Staff Development Practices of Open and Distance Learning Institutions in Ghana: The Case of the Distance Education Programme of University of Education, Winneba, Ghana

Abstract

Staff development plays a crucial role in Open and Distance learning programmes because most of the staff working on these programmes are products of the conventional face to face system. Lack of proper training of staff in ODL can lead to high dropout rate among distance learners. The purpose of this study was to investigate staff development practices of the Distance Education programme of the University of Education, Winneba. The study adopted the quantitative methodology which employed survey questionnaire to collect data from 39 administrators of the Distance Education study centres. The study found among others that, the University does not have a strong pre-service programme for the administrators at its study centres. It also found that, the administrators were satisfied with the first in-service training organised for them. Based on these findings, it was recommended that, the University should put in place strategic human resource development policies in relation to distance education for teaching, technical and administrative and part-time staff and institute regular in-service training programmes for its administrators at the distance Education study centres.

Keywords: Staff development, Open and Distance learning, Distance Education, pre-service, in-service, study centres