The role and nature of ODE

THE ROLE AND NATURE OF ODE

Open and distance education has played an important role in the changes for development of the country. The term open learning has a very particular meaning that is different to its meaning in international literature and practice, where it generally refers to a set of values relating to the removal of barriers to learning and access, flexibilities of provision, choice on the part of learners and provision of resources to support learning. Open learning has been considered as renovation in comparison with the system in the past, which had been heavily centralized and subsidized. The term distance education was used loosely, for over a decade, to refer to several arrangements of teaching and learning. These included courses where teachers were sent to distance locations to provide face-to-face teaching sections, courses where students registered with an institution then studied through self-learning either with or without learning materials being provided, the provision of educational radio or television program, or part-time courses providing summer schools of face-to-face teaching in between periods of self learning. For a long time, ODE in Vietnam placed a heavy reliance on face-to-face teaching and the teaching approaches, curriculum and methodology were close to those found in traditional institutions.

For a few years now, the concept of ODE has been changed, which is closely to the meaning recognized internationally. Since the early of 21^st century the Government has been conducting the overall renovation in the educational system in general and the improvement of ODE in particular. It has been stated Strategic planning of the national education system for training the human resources should integrate with mainstream education and ODE, introducing Internet and LAN to the educational institutions for teaching, learning and researching (9^th Congress Document of the Leading Party, 2001). The Prime Minister Direction (December, 28^th 2001) pointed “Development of ODE should be regarded as a measure to mobilize the whole country to build a learning society, creating opportunities for education to all people; priorities will be given to the open universities including technologies, equipment, material, etc. so that distance education could be improved and developed. Equality for educational opportunities has been assured. There has been a wider range of choice for learners to choose, suitable for their personal conditions and status, as all modes of education have been approved of by the Education Law. Education for the people in rural and remote areas has been paid much attention to by the Government. ODE has been used as an effective solution to improvement of human resources in general and rural development in particular.

ODE in Higher Education

(Source: Ministry of Education and Training, 2005)

Major Providers of ODE in Higher Education

(Source: Ministry of Education and Training, 2005)