TUTORING IN THE ERA OF E-LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES: RE-EXAMINING
CURRENT STATUS AND EXPLORING ALTERNATIVES AT THE
ZIMBABWE OPEN UNIVERSITY

TUTORING IN THE ERA OF E-LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES: RE-EXAMINING
CURRENT STATUS AND EXPLORING ALTERNATIVES AT THE
ZIMBABWE OPEN UNIVERSITY

CHADAMOYO PATRICK

CHIOME CHRISPEN

DUMBU EMMANUEL

Faced with the rapid changes in the development of tutoring and e-learning technologies, the institutions
of higher learning are now struggling to choose the appropriate mix and combinations of the tutoring
methods that meet the diverse needs of students in Open and Distance Learning (ODL). The present study
explored literature and re- examined the current status of the tutoring methods used at the Zimbabwe Open
University (ZOU) and assessed their effectiveness from the student perspective. A qualitative descriptive
survey was used to gather data from a convenient sample of 105 returning students at the ZOU. Results
showed a slow reaction by the university to catch up with these rapid changes in technology and a mixed
reaction by students in assessing the effectiveness of these pedagogical, technological changes. When
observed from a distance, the picture that one gets is that both the university and students are in a dilemma.
They are not sure of which method to use to maximise learning. As a way forward, the study proposed and
recommended that a ‘cafeteria’ approach be adopted so that each learner chooses an instructional method
according to need and taste.

Zimbabwe International Journal of Open & Distance Learning

2011