Tuesday 8 January 2013

STATE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION IN GHANA
 
The question I keep asking distance-learning institutions in Ghana is “whether the state of distance education, especially in Ghanaian public tertiary institutions constitutes the ideal model as compared to those practiced in advanced countries?”
 
As an educational technologist with expertise for advancing the course of distance education, I get confused when a system that looks like sandwich education is packaged as distance education for public patronage and at very high cost. Distance education in modern pedagogical practice must be characterised by separation of GEOGRAPHIC SPACE and TIME and must most importantly use Information and Communication Technological (ICT) inputs to enhance student learning endeavours. Distance Education should provide flexible learning opportunities for the student. The infrastructure of virtual classrooms and the input of students instructional and learning materials is very very paramount.

Why create a continuous session of face-to-face learning situation for distance learners for more than two months and brand that as distance education. I don't think we are fostering a good course in the right direction. We need to adopt systems and employ them in their properly defined framework in order to derive the full benefit of the system.