Different views of distance education and how these views affect distance teaching and open learning within the Zimbabwe Open University

The study investigated stakeholders' views of distance education and their implications on distance teaching and open learning at Zimbabwe Open University. The study used a descriptive survey design and questionnaire instrument. The population of the study was 14700 students, 200 administrative staff and 850 lecturers. A sample of 258 students, 13 administrative staff and 41 lecturers was selected using convinient sampling technique. These were stakeholders who visited ZOU centres and volunteered to complete the questionnaire between May and June 2001. The study used Statistical Package for Social Sciences to produce frequency distribution tables and Chi-square statistical tool to test whether there were significant differences among stakeholders' views of distance education. The study found out that stakeholders had different views of distance education, and that these views negatively impacted on distance teaching and open learning. Zimbabwe Open University should induct all stakeholders on distance education, its operations, and their roles.Zimbabwe Journal of Educational Research Vol. 16(3) November 2004: pp. 241-26