Learner Support

• Learner support serves as the “interface between the institution and its students” and is aimed at ensuring maximum opportunities for success and a quality education experience for the individual learner.
• Learner support is integrated into the overall design of the course, programme, and institution.
• Learners need to be provided a range of opportunities for real two-way communication through use of various forms of technology for tutoring at a distance, contact tutoring, assignment tutoring, mentoring where appropriate, counseling (both remote and face-to-face), and stimulation of peer support structures. The need of learners for physical facilities and study resources and participation in decision-making needs to be taken into account. (NADEOSA, 2004)
• Constant monitoring and evaluation is necessary to ensure that learner support services are operating effectively, to identify gaps in the system and to see how the system could be improved.
  

Useful Resources Online

Hulsmann, Thomas (2004).The Two-pronged Attack on Learner Support: Costs and the Centrafugal Forces of Convergence

O'Rourke, Jennifer (2003).Tutoring in Open and Distance Learning: A Handbook for Tutors. Vancouver: COL.

Rowntree, Derek (2000). Who are your Distance Learners? Milton Keynes: Open University (UK).

Useful Resources (Not Available Online)

Simpson, Ormond (2002). Supporting students in Online, Open and Distance Learning. London: Kogan Page Limited.

Evans, T. (1994) Understanding Learners in Open and distance Learning. Kogan Page Limited. London.

National Association of Distance Education Organisations of South Africa (pre-publication 2004). Designing and delivering distance education: Quality criteria and case studies from South Africa, Johannesburg: NADEOSA.

Tait, A. “Student support in open and distance learning”, pp232 – 241 in Lockwood, F (1995) Open and Distance Learning Today. (Routledge, London).