From Correspondence to Online Provisioning in Open and Distance Learning: Greening Implications versus Practical and Organisational Imperatives

Abstract

This chapter provides a reflection on the alignment between the ideal of campus greening and realities while moving towards greater sustainability in open and distance learning (ODL) in a developing world (Global South) context. The case study presented involves the University of South Africa (Unisa), a leading ODL provider and the largest university on the African continent. The focus is on the junior postgraduate (honours level/fourth year) offerings of the School of Environmental Sciences (SES), with greening implications and challenges associated with the shift from correspondence to online provisioning. Until recently, Unisa was a “traditional” distance education institution with heavy reliance on print-based material. The transformation from print-based to online offerings had a slow start because of issues related to access within the developing world context. These issues have to be addressed because of the direct greening implications of going online in the higher education sector. This reflection on the move from correspondence to online provisioning will be conducted against the backdrop of the transformation Unisa went through over the last decade, and which was triggered by the merger of the three former distance education institutions in South Africa into one mega institution. Developments such as a huge increase in student numbers, implementation of ODL as business model and becoming a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), had various impacts on Unisa. Within the latter context, a reflexive account is provided of the greening implications, challenges and solutions associated with the facilitation of online learning experiences and specifically online learning design, assessment and student support. Successful implementation and positive spinoffs for campus greening, however, will depend on buy-in from students, staff and college faculty. In order to achieve success, the attitudes and perceptions of these stakeholders need to be considered. By way of conclusion, some preliminary findings in this regard for the SES (Unisa) are made, thus contributing to the limited body of knowledge about the infusion of information and communication technologies in ODL provisioning in developing world (Global South) contexts.