Historical Background

Table 1: List and Number of ODL Training

S/N	Date	Location	Participants	Focus
1.	7th – 11th March, 2011	Lagos	17 members of staff	Fundamentals of ODL
2.	9th – 13th May, 2011	LAUTECH	145 members of staff	Fundamentals of ODL
3.	2nd – 4th June, 2011	Lagos	45 members of staff	Course content development
4.	4th – 6th October, 2012	Lagos	4 members of staff	Policy formulation for LODL
5	11th – 15th Feb. 2014	Lagos	12 members of staff	Capacity building Workshop
6.	5th – 9th May 2014	LAUTECH ICT	36 members of staff	Capacity building Workshop II for E-tutors and Learner Support
7.	5th – 9th May 2014	LAUTECH Senate Chamber	Stakeholders’ Sensitization workshop	Awareness of ODL
8.	1st – 5th September 2014	LAUTECH ICT Centre	38 members of staff	NUC Guidelines in Evaluation and Assessments for ODL
9.	22nd – 30th September, 2014	Lagos	13 members of staff	Completion of  Courseware Development

In March 2012, a twelve man Committee was set up on a four year projection plan for LAUTECH ODL through the decision extract of the Senate meeting of Thursday February 23, 2012 with Professor M. O. Ologunde and Mrs. J. O. Oyetola as Chairman and Secretary respectively. The committee was to look into Open and Distance Learning programmes approved in principle and suggest the final draft to Senate.

The latest Committee named Implementation Committee on LAUTECH Open and Distance Learning was set up on June 11, 2012, by Prof. A. S. Gbadegesin, headed by Professor O. O. Fawole with a clear mandate from the Senate to midwife the adoption and full Implementation of ODL in LAUTECH which is almost reaching a take off stage after the approval by Senate of four programmes namely: Computer Science, Accounting, Marketing and Nursing Science with the following as members of the committee

1. T. Ebijuwa –     Postgraduate School
2. S. O. Jekayinfa –           Director, Academic Planning
3. B. I. O. Ade-Omowaye –           Food Science & Engineering Department
4. D. A. Adekanle –           O & G Department (CHS Osogbo)
5. O. T. Arulogun –           Director LICT
6. A. Lateef –           Science Laboratory Technology Department
7. V. S. Ayodele –           Student Affairs Unit
8. Mrs J.O Oyetola –           Secretary
9. HOD of Approved programmes –           Co-opted

The LODLC Board was constituted on September 1, 2015 with the following as members;

1. A.S Gbadegesin –           Chairman
2. T. Ebijuwa –           Director
3.                                –           Deputy Director
4. O.S Amuda –           Vice Chancellor’s Representative
5. M.A Folayowon –           Registrar Representative
6. A.A Okediji –           Bursar Representative
7. Mrs. O.O Oyewumi –           Librarian Representative
8. O.S Olabode –           Council Representative
9.                                          –           Senate Representative
10. K.A Adebiyi –           Dean Faculty of Engineering and Technology
11. Mrs. E.O Adesina –           NUC Representative
12. A.A Adegbola –           Director, Academic Planning
13. O.T Arulogun –           Director, LICT
14.                                           –           ICT Expert
15. J.O Oyetola –           Secretary

There has been a lot of commitment in terms of finance, time and effort of members of staff of the University towards this enterprise. We would like to mention specifically that these trainings were done with the ODL guidelines proposed by the NUC in mind. One of the earlier trainings produced a draft policy document for LAUTECH ODL.

One needs to mention that there were a few problems with the acceptance of the ODL idea at the beginning due to what was generally perceived as the violations of procedure by the last dispensation. Subsequently, in order to ensure a system approach and University-wide ownership of the LODL, the Vice Chancellor, Professor A. S. Gbadegesin took steps to obtain Senate approval to commence action. We shall outline some of the decisions taken by the Senate below.

Steps Taken by Senate So Far

• Approval of the establishment of LAUTECH ODL Center (LODLC)
• Approval of the take-off of LAUTECH ODL with four programmes namely: B.Sc. Computer Science, B.Sc. Accounting, B.Ns Nursing Science and B.Sc. Marketing
• Constitution of LAUTECH ODL implementation committee
• Approval of the LAUTECH ODL Policy framework

It is gratifying to note that we have the full support of Senate. The University Management has followed the leadership of the Senate by undertaking the following:

Steps Taken by the Management

• Initiation and funding of trainings on ODL methodologies
• Provision of building, office furniture Office and administrative staff
• Funding of activities of LAUTECH ODL implementation committee
• Provision of ICT infrastructure and manpower
• Support for course materials development
• Appointment of LODLC Project Consultant
• Allocation of take-off building to the LODLC
• Provision of Financial Allocation
• Support of Bursary and Registry

Available Infrastructure and Capacity

The committee can report authoritatively that the following infrastructures are in place to support a credible ODL operation in the University.

• Campus wide computer network facilities with internet provision
• Computer Based Testing (CBT) capability infrastructure that could handle at least 800 candidates at once
• Smart Lecture rooms with multimedia learning technology tools
• Well-equipped physical and electronic libraries
• Standard laboratories
• ODL methodology compliant tutors
• Warehouse that can accommodate 20,000 course materials

Surveys and Research

We have also surveyed the primary locale for ODL deployment to determine

• the level of ICT literacy and the support of the university community
• Private infrastructure as well as the economic status,
• psychological preparedness
• Familiarity with ODL mode of clientele.

This is done in order to ensure that we deploy a system that is accessible and sustainable, and are better informed about the level and depth of support and training to give our clientele.