinking has emerged in a similar way as democratic models elsewhere in the world. (cf. Ibid.: 220) This implies that public opinion is becoming the most significant vehicle of the political system and an integral part of decision-making models.

Nichols (1989: 127) agrees that the public service and community impact measures that institutions may consider, include the following:

v Enrolment levels and community participation in distant programme offerings.
v The extent to which and institution participates in community affairs or makes its social, cultural, and recreational programmes and facilities available to the community.
v The economic impact of an institution upon its local community.

In this way, local industries will be aware of institutional self-evaluation programmes and their efforts to seek financial aid in related research areas of the community (cf. Ibid: 185). Public and private sector demands may also compel institutions to use self-evaluation programmes to re-evaluate their own ideas to adapt to the needs of the society, government budgets, and sponsorships.

However, since World War II the rate of change has increased tremendously, causing the so-called pendulum effect. (i.e. industrial demands over production; market needs; population explosion; political changes, and international movements regarding these aspects). According to Berdahl et al. (1991: 60), the prevailing presence of this pendulum and the tension effect does not imply that the concepts of quality and equity are antithetical. “It means that there have been periods in which one or the other has tended to be in the ascendancy in public and academic awareness and commitment”. (Ibid.)

South Africa is, for instance, experiencing the tensional period inherent to the pendulum effect, due to the legacy of a particular political era. Mel Holland, Information Officer to the National Education Co-ordinating Committee of the African National Congress of South Africa, says that education is a “linear process”. Therefore it needs to be reformed, proceeding from the primary to tertiary levels. This is necessary, as Higher Education standards are too high for Black grade twelve’s with a backlog. (Star, 18 January 1992)

In this respect Universities of Technology should realise that they are not neutral in the education process.

Dr R.R. Arndt of the South African Centre for Science Development is also convinced of an international move away from an academic towards an economic linkage in Higher Education self-evaluation and strategic planning. This trend will have to become a reality in the New South Africa as well. (Arndt, 1992) The significance for distance education and especially the modern approach towards Open Learning (OL) which is now replacing former concepts for part time and distance learners, it implies even greater public accountability for Higher Education Institutions (HEIS) This is because the boundaries between learners, the work place and HEIS become more obscured in compulsory experiential learning (read Co-operative Education) where full time employers who are enrolled as part time or distance learners are actually linking the real world of work to the theory of the lecture room. Also in the case where full time employers are appointed as contracted part time lecturers at HEIS.

5.PARTNERSHIPS AND PHASES OF INSTITUTIONAL SELF- EVALUATION

The first phase of quality assurance at institutions of Higher Education in general is normally to install independent self-evaluation programmes in which the criteria for quality vary according to the goals of a specific course, programme or institution, similar to the situation at most Western European Universities (cf. De Weert, 1990: 68). De Weert also agrees that institutions should be allowed to shape and pursue their own objectives, which implies that evaluation should be initiated as an internal process.

De Weert’s formulation for phase one, however, does not exclude the necessity of external evaluation by partners in Higher Education. External evaluation could be referred to as phase two. This is an inevitable phase, because without external evaluation, there is little motivation for self-evaluation to affect institutional improvement (Cook 1988: 7 in Ibid 1990: 69). External evaluators (partners) could also be arranged by the institutions themselves during phase two. Gevers (1985: 146) refers to it as “the middle layer of review”. The time lapse between internal and external evaluation allows the institution an opportunity to correct deficiencies. Kells and Van Vught (1988) describe is as “an institution-centred model of quality control, in which ongoing collaborative studies and an institutional self-study process are the main elements…” (Van Vught in De Weert 1990: 69). As such, it will guarantee the enhancement of quality.

The central idea is to eventually legitimise ISE programmes which will be externally validated by outside agencies. It implies a system of accreditation to be rounded off in phase three. (cf. Gevers 1985: 146) A comparison between phases one, two and three revealed that the role of the government or accrediting body is limited only to one third of the evaluation process. Yet accreditation is still the most important phase, because it legitimises internally and externally defined goals at individual, institutional and societal level. (cf. De Weert, 1990: 69; Rosenbloom 1981: 13)

With reference to minimum government interference, South African Higher Education institutions, with their autonomous academic status, also share the general idea of European universities that “quality control is considered to be a logical consequence of a reduction of governmental interference in the internal matters of both the university and the non-university sector”. (De Weert 1990: 67; cf. Acherman 1990: 191)

5.1 QUALITY ASSURANCE

Only as early as since 1978/9 a number of books have been published in the United Kingdom, the USA, Canada and Australia on the aims, values and goals of Higher Education. (cf. Barnett 1990: 4-8) Research quality in Higher Education has only recently captured the attention of researchers. (cf. Brodigan 1991: 1)

To assess quality, universities have to use their innermost judgement. Barnett (190; 114 and 121) says: “we can only know our institutions of Higher Education by coming to understand the quality of their internal life.”

Subsequently, the following aspects of quality assurance in a quoted British White Paper by Kells (1991)(also cf. Council for Higher Education, 2004) are applicable examples for further reference:

v Quality control: mechanisms within institutions for maintaining and enhancing the quality of their provision.
v Quality audit: external scrutiny aimed at providing guarantees that institutions have suitable quality control mechanisms in place.
v Validation: approval of courses by a validation body for the award of its degrees and other qualifications (cf. Sensicle 1991; 13-14)
v Accreditation: in the specific context of the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA), delegation to institutions, subject to certain conditions of responsibility for validating their own courses, leading to CNAA degrees (cf. Williams 1991: 1-3).
v Quality assessments: external review of and judgments on, the quality of teaching and learning in institutions (cf. Kells: et al. 1991: 14-15) to compare ISE in Holland and the United States of America).

