Snapshots of student-teachers' experiences of DVDs in a learner support programme in a developing ODL context

Abstract

The School of Continuing Teacher Education (SCTE) in South Africa delivers an Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) Learner Support Programme to Open Distance Learning (ODL) students in Namibia, a developing sub-Saharan African country. This paper examines the experiences of student-teachers using DVDs included in the tutorial package. Fifteen participants from rural and remote areas of Namibia took part in a semi-structured focus group and individual interviews. A first phase analysis identified a set of codes and categories that guided the researchers to two themes to using DVDs: frustration and attitude. Student-teachers' frustration and attitude towards DVDs are linked to sufficient appropriate information, also available as a paper-based tutorial package. Although electronic learning material can assist in achieving curriculum goals and enrich students' learning experiences, students' expectations are paramount in the design and development of instructional DVDs.

Keywords:

• Namibia
• South Africa
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
• instructional DVDs
• Open Distance Learning (ODL)
• in-service training
• student-teachers
• developing context

Notes on contributors

Illasha Kok is a programme evaluator at the School of Continuing Teacher Education, the Faculty of Education Sciences at the North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus. She has an academic background in Teaching and Learning and Psychology and is currently a member of the SCTE research team.

A. Seugnet Blignaut is a research professor in the School of Continuing Teacher Education, the Faculty of Education Sciences at the North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus. Her teaching and research expertise relates to teaching and learning with technology and ICT for Development.