Higher Distance Education in Ethiopia: Course Materials Development, Delivery and Evaluation Practices

Abstract

This paper aims at investigating higher distance education course material development, delivery and implementation in Ethiopia. The study is made on distance education divisions of Admas, Alpha, and St.Mary’s university colleges, and Institute of Distance Education of the Ethiopian Civil Service College. The researcher interviewed ten course material writers and/or tutors, four programme developers, eleven students (in group, i.e., focus group discussion), and analyzed about fourteen course modules. In addition to individual interview and focus group discussion, an observation check-list was also used to collect part of the data required for the study. The qualitative data collected using interview and focus group discussion, and document analysis were all analyzed and interpreted using a qualitative argumentation technique. It was found out that the Ethiopian higher distance education institutions employ what is commonly referred to as the deep-approach to learning in their print mode. It appears that they had to work more on strengthening their academic and counseling services, as well as administrative services at study centers. Finally, the paper recommended that the higher distance education institutions need to keep on producing deep-approach self-instructional materials by way of incorporating such techniques as those indicated in the discussion section of the paper. This could entail the need for establishing strong educational resource center for use of up-to-date and appropriate instructional technologies at their study centers. It was also recommended that emphasis should be given to provide additional academic supports, counseling and administrative supports to learners at the required level by assigning the required professionals.