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Supporting Distance Learning
Students
Steve Swithenby
Types of support
Academic support
Emotional support
Administrative support
Who will provide such support?
Is the balance different for DL students?
Cost of such support?
Background issues for DL
While some are very comfortable with this, learningindependence is a major deficiency for many. It is anexplicit goal of this course to encourage and supportthis...”
(Southern Cross University, Australia)
“In reality, younger students need to be supported andsense a degree of observation and control to maintainmomentum”
(Istituto Tecnico Agrario Statale, Italy)
An organising framework
Awareness
Consideration
Decision
Orientation
Preparation
Study
Revision
Reflection
Pre course
On course
Identify Areas of Risk, e.g.
1. „Wrong‟ choice of course or programme
2. Initial engagement
3. Submission of first assignment
4. Awareness of support
5. Picking up/responding to non-progress signs
6. Review and next steps
Targeting support
Support models
Via the tutor – closest to conventional – difficult to scale –
QA issues
Via a Support Centre( e.g. Open Learning Centre) –
triage – efficient - requires good data
Via a subject focused team (like a Departmental Office) -
Differentiated support, e.g. focused on less experienced
Customer Relationship Management System – database
that prompts interventions
Blended Learner Support
Traditional mix of print, phone, people complemented by:
• course/subject online „homes‟
• e-communication spine
• online learner support forums e.g. induction, course
choice
• podcasting
• sms text
BUT – students really value personal contact
A cautionary tale
“The full implementation of the program faced
many challenges. It was slow in uploading
information, was introduced without thorough
preparation; lacked a policy guiding
implementation; had a long procurement
procedure; limited funds for purchase, no
provision for software experts to maintain it, not
enough publicity among staff. And finally some
students...lacked electricity for charging their
phones”
• Makerere Univ 2009
Learner
Support/
Advisory
Staff
Learner support on course
Student
Course Associate
Lecturer
Peers
StudentHome
Support for tutors
• Centralised development of resources: print and web
resources
• TutorHome portal for all resources and information
required
• Development fund to support attendance at conferences
• Feedback from students collated and mediated by Line
Manager
TutorHome Homepage
Doing it for yourself
1. Track student experience & progress
2. Develop model of student journey
3. Identify critical risk points, strengths &
weaknesses
4. Develop an action plan
5. Develop integrated systems
6. Exploit the full range of media available
7. Treat students as paying customers
