University to develop Open Distance learning

By Vaise Taalefili* 27 May 2017, 12:00AM

The National University of Samoa (N.U.S) is looking at making Open Distance Learning (O.D.L) available to students. 

“N.U.S. is in its early stages of designing online courses with the focus of O.D.L,” said Dr. Ioana Chan Mow.

Dr. Ioana Chan Mow said “there are now an increasing number of workshops in the use of technology offered to N.U.S. staff to further the reach of our teaching methods.”

Dr. Chan Mow believes that the major concerns were the lack of instructional design support, lack of hardware and software, concerned about students’ access to technology and the lack of time to develop e-courses. 

It is hoped that with the establishment of the National University of Samoa’s (N.U.S.) Technology Enabled Learning (T.E.L.) policy and implementation plan, that there will be a documentation of lessons to be done in the University. 

The University has yet to develop policies in the use of Open Educational Resources (O.E.R.) and T.E.L.

This meant that teacher experiences in technological advances are much needed in N.U.S.

During the Technology Enabled Learning Workshop hosted by the Faculty of Science (F.O.S.) concerns were raised that there is a very limited knowledge in technological experiences within the University.

This called for the need to encourage new staff and additional tutorial sessions to get everyone on the same page as the I.C.T. experts in modern teaching techniques.

 “N.U.S is at the early stages of developing preparedness and is in the process of developing a robust system,” she said. 

The University of Samoa currently does not have a strategic plan for the implementation of T.E.L. and this is one of the proposed activities and outcomes of the Technology Enabled Learning workshop.

 

*Vaise Taalefili is a final year Media and Journalism Student of the National University of Samoa.

By Vaise Taalefili* 27 May 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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