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Mega Universities

Mega Universities. The number of courses presented. In every programme, each course would require study materials, student support, administration, assessment The more courses being run, the more costs to be met

sebastian-camacho
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Mega Universities

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  1. Mega Universities

  2. The number of courses presented • In every programme, each course would require study materials, student support, administration, assessment • The more courses being run, the more costs to be met • The situation is made worse if the options are many and student numbers in each option small

  3. Study materials being used • How are the study materials being produced? • Use of teams Vs editor/author • Full time staff/ hired staff developing the materials or is used • Type of study materials • Guidelines wrapped around a text book • Self contained especially designed materials • Published/Unpublished • Ways of distribution of study materials

  4. Media & technology • Choice of technology being used • Role it plays in provision of study materials, learner support & administration • How often the technology will need to be replaced • Staff required to run, maintain and service the technology • Support infrastructure for the technology

  5. Media & technology “Although there are those who believe that it takes less hours on average to support an online student, the consensus seems to be that online teaching is more labour intensive…” (Rumble 2001:177)

  6. Media, technology & Costs HIGH TECHNOLOGY HIGH COST Distance Education On-Line Education LOW INTERACTION HIGH INTERACTION Face to face Correspondence Education LOW COST LOW TECHNOLOGY Source: Aguti 2003:48

  7. Cost elements in ODL… • ODL can be cheaper BUT IN THE LONG RUN • ODL demands upfront investment in: • Study materials • Learner support • Management & administration • Technology & other basic infrastructure

  8. How can ODL be funded? “The major crisis of public universities is lack of sufficient funds to finance their activities … (Kasozi 2009:200)

  9. How can ODL be funded? “… in underdeveloped countries, the market can only supplement but not replace government subventions” (Kasozi 2009:2001)

  10. How can ODL be funded? • At Makerere University, ODL has been funded from two main sources: • State – through salaries .. • Tuition fees - All investments in ODL are from tuition fees • Day to day running of the programmes from tuition • CEES receives 66% of tuition fee paid • Bulk of the money goes to staff costs

  11. Sources of funding higher education Kasozi (2009:2006) recommends: • Government – Ghana levies an Education tax as part of VAT • Education insurance fund (by parents) • National education lottery • Philanthropic organizations • Income generating activities • Endowments • Households • Private sector

  12. Funding ODL at Makerere • Government • Tuition fees – but the percentage remitted to CEES would have to change drastically • Lobby government for tax exemption • Research funds • Donations – alumni • CEES would also need to revisit how funds generated is spent – continuous focus on staff costs will mean poor ODL model

  13. Financing for Quality ODL • Poor & inadequate learning materials means dependence on face to face ‘… quality of the course is related to the level of investment in its design” • Poor learner support is likely to compromise quality of ODL programme

  14. Financing for Quality ODL • “Distance education institutions can be more cost-effective than conventional institutions when they offer high-quality learning materials and tutorial support for students..”

  15. Food for thought Education is the investment our generation makes in the future. Mitt Romney (Presidential candidate)

  16. References • Kasozi ABK (2009) Financing Uganda’s Public Universities: An Obstacle to Serving the Public Good. Fountain Publishers Kampala • Rumble G. (Ed) (2004) Papers and Debates on the Economics and Costs of Distance and Online Learning. BIS Oldenburg • Uganda: Country Profile http://www.tulane.edu/~internut/Countries/Uganda/ugandaxx.html • SAIDE (2004) Financing Distance Education in south African Higher Education

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