| People have taken a number of positions on the cost-effectiveness of distance
education. Some argue that using communications technology requires too much capital
investment, while others counter that technology is less expensive than conventional,
labor-intensive methods. The middle position is that most programs in developing countries
do not necessarily require high technology, and even those that do may still be
cost-effective if they deliver effective, high-quality instruction, in areas that would
otherwise lack it. International experience shows that distance education can be
extremely cost-effective as long as it is delivered on a large scale so that the costs of
the technology and design time can be amortized. The unit cost per student at the Open
University (UK) has been shown to be about a third that at conventional universities, and
the cost per graduate about half.
More Resources:
Lusunzi I.S. 1998. The Tutor and
Quality Assurance in Distance Education, Centre for Continuing Education, University
of Botswana
Jheengut, I. 1998. Basic English Course Evaluation.
Mauritius College of the Air, Distance Education Division.
Jheengut, I. 1998. 'Quality
Assurance in Distance Education through Tutor Training at the Mauritius College of the
Air'. In: Open Praxis. vol. 2. |
