Papers Presented at the 1st National NADEOSA Conference
Held 11-13 August 1999

Author:
Audrey Wyngaard, Western Cape College of Education

Title:
Quality education by means of a combination of distance education, co-operative education and community colleges

A study was conducted how a combination of distance education, co-operative education and community colleges can function in an interactive model to enhance quality education. There will be a discussion of how the three modes of instruction, namely distance education, co-operative education and community colleges function. Special attention will be given to new trends in each teaching mode. Emphasis will be on how quality education takes place in each teaching mode.

An illustration of how the three modes can function in an interactive model will be explained Quality education is an integral part of any institution. A discussion will follow of how quality education can take place in the interactive model. The question usually arises what is quality education, how is it measured and how is it assessed. In South Africa there are many students that could not complete their studies due to a variety of circumstances. These students must be accommodated. In the interactive model an illustration of how quality education can take place to accommodate these students will be discussed.

There are many definitions for quality education. Quality education has different meanings depending on who is defining the quality criteria and for what purpose. Harvey and Green (1993) made a systematic overview of quality definitions found in the literature on higher education. They distinguish five broad categories of definitions:

- Quality as exceptional
- Quality as perfection or consistency (zero errors)
- Quality as fitness for purpose (mission orientation, consumer orientation)
- Quality as value for money
- Quality as transformation.

There is no ‘standard’ definition for quality, but we need to choose a definition that fits into circumstances in which we want to use it.

It is often mentioned that educational institutions should be institutions of excellence. In the traditional view, excellence is often used interchangeably with quality. An analysis of how quality education and excellence can take place in the interactive model to accommodate the students that could not complete their studies will be made.

1 Introduction 3
2 Trends in distance education 3
3 Trends in cooperative education 4
4 Trends in community colleges 5
5 The interactive model 6
5.1 Potential of the interactive model 7
5.2 Quality education in the interactive model 8
5.3 Quality assurance in the interactive model 9

How the interactive model can accommodate learners who could not complete their studies 10

6 Conclusion 10

1 Introduction
Educational institutions are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of quality considerations in proposals, delivery of teaching and research programmes. This is also due to the increasing numbers of students entering the education system and government funding increasingly tied to an assessment of the quality of the teaching and research programmes in question at educational institutions (Dowling, 1999:1).

In this paper there will be an explanation of the functioning of the interactive model that was developed and how quality education and excellence can take place in the interactive model. This is however part of a study that was undertaken to investigate the viability of combining different modes of instruction that usually function on their own. New trends in the different modes of instruction will be explained. The concept of what is meant by quality education will also be explained.

2 Trends in distance education
Distance education methods are used across all sectors of education and training - in general (school) education, further education and training, adult basic education and training and higher education and training. Contemporary trends in education, particularly the massification of higher education, are creating pressures for increased educational provision through distance methods. It is thus necessary that new trends do develop in distance education to accommodate what has been mentioned. Trends in distance education that have developed in South Africa will be explained.

The University of Stellenbosch has developed electronic classrooms to accommodate students who are studying by means of distance education (Rapport, 1998-05-17:4). These electronic classrooms are already in ten centres all over the country namely, Pietersburg, Pretoria, Midrand, Nelspruit, Randburg, Bloemfontein, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London and Bellville. In the electronic classroom the students will see the lecturer who lectures to them from Stellenbosch on a television screen and they have direct audio feedback. In this way there is continuous contact with the students. In the presentation the focus will be on well structured learning activities, like selfstudy assignments and student interaction.

According to De Coning research that has been undertaken since 1960 shows world wide that there is no significant difference in performance between students that take courses by means of contact instruction and those that study by means of distance education. Besides the electronic classroom, distance education at Stellenbosch is also delivered by means of paperbased delivery, interchangeable television braodcastings and the Internet. It is however important that there are support structures in place for the students. This is only a brief outline of what is happening at the University of Stellenbosch.

3 Trends in cooperative education
Cooperative education is a teaching model that combines relevant work experience and study around preconceived aims by the application of subject content in the working sphere. At the same time the effectiveness and suitability of teaching is complimented by this integration of theory and practice. The academic and vocational interests of the student is integrated with productive vocational practice (SAVKO, 1996). This explains briefly what is meant by cooperative education. Engelbrecht (1992:2) explains that cooperative education consists of two interdependent intertwined main components, namely an academic component and an in service training component.

Concerning the trends in cooperative education the following should be kept in mind. The educational institutions that offer cooperative education should keep in mind that the demands of the labour market (Laubscher, 1993:331). Experience training can be developed as entrepeneurship on the campus. More educational institutions, for example universities, should include facets of cooperative education in their training programmes. Improvement in the cooperative system can be achieved by compiling core curricula and the complementation of it by adding local content (Kleynscheldt, 1990:79). The role of the coordinator is of vital importance.

4 Trends in community colleges
Community colleges are community based and focuses on the local circumstances. They are bound to the needs of all the segments of the community that they serve. Community colleges are seen as critical needs resources for employers of businesses, industries and government services. Students make use of community colleges for training them for a better work opportunity or for promotion in their work.

