PRESENTED AT THE 2 nd ANNIE CONFERENCE-KAMPALA,UGANDA 4 th – 5 th NOVEMBER, 2010

1. TRENDS AND ISSUES OF ACCESS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: INTEGRATING ODL INTO UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IN KENYA PRESENTED AT THE 2nd ANNIE CONFERENCE-KAMPALA,UGANDA 4th – 5th NOVEMBER, 2010 PETER BARASA (PhD)-Moi Univ, Kenya & CAROLYNE OMULANDO (D.Phl) Moi Univ. Kenya

2. PREAMBLE • The paper defines the following concepts: • Information and communication technologies • Open and Distance Learning • Internationalization of Higher Education

3. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES • ICT TODAY IS THE ENGINE OF KNOWLEDGE • WE TRANSMIT LEARNING THROUGH ICT • EDUCATION AND ICT HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON – COMMUNICATION • COMMUNICATION USES FORMS OF MEDIA THAT CHARACTERISE OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING (ODL)

4. OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING • ODL is difficult to define and conceptualize • Difficulty involved in demarcating the extent of ‘open’ and ‘distance’ as applied to this form of learning • This has led to the use of the terms ‘open learning’ and ‘distance learning’ which provide a variation in the manner in which the ODL process is conducted and thus the varied definitions of ODL • The main feature in both cases is the provision of Learner support services

5. INTERNATIONALIZATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION • Internationalization of HE strongly implies globalization of education • Globalization is the process of interaction and integration among the people, companies and governments of different nations. • Education is today a commodity that can move within a country or between countries-thus the whole concept of internationalization of education. • Thus the definition by Knight, (1999) of globalization as the flow of technology, economy, knowledge, people values, ideas across borders.

6. The Purpose of the Presentation • The paper sets out to examine the current situation of the establishment and use of ODL in Kenya • Examines the trends of the use of information and communication and open educational resources in Kenya specifically. • The main thrust of this paper is a debate with regard to the latentvalue of ODL and other open educational resources in enhancing the Internationalization of Higher Education.

7. ESTABLISHMENT AND USE OF ODL IN KENYA • ODL in Kenya is a product of the various commissions of education (Odumbe, 2008). • He further observes that the establishment of ODL in Kenya has been the efforts of individual institutions and not the express product of a national policy

8. The Sessional Paper No 1 of 2005 recognizes the potential of ODL as a resource capable of addressing issues of Access, Equity and Quality in Higher Education. • What is of essence is whether ODL can be fully harnessed to increase cross border learning, cutting costs on provision of education and attracting links with institutions in neighbouring countries.

9. THE SCENARIO IN KENYA WHAT OBTAINS IN KENYA? • Otieno, et al, (2008); “Kenyan Universities offering Distance education, still do so within Kenya without any ventures in other countries” (p, 253). • Most institutions of higher learning in Kenya adopt a conservative approach to Distance Learning.

10. Some of the main providers of ODL programmes in Kenya • Kenya Institute of Education runs radio programmes in support of both primary and secondary schools • School-based teacher development has used ODL to improve teaching and learning in primary schools. • Kenya Institute of Special Education is providing in-service of primary school teachers on special education by ODL in addition to their regular residential students. • University of Nairobi offers B.Ed (Arts), B.Ed (Sc), using printed materials supported by e-learning materials.

11. Kenyatta University offers degree programmes using print, video conferencing and has a centre for virtual university. • Similarly Egerton University offers programmes in collaboration with Open University of Tanzania. • African Medical Research Foundation (AMRF) offers diploma programmes to practicing doctors.

12. Strathmore University offers business studies programmes • Kenya Methodist University offers a Bachelors degree in Agricultural Management. • In addition, there are programmes offered by the Ministry of Agriculture-information Centre for the farmer through radio broadcasts. (Odumbe, 2008).

13. Issues of Concern • The use of ICT, specifically computer-assisted learning, remains a challenge due to poor infrastructure • Institutions of Higher learning and the government ought to go beyond basic matters of access-availability of desk tops and a lackluster internet infrastructure • Even with ODL, if the institutions in Kenya do not establish and use it, the ones overseas stand to recruit more Kenyan students

14. This has led will continue to lead to loss of income and what we may term reverse internationalization. • These institutions should aim at enhancing campus-based internationalization which is also referred to as internationalization at home • Information and communication, ODL and other open educational resources provide an exciting opportunity for Kenya to embrace the concept and practice of the Internationalization and provision of Quality Higher Education

15. Kenya has already created a niche as one of the leading African countries in exporting students abroad. • Nonetheless, it also needs to utilize that vigour and be a leading destination for international students. • Kenya needs to use ODL and open learning resources to catch a wider body of clientele, including those across borders.

16. INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND OPEN LEARNING RESOURCES: CHALLENGES • The emergence of internet and the related networks such as the world wide web has had and will increasingly have a radical effect on the transformation of education and training in all sectors”, (UNESCO 2002).

17. The developing world is still experiencing serious obstacles in embracing the internet as a super highway for the learning and education process • Kenya like other developing nations have the unenviable yet necessary task of harnessing this resource for Open and Distance learning. • These countries should assist institutions of higher learning with developing human resource and legislative capacity to make open educational resources an integral part of internationalization of education.

18. The challenge of utilizing technology in taking education and training across borders • Integration of ICT into Instructional approaches • Access becomes a challenge to many would be users of open education resources. • In addition, the adoption and policy of using open education resources comes with high recurrent costs.

19. IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS • Where conventional organizations adopt open educational resources to facilitate learning, funding issues and policies must be sorted out. • ODL and other open educational resources provide an exciting opportunity for Africa to embrace the concept and practice of the Internationalization and provision of Quality Higher Education • The already existing Open distance leaning resources should be improved to accommodate more students

20. There should be an improvement on infrastructural learner support for distance learning as the demand for HE is growing • Institutions of Higher Learning should integrate the use of open resources to help deal with the present problem of expanding education-to mitigate issues of quality • ODL could reduce face-to-face contact based education especially in urban centres

21. Institutions of Higher Learning will have to pay attention to Open Resources and not only engage with the knowledge therein but make it work. • The Kenyan Society has to be educated about the quality of education provided by way of ODL and open resources.

22. THANK YOU • MWEBALE NYO • ASANTENI SANA • EYALAMA NOI • SHUKRAN