Planning And Management Of Open And Distance Learning

Online distance education and training is being adopted throughout the world as a cost-effective, flexible answer to widening access for all. This enthusiasm has led to many initiatives and policies from governments to encourage online learning at international, national, regional and institutional levels. Also, changes in distance learning continue to take place as a result of educational discourse and innovations in ICT. Distance learning courses are therefore under pressure to reform, and successful management of external policy planning and internal change management is key to the implementation and maintenance of reforms. World-class leaders, researchers and practitioners share their experiences, research and critical reflection in this book, providing guidance on how to balance quality management with quality learning. Subjects covered include policy and planning, institutional management, management of processes, quality assurance and accreditation, and internationalization. This book will aid anyone involved in running or wanting to implement distance education to effectively manage an online learning programme.

Originally published in 1986, The Planning and Management of Distance Education examines the problems faced by those who are setting up and managing distance education systems of various kinds. The book begins by considering definitions of distance education and various models which can be used to describe and understand distance education systems. The second chapter considers various general education models and relates these to distance education. The concepts introduced in the first two chapters form a background to the rest of the book. The next section looks at the aspirations of those setting up distance education systems, the economics and costs of such systems, and the process of planning a distance education system from scratch (chapters 3-5). Chapters 6-11 consider aspects of planning and management – organisation, staffing, planning, budgeting, the management of the academic processes related to materials development and the provision of local student services, production management (the management of materials production and distribution), operations management (the management of the delivery of student services) – and the impact of new technology on production and operations management, and finally, evaluation. The short concluding chapter draws together some of the themes running through the book.

This book is aimed at those who are considering, or just starting to plan open and distance learning courses. It offers practical advice on how to find your students, expand your audience and become cost-effective without compromising quality. The main areas covered are: basic principles and different approaches to ODL different types of self-study materials, media, and student support from your institution building quality assurance into the development process With a wide range of practical, tried-and-tested examples and case studies, the book provides a complete guide to setting up ODL courses.

We live in a society with ever-changing needs and expectations. Education practitioners and policy makers need therefore to face the challenges of new economic, social and technological conditions in their work. There is a global concern to develop forms of education and training which are open to the demands of needs of learners, and which are accessible at times and places suitable to those learners. Governments, institutions and practitioners are developing and implementing policies which reflect these trends. The overall theme of this book is the relationship between government and organizational policies and the work of practitioners in open and distance learning. The book does this by exploring a selection of international examples. The authors, many of them recognized experts, write from a wide range of international and organizational perspectives. Each one draws on significant experience within his or her field. Terry Evans is Head of the Graduate School of Education at Deakin University. He was the foundation director of the Master of Distance Education course there and has extensive experience teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students. Daryl Nation is Deputy Head of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Monash University. He is Associate Professor in the School and divides his time between policy development, research and teaching.

Within educational organizations, administration and leadership are relied upon for the allocation of resources as well as the optimization of processes that can include data storage, knowledge management, and decision making. To support these expectations, technologies, knowledge, and smart systems must be put into place that allow administrators and leaders to accomplish these tasks as efficiently as possible. Utilizing Technology, Knowledge, and Smart Systems in Educational Administration and Leadership is an academic research book that examines knowledge regarding the scholarly exploration of the technologies, information/knowledge, and smart systems in educational administration and leadership. It provides a holistic, systematic, and comprehensive paradigm. Featuring a wide range of topics such as technology leadership in schools, technology integration in educational administration, and professional development, this book is ideal for school administrators, educational leaders, principals, IT consultants, educational software developers, academicians, researchers, professionals, educational policymakers, educators, and students.

This book explores foundational theories that have been applied in open and distance education (ODE) research and refined to reflect advances in research and practice. In addition, it develops new theories emerging from recent developments in ODE. The book provides a unique and up-to-date source of information for ODE scholars and graduate students, enabling them to make sense of essential theory, research and practice in their field, and to comprehend the gaps in, and need for further enquiry into, theoretical approaches in the digital era. It also offers theory-based advice and guidelines for practitioners, helping them make and justify decisions and actions concerning the development, implementation, research and evaluation of ODE.