Module 4 Learners’ Support Services

Unit 1 Definition and Purposes of Learners’ Support Services

Unit 2 Types of Learners’ Support Services
Unit 3 Sources of Learners’ Support Services
Unit 4 Benefits of Learners’ Support Services

Unit 1 Definition and Purposes of Learners’ Support

Services

Contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
3.0 Main Content
3.1 Definition of Learners’ Support Services
3.2 Purpose of Learners’ Support Services
3.2.1 Cognitive Purpose
3.2.2 Affective Purpose
3.2.3 Systematic Purpose
3.3 Elements of Effective Learners’ Support Services
3.3.1 Responsiveness
3.3.2 Interactivity
3.3.3 Context Specificity
3.3.4 Learner Development
3.3.5 Openness to Change
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Reference/Further Reading

1.0 Introduction

You are welcomed to the last module of this course. In the last few weeks,
you have studied various aspects of open and distance learning system of
education from the history to communication modes and forms of
assessment. All these are designed to make you familiar with the system of
learning in open and distance learning and also to make you feel at home
during your course of study in the National Open University of Nigeria. In this
module, you would be examining one of the most important feature and
concept of open and distance learning: learners’ support services. In this unit,
you would be looking at the definition and purpose of learners’ support
services.

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2.0 Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

By the end of this unit, you will be able to:

• Define learners’ support service
• Identify activities that can be designated as learner’ support service
• Describe the various purposes of learners’ support services
• Differentiate between the various purposes of learners’ support
services.

3.0 Main Content

3.1 Definition of Learners’ Support Services

Learners’ support is one critical component of an effective open and distance

learning environment. As a concept within the open and distance learning,
learners’ support has been variously defined, however, the concept does not
have a widely accepted definition (Bowa, 2008). You would be presented here
with some major definitions that would help you to understand the concept.

Garrison and Bayton (1987) define learners’ support services as the

resources that learners can access in order to carry out the learning process.
Garrison (1989) observes that in distance education, “support is concerned
with a range of human and non-human resources to guide and facilitate the
educational transaction” (p. 29). Tait (1995) an open and distance learning
practitioner of Open University of United Kingdom who has written extensively
on learners’ support service defines it as follow:

The term students’ support means the range of activities which complement
the mass-produced materials which make up the most well-known elements in
open and distance learning (ODL). It is, of course, true that printed course
units, television and radio programmes, computer programmes etc., which
replace the lecture as a means of delivery, and after so much both in terms of
social and geographical access, and in terms of cost-effectiveness, support
student in central ways. But the elements of ODL which are commonly
referred to as student support are made up of tutoring, whether face-to-face,
by correspondence, telephone or electronically; counselling; the organization
of study centres; interactive teaching thorough television and radio, and other
activities. These activities have as key conceptual components the notion of
supporting the individual learning of the student whether alone or in groups,
which in contrast to the mass-produced elements are identified for all learners
(p. 232).

You need to note that the above definition was constructed when the use of
print materials were predominant in distance education.

SAIDE (1999) defines learners’ support as the “entire range of methods and
strategies employed in the presentation and delivery of courses aimed at
assisting and enabling learners to comprehend fully, assimilate and master
the skills and knowledge needed to achieve success in their studies” (p. 14).

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Simpson (2002) offers another beautiful definition. He approached the
definition of learners’ support from a broader sense and he sees it as all
measures beyond the production of study materials that support students in
their learning process. However, he brought in another dimension by
differentiating between academic and non-academic support. On academic
support, he wrote:

Academic support consists of: defining the course territory; explaining

concepts; explaining the course; feedback-both informal and formal
assessment; developing learning skills such as numeracy and literacy;
chasing progress, following up students’ progress through the course;
enrichment-extending the boundaries of the course and sharing the
excitement of learning (p.9).

On non-academic support, he wrote:

Non-academic support consists of: advising: giving information, exploring

problems and suggesting directions; assessment: giving feedback to the
individual on non-academic aptitudes and skills; action: practical help to
promote study; advocacy: making out a case for funding, writing a reference;
agitation: promoting changes within the institution to benefit students;
administration: organizing student support (p. 8).

Self-Assessment Activity

Having gone through the above definitions, try formulating your definition of
learners’ support services.

3.2 Function of Learners’ Support Services

3.2.1 Cognitive Function

Cognitive support facilitates learning through the mediation of the standard

and uniform elements of course materials and learning resources for
individual settings (Tait, 2000).

3.2.2 Affective Function

Affective services provide an environment that supports students, creates

communities and enhances self-esteem (Tait, 2000:28).

3.2.3 Systematic Function

Systemic support services establish administrative processes and information

management systems that are effective, transparent and student-friendly.

