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Leapfrogging 1st Generation Distance
Education into 4th and 5th Generation
Distance Education at Makerere University:
A Study Materials Writers’ Experiences
Stella Achen and Ruth Nsibirano
Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Presentation Outline
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Introduction
Identification of course writers
Tasks for course writers
Findings
Challenges
Recommendations
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Introduction
Greatest development and growth of new technologies in
the 20th and 21st Centuries than any other century.
New technologies and systems are increasingly being used
in education among other sectors.
Makerere University through the department of Open and
Distance Education(ODL) has run a 1st generation mode of
distance education(DE) programs
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Introduction Cont’d
 In 1991,ODL was launched with two academic programmes
– Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Education
In 2001, two more academic programmes addedCommonwealth Diploma in Youth in Development
Work programme (CYP) and Bachelor of Science
(External)
Student enrolment rose from 246 (1992) to 8,000
students in 2001
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Introduction Cont’d
Successful proposal to NORAD
ODL sought to leapfrog DE from 1st to 4th and 5th
generations of DE
A number of activities including developing course
materials fit for the 4th and 5th generations DE programme
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Aim
Writers, Trainers, Project Administrators and reviewers (in
and out of Mak)
Personality & context issues
This paper examines the experiences of the 20 course
writers for the fifth generation modules
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Methods Used
Study designed
Qualitative and qualitative data was collected through
Study population = 20 course writers for the fifth
generation modules
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Identification of course writers
Course writers were identified by the committee for DELP
Lecturers and practitioners from various disciplines
DELP conducted a series of workshops
Understanding a distance Learner
curriculum development for DE learners
Content for the 4th and fifth generation of DE.
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Tasks for course writers
Writers were given time lines (month) for drafts of courses
Effects from change of working environments
Conflicting demands
Writers transformed their course materials to online
Poodle & moodle
Infrastructural issues
Uploaded MUELE
About 20 courses uploaded on MUELE.
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Findings
90 percent writers had never participated in such an
activity.
A challenge to develop interactive online content
“It is much harder to writer materials for
distance education learners because you
must write content in form of a dialogue. It is
also more time consuming because a lot of
planning must be done”.
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Observations
Much easier to conduct face-to-face lectures than online
lectures
Easier to drop out
University calendar affects scheduling of training
workshops
Even harder to transform content to online learning
materials with activities
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Best Practices and Lessons Learnt
 Time constraints due to push and pull factors
 Writers must be learners first
 Communication & commitment is essential
 Interpersonal skills (soft skills) needed
 Embarrassment of writers by some facilitators.
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Recommendations
The University should train more human resources with
skills for curriculum development of DE materials befitting
the 4th and 5th generations.
The University should start more online DE programmes
to decongest the campus
Facilitators should consider slow learners during sessions.
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END
Thank you for listening