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Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) 179
Figure 3 also highlights the changing technology use for student and learning support services.
The era of online learning system at UT started in 1997 when UT introduced online student
support services through its website. Following up this initiative, UT began to develop a more
expansive web-based learning support systems including those registration, tutorials, and
examinations. Even though information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure
was very limited and unevenly distributed, UT continues to exploit the possibility of using
ICT to enhance both administrative and academic services to its students. At present, as the
figure shows, UT is in the initial stage of utilizing the latest technology such as augmented
and virtual reality/extended reality for delivering the academic content. The latest discussions
among faculties at present are around the idea of developing a metaverse of UT to enhance its
virtual physical presence. Table 1 further elaborates the evolution of UT delivery system and
technology use in relation to Taylor’s five generations of DE.
Figure 3
Delivery System and Technology Milestones
It is also worth mentioning that as a distance well as participating in online tutorials. With
learning university, UT also developed and the continuous development of increasingly
implement mobile technology as an integral sophisticated smartphone technologies, it is
part of its online learning system. In addition important for UT to continuously improve
to its mobile interface website, online tutorials its online learning system. The development
are also made accessible through mobile as of UT’s mobile learning, which was started
well as hand-held devices. In other words, in 2013, has gone through several phases
UT students can literally study through their (Padmo, D. & Belawati, T. & Idrus, O. &
mobile devices from the very first activity of Ardiasih, L.S., 2017).
registering for courses, paying the tuition fee,
obtaining digital learning materials, accessing
the digital library, reading online journals, as
Universitas Terbuka (UT)