Home College of Open and Distance Learning (CODL)

College of Open and Distance Learning

 

Prof. J. M. Changeiywo
Director, College of Open and Distance Learning (CODL)

Contacts:
The Director
College of Open & Distance Learning
Egerton University
P. O. Box 536
NJORO, KENYA
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: http://www.egerton.ac.ke

Tel.: +254-51-2217849, 2217891/781

Introduction


The College of Open and Distance Learning is a precursor, of the College of
Distance Education. Following the restructuring of the University in late 2005,
the College of Open and Distance Education was merged with the School of
Continuing Education to form the College of Open and Distance Learning
(CODL). CODL is currently headed by a Director and is made up of the following
four departments headed by a Co-ordinator:
(i) Military Science (MS)
(ii)Teacher Education Programmes (TE)
(iii Instructional Material Production (IMD)
(iv) External Studies and Media (ESM)

Mission


 Expanding access to quality and affordable higher education for Kenyans.
Improve the quality of primary and secondary education, through research
and enhanced access to Continuing Professional Development by
teachers.
Establish collaborations and partnerships with local and international
institutions to develop, sustain and enhance appropriate and effective
distance learning systems and personnel.
Select, develop and utilize appropriate media and technologies for
teaching, learning, assessment and evaluation in distance learning.
Integrate with the local community through provision of service and
consultancy.
Vision
To be a national and regional centre of excellence in, and first choice for open
and distance learning and research.

Core Functions


Core Functions
In an effort to expand access to Higher Education, Egerton University is gradually
adopting a dual mode in teaching/learning. This is largely in response to the
growing number of Kenyans seeking access to higher education, but who may
not afford face-to-face instruction. The most active programme so far is teacher
education which started in 2002, now with a population of 1,200 students. Plans

are underway to launch pure Distance Learning programmes by 2010.
In an attempt to achieve the foregoing objective, CODL has been mandated
through Strategic Objective No. 9 of Egerton University's Strategic Plan
2005/2015 to promote and facilitate the expansion of open and distance
education. This will be realized through the following strategies:

(a)Capacity building and enhancement on material development, student
services, and Open and Distance Learning research.
(b)Support of the infrastructural development at CODL and the
ACDE Secretariat.

Further, Strategic Objective No.10 (ibid) gives CODL the mandate to increase
access to higher education by implementing the following strategies:
(a)Development of new demand-driven Self-sponsored programmes.
(b)Increase of the intake of students in Self-sponsored Programmes on non-
residential basis.

Besides increasing access, quality and relevance of higher education in Kenya
the foregoing strategic objectives will go a long way to expanding the student
numbers and in turn improve the financial base of the University.
Strategic Aims of the College
The strategic aim of the College of Open and Distance Learning is to strengthen
Egerton University's position as the leading provider of distance learning in
Kenya and the Eastern Africa region by:
Responding to and stimulating further demand for higher education.
Providing learners with the best possible learning experience through the
use of appropriate and effective teaching and learning media and support
services that enhance the quality of education and training; and
Enhancing the university's position as a financially sound and stable
institution that has financial resources necessary for delivering its mission.

Roles
The College of Open and Distance Learning is charged with the following core
functions:
Facilitate the development of programmes and delivery strategies for
education and training through open and distance learning.
Assess the need for, develop and co-ordinate multi-media and information
technology facilities for open and distance learning.
Establish and manage sustainable systems to facilitate the design and
production of distance learning materials.
Develop, implement and manage learning support systems and services,
including community-based learning centres.
Facilitate and promote research in open and distance education, and
promote the dissemination and application of findings thereto.
Develop collaboration and partnerships with local, regional and
international open and distance learning institutions, organizations and
relevant stakeholders.

Partnerships


Local Partnerships
The College of Open and Distance Learning (CODL) has entered into partnership
with Department of Defence. In this partnership CODL is offering training to
Military Staff who wish to further their education. Currently Diploma programmes
in Military Science are being offered and Bachelor of Science (Military Science)
Programmes.
International Linkages
The College of Open and Distance Learning has established linkages with lead
distance learning institutions in Africa and the UK. In Africa, we have signed a
Memorandum of Agreement with the University of South Africa (UNISA) which
provides for capacity building, staff and student exchange, joint research, as well
as sharing of resources in the development of distance learning materials. This
collaboration has been instrumental in the conceptualization and formation of a
Continental Universitiesâ?? Association of Distance Learning. The African Council for Distance Education (ACDE) was launched in January 2004 at Egerton
University.

Through this collaboration, Egerton has managed to train 60 lecturers
and professors on the writing of distance learning materials. As a result of the
development of distance learning materials the College is anticipating to launch
Undergraduate Teacher Education programmes in Science, Arts and in
Agricultural Education & Extension in April, 2010.
Moreover, through the existing collaboration with UNISA, in which Egerton
University offers tutorial and administrative support, the following distance
learning UNISA programmes are now offered to Kenyans:

  • Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)
  • Bachelor of Information (B. Information) Library and Information studies)


Bachelor of Arts with specialization in the following areas:

  • Development Studies
  • International Relations and Diplomacy
  • Community Development
  • Bachelor of Arts (Policing), BA (Police) (Criminology)
  • Bachelor of Law (LLB) e.t.c

Also with collaboration with the Open University of Tanzania (OUT), the College
on behalf of Egerton University offers various undergraduate and postgraduate
degree programmes namely:-

  • Bachelor of Arts (BA Gen)
  • Bachelor of Arts with Education (BA Ed)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Tourism Studies (BA Tourism)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Sociology (BA Sociology)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Social Work
  • Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication
  • M.A. in linguistic - MA (Ling)
  • M.A. in Economics - MA (Econ)
  • Master of Community Economic Development (CED)
  • M.A. Social Work - MA (SW) (Evening Programme) e.t.c.
  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)


In the UK, we have collaboration with the Open University of UK, which is the
premier distance teaching and Open University world-wide that has not only done
lead research in open and distance learning but also published highly reputable
interactive distance learning materials.

Programmes



Programmes on Offer

Military

Education
  • Diploma in Education (Primary)
Science
Arts

 


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