DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING A HIGH-QUALITY TRAINING COURSE FOR OPEN AND DISTANCE FACILITATORS AND E-TUTORS IN FUTA

Abstract

This study was conducted to design and implement a high-quality training course for Open and Distance facilitators and e-tutors in Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). A descriptive survey design was deployed for the study. The population for the study comprised lecturers in FUTA while the course facilitators and e-tutors of the Open and Distance Learning Centre, Federal University of Technology, Akure constituted the purposive sample. The instruments used for this study were questionnaires and key informant interviews/focus group discussions (FGD). A needs analysis showed that many teachers are deficient in online facilitation skills. The course, a modification of the Enabling Blended Learning: A Modular Teachers’ Course therefore focused on equipping them with requisite facilitation skills. In implementing the course, participants met face to face with facilitators for two days, except for three modules which were accessed online. Subsequently, they were required to work online for another three days. The data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. All hypotheses were tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that the training of facilitators and e-tutors equipped them with the requisite skills in online facilitation.