Empowering lifelong learning through open universities in Taiwan and Indonesia

Abstract

<jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Purpose</jats:title><jats:p>This research attempts to reveal ways of addressing challenges in open universities related to empowering lifelong learning; establishing policies and strategies in dropouts, student portfolio and support services for students with special needs; and implementing online instructional design and strategies. Two institutions were investigated, namely National Open University (NOU) Taiwan and Universitas Terbuka (UT) Indonesia, both founded in the 1980s to serve lifelong learners with diverse backgrounds and needs. This study was aimed at understanding good practices and challenges for improvement for the two open universities in those areas being investigated.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Design/methodology/approach</jats:title><jats:p>This research was qualitative using document analysis along with focus group discussions and interviews with administrators, academic staff, students and alumni to collect data for analysis.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Findings</jats:title><jats:p>Lifelong learning is the necessity of individual in societies for continuing professional development through enabling access to quality university education. Open universities have been tasked to cater for lifelong learners using non-traditional approaches, new technology and adapting to online learning and teaching in digital age. This research was exploratory, and the findings were expected to improve understanding of lifelong learning in open universities, particularly in NOU and UT.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Practical implications</jats:title><jats:p>Findings of this research are relevant to open universities to enhance its missions and define its possible new roles to serve lifelong learners.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Originality/value</jats:title><jats:p>This research reveals the roles of open universities in lifelong learning and enhances understanding of open universities that have a wide range of responsibilities in offering programs and courses to accommodate lifelong learners.</jats:p></jats:sec>

Implementing quality assurance system for open and distance learning in three Asian open universities: Philippines, Indonesia and Pakistan

“…The study focused on revealing practices, challenges and rooms for improvement in terms of QA implementation in the three Asian OUs. This study replicated the research methods of two previous comparative studies of various aspects of OUs in Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Indonesia, and thus some of the findings on particular aspects of this present study on UT, particularly on the characters and good practices of the institution, were adapted and updated from these previous two studies on supporting learners in ODL (Zuhairi et al, 2019) and on empowering lifelong learning (Zuhairi et al, 2020).…”

The regression models for lifelong learning competencies for teacher trainers

“…predicted certain demographic and professional variables in relation to occupational burnout to measure teachers' lifelong learning tendencies. Reference [ 16 ] discovered the challenges in open universities in terms of improving the lifelong learning. Reference [ 17 ] investigated the relationships between teachers' teaching beliefs, lifelong learning affinities, and change tendencies.…”

Linking beliefs in reading with lifelong learning tendencies among undergraduates: The mediating role of enthusiasm for reading

“…Within a wider understanding of the future, individuals and societies alike have recognized the need for lifelong learning (Nicoll & Edwards, 2000; Zuhairi et al, 2020), as it captures diverse forms and models of universal needs in societies. Hodgson (2001) claims that the lifelong learning frameworks and/or strategies of countries differ depending on their education systems and their relationship with the labor market and established institutions.…”

“…Several studies have been undertaken to better understand the motivations behind the lifelong learning tendencies and needs of individuals as well (e.g., Chow et al, 2020; Zuhairi et al, 2020). Though a culture of lifelong learning is desired and aimed at everyone regardless of their ethnicity, religion, gender, age, or background (Jackson, 2011), some demographic factors can be encouraging towards lifelong learning.…”