ROLE OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATORS IN EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF OPEN AND DISTANCE (ODL) LEARNING IN UNIVERSITIES IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

Abstract

The study investigated the roles of educational administrators in effective implementation of open and distance learning in universities in Rivers State. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. Hypothesis were tested at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The design of the study was descriptive survey design. The population of the study was 3000 academic and non-academic staff of universities in Rivers State. with a sample of 500 academic and non-academic staff using Taro Yamane Sample random sampling technique was adopted. Instrument for data collection was questionnaire titled; examining the Roles of Educational Administrators in Effective Implementation of ODL Questionnaire (ETREAEIOQ). Cronbach alpha method was used to establish reliability coefficient of examining the roles of educational administrators in effective implementation of ODL Questionnaire at 0.81. A total of 500 copies of the questionnaire were administered to the respondents, but of 500 copies of questionnaire administered, 401 copies of the questionnaire were retrieved representing 91.4% success. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using z-test statistic with a criterion mean of 2.50. The result of the study showed that educational administrators in effective roles such as strategic planning, policy implementation and resource allocation in the implementation of ODL in universities in Rivers State, and it was so concluded. It was therefore recommended that Educational administrators should develop comprehensive plans that outline the goals, objectives, and strategies for successful implementation. This includes conducting needs assessments to understand the target audience and their requirements, as well as staying updated with technological advancements that can enhance the learning experience.