Open, Blended and Flexible Learning-
Impact on Quality of Higher Education
By
Mouhamad Mpezamihigo, PhD
Vice Chancellor, Kampala International University
www.kiu.ac.ug
Paper presented at the 2016 Malaysian Qualifications Agency & IQA International Seminar on Quality Assurance of Higher
Education and Round Table meeting,
Kuala Lumpur, 17-18 October 2016
Appreciation
MQA
IQA Secretariat
Kampala International University
The Organizing team and the
Government of Malaysia for the
hospitality and hosting
Geographical Scope
• Founded fifteen years ago in August 2001
• KIU is a chartered university, a member of the Inter-University Council of East Africa, Association of African Universities and Common Wealth Universities
• Main Campus is located in Kansanga, a rapidly growing suburb of Kampala City
• Western campus (School of Health Sciences) is located in Western Uganda, Bushenyi district in Ishaka town
• Kenyan Campus located in Nairobi Kenya, and Dar es Salaam Campus located in Gongolamboto Tanzania
• Runs two study centres located in Tororo and Lira in Uganda
The main administration Block
Key Highlights
• The Leading Private University in
Uganda and The Private University of Choice
• A conducive learning environment with adequate facilities
• Exchange programs enable students complete their studies in foreign and industrialized countries
• Offers a flexible admission schedule with three intakes per year; January, April and August
Free Wi-Fi Access to Students on Campus
Key Highlights
• Conducts two graduations a year
to avoid prolonged waiting after final exams
• Adoption of E-Learning as a strategy to reach more students and deliver to a wider geographic scope
• KIU connects University education to society needs though our Community outreach programs
• We apply the use of I.T in all academic and administrative functions of the University
We build Medical careers at our Leading Private Hospital
Academic Structures
• Three Colleges which include the following:
– College of Economics and Management
– College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Education
– Open and Distance Learning
• Three Schools:
– School of Law:
– School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
– School of Computing and Information Technology
• Other academic units include the following:
– Directorate of Higher Degrees and Research,
– Institute of Social Research and
– Centre for Research, Innovation and Extension
The IBML library is the largest in Uganda with a 5000 sitting capacity
Quality in Higher Education- The Driving forces
An increase in Private Higher Education provision in the
last 3 decades
Elite to Mass Education- Increase in Gross enrollment
(varies with region)
Resource base Versus resource needs- (global financial
constraints)
Stakeholder expectations (individual, Institution, Employer,
Nation, Society, Global)
Technology adoption in higher education
The Perspectives
Access and equity
Relevance and quality of graduates, outcomes, and value to society- globalized environment
Efficiency and Effectiveness
Sustainable financing of Higher Education
National and International (including Higher Education cross border accreditation and regulation)
(Mpezamihigo, M. (2011).
Change and innovation management
Cross institutional Collaboration
Focus on measuring learning (student centred)
Open education resources (public domain access)
Blended learning (face to face and online mixture)
Redesigning the learning space
Technology Adoption in
Higher Education
What is blended learning?
• An integrated approach to teaching and learning
that includes multiple modes of instruction and
student practice
• "to combine or mix modes (e.g., live virtual
classroom, self-paced instruction, collaborative
learning, streaming video, audio, videotape, CD-
ROM, Web-based training, film) with face-to-face
instructor-led training.and text)…”
• "to combine various pedagogical approaches
(e.g., constructivism, behaviorism, cognitivism)
(Driscoll, 2002 and as adopted from A. Griffin,
2013)
Aims of Blended and flexible
learning To provide the most efficient and effective
instruction experience by combining delivery mode.
To combine the best of classroom teaching and learning with the best of online teaching and learning (A. Griffins, 2013)
Blended Learning is a combination of multiple learning components and learning events to enable effective learning.
Considerations for blended learning
What curricula is to be delivered?
How will students learn? (system?)
What basic skills and competencies do
the learners need? (IT, reading, writing and research competencies?)
How will the blended learning take
care of the practical aspects) (Labs, field experiences?)
Practical Considerations
IT infrastructure, facilities and technical support
Training of students and staff
Student Assessments
Regulation and Accreditation
Plagiarism and Copy right issues
Available MOOCs and other Open Access
materials
Implications for interaction with other levels of
lower education training (Primary, Secondary or
other tertiary
Role of government and official bodies
Potential for development cooperation
IT gadgets, devices in the hands of learners
Institutional and Government Policies
The Teaching and learning in HE
Adaptive systems: field trips, lab sessions, simulations, models
Expositions: lectures, study guides, slides, podcasts, videos
Formative assessment: feedback from peers, digital systems
Readings: books, papers, websites, pdfs
Collaborations: projects, workshops, role play simulations, wikis
Peer group discussion: seminars, discussion forums
Formative assessment: tutor feedback offline, feedback online
Tutored discussion: tutorials, small groups, discussion forums
Summative assessment: exams, essays, designs, performance
Is open and blended learning fit for the purpose?
Stakeholder Expectations
Stakeholders
Student, guardian/parent, government, employer, public/society
Student Perspective
Value for money, quality and relevant education conveniently received within the expected time period
Challenges of open, distance
learning in the Ugandan Context
Infrastructure for Higher Education
The Cost of Higher Education
The Relevance of the Curriculum
Inadequate Expertise in Distance
Education
Poor Attitudes towards Distance Learning
(Ref: G.N. Basaza, N.B. Milman and C.R.
Wright, 2010: “The Challenges of
Implementing Distance Education in Uganda:
A Case Study)”
Issues of Quality Assurance in Open,
blended and flexible learning
Tools for:
a) Institutional policy development and implementation
b) Content development
c) Content delivery
d) Assessment and evaluation
e) Research, innovation and product and business development projects
f) Multi-site, Multi-campus/university or Multi-delivery- collaborative or joint qualifications
Way Forward
How can the IQA collaborate with the
National Agencies and other partners to
benefit from systems performance and
improvements in the open, blended and
flexible learning?
Sharing of best practices and online
databases
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