IJSRSET1515103 | Received: 01 November 2015 | Accepted: 05 November 2015 | November-December 2015 [(1)6: 01-07] © 2015 IJSRSET | Volume 1 | Issue 6 | Print ISSN : 2395-1990 | Online ISSN : 2394-4099 Themed Section: Science and Technology 1 Instructional Design Quality Evaluation of Eastern Mediterranean University Open Courses Andrew Obida Yoila * , Emeka Joshua Chukwuemeka Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technologies, Eastern Mediterranean University, Gazimağusa, North Cyprus via Mersin 10, Turkey ABSTRACT Online learning is taking the place of class room teaching by creating the availability of open course materials for learners to access via different platforms. This paper seeks to evaluate Eastern Mediterranean University Open Courses (EMU OCs) base on the first principle of instruction. Data collection was carried out using an inventory to evaluate various EMU Open Courses. The total of 12 courses was chosen from EMU OCs. Data analysis was done using descriptive quantitative methods with Statistical Package for the Socials Sciences (SPSS). It was observed that, most of the EMU OCs score low points when evaluated with the principles of instruction. Keywords: Instructional Design Quality; Open Courses; Massive Open Online Courses; Cooperative, Collaborative Learning; Distance Education; Instructional Design I. INTRODUCTION Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) engagement in Open Courses (OCs), provides free educational resources for faculties, students and individual learners through the web with the aim of promoting and developing learners‟ skill in the society. Information technology (IT) has grown to a stage where learners and instructors rely mostly on it for successful execution of various educational tasks. It has taken control over our learning processes and provided ways for institutions to access wide variety of learning resources. Accessing these resources does not depend on your geographical location, because the changes in IT education has created many ways which learners and instructors can access this instructional materials without stressed (Nables et al, 1989). For example such as the internet, terms like e-learning, web based learning (distance education, e-education) and eLearning systems which as well improves the quality of learning experience and extended to the reach of both instructors and students (Chukwuemeka, Edori & Bakare, 2015). As much as these technologies are creating massiveness and accessibility through connections, the problem we need to look at is, the effectiveness of the resources to the learner, the skills needed to access these instructional materials, the methods of designing the instructional materials base on the principles of instructions, the rate of completion by participants and the accessibility of the platform website (Merrill.1999; Rolin, 2014; Atsusi, 2014). II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Transformation of distance education has led to the development of online learning in Northern Cyprus. This development of OCs in Northern Cyprus started in the 1990s and has motivated learners to register for the Open Courses that was established as part of Anadolu University program in Turkey in 1982. As to the result of this, EMU joined the movement in 1995 by launching its own distance and Open education with few participants that enrolled. As time goes on, the number increased from the year 1995 to 2000 with a total number of 2500 and also multiplied more from 2000 to 2014 (Isman and Dabaj, 2005). For successful design quality of open courses the principles of instruction needs to be ensured and adhered.