Exploring learning implications of the distance secondary school teacher training in Malawi: a case study of Mzuzu University and Domasi College of Education.

Abstract

This study is an interpretive-qualitative case study grounded in the literature regarding institutional organisation of distance education founded on the industrial education theory. In regard to the differences in adoption and enactment of distance education amongst institutions, it was important to understand the learning implications of the distance teacher training in Malawi.Within the interpretive parameters, the study blends tenets of the industrial education (Peters, 1973), conversational learning (Holmberg, 2003) and phenomenology (van Manen, 1995) theories in a single theoretical framework. Globally, distance education founded on dual mode institutions is enacted parallel to traditional education requiring the establishment of a distinct system with sub-systems within the traditional parameters to serve the distance mode. This thesis explores the nature of institutional organisation of the Mzuzu University and Domasi College of Education as dual mode institutions in Malawi using industrial aspects of planning, coordination,specialisation, division of labour, and mass production of instructional materials. The study further employs real and mediated aspects of conversational learning, and lived and shared experiences from phenomenology to explore student teachers learning experiences and implications. Data was generated through semi-structured interviews, organisational and academic documents while Miles and Huberman (1994) framework of qualitative data analysis and Moustakas (1994) psychological data analysis procedure guided its analysis. The study revealed that there are challenges with the one-size-fits-all approach in the enactment of distance teacher training in Malawi. The study presents a distance education system for Malawi teacher training for an in-depth understanding of open and distance education in theory and practice within the one-size-fits-all philosophy. The study thus, modifies the industrial education theory to incorporate conversational learning and phenomenology so as to change the rigidity of industrial education by employing mediated and real conversation and promoting sharing of lived experiences.