Abstract:

The Department of Open and Distance Learning here at the Papua New Guinea University of Technology admitted its first students only in December 1993. The enrolments have increased to more than two thousand per semester. In this paper, we look at the programmes offered in the "distance mode " and discuss an evaluation exercise that we conducted with the students. The evaluation looked at user-friendliness of the materials, support from administrative staff and tutors and overall performance of the Department. The main aim was to reassure ourselves that we were keeping the standards as purported in our mission sfatement. Are we meeting the purposes for which the department was set up? What are the distance students' perceptions as regards our achieving the educational goals as stated in our mission statement?