Researcher

Professor Vincent Ado Tenebe

Duration: 2013 – 2014

Funded by: Commonwealth of Learning

Project objectives

The project was a research titled “Evaluation of the Contributions of Open and Distance Learning Education Institutions in Nigeria. The objective of the research project was to identify the degree of access to education and training created by distance learning institutions. It aimed at evaluating the availability and appropriateness of the technological infrastructure adopted by the distance learning institutions and also to determine the readiness of the distance learning institutions to provide education through the open and distance learning mode as the alternative means of providing education to the citizenry.

Summary of the outcomes

The outcomes of the research project revealed that Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is significant in Nigeria as an alternative way to meet the huge unmet demand for education, especially at the higher education level. It showed that the available ODL institutions, both single and dual-mode, are creating access to education despite the harsh terrain of operations. It also recognised the impact of the use of ICTs on access creation, and the efforts of institutions towards making sure that the required technologies are put in place for the smooth running of their operations. As also observed by Galusha (1997) and Carr (2000), the use of educational technologies in distance education has the potential in addressing most of the challenges that distance learners encounter in their learning which sometimes is so pressing to the extent that some distance learners opt to withdraw from studies and others experience delay in graduating. It confirmed that ODL institutions know the challenges that are militating against the creation of access to education through their system, hence the need for them to work round the clock as they currently do to see that the identified and anticipated challenges and problems are resolved in order to show readiness to offer education to the masses and also their relevance in the educational development of Nigeria.