From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Vice-Chancellor , National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof Olufemi Peters, has said Nigeria must embrace micro-credentialing as an acceptable model for open, distance, and eLearning, in order to introduce innovation into distance learning system in the country.
He made the disclosure in his keynote address at the inaugural conference of the Open Distance and E-Learning Association of Nigeria (ODeLAN) in collaboration with the NOUN, held at Backcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, with the theme: ‘Global Spaces, Local Contexts: Digital Transformations and Creative Innovations in Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL)’, which was attended by over 200 participants from and outside Nigeria, drawn from 40 institutions of learning.
The conference was attended on Tuesday by the Vice Chancellor, Babcock University, Prof Ademola Tayo; the Director of Babcock University Centre for Open Distance and E-Learning (BUCODeL) and Chair, Local Organising Committee (LOC) for ODeLAN Conference 2023, Prof Mobolanle Sotunsa; the ODeLAN President, Prof Frances Egbokhare.
The roll call also imcluded the President, Africa Council for Distance Education (ACDE) and President of LAWEH Open University, Prof Goski Alabi; President, National Association of Distance Education and Open Learning in South Africa NADEOSA), Dr Ruth Aluko; and Babcock Vice President/Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof Philemon Amanze;
The Vice Chancellor of NOUN, Prof Peters emphasised that the need for new innovation in distance learning, saying: “Higher education can no longer do things the traditional way and expect a different kind of impact on our society. We can no longer revel in our preferred model of doing things that higher education leaders extolled at the first Glion Colloquium on higher education about a quarter of a century ago.
“University leaders from around the world confirmed that universities follow a deliberate evolutionary path in making adjustments in their academic enterprise. Unlike industry, which made major changes in virtually all its activities and has even reinvented itself in many cases, universities are staid institutions, which talk a big game about change but are hardly responsive to change in ways that can show impact.”
Peters, however, suggested the replacement of the nation’s academic programmes with a cocktail of short courses across all distance education institutions in Nigeria to be the goal of the conference.
According to him, micro-credentials programmes are often designed to be more flexible in their delivery, compared to traditional degree programmes. He noted that micro-credentials is no longer alien to the Nigerian educational system, adding that: “We can say we already have an appreciable subscription to the notion of micro-credentialing in Nigeria.
“A micro-credentials programme will be shorter than the usual number of years required to complete a college or university degree. It typically takes weeks or months to complete. The learner will be required to demonstrate skills, knowledge, and competencies through a mix of online lectures, group discussions, project work, presentations, and complete tests. Upon successful completion of a micro-credential course, the learner is awarded a digital badge or digital certificate.”
Peter, however, identified some of the challenges facing micro-credentials to include policy and regulatory bottlenecks, the limited number of practitioners who are proficient in open, distance, and E-learning principles, as well as the question of the productive economy, being amenable to the notion of micro-credential.
He recommended some ways to surmount these challenges, to include adopting a pilot implementation approach to evaluate, refine and scale a sustainable solution, and adopting existing open online courses published as OER to lower risk, minimise the cost and maximise impact.
The Vice-Chancellor, Babcock University, Prof Ademola Tayo, earlier in his address, underscored the importance of the conference as the global space is witnessing an unprecedented revolution in technological advancements and educational delivery, following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am happy to note that this conference has not only brought together academics from various institutions of higher learning in Nigeria and across Africa, but it has included the industry, especially tech industries, thereby bridging a gap and creating a much-desired intersection between the educational sector and the industry,” he said.
The Director of Babcock University Centre for Open Distance And E-Learning (BUCODeL) and Chair, LOC, ODeLAN Conference 2023, Prof Mobolanle Sotunsa, reiterated the importance of distance and E-learning as the future of education in Nigeria.
Sotunsa disputed what she described as the false notion that regular-mode students are superior to their ODL counterparts, noting that E-learning students have access to high-quality learning resources. She also noted that because e-learning is technologically oriented, its students are groomed to have an advantage over regular students in this area.
The ODeLAN President, Prof Frances Egbokhare, traced the history of ODeLAN and lauded the Nigerian government for taking the bold step to open up the Nigerian education space to the teeming population of education-hungry Nigerians, adding that the government through National University Commission (NUC) simultaneously instituted an elaborate regime of quality assurance.
He stated: “Numerous distance learning centres have been licensed in conventional universities. The NUC is in the process of licensing private open universities. In addition, comprehensive e-learning and transnational education frameworks are in the pipeline. All these point to the need for adequate skills and competencies, deepening of quality assurance, innovative and creative ideas, staff resourcing, and sustainable modelling. Thus, we need research, training, and collaboration for effective intervention and efficient deployment of scarce resources.”
The conference featured both physical and virtual paper presentations, a tech fair, where a number of organisations exhibited a cross range of technological tools and innovations, a roundtable discussion, where discussants from different IT companies enlightened the participants on the topic, the Tech Eco System and education revolution, health check-up, encompassing blood pressure, sugar level, and eye check.