MODFL/Systems view/Models

In Unit Two of this course, we learnt that ODFL is concerned with finding ways to communicate and mediate the curriculum without necessarily requiring facilitators/teachers and learners to be in the same place at the same time - with or without supporting technology. To operate effectively, distance education functions as a systems organisation. The various elements of the system of the entity work in harmony with each other, if the organisation is to be functional. So, the point here is that whichever model is used, ODFL should always have appropriate systems and structures in place to ensure that effective learning takes place. In the introductory paragraph of this unit, you read that there are varying extents to which technology is used in ODFL. This gives rise to different models of provision. You need to understand systems that are associated with different models of ODFL.

For purposes of this unit, we will explore three models of ODFL provisioning:

Model A - print-based model

Model B - print-based with web support

Model C – No print, fully web dependent

These three models will obviously have different systems and structures in place, and they most likely will target different types of learners.

Activity 1

This activity should take you about 30 – 40 minutes to complete.

1. Study the grid below, which shows an infinite number of distance education options.

2. Match the 3 models you read about before the activity with institutions 1, 2, 3 and 4 plotted in the grid. To do this, you insert the institution number in front of the appropriate model.

Model A –

Model B –

Model C -

3. Describe the delivery features of institution 4

4. What are some of the challenges institution 4 learners are likely to face?

Share your answers with your peers in the discussion forum.

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Feedback and comment on Activity 1

Model A is print based, 2so both institutions 2 and 4 would fall under this model. The difference is that institution 2 is print-based and has regular face-to-face contacts whilst institution 4 is also paper-based but does not have face-to-face contact sessions.

Model B is print based with web support, so it is institution 3, which is paper-based and has occasional face to face contact sessions.

Model C is fully web-dependent and does not use print at all, so it is institution 1, which uses digital rather than paper-based materials. It also does not have any face-to-face contact sessions.

Delivery features of institution 4: It is fully paper-based and does not make use of any web support. Learners do not have any contact sessions. It uses the correspondence model of delivery.

Challenges learners are likely to face in institution 4: These may include communicating with teachers since there is no online system; lack of interaction with other learners; limited or no mediation of the learning resources used; and timely submission of coursework assignments as learners are likely to rely on the postal system.

To understand what systems are needed in the different models of ODFL, you need to know the key operations of the model. Table 7 below gives a summary of the main delivery activities undertaken in each of the 3 models discussed above. Notice that the activities are by no means exhaustive, you are free to add other activities that are relevant in your context.

Table 7: Key delivery activities and systems of different models of ODFL

Distance Education Model	Model A - print-based/ contact supported	Model B - print-based/ web supported	Model C – Web- dependent (online) delivery
Course materials & Interactivity	Print-based materials. Tutorial letters (courier/email). Limited social interaction between learners and the teacher and amongst learners themselves.	Self-instructional materials in electronic form as well as print-based. Use of LMSs & flash drives Use of video clips - There is some social interaction with the teacher and amongst learners. However, this interaction is limited as learners mostly rely on print-based materials for their learning.	Electronic forms of materials, usually accessed on LMS. More digital resources accessed on internet & other data bases (digital libraries), including virtual worlds). Lot of virtual interaction (Forums, Wikis, Moodle groups) between learners and their teacher and amongst learners.
Learning support	Regular (usually compulsory) face-to-face interactions, interactive video conference sessions/lectures delivered at centres distributed nationally. One-on-one support by facilitators face-to-face, through phone and by email. Mobile library	Occasional face-to-face interactions. Support on LMS, usually very limited. Learner can manage without accessing LMS support. Weekly email discussions between workshops for peer as well as tutor support.	One-on-one online support, first port of call for students when they want support. Also group support online which is mainly asynchronous.
Systems	On-campus registration system Materials production Materials delivery Face-to-face sessions system Assessment- assignment receiving, recording & distribution Learner support system Examination system (mainly face-to-face).	Combination of on-campus and online registration systems. Materials production & delivery system (although mostly availed digitally on LMS) Learner support system (mainly virtual but with limited face-to-face) Assessment system usually face-to-face	Online registration system Online tutorials & other student support systems Learning materials production system (mainly digital, drawing on OER). No physical distribution of materials, everything accessed on LMS Online assessment system – with relevant software to ensure credibility.

