Nadeosa Conference 2019 Report

On behalf of its membership, the Nadeosa Executive wishes to thank the Independent Institute of Education for successfully hosting the 2019 Conference at their IIE MSA Campus, Roodepoort. In particular, our sincere gratitude goes to the President of IIE MSA. Professor Alwyn Louw and his staff for the support they provided before and during the courses of the three-day conference. Under their care, our delegates felt at home.

As advertised, the theme for this year’s conference was Developing Capacities for Sustainable Open Education Practices (OEPs. In addition to immensely rich engagements that took place amongst delegates on various topics around this theme, the conference was graced by thought-provoking keynote addresses from some of the renowned experts in the field of open education practices generally and use of technology in supporting student retention, progression and graduation in Open and Distance Learning in particular. The following were the keynote speakers and the topics on which they presented:

  • Trudi van Wyk from the Department of Higher Education and Training: Recognising learning in Open Learning
  • Professor Alan Amory & Jenny Glennie from Saide: Student Success: Today and Tomorrow
  • Professor Jako Olivier from North West University: Diffractive pathways in multimodal self-directed learning towards demiurgic access to open education practices
  • Professor Barbara Howard from Appalachian State University, North California: Building capacity through developing the practices of instructors

The first activity on the last day of the conference was to elect a new executive into power, as the term of the current President and her executive was expiring. The Ndeosa executive would like to congratulate Dr Ruth Aluko from the University of Pretoria and Jako Poolman, the Vice-Principal of Business Management Training College for being elected as President and Vice President respectively. Heartfelt thanks is also extended to Professor Daniella Coetzee for her dedication to Nadeosa during her term of office as President.

 

Previous News


Services

  • Conferences and Workshops

    Nadeosa hosts an annual distance education conference. We also host smaller workshops providing our members an opportunity to engage on matters of mutual interest or concern. In other cases our workshops aim to introduce new concepts or technologies related to distance education.

  • Networks

    Over the years NADEOSA has built-up strong networks of people involved in distance education in South Africa, the rest of Africa and elsewhere in the world.Our members have engaged extensively with regional associations such as Deasa and international distance education organisations such as the Commonwealth of Learning, International Council for Distance Education, European Distance Education Network, Open and Distance Learning Association of Australia. The network has been further strengthened through ongoing interaction with educational institutions providing both distance education and other flexible learning methods.

  • Information Services

    NADEOSA provides members with a regular information service.The following services are available to members:

    • Daily education current awareness service: This news article service has a focus on distance education in Africa and elsewhere in the world, South African education policy and related information, use of technology in education and education technology applications.
    • Document service: This service covers most of the subjects above, but the resources are more substantial than press articles.
    • Conference listing: A conference listing by date of distance education conferences around the world and also more general educational conferences taking place in South Africa.
    • Journal abstract service: Abstracts from educational journals relevant to the NADEOSA community.

Resources

Sort by name
Sort by date

Aims of the Association

The overarching aim of this Association is to provide a forum for South African organisations and individuals who are committed to increasing access to an affordable, cost-effective and quality learning environment in which learners are empowered to become self sufficient members of society.

Objectives:

  • To facilitate collaboration among distance education and open learning organisations in South Africa.
  • To advocate awareness, understanding, and application of distance education and open learning amongst policy makers, practitioners, and learners.
  • To promote research and evaluation of distance education and open learning in South Africa.
  • To exert influence with regard to adequate policy (including financial support) for distance education.
  • To advance the professional interests of distance education practitioners.
  • To promote and enhance quality assurance in distance education.

NADEOSA does not register or accredit distance education programmes.