Attitudes of The Open University of Tanzania (OUT) Students Towards Distance Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61538/huria.v14i0.258Abstract
This paper is a descriptive study about attitudes of distance learners towards distance education at the university level. It has been established that in developing countries many students decide to join distance education programmes after missing opportunities in campus education systems. Likewise, this study confirmed that students join The Open University of Tanzania (OUT) after futile attempts at admission to campus universities in Tanzania or elsewhere. It was also disclosed that all other things being equal, mature applicants generally prefer to pursue their degree studies through the distance mode due to its flexibility and the possibility of earning while learning. Direct applicants (fresh from high school) are extremely marginalized in accessing information about distance learning, thus their initial choices for university education tend to focus on campus universities. The paper recommends, inter alia, more concerted efforts to publicize OUT and its programmes (especially through outreach activities in rural areas), for the government and general public to increase the support for the development and promotion of OUT, and to coordinate the institutions that offer distance learning programmes.References
Bates, T. (1997). Technology: Open Learning and Distance Education. New York: Routledge.
Bhalalusesa, E. P. (2005). “Major Achievements and Important Challenges: Expanding Tanzania Higher Education Opportunities though Distance Learning,†Journal of Access Policy & Practice, Volume 2, No. 2.
Brymen, A. (2001). Social Research Methods. London: Oxford Press.
Cohen, L. (1976). Educational Research in Classroom and School. London: Harper
Fraenkel, J. R. and Wallen.N. E. (2000). How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education. Toronto: McGraw Hill.
Jamlan, M. (2004). Faculty Opinions towards Introducing e-learning at the University of Bahrain. Retrieved from www.irrodl.org/content/v.52/jamlan .html.
The Open University of Tanzania [OUT](1993). Student Handbook. Dar es Salaam: Key Hole Publishers.
Harry, K., Keegan, D. and John, M. (1994). Distance Education, New Perspectives. London: Croom, Helm.
Mbwette, T. S. A. (2010). Statement for New and Continuing OUT Students from the Vice Chancellor during Orientation on 13th & 14th November 2010. Open University of Tanzania.
Mbwette, T. S. A. and Kazungu, K. G. M. (2011). Seventeen Years of Delivery of Open and Distance Education by the Open University of Tanzania (OUT) in East Africa and Beyond. Paper presented at ACDE Conference and General Assembly, Dar es Salaam-Tanzania.
Merriam, S. B. and Caffarella, R. S. (1999). Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Mwana, H. (2006). Distance Education: Relevance and Setbacks. The African Newspaper, June 10, 2006. p. 9.
Omari, I. M. (1991). Higher Education at Crossroads in Africa. Nairobi: Mani Graphics Ltd.
Sanga, P. L. (2007). Students’ Attitudes towards University Distance Education in Tanzania focusing on The Open University of Tanzania-OUT. Unpublished M.A (Education). Thesis. University of Dar es Salaam.
Smaldino, S. E., Lowther, D. L. and Russell, J. D. (2008). Instructional Technology and Media for Learning, 10th Ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Tanzania Commission for Universities (2011).
Students Guidebook for the Central Admission
System for Higher Education Institutions 2010/2011. Dar es Salaam:
TCU
Tesser, A. (1993). On the Importance of Heritability in Psychological Research: The case of Attitudes. Psychological Review, 100, 129-142.
The Open University of Tanzania [OUT] (2006). Facts and Figures 2001-2006. Dar es Salaam: Open University of Tanzania.
The Open University of Tanzania [OUT] (2011). OUT Prospectus 2010/2011. Dar es Salaam: Open University of Tanzania.
The United Republic of Tanzania [URT] (1990). Report of the Committee on the Establishment of an Open University in Tanzania. Dar es Salaam: Key Hole Publishers.
The United Republic of Tanzania [URT] (2005). Review of Financial Sustainability in Financing Higher Education in Tanzania. Dar es Salaam: MSHET.
Thorpe, M. (1993). Evaluating Open and Distance Learning. Essex: Longman.
University of Dar es Salaam [UDSM] (2005). Facts and Figures
/2005.University of
Dar es Salaam: Directorate of Planning and Development.
Zeleza, P. and Olukoshi, A. (2004). African Universities in the Twenty-first Century. Dakar: CODESRIA.