There are key points to note about the different models of distance education shown in Table 7:

1. Due to increasing availability of enabling communication technologies, many distance education systems have moved from Model A towards Model C in Table 7.
2. Depending on the context, there is increasing participation of young people who are straight from high school in distance higher education. Although the models of provision may be on the right of Table 7, many of these young people prefer to physically study from a campus where they can access free WiFi and meet their peers for study and social interactions.
3. Human resource skills needed for the different models vary, although there are some commonalities that cut across models.
4. The cost of running the different ODFL models varies.
5. Invariably, different models target different audiences

Activity 2

This activity should take you about 40 – 60 minutes to complete.

To understand more about the core functions and systems of distance education, read the extract below, which is based on research that was done by the International Research Foundation for Open Learning (IRFOL) for the Commonwealth of Learning (COL).

Seven key functions of distance education

An analysis of the functions needed to make open and distance learning work is necessary to inform the choice between administrative options. To make distance education work you need structures and facilities for seven main functions.

Governance, planning, management and funding

Some of these functions will rest within a distance-teaching institution and some outside.

Materials development and production

The development or acquisition of materials is fundamental to distance education. Materials may be developed in-house, or externally, in a variety of media. An institution will need not only writers but people who can edit them, so that they work effectively at a distance, and people to brief and train writers and editors.

Materials reproduction and distribution

This may be done physically, often through the mail, or electronically in the case of broadcasts or computer-based teaching.

Student recruitment, advice and support including the supervision of classroom practice

Mechanisms will be needed to recruit students and then to support them and provide feedback on their work. Where teacher education, vocational or STEMprogrammes include a practical element, concerned with their competence or skills in theworkplace, arrangements are also needed to supervise this.

Assessment and evaluation of learners

In many, though not all, programmes students need to be assessed and their work examined or evaluated. The formal award of qualifications may be outside the responsibility of the teaching institution or may require accreditation by another agency.

Feedback system to allow for formative evaluation

While, in a sense, this is necessary for any organisation it needs particular attention in a nonconventional form of education and one in which students may be too far away for their dissatisfaction to be heard when things go wrong.

Record systems

A formal system of records, of students and organisational processes is indispensable.

Source: Perraton, (2003:12) Models for open and distance learning, COL: https://oasis.col.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/e60bad89-4cdf-4667-abf0-6c227e46f353/content

Construct a table like the one below. Complete the table to show the main features of the remaining three selected functions for each of the different models. We have done the first function (Materials development, production and storage) as an example. Share your table with peers in the discussion forum.

Distance Education Model	Model A - print-based/ contact supported	Model B - print-based/ web supported	Model C – Web- dependent (online) delivery
Materials development, production and storage	Heavy investment in paper-based materials development & production. Need for materials warehouses.	Paper-based materials development & production remains key feature of this model. Storage warehouses also needed. Digital materials also supplied to some students.	No paper –based learning materials, all materials are digital. No investments in storage warehouses. Heavy investment in technology, including learning platforms.
Materials distribution to learners
Student recruitment and support
Feedback system for formative assessment

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Feedback and comment on Activity 2

What is given in the table below are just examples, you can think of many more features

Distance Education Model	Model A - print-based/ contact supported	Model B - print-based/ web supported	Model C – Web- dependent (online) delivery
Materials distribution to learners	Warehouses for storage; Materials distribution mechanisms	Some paper-based materials distributed physically; storage warehouses still needed. Some materials provided in digital format	All materials supplied online; no need for storage warehouses.
Student recruitment and support	On campus registration & payment of fees, face to face support	Registration mainly on campus, so is payment of fees. There is online registration for those who can afford it.	Registration and payment of fees done online
Feedback system for formative assessment	Paper-based feedback	Mixture of paper-based and online feedback.	All feedback is given online