Partnerships are central to the awareness, implementation and development of open and distance learning (ODL). It is an attribute that is distinct in the higher education sector, where ODL has made a large footprint by dispelling the notion that university enrolment is reserved for a narrow and elite demographic. The Commonwealth of Learning (COL)…

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is considered an important strategy for increasing educational access. However, students learning in ODL environments face many challenges. Studies have indicated that students with self-regulated learning (SRL) skills are more likely to succeed in ODL environments. Studies have demonstrated that through…

The purpose of this small-scale qualitative research study was to examine the use and perceived value of integrating collaborative learning techniques at teleconferences at the Hellenic Open University (HOU). Qualitative semi-structure interviews with tutors from the School of Humanities at the HOU were conducted in order for the research plan to…

This qualitative case study examines the challenges that influence the effective teaching and learning of Geography and Environmental Studies through Open and Distance e-Learning (ODeL) at the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU). Semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis were employed to solicit information from twenty students and four…

This research evaluated the ICT competencies of distance learning students of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), as a pre-requisite for their effectiveness in a computer-based learning environment. 186 students (66 males and 120 females) responded to the questionnaire -- Learners' Competency in the use of ICT (LC in CT) -- which was…

COVID-19 provided an opportunity to experiment with alternative delivery mechanisms for a medical education programme offered through open and distance learning with face-to-face training as an essential component of the programme. Non-availability of hard copies of the course material (92%) and lack of communication from the university (32%) as…

This paper presents a study that focused on assessing computer and ICT skills of business subjects' learners at Botswana Open University (BOU). The study explored the levels of computer skills; existence of ICT skills and perception of business subject learners on the adoption and use of ICT skills for teaching and learning. A sample size of 223…

The OpenLearn platform was launched in 2006 with the aim of delivering excerpts of the Open University's (UK) (OU) curriculum as open educational resources (OER). Now reaching over 9m learners a year, the platform delivers free courses, educational interactives, videos and articles across a broad range of subjects reflecting what is delivered…

Like all organisations, good governance is a fundamental requirement for the responsible and accountable management of universities in general and open universities in particular. This is to ensure that these (open) universities remain relevant to their mission of facilitating unfettered access to higher education for citizens and at the same time…

Open University Malaysia (OUM) is progressively moving towards implementing assessment on demand and online assessment. This move is deemed necessary for OUM to continue to be the leading provider of flexible learning. OUM serves a very large number of students each semester and these students are vastly distributed throughout the country. As the…

This paper sets out the ways in which technologies for learning have been at the heart of education for development for millennia, not as is sometimes thought only in the last 30 years of the digital revolution. Short case studies of the University of London External System and the Open University UK set out the development outcomes of these major…

Integration of "Mobile Learning" (m-learning) in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) systems can play a crucial role in reducing the "Digital Divide" and strengthening "Democratization of Education" by providing quality educational opportunities and access to information quickly at affordable cost in Commonwealth Asian…

Open online courses could provide stepping stones for audiences that are underrepresented in higher education (HE). However, there are concerns that these instead proliferate forms of exclusion and do not address known difficulties for widening participation. We explore how organisations that represent the perspectives of particular underserved…

This case study examines the policies formulated by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), an open and distance learning university of India for regulating the practices related to the assignments of its Bachelor of Education programme. Following the examination it argues that some policies are formulated in the context of the…

YouTube now has more searches than Google, indicating that video is a motivating and, potentially, powerful learning tool. This paper investigates how we can embrace video to support improvements in teacher education. It will draw on innovative approaches to teacher education, developed by the Open University UK, in order to explore in more depth…