However, Acherman (1990: 182) explains that, although we are living in an era of retrenchments and in the case of South Africa, Affirmation action, the goal of quality control should not be used for reasons of retrenchment, but rather for quality improvement. This is because institutions are supposed to have already paid attention to quality assurance themselves, and many of them have done so in one way or another. A system of quality assurance on a national scale should therefore be used, complementary to “systems” that already exist at institutional level. Hence, it will become a system of “external” quality assurance, alongside “internal” ones within the institutions.

5.2 EFFICIENCY AND PERFORMANCE

The distinction between effectiveness and efficiency is important for self-evaluation. Lindsay (1982: 29) says: “the evaluation of institutional or sub-unit “performance” can be regarded as having two components, namely the assessment of the level of effectiveness and the assessment of the level of efficiency.

Due to its academic mission and Higher Education character, a University of Technology’s inputs cannot always be measured in classic management terms of productivity. Bull (1990: 35) also says that “… a university is different and cannot be managed solely by industrial/commercial methods. It would be a mistake to turn brilliant academics into wheeler-dealers”.

The goals of Universities of Technology and other HEIS differ mutually. Therefore it could be compared with institutions in Australia who also change with the passage of time and their goals are different for various groups. The same principle applied in South Africa, but in more rigorous terms. Here different interest groups may be in conflict and the issue of factional conflicts and goals cannot be readily accommodated by clear-cut self-evaluation processes. (cf. Lindsay 1982: 29; Tertiary Development News: November 1991)

The classical management perspective of self-evaluation still provides a useful formula to evaluate effectiveness, as comparing outcomes with goals, in order to correct deviations from intended goals. Lindsay qualifies this approach as follows:

“The outputs of Higher Education are not solely goods whose value is determined in the market place, so the relative value is only partially determined by a price mechanism. Even if a market system existed for all the outputs, it would only provide one way of measuring value. The value of the outputs of Higher Education is a complex and normative issue…” (Lindsay 1982: 30)

The danger exists that normative issues could be discarded to suit political expectancies. Especially in South Africa, with its diverse ethnic and cultural groupings, which are highly politicised, it is very difficult to introduce an overall concept or model of “institutional performance”. (cf. Tertiary Development News: November 1991) Research and study in institutional evaluation are too manifold. Evaluation committees themselves should monitor and guide the political development aspects within their environmental context. In this regard Miller warns against the pressure to adopt naive solutions to sensitive matters. The best defence is a good offensive – better ideas and approaches. (Miller 1981: 89)

5.3 INSTITUTIONAL AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY:

Institutional accountability describes the specific terms of student outcomes assessment. Especially in the United States, governments and accrediting agencies are demanding that HEIS should document the progress and learning achievements of their learners. Due to these external demands, HEIS in the USA are now attempting to be more self-regarding and sensitive to learner outcomes in evaluating and designing courses, programmes and services (Clagett and McConochie, 1991). Due to interactive research in quality assurance between South African HEIS and USA counterparts after 1994, this phenomenon eventually became standard practice in South Africa too.

Besides their internal accountability, Higher Education institutions also have an external accountability towards the community, the public media and the government of the day. Especially from the perspective of the State, ISE plays a central role in processing public accountability. At Finnish universities, one of the main conclusions of their Project for Improving the Managerial Effectiveness of the University was that “developing evaluation should be simultaneously approached from the perspectives of public accountability and organizational learning. A Higher education institution is a “bottom heavy” organization. In order to be effective, the initiative in educational innovations and in responses to external changes must originate from disciplinary department. Careful self-evaluation would also serve the requirement of public accountability”. (Holtta and Pulliainen: Higher Education Management 1991: 310)

Accountability in Higher Education implies that institutions are accountable to at least three different groups, namely the clients (learners and employers), the society (government) and the subject (professionals and colleagues)

v Both learners and the employers of graduates who desire the highest degree of professional competence, are the clients and subjects.
v Higher Education Institutions exist to safeguard and transmit a cultural heritage. Society needs assurance that universities and Universities of Technology are not failing in this obligation.
v Higher Education staff is responsible for upholding their accountability for their disciplines to their professional colleagues (Ibid).

Because there is also the danger of moving too fast with a performance process, Higher education institutions in the UK, for instance, rather favour a system of turning accountability into staff development. (cf. Bull 1990: 45; Parington 1990: 20-21)

5.4 NEW PARTNERS

Proposals S14, S15 and S16 of the National Commission for Higher Education which eventually laid the foundation for the National Plan for Higher education (2001) (1996) introduced new partners to Higher Education in South Africa.

Proposal S14 suggests a single qualification framework for all Higher Education Qualifications, as part of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). It implies that it should include intermediate exit qualifications within multiple-year qualifications and should consist of a multilevel set of qualifications, from Higher Education certificates and diplomas, through bachelor’s degrees and advanced diplomas, to master’s and doctoral degrees.

The Committee of Universities of Technology Principals (CTP) supported the proposal, but with the provision that the identity of the institution should not be sacrificed in order to facilitate the structure of the NQF articulation. It is the CTP’s opinion that the implementation of articulation becomes more complex as the student progresses, because a stage is reached during which a commitment to a particular career must be made.

The impact that this proposal will have on Universities of Technology can only be ascertained once it is fully structured. It undoubtedly implies that new curricula will have to be compiled to fit in with the framework, making the process of articulation easier. It should also comply with the agreements concluded with local advisory committees.

According to proposal S15 all Higher Education programmes should be indicated on the National Qualifications Framework, at least at the level of the relevant qualifications. National Standards Bodies will determine the appropriate form of registration in terms of unit standards used within qualifications. National Standards Bodies should also be assigned the task of ensuring that a coherent multilevel set of qualifications is developed and registered in each subject field. It is vital that this is done in all professional fields where difficulties with articulations are felt most acutely.

