NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

NIED

Institutional capacity-building; Establishment and expansion of a

national network of open learning centres;

Supporting e-learning initiatives to supplement existing ODL print-based programmes;

Development of radio programmes and audio-visual material.

Research

NOLNet 2005 National Conference: Key outcome: Communiqué, entitled the

Windhoek Declaration on Open and Distance Learning.

Cabinet, through the Ministry of Education, responded to the Windhoek Declaration with an invitation to NOLNet to develop an ODL Policy for Namibia.

With financial assistance from COL, consultants from the Centre for Education Research and Development (CERD) assist with the development of the policy.

VALUES

The adoption of open learning approaches generally support a set of key values: accessibility, equity, equality, diversity, inclusiveness, flexibility, affordability, responsiveness, pro-poor strategies and improved quality.

PRINCIPLES

SustainabilityReplacement of content and courses Collaborative frameworks and competition Integration Openness.

INTEGRATION & BLENDED LEARNING

The design and delivery of

programmes should be adjusted to

the needs of learners, industry and

national development. The policy,

therefore, encourages the use of

blended learning approaches.

CREDIT ACCUMULATION, RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNIG & CREDIT TRANSFER

The policy advocates for credit accumulation and

transfer arrangements within and acrossinstitutions that take account of the prior

learningundertaken by learners, subject to the

protectionof academic standards and the quality of

awards

MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGYThe policy encourages course designersand those responsible for buying

programmes toconsider a number of factors when deciding

onthe use of appropriate media and technology,Including: access, teaching and learning,usability, organisational issues,

maintainability,sustainability and cost.

LEARNER SUPPORTThe policy encourages providers of ODL to

carefullyconsider the scope and nature of the learner

support services (characteristics of the target audience,

themeans of delivery, the cost implication of services,and the likely benefits for learners – particularly inkeeping drop-out rates low.

Providers need to find ways to support learners financially.

TRAINING, RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

The policy recognises the importance of training

and staff development and the benefits to be

derived, in terms of cost efficiencies, of shared

Innovation and development, shared research

and shared training and staff development.

QUALTY ASSURANCEQuality assurance initiatives in ODL should focus,Amongst others, on the materials, teaching and learningprocesses, Support services, logistics system and thequality of providers.The policy directs NOLNet and individual providers towork with the NCHE in the development of appropriatequality assurance mechanisms for tertiary level highereducation by ODL means. These should be extendedthrough NOLNet to over non-tertiary level ODL provisionas well.

COSTING AND FINANCINGCost structures reflect the balance of

committedversus flexible costs in a system – that is, thebalance between those committed costs thathave been spent in order to provide a

capacity,whether the capacity is used or not, and theflexible costs that are paid for only in

amountsused.

All cost structures also embrace costs related to the

provision of capacity that cannot easily be attributed

to particular products and services (referred to asindirect [common] costs), and other indirect costs(business sustaining) that are entirely

independentof the decisions to provide a production or servicecapacity, but rather, sustain the organisation inbeing.

The policy highlights the implications of the

cost structure for the way in which ODL institutions ought to be funded. Specific

pointersare given for the NCHE to consider in the

processof reviewing the funding of tertiary

education in Namibia.

1. Institutional Audit, Policy Review and Consultation with Key Stakeholders

2. Policy Development Stage

3. Consultative Seminar

Participation is a process and not just an activity. Enabling stakeholders to fully participate in the process and taking into account their different needs is very important from the start.

Ownership of the process and product is a vital component of the policy development process.

Sustaining the process to completion required involving the right mix of stakeholders and keeping them informed throughout the development process.

Draft Policy Costing

NOLNET BOARD

MINISTER OF EDUCATION