The document summarizes a research study on an international partnership between Unisa, UMUC, and IDB to develop academic capacity in open distance learning. It discusses the background of the partner institutions, how the partnership works, research methodology, findings on time management, support, and academic culture, overall value of the program, and final remarks. The partnership proved successful in building academic capacity and the model could be expanded to serve as an example for other institutions.

1. The role of an international
partnership in developing academic
capacity in open distance learning
Geesje Van den Berg - Unisa
Muriel Joffe - UMUC
Stella C.S. Porto - IDB & UMUC

2. Overview
● Background
● How does the partnership work?
● Research methodology
● Findings
● Overall value of the programme
● Final remarks

3. Background: Unisa
● Largest OU in Africa
● Founded in 1873
● 1st public institution to teach at a distance
● +400K students
● in transition...

4. Background: UMUC/MDE

5. Background: Tying the knot

6. How does the partnership work
● same academic
requirements and
standards
● special registration
process
● admin support @
UMUC and Unisa
● academic support
common to all
students in the
program

7. The research
● Purpose
● Online survey - open and closed questions
● Paradigm: interpretivist
● Participants: 50; 34 responded (68%)
● Data analysis: online tools, thematic
approach

8. Summary of findings
● Participant profile
Main themes:
● Time management
● Support
● Academic culture

9. Participant profile

10. Participant profile

11. Main findings: time management
Most important challenge: balancing work obligations
with study - major issue
High quality learner support might help with their
time management

12. Main findings: support

13. Main findings: support

14. Main findings: support
● Line managers: only 7 respondents received real support, 13
received support, line managers did nothing; 11 received no
support
● Administrative support: 88% indicated that they received all
or some support
● Mentors: “One needs someone to guide one through”.
● Guidance needed: self-directedness; autonomy of learning
surprise! Although information available, preferred to ask
administrators

15. Main findings: academic culture
educational systems, pedagogy, the learning
process, ethics, student behaviour, student beliefs
and practices

16. Main findings: academic culture
● Different educational systems: deadlines, registration, length of
semesters, the grading systems
● Structure of the UMUC courses as a key concern:
○ fast pace of the courses; deadlines; the amount of reading;
groupwork; synchronous events
● Difference between the UMUC and the UNISA parts of the
programme
● Value of studying in another country; different cultures:
developed vs developing

17. Overall value of the programme
● Structure of UMUC courses (paradox?)
○ became a positive after adjustment
● Interaction between faculty and students
● The constant feedback from instructors
○ represented a model of teaching and learning many Unisa
faculty wished to replicate
● Importance of writing coaches and teaching assistants
● Support system as a whole
● Student centredness

18. Overall value of the programme
● Introduction to distance education literature
● Theory
● Teaching tools
● Exposure to technology
● Being a student
● Interacting with students from around the world -
value of international partnerships

19. Final remarks
● The programme should be offered to all Unisa faculty to
prepare them for teaching online.
● Expand partnership should be expanded
● Gained theoretical and practical knowledge
● Many benefits, specific difficulties - some specific to ODL
● Academic culture: frustrations and benefits.
● Requires time from students
● Need for efficient student support from both institutions

20. Final remarks
Partnership:
● manage expectations: time management and student
support and
● improve readiness and autonomy of learning
● fruitful & promising
“awesome”, “informative”, and “challenging”

21. Final remarks
This international partnership with
the purpose of academic capacity
building in open distance learning
proved to be successful.
The model not only served its
purpose, but it can serve as an
example for institutions in similar
contexts.

22. Thank you!
Questions?
vdberg@unisa.ac.za
muriel.joffe@umuc.edu
stella.porto@faculty.umuc.edu