The CTP commented that they support this proposal, maintaining the same reservations as those applicable to S14.

According to Proposal S16 a Higher Education Quality Council should be established and should absorb the former functions of CERTEC (Certification Council of Universities of Technology education), and those proposed for the Quality Promotion Unit. This Council should be recognised by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) as the umbrella monitoring/auditing body for Higher Education programmes. The Council should consist of three division, namely those responsible for (1) institutional auditing, (2) programme accreditation, and (3) quality promotion, and should be managed by a Board composed of individuals drawn from inside and outside a University of Technology system.

HESA supports this proposal.

Fortunately, Universities of Technology have well-structured quality assurance systems in place, linked to the external auditing system already imposed by the former CERTEC. The system has significantly enhanced the standard of education at an University of Technology. The proposal fits in with what is already being done at these institutions CERTEC has now being replaced by the Higher Education Quality Committee (HECQ) and Internal Auditing is done by means of different self-evaluation instruments; programmes are accredited by a National Qualifications Framework (NQF) after external evaluation thereof.

Now, Universities of Technology must continually assess whether their developing quality assurance system fits in with the criteria which will be set by (SAQA) through the HEQC as well as its functions of institutional auditing, programme accreditation and quality promotion.

6. THE WAY FORWARD

All ISE models thus reflect the crucial relationship between self-evaluation and planning (i.e. institutional, departmental strategic, functional or operational planning). The models, which precede planning, are vital to achieve success. The most noticeable aspects of the various diagrams are their continuity and the interdependence of their sub-elements.

When analysing both descriptions and models of ISE, the fact that the professional practice of evaluation is not “a single whole thing” immediately comes to the fore (Hart in Kells and Van Vught 1988: 76). It is because the field of evaluation “encompasses all the higher functions of the human mind: sensory experience, observation, analysis, categorisation, comparison, synthesis, interpretation, judgement, problem-solving, and decision-making.” (Ibid)

It is also because evaluation embodies the metacognitive ideals of Homo sapiens; man’s desire to make sense of the universe, to understand, and control parts of it in contemporary terms. (cf. Ibid) To manifest man’s highest aspirations, academics are forever searching, selecting and enhancing the better ideals of life. Therefore, evaluation becomes the proverbial tool in the hope of improving the quality of human existence by upgrading the Higher Education institutions that so drastically affect the quality of the modern world. (Ibid.)

ISE is also used to determine reputational ratings according to available resources, learner outcomes and talent development and becomes enhanced by the added value. (Saunders 1992: 71) The predominant aspects, namely those pertaining to teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate level and research, are to be found in the true mission of Higher Education institutions. However, “there is a tension between the degree of access and the achievement of quality. Adequate financial, human and physical resources will have to compete with the demands of many other pressing needs in the future. The tension can only be met if the system can be developed in such a way and is flexible enough to allow reasonable access in proportion to the resources available”. (Ibid.)

There is a real danger, however, of the focus being exclusively on the theoretical aspects of ISE, and of the suggested models not always being sufficient to encompass the context in which the theory could fit. Parsons (1991: 56) warns that by considering an activity apart from the context in which it occurs, it may be relegated to the realm of abstract conceptualisation. ISE therefore “needs to be described in terms of the contextual issues which shape its course and its form. It is vital to establish the contextual parameters, and to illuminate their effects in terms of practical case studies”.

A variety of opinions expressed in literature profess that there is no single or standardised method that can effectively access the complexities of Higher Education.
(cf. National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, 1988)

Although there seems to be some consensus about the importance of quality assurance, review processes may be subdivided with regard to formative and summative evaluation.

The formative evaluation process implies that is still operational with no immediate consequences for micro-, meso-, and macro-reviews. (cf. Gevers 1985: 145)

Summative evaluation, however, has operational consequences. It becomes more serious when the internal and external reviews result in linkages with operational effects. In this regard, Gevers (Ibid.: 148) spells out some of the serious conflicts within ISE processes, among other that: “more external evaluation in a really academic environment is always inferior to more internal evaluation. Two principles are in conflict here. The “academic” community’s norms are based on: self-setting of standards; striving for the best; academic freedom and the linked concept of non-interference. On the other side, the managerial approach encompasses non-contamination of interest and judgement; clean and efficient procedures; striving for objective information and decision-making as the only use of information”.

The last word has most certainly not been said especially about quality standards University of Technology’s Distance education and this means that there is still many a tale to be told!

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Acherman, H.A. 1990. Quality assessment by peer review. Higher Education Management 2 (2), pp. 179-192.
Arndt, R.R. 1992. The annual opening address at the University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein, 5 February 1996.
Barnett, R. 1990. The idea of Higher Education. Buckingham: SRHE and Open University Press.
Behrdahl, R.O. Moodie, G.C. & Spitzberg, I.J. (Eds.) 1991. Quality and access in Higher Education: Comparing Britain and the United States. Buckingham: SRHE and Open University Press.
Brodigan, L. 1991. Focus group interviews: Applications for institutional research in Air Professional File. No. 43, Winter 1992.
Bull, I. 1990. Appraisal in universities: A progress report on the introduction of appraisal into universities in the United Kingdom. United Kingdom: CVCP.
Clagett, C.A., McConochie, D.D. 1991. Accountability in Continuing Education measuring non-credit student outcomes. Air Professional File. No. 42.
Cullinan, K. 1996. Commission with a Mission. Democracy in Action 10 (4), p.13.
De Weert, E. 1990. A macro-analysis of quality assessment in Higher Education in Higher Education 19, p. 67.
Elliot, J. 1991. Changing contexts for educational evaluation: The challenge for methodology. Studies in Educational Evaluation 17, pp. 215-238.
Gevers, J.K.M. 1985. Institutional evaluation and review processes. International Journal of Institutional Management in Higher Education 9(2), pp. 145-150.

