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PILOT OFFERING UNESCO IITE SPECIALISED TRAINING COURSE “INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN DISTANCE EDUCATION”
ANNEX 6
Participants’ Overall Ratings of the Course Note: In accordance with accepted practice of qualitative research, students’ comments provided have not been edited. In addition is must be emphasised that the majority of participants were communicating through the medium of a second or third language.
Question 1 This question covers the entire course (Both face-to-face sessions and the online activities). Please provide feedback on the extent to which the course aims have been achieved. The stated course aims are listed below: The course aims to inform you about each of the following: 1. The concept of DE, its history and the role of ICTs in this form of education; 2. Achieving the core functions of teaching & learning in DE and corresponding organizational, social and technological implications; 3. The overall DE system including program and course design procedures using ICTs; 4. Teaching principles with special attention to ICTs; 5. What is known about learning and the special needs of learners and corresponding implications for ICTs in DE; 6. Principle policy issues at institutional and national levels. In addition to these general aims, this pilot course also aimed to: 1. Teach participants how to use the distance education platform for their online activities; 2. Assist participants with the planning associated with presenting the course in their own countries; 3. Provide guidelines for web delivery of DE. - The objectives were attained in record time bearing in mind the amount of material covered in such a short space of time. I Have gained a lot from this online experience. - I would say all the aims of this course were achieved. But I also would like to mention that the 5th aim which is on special needs was not given enough discussion time. - I want to mention that the facilitator, Wayne has worked very hard and deserves credit for the success of this course. - I would rate attainment of course objectives as 2 (Good). - I feel to have achieved a lot as outlined in the 6 listed course objectives. - The Course design was ambitious. With hindsight, it would look unthinkable to deliver so much in such a short time to people on full-time duty and also get three written assignment. The assignment questions were open-ended and encourage people to pick-up research topics in that direction. - I would like to congratulate the course moderators for ensuring high level of objective attainment. - It is apparent that time was short for most of the practical activities though. But all in all the course has met all of its objectives. 291