Consider each of the following statements …. Indicate whether they are true or false, or choose the correct one, in your opinion:

• The main difference between open schooling and face-to-face schooling is that open schooling:
  • is more flexible in terms of age, where and how to study
    • Correct, open schooling enrols learners of any age and is flexible on where learners study and how they want to do so.
  • Does not fall under a government ministry
    • Incorrect, like face-to-face, open schooling usually falls under government.
  • does not involve trained teachers
    • Incorrect, both systems engage trained teachers to ensure quality of education.
  • does not follow a structured curriculum
    • Incorrect, both modes of delivery follow a structured curriculum.
  • does not charge fees to students
    • Incorrect, depending on the funding of a country, both systems charge fees to students. In some countries, the fees are capped by government, in others the school is free to determine student fees.
• Many open schools in developing countries
  • Use technology to enhance quality of learner support
    • Correct, many distance education providers use technology to leverage the quality of provision.
  • Do not need to make use of technology because their learners lack technology literacy
    • Incorrect, use of technology is prevalent in all distance education institutions because learners already know how to use some of the technologies, like smartphones. Learners can also learn technological skills very fast, especially young ones.
  • Administer online examinations
    • Incorrect, due to a range of factors, which include limited access to relevant technology and lack of staff expertise, many open schools do not administer online examinations. There are few exceptions to this, like the National Institute of Open Schooling in India.
  • Equip all their learners with laptops
    • Incorrect, the majority of open schools do not have sufficient resources to provide learners with laptops.
  • Require all distance learners to attend lessons regularly at the headquarters.
    • Incorrect, open schools do not rely on regular attendance of lessons. Occasionally, learners attend face-to-face sessions at decentralised centers, not at the headquarters.
• The use of OER in open schools enriches teaching and learning materials used by distance education students
  • True
    • Correct, OER enrich learning materials by providing a wide range of perspectives from various authors, most of whom are experts in their own areas.
  • False
    • Incorrect, It is true that use of OER enriches learning materials used by learners.
• Which of the following statements is not true of open schools?
  • There is heavy investment on facilities for use by students at the headquarters
    • Correct, facilities at headquarters of open schools are usually not readily accessed by learners as the latter learn away from campus. As a result, open schools invest in facilities for use by students at regional or district centers which are close to where students live.
  • There is need for establishing an efficient communication system with students
    • Incorrect, efficient communication systems with a distributed student population are important in an open school.
  • Assignments are used as a teaching instrument
    • Incorrect, it is true that in distance education, assignments are an essential teaching instrument, in addition to being used for assessment.
  • The school establishes collaborative agreements with organizations like governments schools, churches and communities.
    • Incorrect, since open school learners need to access resources and facilities in their proximity, there is need for the school to establish formal collaborative agreements with other organisations to facilitate access of these facilities.
• It is necessary for the open school manager to understand factors that affect the cost of running the school.
  • True
    • Correct, it is true that open school managers should have understanding of factors that affect the cost of running the school.
  • False
    • Incorrect, open school managers need to understand factors that affect the cost of running the school.
• Which of the following statements is not true?
  • The salary of the principal of an open school is an example of a variable cost.
    • Correct, it is not true that the salary of the principal of an open school is a variable cost. In fact, it is a fixed cost.
  • Number of assignments to be marked attract variable costs
    • Incorrect, it is true that the cost of marking assignments varies according to the number of assignments marked.
  • The cost of emailing a tutorial letter to students is an example of a fixed cost
    • Incorrect, it is true that the cost of emailing a tutorial letter is a fixed cost, irrespective of the number of students to which the email is sent.
  • The cost of setting an examination paper for a course is an example of a fixed cost
    • Incorrect, the cost of setting a paper for a course is fixed, irrespective of the number of students who sit for that paper.
• Which of the following statements is true?
  • Fixed costs = variable costs + total costs
    • Incorrect, fixed costs are not composed of variable and total costs.
  • Variable costs = total costs + fixed costs
    • Incorrect, variable costs are not composed of total and fixed costs.
  • Total costs = fixed costs + variable costs
    • Correct, total costs are made up of fixed and variable costs.
  • Total costs = fixed costs – variable costs
    • Incorrect, total costs are not the difference between fixed costs and variable costs.
  • Variable costs = fixed costs – total costs
    • Incorrect, variable costs are not the difference between fixed costs and total costs.
• Increasing student enrolment in an open school results in an increase in the overall cost of running the school but reduces per student cost.
  • True
    • Correct, the more students are enrolled in an open school, the better the institution enjoys economies of scale.
  • False
    • Incorrect, it is true that increasing students in an open school increases overall running costs but at the same time reduces per student cost.
• An open school develops 2 modules, one for Economics for $50 000 and the other for Business Studies for $75 000. 2000 students are enrolled in the Economics module and 3000 students in the Business Studies module. If the students are levied the full costs of producing the modules:
  • Economics students would pay more
    • Incorrect, Economics students will not pay more
  • Business Studies students would pay more
    • Incorrect, Business Studies students will not pay more
  • Students for both modules would pay the same amount
    • Correct, students for both modules would pay the same amount
  • Students for both modules would not pay anything
    • Incorrect, students for both modules would pay a certain amount.
• Assuming that the same modules are run over 3 years and an equal number of students is enrolled for each of the two modules every year, what is the amortized cost of each module per student in the two courses?
  • The amortized cost for the Economics module would be $16 666
    • Incorrect, the cost of the Economics module would not be $16 666
  • The amortized cost for the Business Studies module would be $25 000
    • Incorrect, the amortised cost of the Business Studies module would not be $25 000
  • The amortized cost for both modules would be $25 000
    • Incorrect, the amortised cost of both modules would not be $25 000
  • The amortized cost for both modules would be $8.33
    • Correct, the amortised cost of both modules would be $8.33. To get the correct answer, divide the cost of producing each module by the total number of students enrolled in the module over three years.