Higher Education South Africa (HESA). 2005.
Holtta, S. & Pullianen, K. 1991. Management change in Finnish universities. Higher Education Management 3 (3), pp. 310-321.
Kells, H.R., Maassen, P.A.M. & De Haan, J. 1991. Kwaliteitsmanagement in het hoger onderwijs. Utrecht: Lemma.
Kells, H.R. & Van Vught, F.A. (Eds.) 1988. Self-regulation, self-study and programme review in Higher Education. Culemborg: Lemma.
Koorts, A.S. 1996. Total Quality Management. In-house Seminar on the Distance Education Programmes of University of Technology Free State, 2 September 1996, Bloemfontein.
Lewy, A. 1991. Studies in Educational Evaluation. Pergamon Press. New York.
Lindsay, A. 1982. Institutional evaluation: Can it contribute to improving university performance?
Miller, R.I. 1981. Some concluding remarks. New directions for institutional research 29, pp. 89-91.
National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, Council on Academic Affairs. 1988.
Statement of principles on student outcomes assessment. NASULGC.
National Commission for Higher Education. 1996. South Africa.
National Plan for Higher Education. 2001. South Africa.
Nichols, J.O. 1989. Institutional effectiveness and outcomes assessment implementation on campus: A practitioner’s handbook. New York: Agathon.
Parsons, P.G. 1991. The Contectual issues of institutional self-evaluation in Report: Conference on Institutional Self-evaluation. Bloemfontein. UOFS. June.
Partington, Patricia. 1990. USDTU Update: A progress report on achievements and targets. United Kingdom: CVCP.
Policy Advice Report, 2004. Council on Higher Education. Advice to the Minister of Education on Aspects of Distance Education Provision in South African Higher Education. Pretoria. 15 March.
Rosenbloom, A.A. 1981. Relationship on the self-study process to institutional effectiveness and accreditation. (S.L.)
Saunders, S.J. 1992. Access to and quality in Higher Education. A Comparative study. University of Cape Town.
Sensicle, A. 1991. Quality assurance in Higher Education: The Hong Kong initiative. Paper presented at the international conference of the Hong Kong Council of Academic Accreditation on Quality Assurance in Higher Education, Hong Kong, 15-17 July 1996.
Star: 18 January 1992.
Tertiary Development News: November 1999.
Tugend, A. 1996. Financial Crisis May Force British Universities to end Tradition-free Higher Education. The Chronicle of Higher Education. A39, July.
University of the Orange Free State. 1991. Report Fifth Conference on Institutional Self-evaluation. June. Bloemfontein: UOFS.
Vermeulen, W. 2001. The University of Technology Free State Quality Management and Improvement Strategy. June. Bloemfontein: University of Technology Free State.
Williams, P.R. 1991. The CVCP Academic Audit Unit. Paper presented at the international conference of the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation on Quality Assurance in Higher Education, Hong Kong, 15-17 July 1996.

OPEN LEARNING RESEARCH PROJECT (9)

APPENDIX: C

THE CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, FREE STATE’S RESPONSE TO THE CHE POLICY ADVICE REPORT TO THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION ON DISTANCE EDUCATION IN SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 2005)

1. Introduction

The Central University of Technology welcomes the perspectives and proposals made in the CHE’s advice report. The acknowledgment of blurring boarders between distance and contact education is in particular embraced as this is in line with global trends within open and distance learning. This proposed flexible model will indeed contribute towards the goals expressed by the National Plan for Higher Education (NPHE February 2001) and the White Paper on Higher Education (1997), namely to offer learning opportunities, including qualifications, to people in ways which are flexible, negotiated and suited to each person's needs. This could, for example, cover the time, place, style of learning and length of time of the learning programme. Stemming from the proposal CUT believes that all institutions and learners will benefit from the establishment of learning centres particularly in a time of declining government expenditure on higher education. However, given the needs of a developing country and continent it is our opinion that the contribution Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) could have on broader economic and social developments have not yet been explored to its full.

2. The notion of open/distance learning

CUT in acknowledging the role traditional distance education has played in the South African higher education institution, welcomes the concept of open learning and supports the report’s conception of open learning as a broader term than distance teaching, and views the practices of open distance learning as more suitable for particularly adult learners in remote areas. We are in particular in favour of the proposal to abandon the practice of classifying institutions according to modes of delivery and that traditional residential/contact institutions be allowed to continue with open/distance learning within certain parameters.

3. The notion of learning centres and national office for the design of learning materials

The notion of learning centres is indeed an innovative proposal to deal with hard realities such as limited finances, physical and human resources. However, a number of issues will have to be discussed in greater detail as is suggested below. The idea of a national office taking responsibility for the design of learning material is welcomed as one way of enhancing the quality of open and distance education offerings and materials. However, institutions should still have the following responsibilities:
recognition of excellence, or the lack thereof in the design of learning material;
development and delivery of open distance education courses;
systematic and relevant staff training;
development of appropriate learner support systems including study skills development and acquisition of appropriate learning technologies.

With specific reference to learning centres it is proposed that a proactive intervention from the Department of Education is considered on issues such as the following:
· How it should be managed;
Funding (subsidy) matters;
Incentives from government’s side on how institutions will be rewarded for taking initiative in this regard (at least for a beginning phase);
Legal matters;
How overhead costs will determined;
Maintenance of learning centres;
Marketing issues, etc.

