Abstracts
Abstract
Distance Education (DE) holds particular promise for Africa, where higher education systems must cope with multiple constraints. However, there are many obstacles to the development of DE, including inadequate computer equipment and lack of professional skills. Against this background, this article presents the results of a longitudinal study on DE programs offered to students in Africa. Using quantitative analyses of questionnaires and qualitative analyses of interviews, the contributions of DE to the professional development of Africans are examined in the aim of gaining a deeper understanding of the dynamics at play when students enroll in a DE program.
Keywords:
- distance education,
- Africa,
- higher education,
- professional development,
- enrollment
Résumé
Les formations à distance semblent comporter de très nombreux avantages pour l’Afrique, où les systèmes d’éducation font face à une multitude de défis. Néanmoins, malgré le potentiel des formations à distance, la mise en place de ces dernières arrivent également avec son lot d’obstacles, comme par exemple l’équipement informatique inadéquat et les compétences professionnelles. Ce texte présente les résultats d’une étude longitudinale sur des formations à distances universitaires proposées à quelque 2416 étudiants en Afrique. À partir de l’analyse quantitative de questionnaires et de l’analyse qualitative d’entrevues, nous examinons comment les formations à distance sont en mesure de participer au développement professionnel d’étudiants d’Afrique. Nous avons aussi cherché à mieux comprendre les avantages et les défis rencontrés par les étudiants participant à de telles formations.
Mots-clés :
- formation à distance,
- Afrique,
- enseignement supérieur,
- développement professionnel,
- recrutement
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Appendices
Bibliography
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