Comparative Study of Facilities and Practices of Open and Distance Learning Directorates Working in Conventional Universities in Islamabad Capital Territory

  • Muhammad Ajmal Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad.
  • Syeda Ghulam Zahra Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad.

Abstract

Higher Education Commission in Pakistan permitted to fourteen formal Universities to establish Open and Distance Learning Directorates to run programs through open distance Learning.The main objectives of this study were to find out the available facilities, explore the prevailing practices and to find out the differences in prevailing practices of Open and Distance Learning Directorates working in three conventional universities in Islamabad capital Territory. Directorate of Distance Education International Islamic University, Directorate of Distance Education Comsat Institute of Information Technology, Directorate of Distance Education
Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology, Islamabad Campus were selected to conduct the study. The study was descriptive in nature adopting survey design .A Check list, an interview protocol and Questionnaire were used as instruments to check the facilities and practices of ODL Directorates. 539 students, 30 faculty members and three Heads/ Directors were surveyed. The results of the study indicated that these directorates may have sufficient room for improvement in hiring faculty, infrastructure, curricula and facilities needed for ODL system. There was no harmony in the practices of ODL Directorates regarding their course content, content delivery and exam mechanism. It is recommended to provide proper infrastructure and faculty training to run the ODL programs in these directorates. A mutual collaboration mechanism among these directorates should be established for faculty exchange, ICT usage, curriculum Development instructional designing and research projects.

Author Biographies

Muhammad Ajmal, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad.
Chairman, Distance and Non Formal Education
Syeda Ghulam Zahra, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad.
M.Phil. Scholar, Department of Education,

References

Asim, A. E &Okon, J. E. (2005). “Strategizing For Realistic Quality Assurance in the Nigerian University System„:Knowledge Generation and Dissemination: Issues and Challenges in Nigerian Universities”. Enugu: Pearls & Gold.

Attri, A. K. (2012). Distance Education: Problems and solution. International Journal ofBehavioralSocial and Movement Sciences.

Bannier, B. (2016).Global Trends in Transnational Education.International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 6 (1). Retrieved from:http://www.ijiet.org/vol6/663-pdf.

Gujjar et al. (2009).A Comparative Study of Student Support Services of AllamaIqbal Open University and the Open University of Sri Lanka.Educational Research and Review Vol4(7), pp354-364..Retrivedfrom:http://www.academicjournals.Org/ERR.

Hossain, J. (2010) Professionaldevelopment of higher education teachers: can odlcontribute/Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE January 2010.ISSN 1302-6488 Vol.11(1).

Jahan.M., Habid.R.&Akhtar.S. (2012).ODE in Bangladesh Compared with that in Sri Lanka andIndia:Asian Journal of Distance Education.10(1),61-75 Retrieved from: http://WWW.AsianJDE.org

Jonassen, (2011).Handbook of research for educational communications and technology.New York: Macmillan.

Jumanni, N.B., Reshman. F.C ,&Malik. S.M. (2011).Teacher Training Through Distance Modein AllamaIqbal Open University(AIOU) Pakistan.Turkish online Journal of DistanceEducation.1(2),76-90.

Kumar,L. S,Jamatia.B., Aggarwal. A. K & Kannan. S (2009).Mobile Device Internet for Students support services in Distance Education Context Frame work Model.Perspective.Europen Journal of Distance and E-Learning.

Lundmark.E. (2010).The Mobility of People, Ideas and Knowledge in the EntrepreneurialSociety.(Unpublished Thesis).Link opening universities.

Makamane, B. (2011). Assessment in Open and Distance Learning Institutions: Issues and Challenges. Lesotho College of Education.Retrieved fromhttp://wikieducator.org/images/4/4b/ SJ_Bonang_ Makamane.pdf.

Rao, A.M. (2010). ICT in Open Distance Learning: Issues and Challenges International Journal on New Trends in Education and Their Implications, Volume: 1, 2 Article: 3,1309-6249. Retrieved from http /www.ijonte.org.

Sadat, K. R. (2010). Analysis of Tutorial Services for Distance Learners: A Case Study of Bangladesh Open University.

Satish, K., & Sajjad, A. (2012). Meaning, Aims and Process of Education, International Journal of Social Science & Interdisciplinary Research India: ISSN 2277. IJSSIR,Vol.4 (6).

Senthil, F. & Nisha, (2015).MOOCS:Chnging Trends Towards Oen Distance Learning withSpecial Reference to India. Journal of Library & Information Technology, 3(2), 82-89. doi:10.14429/djlit.35.2.8191.

Seraji, F. (2017). Blended Learning in Distance Education:AComparative Study of Selected Mega Open Universities. Quarterly Journal of Iranian Distance Education (IDEI), 1, 9-24.

Wang, Q. (2013). A study of barriers to online learning in distance education in China,Nottingham.

Published
2018-11-30