4. Recommendations

CUT wishes the committee to consider the establishment of a national policy on open and distance education which should aim to achieve, amongst others, the following:

*explicit and detailed funding policies which would not be to the detriment of contact institutions;
*spell out the role current programme and qualification mixes (PQMs) will play in deciding which programmes should be offered by who;
*the niches of Universities of Technology and “traditional” universities have to play in regions need to be accounted for in all deliberations.
*promote, encourage and support the orderly development of open distance learning and associated technologies in the country;
*enhance the effectiveness of open distance learning education at minimal economic and social costs;
*outline means of improving education and training facilities to overcome the scarcity of skilled personnel;
*outline the application priorities in consonance with national development plans;
*the establishment of special funding mechanisms for launching or upgrading current distance learning systems as appropriate; and that government and;
*considers the provision of expanded capital and operating budgets for appropriate learning technologies.

It is clear from these recommendations that the establishment of a quality open/distance learning system in South Africa will request the inputs and planning of a number of stakeholders in the country and a specific commitment from government’s side.

5. Conclusion

CUT is of opinion that this innovative way of thinking about open/distance learning will indeed enhance access for particularly potential learners in remote areas, will enhance the quality of open/distance learning offerings and materials and will lead to economies of scale.

OPEN LEARNING RESEARCH PROJECT (8)

APPENDIX: B

DISTANCE (CONTACT) TEACHING AT THE TECHNIKON OFS BRANCHES

Paper: ICDE Conference, Birmingham. 1995
Technikon Orange Free State

KEYPOINTS

This research paper deals with three intertwining aspects, namely:

* A general introduction to the generations of Distance Education models with emphasis onthe local campus facility system which the Technikon OFS (TOFS) uses to expand its services inthe subregions of the Free State, as well as Qwaqwa and the Northern Cape development regions.

Supplemental co-operation with the University of the OFS (UOFS), and Technical Colleges in an academic support and bridging programme with other post-secondary education (PSE) institutions regarding a possible open learning system based on community needs.

* A preliminary exploration of possible multilateral and international co-operation under theauspices of the UNITWIN project for higher-level distance teaching of UNESCO, e.g. with theInstitute for Extra-Mural Studies (IEMS) in Maseru, Lesotho, and collaborative schemes of theDevelopment Bank of Southern Africa between post-secondary education institutions in Namibia,Botswana and the TOFS In the Northern Cape.

INTRODUCTION

The Technlkon Orange Free State (TOFS) is the only residential technikon in the Free State/ Qwaqwa and Northern Cape region and is situated In the capital city of Bloemfontein. It provides distance education for the Faculty of Management to four branches in the agricultural maize triangle of the Northern Free State; In the mountainous Qwaqwa region; the highly industrialized Goldfields and also to a trans-provincial branch in the well-known diamond city of Kimberley In the Northern Cape region of South Africa.

The TOFS branches were established in 1987. It represents a classical dualism of a First-World technlkon education system within Third-World conditions. As is the case in many developing African countries, the contemporary higher educa­tion scene Is much distorted. A need-driven re­search programme is thus eminent.

GENERATIONS OF DISTANCE EDUCA­TION MODELS

Distance Education (DE) exists in two principal forms. It comprises either contact teaching at the institution plus an additional DE programme, or it is "solely devoted to teaching at a distance" (Croft 1992: 49). TOFS is not exactly such an institution, but rather an extramural off-campus system with assistance from part-time campus lecturers, gener­ally referred to in the literature as a Dual-Mode Dis­tance Education System (Mugrldge 1992).

By definition the TOFS programme does not totally compare with the well-known definition according to which DE is structured learning where the student and the lecturer are separated by space (Swift 1993). The students may be distant from the main campus in Bloemfontein, but they are not isolated. They still have a part-time lecturer nearby from whom they receive contact teaching and whom they consult after hours. In this regard the report of the South African Institute for Distance Education (SAIDE) Workshop agrees that: "The precise form of each feature will differ greatly across institutions because each must be designed to fit the specific practical, economic, academic and cultural in context which the courses are to be offered" (SAIDE Report 1994: 3).

TRENDS

Mugridge (1992) explains that growing student numbers and a growing use of DE technology, is a world-wide tendency. Especially in the Free State/Qwaqwa and Northern Cape regions, it is a matter of dealing with the question of resources which are becoming Increasingly vital within an ever-growing population explosion. The only difference is the scale, rather than the nature of the problem in the Third and the First World.

COST-EFFECTIVE SYSTEM

Cost-effectiveness prohibits a free-for-all system which could only develop Into a financial burden for the main campus. The ideal is to counterbalance the large student numbers of the TOFS branches with low unit costs. The answer according to SAIDE (1994: 5), is "to have a structure of student support that can make success possible for very large numbers of students in each course. Therein lies the key structural difference between modern distance education and correspondence education".

AN APPROACH TO OPEN LEARNING

While distance education deals with the collection of delivery systems of teaching and learning, Open Learning (OL) deals with the philosophy or concept of the educational system itself. The lecturers In the dual-mode system, such as in the TOFS branches, could also practise a dual role. Open learning is defined as follows: "It can be a person who 'instructs' orally, perhaps making use of one or more other media. Alternatively the 'teacher' is not a person at all. It is a designed (ideally multi-media) course in which syllabus con­tent is made available to the student by media other than the spoken word. Support for the stu­dent is given by a wide range of organized struc­tures like the multi-media course itself; regionally based counselling, tutorial and study centre faci­lities; peer support groups; 'summer' school op­portunities and computer networks..." (Swift 1993:1).

THE INDUSTRIAL MODEL

In 1969 the British Open University introduced the so-called industrial model, which is a mixture ofway study material to students with some cor­respondence feedback or a kind of contact teach­ing with tutorials. Since then, autonomous insti­tutions have developed with single-mode systems.