Zuma (1995:123-124) mentions the following in connection with community colleges "colleges should offer lifelong education services for economic, social and technological sectors through maximising and synergising a wide range of colleges, community-based education providers and specialised vocational institutes. According to Kellerman (1995:11) community colleges can be described as an important means to educational opportunities. Community colleges are not only a means to a better future but it also paves the way to a better future. Community colleges are an indication of a place in the community where people in need can be accommodated.

There are a number of community colleges that do cater for the needs of the communities that they serve. Only a few will be mentioned. Elgin Community college serves the Elgin-Grabouw-Vyeboom area. The aim of this community college is to empower the local communities. The programs that are offered are adult basic education, computer literacy programs, cooking skills (planning, buying and preparation) and the preservation of fruit. Bergzicht Training Centre in Stellenbosch concentrates on the training of students in the following courses, namely housekeeping, the caring of the elderly, catering and Educare. Protea Community college in Cape Town provides a range of courses for the community that it serves. These are only a few that make use of the community college concept.

5 The interactive functional model
This model consists of a combination of distance education, cooperative education and the concept of community colleges. The three have been combined to investigate how they can function together in an interactive functional model. The idea is that they should compliment one another. The study that was undertaken came up with the following possibilities.

5.1 Potential of the interactive functional model
The following possibilities were identified. The one possibility is where distance education and cooperative education function within a community college. This can be on the tertiary as well as the secondary level. The other possibility is where distance education, cooperative education and the community college concept can function as a unity within an educational institution. This can be an educational institution on the tertiary or the secondary level.

In the first possibility educational programmes could be offered by means of the traditional way of instruction, by means of distance education and by means of cooperative education. The programmes can be offered in cooperation with one another or interchangeable. Interchangeable means that for example for one semester of a course it could be by means of distance education and for the next semester it can be by means of cooperative education. It is important that the courses that are offered should cater for the needs of the community that the educational institution serves.

The second possibility is a model being practised to a certain extent in Australia and in South Africa. In Australia at the Central Queensland University the students in the engineering faculty are required to do certain courses by means of distance education when they are busy with there practicals at their workstations (Jancauskas, 1997:28). The students are given certain assignments that they must complete by means of distance education and at the end of their practicals, which are part of cooperative education they should hand in these tasks. In South Africa Technikon SA combines distance education with cooperative education. Important is that thorough planning should be done. The student should be informed what is the aim of the course and how the different modes of instruction are connected to one another for the successful completion of the course.

5.2 Quality education in the interactive functional model
The question that arises is, what is quality education. Quality has different meanings, depending on who is defining the quality criteria and for which purposes quality assessment procedures are used (Verkleij, 1999:2). The traditional view on quality is ‘something special’. Quality is related to ‘distinction’ or something of high class. This traditional view does not offer benchmarks for quality, as quality is recognised when one sees it. Quality can also be seen as transformation. There must be some kind of purpose for quality to take place.

Quality can also be defined as something special about an object that makes it what it is. Essential attributes about something to make it better. Quality education can be seen as education that is designed to appeal to students, serves the needs of students and is of such a nature that it will ensure that they complete their studies successfully in an academic sound atmosphere. Educational excellence for every child means quality integrated education (Barnhart, 1984:1703).

In the interactive model there should be flexible learning. Flexible learning is a cover-all term, inclusive of all forms of learning which, although institution based, do not follow a laid-down pattern but are adaptable (in terms of time , place, method) to individuals or particular groups (Greyling, 1996:103). There is thus a combination of different modes of instruction. According to the Distance Education and Quality Standards Framework for South Africa (1996:41) there are nine elements of a total quality management system. There should be effective leadership, accessible resources, there should be policy and strategy and people management. The processes that take place should have an impact on society, there should be customer, that is the student, satisfaction and people satisfaction. At the end of all of this there should be results. It is important that all of the elements for quality management should be present in the interactive model.

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Distance Education Quality Standards Framework for South Africa. September-December 1996. A discussion document prepared by the Directorate: Distance Education, Media and Technological Services, Department of Education Pretoria.

Dowling, D. 1999. Quality issues in Higher Education. In Bulletin News for the Human Sciences. Vol. 5. No. 2. March pp.1.

Greyling, L. 1996. The best of two worlds: mixed-mode teaching-learning programs. In OliSA Review. No. 2. December. Cape Town.

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Jancauskas, E. 1997. Using distance education during industry work placements to develop lifelong learning skills. Paper delivered at conference of 10^th World Conference on Cooperative Education. 25-28 August 1997. Cape Technikon. Cape Town.

Kellerman, C.F.J. 1995. ‘N Fundamenteel-opvoedkundige studie van die gemeenskapskollege konsep in Suid-Afrika. D.Ed. Thesis . University of Stellenbosch.

Kleynscheldt, R.J. 1990. Koöperatiewe onderwys; ‘n Fundamenteel-opvoedkundige perspektief. M.Ed. Thesis. University of Stellenbosch.

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Rapport, 1998-05-17. Interaktiewe afstandsonderrig by Stellenbosch. Pp. 4.

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Verkleij, A.C.L. 1999. Different approaches to defining research quality. In Bulletin. News for the Human Sciences. Vol. 5. No. 2.

Zuma, S. 1995. Partnerships in distance education. In OliSA Review. No. 1. December. Cape Town.

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