ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an instructional framework for onboarding students with low technological fluency in preparation for online-only higher education programs in emerging economies. The framework, which was launched in Kenya, resulted in MOOCs and OER being leveraged as the primary content source for degree programs. Results from a mixed-methods pilot study, with a sample of 233 students, showed that while student attitudes towards technology were positive, the students’ technological experience and fluency was limited compared to students in non-emerging economies. Thus, a 10–14 day, face-to-face onboarding program was designed and implemented to help prepare students to successfully complete online-only courses that utilized MOOCs and OER for instructional content. Follow-up data showed that the intervention served as an important scaffold to launch students into their programs.
