Supporting distance education students : the pilot study of a tutorial model and its impact on students' performance

Abstract

This pilot study investigates the impact of a tutorial model on the performance of distance education students enrolled for an Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) programme. The aim of the support system is to enhance learning and improve performance. Towards this end, the institution developed a tutorial support system model, which is not dependent on the availability of a tutor, but rather on peer group learning to create a learning environment. The model also depended on carefully designed worksheets. By using a mixed-methods approach, the researchers combined observations, surveys and analyses of student records. Preliminary advantages identified by student participants included clarity of focus, the opportunity to learn from other students, and exposure to the handling of assignment and examination questions. Based on the performance of the first and second cohorts in attendance, one may speculate that students who availed themselves of this opportunity seemed to perform better. Findings from the study suggest that open and distance learning (ODL) institutions will increasingly be differentiated by the support they offer rather than by the material they provide, especially at higher levels of study.