In this respect the TOPS dual-mode shows similar characteristics based on the industrialised model. Although smaller in student number, equal qualifi­cations could be obtained. Due to the high cost of interactive technological DE, however, students at the branches do not yet enjoy all the advantages of electronic information as in third generation DE.

INVITATIONAL EDUCATION

As foundation for a marginalised society, e.g. the theory of Invitational Education, it is as important to succeed with an open-learning system as it is to improve the quality of the lives and standard of living of the whole community in the various sub-regions. Although it is agreed that not all the technikon students will be employed, it Is still important to invite them. This is to prevent that "they decide to disinvite themselves in that they discourage and lower another's sense of personal worth" (Steyn 1994:53).

The Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) in South Africa could only be supported by an education and training system that ensures that people are enabled to realise their full potential in society (ANC 1994:59).

TOTAL SYSTEMS VIEW (of. Moore 1993)

The ever-changing global market conditions post-secondary education (PSE) institutions to deliver instruction on demand for business and industry. It also causes major obstacles for higher level DE programmes in relationship with PSE accreditation of courses and diplomas and linkages with the labour market (UNITWIN: 1993). Subsequently much is still to be dons to offer a universal model to link research and evaluation of the variety of DE programmes.

The interaction between andragogic education and the labour market within technikon co-operative learning programmes reduces the complexity of learning tasks and promotes traditional instruc­tional designs. Technikon learning and instructing thus depend more on facilitative instruction. By facilitating higher-level distance teaching in deve­loping countries, UNESCO initiated an interna­tional network through the UNITWIN project to re­inforce existing subreglonai, regional and Inter-re­gional co-operation. Needs can be met on the spot and "to foster the advancement of science and the transfer of knowledge by facilitating access world­wide to the expertise of outstanding specialists in important disciplines" (UNITWIN 1993).

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

In Sub-Saharan Africa, Namibia hosted the 21st anniversary of the International Extension College in 1992, which serves as an example of how DE has become the principal breadwinner in Africa. Therefore DE cannot afford second best status. It is the only way to defuse the global (African) higher education crisis (cf. The Namibian Conference on the 21st anniversary of the International Extension College 1992).

Teachers in Namibian DE programmes are already brought into contact with tutors operating in the various subregions. According to Mayo, "Distance education does not exclude face to face contact... The future may see a very different world where distance learning Is combined with personal super­vision and the barrier separating it disappears" (Times Higher 1992).

In Mozambique, at the Institute of Languages, the SADCC English Language Training Project, fi­nanced by the European Community, offers one-to-one courses In four of Its ten provinces. UNESCO also established a chair at the Univer-dado Eduardo Mondlane in Maputo to facilitate high-level DE from the Universities of Utrecht, Amsterdam in Holland to Mozambique.

Nearer to the OFS, the Secretary-General for the Lesotho National Commission for UNESCO in Maseru, facilitates contact education programmes between the National University of Lesotho at Roma and the Institute for Extra-Mural Studies (IEMS) In Maseru. IEMS has regional centres (branches) at Mohaleshoek (near the OFS town, Zastron), at Thaba Tseka (near the Katse Dam of the Highland Water scheme and at Leribe (Northern Lesotho) (cf. Lesotho National Commission for UNESCO 1993).

SOUTH AFRICA

A new educational model for South Africa will most definitely make use of more forms of DE pro­grammes. Both the National Education Policy In­vestigation (NEPI) and the Educational Renewal Strategy (ERS) of the former Minister of National Education (1994) reiterated the necessity of uti­lising external campus facilities. The ERS espe­cially referred to the roles of technikons to address the national personpower needs (ERS 1993).

The PSE Infrastructure of the OFS and Northern Cape Development Regions

The constitutional status quo is that South Africa has developed into nine geographical regions of which the OFS and Qwaqwa form one region. Its western border Is linked to the Northern Cape re­gion where Kimberley is the capital. (In the east the OFS shares the border with Lesotho.)Whilst Bloemfontein used to host all the main PSE institutions such as UOFS, TOPS, Teacher Training, Agricultural, Nursing and Technical Colleges, the status quo has changed immensely over the past decade. New concurrents such as Vista University and the aggressive marketing endeavours of the University of South Africa, Technlkon SA 0"SA), Technisa, the College of Education of South Africa (CESA) and non­governmental organisations that offer correspon­dence courses, triggered the impetus for TOFS and UOFS to exploit the PSE market In their immediate influence spheres other than only using their traditional residential services.

The Goldfields subregion

This subregion consists of an extensive multinatio­nal population due to the mining industry. Subse­quently students are recruited from workers' corps all over South Africa as well as from Lesotho, Malawi and Mozambique. The main area of interest Is in Personnel Management courses for the more advanced employees in the mining sector.

The Kroonstad subregion

Due to the highly competitive Vaal Triangle Techni-kon, in the Pretoria/Witwatersrand Goldreef pro­vince, this branch initially concentrated on Correc­tional Services training courses. However, it gradu­ally started to present other courses to serve the Northern OFS. Currently the branch is being transformed to fulfil the needs of the Recon­struction and Development Programme (RDP) for the agricultural sector.

The Kimberley branch

In the absence of sufficient PSE institutions in the Northern Cape, the TOFS branch in Kimberley is growing rapidly in fulfilling exactly these needs. Apart from the disciplines of the Faculty of Mana­gement, courses in Pathophysiology are also of­fered. A lively interest prevails in the Community Board of Kimberley for PSE about the possibilities of awarding B. Tech degrees and the training of teachers for technical education. This interest could culminate into a future satellite campus as an impetus for a kind of community college that may fulfil wider aspirations of the Northern Cape PSE Forum.

The Qwaqwa branch

The Qwaqwa branch serves the biggest student body (320) of all four branches. It meets the needs of a homogenic Southern Sotho cultural group in contrast to the multicultural character of the other branches. This fact contributes to a large extent to its success.

