Call for Papers

The National Association of Distance Education and Open Learning in South Africa (NADEOSA) is proud to announce its upcoming Pre-Conference Colloquium and Conference

Expanding Quality Distance Provision in an Integrated Post-School System

24th and 25th June 2014 at the University of Pretoria,Groenkloof Campus

Dear Colleagues and Educators

Invitation to Present a Paper at our Forthcoming Conference

During the course of 2012, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) released two draft discussion documents for public comment that will have a profound impact on the higher and distance education system in South Africa. The first was the Green Paper on Post-schooling and the second was a draft Policy Framework for the Provision of Distance Education by South African Universities. Both documents indicate a massive expansion in the provision of further and higher education over the next few years; call for a more integrated system and anticipate and support greater use of distance and e-learning approaches.

The White Paper for Post-School Education and Training with the sub-title Building an Expanded, Effective and Integrated Post-School System was formally released in January 2014 by DHET. Anticipating growth in the provision of ICT-supported distance education to cope with the necessary growth, the Council on Higher Education (CHE) is in the process of developing a “Good Practice Guide” for such provision. A draft version of the Guide was discussed in a national workshop in October 2013 and a final version will probably be published towards the end of March 2014.

Further and higher eEducation institutions need to engage with these documents and to consider the ways in which they might work separately and together to take forward the policy vision of greater access, improved success and more globally competitive graduates. The National Association for Open Learning and Distance Education in SA (Nadeosa), working with the University of Pretoria’s Unit for Distance Education is therefore hosting a national colloquium and conference to create a forum for discussion and debate on these issues in June 2014. The conference will offer educators opportunities to participate in a pre-conference colloquium and a conference.

The pre-conference colloquium will focus on the following theme:

Exploring the Policy Implications for Flexible Provision in an Integrated Post-Schooling System.

The half-day pre-conference colloquium will explore the rationale, provisions and expectations of the new policy framework based on inputs from the Departments of Basic and Higher Education and Training and the Council on Higher Education and Training. The colloquium will also explore the implications for Further and Higher Education providers, as well as partnerships and collaborations between such providers, in both the private and public sectors.

The conference themeis:

Expanding Quality Distance Provision in an Integrated Post-Schooling System

The purpose of the 1.5 day conference is to provide academics and education practitioners from different countries and academic institutions involved in open learning and distance education, or contemplating moving in this direction, an opportunity to meet and exchange ideas on various aspects regarding policy, theory, ethics and practice. The conference encourages both reflective accounts of practice and discussion on practical issues and challenges as well as formal research-based papers.

This conference will be of interest to all educators,education managers and decision-makers, who aspire to provide quality educational experiences in ways that are sustainable and contribute to the goals of development. There will be space to explore both FET-HET and public-private interfaces through World Cafe-type activities as well as a limited number of formal paper presentations.

The conference theme will be explored through the following sub-themes, focusing on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the FET Sector, higher education and other post-schooling initiatives:

  • Differentiated forms of admission requirements and articulation across the Further Education and Training/Higher Education interface
  • Uses of technology to enhance teaching and learning
  • ICT infrastructure and integration
  • Policy, theory and research in open, distance and e-learning (ODeL)
  • Competition, collaboration and professional developmentruq
  • Student support to enable access for success in ODeL
  • Models and practices for more flexible provision that provide increased access and success in programmes of high quality
  • Quality benchmarks/criteria for ODeL.

Abstract and Paper:

We invite you to senda 200 - 400 word abstract(excluding references) to the conference e-mail address, to reach the programme committee chair Mpine by 21 April 2014. Selected authors will be notified by25 May 2014 as to whether or not their presentations will be included in the conference programme. We would like to receive your full-length paper by 15 June 2014. These full-length papers will be taken up in the conference proceedings in the form of a CD comprising all the presentations. Each participant will receive a free copy of this CD at registration.

Your abstract as well as your full-length paper should be in the following format:

First page: Please use the cover sheet at the end of this document for your submission.

Second page (and onwards):

*Abstract: 200 - 400 words

*Full-length paper: 4 000 - 6 000 words

The structure: State the research problem; present the research method used; report your findings; and references according to the Harvard method.

Format: One-and-a half spacing, Arial font 12 in Word.

Further Information regarding registration,the programme and logistical arrangements will be available on the Nadeosa website in due course.

COVER SHEET FOR CONTRIBUTION TO NADEOSA CONFERENCE 2014

I am/we are submitting the following contribution to the Programme Committee for consideration for presentation at the2014 Nadeosa conference.

NOTE: Please complete a separate cover sheet for each presentation you are proposing.

Title of presentation:
Initials and surnames of ALL authors:
Details of author to whom feedback must be submitted
Name:
Institution/organisation:
Postal address:
Work telephone number:
Home telephone number:
Fax number:
Cell/mobile phone number:
E-mail: