TWENTY YEARS ANNIVERSARY of THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA

A paper submitted as part of the 20 years commemoration of the OUT

Theme: Students’ perception towards ODL Compared to Conventional Mode of Learning

Competitor’s name: MUKIIBI, Ibrahiim

Current education level: GRADUATE

Course offered at OUT: ODDEOL

Year of study: I

Course duration: 2 YEARS

OUT Essay writing competition, 2012
Theme: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION TOWARDS ODL COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL MODE OF LEARNING

1. Introduction Open and Distance Learning (ODL) has so far proved to be more of a promising and practical strategy than being a stagnant and theoretical strategy especially in the developing world. The more research ODL is given, the more the success attained in addressing the challenges of widening access to education. Consequently, it has most of the time increased participation in especially higher education.

The inexistence of structured face-to-face contacts between the students and teachers is the main difference between ODL and ordinary conventional educational delivery methods. Study centres, counselling services and self directed learner-centred instructional materials are some of the main features of ODL, though there is some distinction between open learning and distance education. The main interest here however, is the mode of education where the learner and the tutor are at a distance from each other for most of the time. Just like any other mode of learning, ODL has definitely got both challenges and successes especially emanating from its setting, the learner’s perception or attitude and any struggle made to fulfil the aims and objectives of an ODL institution thereafter.

Any Open and Distance learning Institution world over has been