Teaching and Learning Against all Odds: A Video-Based Study of Learner-to-Instructor Interaction in International Distance Education

Distance education and information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been marketed as cost-effective ways to rescue struggling educational institutions in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study uses classroom video analysis and follow-up interviews with t...

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Main Author:	Jean-Marie Muhirwa
Format:	article
Language:	EN
Published:	Athabasca University Press 2009
Subjects:	interaction interactivity sub-Saharan Africa learners’ support Internet connectivity pedagogy Special aspects of education LC8-6691
Online Access:	https://doaj.org/article/229b47edba59437a852bc6aef97d8df7
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id	oai:doaj.org-article:229b47edba59437a852bc6aef97d8df7
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:229b47edba59437a852bc6aef97d8df72021-12-02T18:03:26ZTeaching and Learning Against all Odds: A Video-Based Study of Learner-to-Instructor Interaction in International Distance Education10.19173/irrodl.v10i4.6281492-3831https://doaj.org/article/229b47edba59437a852bc6aef97d8df72009-09-01T00:00:00Zhttp://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/628https://doaj.org/toc/1492-3831Distance education and information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been marketed as cost-effective ways to rescue struggling educational institutions in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study uses classroom video analysis and follow-up interviews with teachers, students, and local tutors to analyse the interaction at a distance between learners in Mali and Burkina Faso and their French and Canadian instructors. Findings reveal multiple obstacles to quality interaction: frequent Internet disconnections, limited student access to computers, lack of instructor presence, ill-prepared local tutors, student unfamiliarity with typing and computer technology, ineffective technical support, poor social dynamics, learner-learner conflict, learner-instructor conflict, and student withdrawal and resignation. In light of the near death of the costly World Bank-initiated African Virtual University (AVU), this paper concludes by re-visiting the educational potential of traditional technologies, such as radio and video, to foster development in poor countries.Jean-Marie MuhirwaAthabasca University Pressarticleinteractioninteractivitysub-Saharan Africalearners’ supportInternet connectivitypedagogySpecial aspects of educationLC8-6691ENInternational Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, Vol 10, Iss 4 (2009)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	interaction interactivity sub-Saharan Africa learners’ support Internet connectivity pedagogy Special aspects of education LC8-6691
spellingShingle	interaction interactivity sub-Saharan Africa learners’ support Internet connectivity pedagogy Special aspects of education LC8-6691 Jean-Marie Muhirwa Teaching and Learning Against all Odds: A Video-Based Study of Learner-to-Instructor Interaction in International Distance Education
description	Distance education and information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been marketed as cost-effective ways to rescue struggling educational institutions in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study uses classroom video analysis and follow-up interviews with teachers, students, and local tutors to analyse the interaction at a distance between learners in Mali and Burkina Faso and their French and Canadian instructors. Findings reveal multiple obstacles to quality interaction: frequent Internet disconnections, limited student access to computers, lack of instructor presence, ill-prepared local tutors, student unfamiliarity with typing and computer technology, ineffective technical support, poor social dynamics, learner-learner conflict, learner-instructor conflict, and student withdrawal and resignation. In light of the near death of the costly World Bank-initiated African Virtual University (AVU), this paper concludes by re-visiting the educational potential of traditional technologies, such as radio and video, to foster development in poor countries.
format	article
author	Jean-Marie Muhirwa
author_facet	Jean-Marie Muhirwa
author_sort	Jean-Marie Muhirwa
title	Teaching and Learning Against all Odds: A Video-Based Study of Learner-to-Instructor Interaction in International Distance Education
title_short	Teaching and Learning Against all Odds: A Video-Based Study of Learner-to-Instructor Interaction in International Distance Education
title_full	Teaching and Learning Against all Odds: A Video-Based Study of Learner-to-Instructor Interaction in International Distance Education
title_fullStr	Teaching and Learning Against all Odds: A Video-Based Study of Learner-to-Instructor Interaction in International Distance Education
title_full_unstemmed	Teaching and Learning Against all Odds: A Video-Based Study of Learner-to-Instructor Interaction in International Distance Education
title_sort	teaching and learning against all odds: a video-based study of learner-to-instructor interaction in international distance education
publisher	Athabasca University Press
publishDate	2009
url	https://doaj.org/article/229b47edba59437a852bc6aef97d8df7
work_keys_str_mv	AT jeanmariemuhirwa teachingandlearningagainstalloddsavideobasedstudyoflearnertoinstructorinteractionininternationaldistanceeducation
_version_	1718378738168627200

Teaching and Learning Against all Odds: A Video-Based Study of Learner-to-Instructor Interaction in International Distance Education

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