Towards advancing ODL research: An institutional collaboration approach

Latifah Abdol Latif and Mansor Fadzil
Open University of Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Melinda F Lumanta
University of the Philippines Open University
Los Baños, the Philippines

This paper argues that while there has been a rapid expansion in the applications of ODL, its practice is not always sufficiently informed by quality research. Some of the research that has been carried out has been found to be weak and reiterative, not using valid and reliable instruments and usually yielding little in terms of new information.

One of the ways to answer the call for more rigorous research is to form an institutional partnership focusing on research among like-minded institutions. This paper discusses the efforts of five open universities which have institutionalized collaboration through a memorandum of agreement (MOA). The initial results in two areas of research collaboration are discussed and the implications for greater collaboration are presented.