COMPONENTS AND TRENDS OF THE TOFS PROGRAMME

TOFS has a well-functioning administration system which is user-friendly towards its student clientele. This includes the following: Structured study guides; counselling services (academic support); feedback mechanisms; fully equipped library services; a proper staffing structure; and permanent administrative personnel and a continuing staff development programme.

Furthermore, the human and personal characteris­tics and needs of students and lecturers are taken into account on a more regular basis. Due to the risk subjects and multicultural character (an ap­proach to daltonism) of the student population at the different branches, an introduction to supple­mental instruction for risk courses has already been considered. In his research, Greyllng (1993) also emphasises the importance of interaction between the components of DE. The co-operative learning approach for the labour market compels technikons not to engage in teaching methods that are completely remote from the experience of first-year students. However, it has been agreed that the use of microprocessor-based telecommunication technologies in third generation DE will enhance learner autonomy, but only after gradual orientation and academic de­velopment of the student (Dillon & Gunawardena 1992). It is still the quality and content of teaching and not the medium (aids) that matters.

Interactive Television and Computer Based DE like the University of Pretoria (in a very rich neighbou­ring province), offers to its satellite campus in Witbank, proves to be a great success, but is very costly too.

Student needs at TOFS branches are rather to ex­pand its modular education system into more flexi­ble alternatives. The Ideal will be to enable students to have choices within a course to move through it at their own rate or even to interchange across courses. Students should be able to combine modules In any way, and to shift fields without losing credits, because all the modules must count. Unfortunately such a system will be very expensive due to higher administrative costs.

Co-operation with technical colleges and Technikon SA

Contracts for co-operation with the technical colleges in the various subregions are signed with TOFS for bridging, mobility of students and articulation purposes. The association with TOFS also appears to uplift the status of the technical colleges and increase student numbers.In courses where TOFS cannot offer certain subjects, good use is made of TSA. Excellent co­operation exists with the Director for Student Development and the Director of the Co-operative Education and Programme Development of TSA.

In preliminary discussions TSA mentioned a variety of mergers with TOFS and UOFS, such as a desire to establish autonomous satellite campuses which can accommodate a kind of comprehensive college system. As such it could provide an OL system, based on community learning needs, which could be linked with a life-long learning system by providing certification, curriculum and trainer support in Adult Basic Education (ABE), i.e. recurrent education for in-service training of technical teachers, nurses and managerial staff either on a full-time or a part-time basis. However, while educational planners in OL disagree about the means and the ends to establish such a system, the ideal is to provide a wide range of learning opportunities "that both aim to assist learners in gaining access to knowledge and skills they would otherwise be denied and to give learners the optimum degree of control over their own learning" (Rowntree 1994:13-14).

CONCLUSION

Authors on the subject vary in their formulations of instructional industrialism. Some see it as a student support sub-system (Granger 1994). This description is more applicable to the TOFS branches. The co-operative system of technikons and industry, after all, may really force the whole PSE system to move from a linear mechanical model of operation to a more flexible "systems" model which recognises the variable interactions among the different components, much the same as the different demands of students.

Bilateral extension with IEMS In Lesotho Is also possible because of the low population density on the OFS borders. Subsequently it would be more feasible to seek bilateral co-operation with IEMS in Lesotho to establish an IEMS-TOFS network. This possibility has already been tested with the local Secretary-General of the Lesotho National Commission for UNESCO.

Higher-level contact DE programmes like UNITWIN of UNESCO could also be expanded. It offers new programmes, serves new clientele and employs a range of new technologies, with significant results for the improvement of teaching and learning. In addition, the diversity and versatility of higher-level contact DE plays a key role in societal development and progress in both industrialized and developing countries. In this latter context, higher-level contact DE with Its potential for lower unit costs than traditional higher education, can contribute substantially to the solution of PSE problems in the OFS, Northern Cape and Qwaqwa Development regions (cf. UNITWIN 1993).

REFERENCES

ANC African National Congress Information Service (1994). Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) Johannesburg.
Croft, M. (1992) Single or Dual Mode: Challenges and choices for the future of education. In Mugrldge, I. (Ed.).
Dillon, C. & Gunawardena, C. (1992) Evaluation re­search in distance education, British Journal of Education Technology, 23 (3).
Education Renewal Strategy (ERS) (1993) De­partment of National Education, Pretoria, 31. Granger, D. (1994) Student support systems In distance education: A response to David Steward. Open Learning, (February) 9 (1).
Greyllng, E.E. (1993) 'n Strategle vlr die Imple-mentering van afstandsonderwys aan residensiele universiteite in Bulletin vir Dosente, RAU, Blad vir Hoer Onderwys Junie 24 (1) en Julie 25 (1).
Lesotho National Commission for UNESCO (1993) Maseru, Lesotho.
Moore, M.G. (1993) The American Journal of Dis­tance Education. Editorial by the Academic Direc­tor. American Centre for Study of Distance Educa­tion. The Pennsylvania State University, 7 (1).
Mugridge, I. (Ed.). (1992) Distance Education in Single and Dual Mode Universities. Vancouver: The Commonwealth of Learning.
Namibian Conference on the 21st anniversary of the International Extension College (1992) October, Windhoek, Namibia.
National Education Policy Initiative (NEPI) 1992.
Reports.
Rowntree, D. (1994) Exploring Open and Distance
Learning, Open and distance learning series, USA:
Kogan Page.
South African Institute for Distance Education
(SAIDE) (1994). Report of Workshop Paper 1, May.
Steyn, G.M. (1994) Hoe bevorder uitnodigende skole die selfkonsep van leerlinge? Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 34 (1), SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns.
Swift, D. (1993) Distance Education and Open Learning. Launching Conference of the South African Institute for Distance Education. World Trade Centre, 7-9 September.
Times Higher (1992) October.
Unitwin, (1993) Higher-level distance education. Division of Higher Education and Research, Paris: UNESCO.

