Challenges for successful planning of open and distance learning (ODL): A template analysis
How to plan an open and distance learning (ODL) unit in higher education is not clearly described in the literature. A number of ODL facilities at residential universities have not been successful because of a lack of planning or because of failure to ensure that all the different systems for ODL de...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Athabasca University Press
2013-07-01
|
| Series: | International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1387 |
| _version_ | 1818406600146157568 |
|---|---|
| author | Ansie Minnaar |
| author_facet | Ansie Minnaar |
| author_sort | Ansie Minnaar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | How to plan an open and distance learning (ODL) unit in higher education is not clearly described in the literature. A number of ODL facilities at residential universities have not been successful because of a lack of planning or because of failure to ensure that all the different systems for ODL delivery were in place and functioning. This paper sheds light on how to plan strategically and how to implement an ODL unit at an existing university.
A template analysis was used to construct a road map for ODL planners. We used this analytical tool to organise data from a large collection of articles, books, and documents from 1980-2010. We purposefully chose template analysis as a document analysis process to foster the recurring themes found in published articles on planning and implementing ODL facilities in higher education.
The results indicate four main strategies for successful implementation of an ODL unit. The template consists of strategic planning, policies, systems, and challenges. It was concluded that the template for ODL planning offers new insight into distance education. It could be used as a foundation for ODL planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. We recommend further research on the template with the aim of theory construction for ODL planning and implementation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T09:14:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-07a5060fc72f4166b802df264f67a0ab |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1492-3831 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T09:14:31Z |
| publishDate | 2013-07-01 |
| publisher | Athabasca University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning |
| spelling | doaj.art-07a5060fc72f4166b802df264f67a0ab2022-12-21T23:08:29ZengAthabasca University PressInternational Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning1492-38312013-07-0114310.19173/irrodl.v14i3.1387Challenges for successful planning of open and distance learning (ODL): A template analysisAnsie Minnaar0University of South AfricaHow to plan an open and distance learning (ODL) unit in higher education is not clearly described in the literature. A number of ODL facilities at residential universities have not been successful because of a lack of planning or because of failure to ensure that all the different systems for ODL delivery were in place and functioning. This paper sheds light on how to plan strategically and how to implement an ODL unit at an existing university. A template analysis was used to construct a road map for ODL planners. We used this analytical tool to organise data from a large collection of articles, books, and documents from 1980-2010. We purposefully chose template analysis as a document analysis process to foster the recurring themes found in published articles on planning and implementing ODL facilities in higher education. The results indicate four main strategies for successful implementation of an ODL unit. The template consists of strategic planning, policies, systems, and challenges. It was concluded that the template for ODL planning offers new insight into distance education. It could be used as a foundation for ODL planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. We recommend further research on the template with the aim of theory construction for ODL planning and implementation.http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1387Template analysischallenges in open and distance learningdistance education. |
| spellingShingle | Ansie Minnaar Challenges for successful planning of open and distance learning (ODL): A template analysis International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning Template analysis challenges in open and distance learning distance education. |
| title | Challenges for successful planning of open and distance learning (ODL): A template analysis |
| title_full | Challenges for successful planning of open and distance learning (ODL): A template analysis |
| title_fullStr | Challenges for successful planning of open and distance learning (ODL): A template analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges for successful planning of open and distance learning (ODL): A template analysis |
| title_short | Challenges for successful planning of open and distance learning (ODL): A template analysis |
| title_sort | challenges for successful planning of open and distance learning odl a template analysis |
| topic | Template analysis challenges in open and distance learning distance education. |
| url | http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1387 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ansieminnaar challengesforsuccessfulplanningofopenanddistancelearningodlatemplateanalysis |