Learning Ecosystem for Open and Distance Learning

Introduction

The impact of digital sharing practices makes knowledge dissemination faster in the society as most people prefer to make use of social media for increased access to information. The increase in the usage of information and communication technologies (ICT) in open and distance learning system extend avenues of support services to reach the doorstep of the learners and moreover many learners expect the on time supporting services from such institutions of higher learning due to the fact that management of work pressure, family situations, less time to study individually, isolation from peer group of learners and lack of access to internet in rural/remote areas. The learning ecosystem in the digital era has certainly changed the structure of the ODL system from traditional printed study materials to online educational resources, counselling and tutoring into online interaction, online student support services through e-mails, Whatsapp, SMS etc. Reaching the unreached through technological intervention is made possible with the creative pedagogies, online deal with teachers, radio based interactive counselling and internet based social domains like Face book, LinkedIn and twitter etc. The emergence of smart mobile based applications and proliferation of mobile internet users in the 21^st century has altered the mind-set of educational practitioners and administrators around the world to innovate new teaching methods to suit to the needs of the population as there is a growing demand for such innovative teaching and learning methods in the future. The Open University of Malaysia has completely made its all activities digital to enhance the opportunities and to curtail the expenditure on traditional paper based activities. Many people prefer to learn while earn policy to manage their expenses on the educational fees. Several educational institutions extend the educational activities for the workplace based learning to cover massive group of learners into distance education. On the other hand the infrastructure developments, salaries to teachers, increasing revenue from fees of students are major challenge to the conventional higher educational institutions due to various facts. Globalisation, increasing modernisation and rapid increase in population explores opportunities for the ODL institutions to review its traditional practice into ICT mediated approach to keep the learners as well in the futuristic sustainable developments.

Learning at distance is still mega challenge even though there are several innovations and technological approaches due to the adult learners are incapable to use the technological avenues including internet resources. The learning ecosystem be enriched with potential opportunities; scalable reach and use of techno-pedagogy, learning facilities at rural areas with low cast internet technologies and access are the prime need in the developing countries. Orienting the adult learners towards the use of technology in the ODL needs a lot of effort from the host institution and the teaching facilitator or academic counsellors/tutors need to help them in many ways for effective use. Further revision of syllabus in the Open and Distance Learning system poses mega challenge as the cost involvement in printing large quantum of self-learning materials, storage and postal expenses. The technological advancement permeate the host institutions to prepare open educational resources with fair copy right policies for the users which certainly address the real need of the learners to study at distance. Many poor learners lack with access devices to do internet based studies and use of OERs for their study, hence in such situations, the host institutions need to take proactive role for establishment of digital study centres in the proximity of learners place with all the facilities including internet for encouraging the poor learners.