OPEN LEARNING RESEARCH PROJECT (7)

APPENDIX I

THE CONTEXT AND PRACTICES OF OPEN LEARNING: FIRST ACTION RESEARCH CYCLE FOR THE UNIT FOR ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT AT THE CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, FREE STATE

To achieve all its differentiated academic goals, the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) will have no other option than to abide by the context and practices of Open Learning (OL). OL subscribes the political concept in the modern idiom of the new democratic dispensation of South Africa. It is more open to increase access to more students as well as adult learners by removing unnecessary barriers to Higher Education career paths. Simultaneously it also provides students with a reasonable chance of success in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) system focussed on their specific needs that are situated in the multiple areas of study

ORIENTATION

LEARNER – CENTRED INSTITUTION CHARACTERISTIC AND OL APPROACH:

To facilitate and enhance access for all learners;
To use co-operative education in promoting employability;
To support democratically developed social development and to eradicate social inequalities; and
To develop a coordinated differentiated Higher Education system that supports "life long learning."

To enhance mergers of Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) and reducing regional duplications through collaboration.

Key principles in OL include the following:

Learner centeredness: Learners should be the focus of the educational process. Learners should construct their own lifelong career of learning.

Lifelong learning: Learning should continue throughout life. In an ever-changing and technological world, learners should stay in touch as globalisation changes the world in which we live.

Flexibility in learning: The needs of learners should be considered by making learning more flexible to accommodate different kinds of learner’s e.g. different teaching profiles, learning styles and preferences.

The removal of barriers hindering accessibility to learners: The use of pedagogical approaches must be removed so as to improve accessibility to learning and expertise.

OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING (ODL)

ODL has always been regarded only as a means of helping a limited target group of off-campus students to qualify for their degrees in a non-traditional manner. However, a new approach and a need to restructure Higher Education have been set in motion, despite public policy and politics in South Africa and elsewhere in the modern world. ODL is seen not only as a way to reach more learners, but also as a means of empowering and enhancing institutions towards their own prestige and research capabilities.

RESOURCED BASED LEARNING

Resource-based learning can be seen as a superior form of teaching to content-based teaching. A much more open approach improves the students’ continuous education via a shared and collective approach nestled in reflective professional judgement. Hence the traditional institutional boundaries are opened and the full spectrum of available educational resources is utilised.

LIFE LONG LEARNING:

Paul Belanger into three specific constituent elements:

Initial education: Those individuals who participate more in learning activities during different periods of adult life. Cumulative pattern of educational participation is highly influenced by initial education.

Adult education: There has been a rapid expansion of the social demand for organised adult education over the past 20 years, including vocational, community and higher education.

Diffuse learning environments: Learning does not take place only through organised educational, formal or non-formal processes – there are also numerous informal learning events and processes.

FLEXIBLE LEARNING:

A mixed mode of education (as preferred by the CUT at its respective regional learning centres) is where the same learners, often within a single programme, receive combinations of contact tuition, resource-based learning within ODL offering types. Dual-mode institutions offer programmes by using either ODL and/or contact tuition, or only contact tuition.

Flexible learning enables learners to access learning through various learning methods and opportunities aided by a removal of barriers by giving freedom of access, pace, place and time. Mass learning is a key element in flexible learning.

Technologies and methods form part of this process to deliver such programmes.

OUTCOMES BASED EDUCATION AND TRAINING (OBET):

The following are distinctive features of the current OBET approach:

It is needs driven, with curricula being designed in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes expected from graduates and aiming to equip learners for lifelong learning.

It is outcomes driven, with a line extending from taking cognisance of training needs to setting an aim (purpose) for the programme and goals for syllabus themes and learning outcomes, and finally assessing the learning outcomes in terms of the set learning objective.

It has a design-down approach, with learning content only being selected after the desired outcomes have been specified. Content is a vehicle to achieve the desired learning outcomes.

OBET AND OL GENERAL BELIEFS:

Learners must be encouraged and permitted to learn to their full potential.
Success breeds success, and learners will build self-confidence as they progress.
The learning environment must promote conditions under which learners can be successful.

TRADITIONAL CONTENT-BASED LEARNING VERSUS OUTCOMES-BASED LEARNING:

-Rote learning;
-Learners mainly passive when exposed to content;
-Little communication;
-Content-driven syllabus broken down into subjects;
-Textbook/worksheet bound;
-Teacher centred;
-Syllabus considered to be accurate and non-negotiable;
-Emphasis on what the teacher hopes to achieve;
-Curriculum development process not open to the public;
-Critical thinking and reasoning;
-Learners active and involved in the learning process;
-Communication critical;
-Learning, which is outcome and process driven, is connected to real-life situations;
-Learner and outcome centred;
-Teacher is facilitator;
-Learning programmes seen as guides;
-Emphasis on outcomes (what the learner achieves); and
-Wider stakeholder involvement encouraged.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF OL IN OBET:

-Learning rather than teaching;
-Students need to think; and
-Processes that engage learners with the content, as well as the content itself, facilitate thinking.
-Links should be forged with other fields of education/subjects, as subjects never exist in isolation.

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (RPL):

RPL is a process which, through assessment, gives credit to learning that has already been acquired in different ways, e.g. through life experience.

AIM : EDUCATORS

The objectives of the National Qualifications Framework include the need to facilitate access to, and mobility and progression within Higher Education, training and career paths, as well as the need to accelerate the redress of past unfair discrimination in education, training and employment opportunities