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3.3 Types of Learners’ Support Services

Adewale (2014) identifies five types of learners’ support services and they are
listed as follows: This section should go to the next unit under types. For this
section, look at the importance of learners’ support services to the university
and the students. Also, present the role both need to play to have a
successful learner support services. In NOUN, explain the Directorate and its
function. The students should know where to find such services
Forum Discussion

In the few weeks you have spent in the National Open University of Nigeria,
list all the activities you have gone through that can be classified as support
services and group them according to their types.

4.0 Conclusion

In this unit you have learnt that learners support services can be defined as
the range of activities that complements the course materials designed to
assist the students in the mastery of their course. These include tutorials,
counselling, study centre organization and interactive teaching among others.
Learners’ support services can also be divided into two categories: academic
(including tutorials, feedback through assessment, following students’
progress etc.) and non-academic (including information access, advocacy,
writing reference letters etc.). Learners’ support services have three functions:
cognitive, affective and systematic. Learners’ support services also include
administrative, technical, library and counselling support.

5.0 Summary

To recap what you have learned in this unit, click on the video below or copy
the link and paste on a web browser. The video is a summary of what you
have read in this unit. You could also click on the audio version and listen.
You can also download them and play offline.

Video

Audio

6.0 Reference/Further Reading

Student Handbook, NOUN.

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Unit 2 Types of Learners’ Support Services

Contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
3.0 Main Content
3.1 Types of Learners’ Support Services
3.1.1 Academic Support Services
3.1.2 Social and Personal Support Services
3.1.3 Information Support Services
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 References/Further Reading

1.0 Introduction

In the previous unit you have examined the definition as well as the various
purposes of the learners’ support services. You would have known that
learners’ support services comprises of wide range of activities that may even
vary from one institution to the other. In this unit, you are going to examine the
various classifications that make up learners’ support services and the various
activities included in them.

2.0 Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

By the end of this unit, you will be able to:

• List the various classes of learners’ support
• Classify given list of activities to their respective class
• Identify various activities under each class of support services.

3.0 Main Content

3.1 Types of Learners’ Support Services

Though a lot of activities are involved in what is broadly known as learners’

support services, they are usually classified into three. Rumajogee (2002) and
Nonyongo (2002) divided the classes as follows: teaching and learning, social
and personal and access and information.

3.1.1 Teaching and Learning Services

According to Bowa (2008), teaching and learning services consists of the

following activities:
a. Teaching and learning contacts,
b. Network and learner support centres
c. Compulsory residential schools
d. Practical sessions for professional training (for example, teachers and
nurses needs special sessions such as teaching practice and
practicum)

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 e. Access to facilities (for example, artisans would need workshops and
natural sciences students would need laboratories).
f. Academic advising
g. Tutorial and counselling in person or by letter, telephone and e-mail.
h. Tutorial marking and feedback
i. Quick turnaround on assignments
j. Orientation and on-going training of tutors to ensure quality support.
k. Supply of high quality learning materials
l. Pre-examination counselling
m. Pre-course registration and counselling services
n. Pre-course study-skills training
o. Administration of examinations
p. Provision of audio and or video tapes
q. Telematics
r. Supply of newspaper (internal and mass media).

3.1.1.1 Academic/Tutorial Support

Academic support has to do with support geared toward the academic life of
the student. At the beginning of distance education, academic and tutorial
support is done mainly through the tutors at the local study centres. As of
today, there is a mixture of the face-to-face tutorial at the study centre and the
web-based tutorials. As Lee (2003) says, “the focus of academic support
gears towards facilitating collaborative learning and increasing interactivity
between distance students and instructors or among distance students” (p.
183). Like every other open university, NOUN operates on the mixture of face-
to-face tutorials at the study centre and the web based in selected course as
of now but which would be expanded to cover all the courses as soon as
possible.

3.1.2 Social and Personal Support Services

Social and personal needs services includes the following activities:

a. Pre-course registration and counselling
b. Internet and e-mail support
c. Peer support/study groups
d. Career guidance
e. Disabilities support
f. Minorities support
g. Adult learners’ support
h. Multicultural education coordination
i. Social events

3.1.3 Information Support Services

Chattopadhyay (2014) opines that learners should be provided all necessary

information prior to admission of their course so that they can make
appropriate decisions about their studies and also have access to all

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resources and support services. Information support services include the
following:
a. Information on fees and financial support
b. Information on administrative procedure and regulations
c. Information on registration and admission
d. Access to information technologies
e. Record management
f. Book services
g. Provision of personal timetables
h. Career guidance

If you examined these activities closely, you would notice that some of them
overlap, that is, they are found in more than one classification.

3.1.3.1 Administrative Support

Administrative support involves functions such as “admissions, registrations,

course scheduling, student records and financial transactions” (Lee,
2003:183) and in most universities today, including the conventional
universities, these exercises are mostly web-based. Though administrative
support may look menial and mundane, they can lead to frustration when not
properly planned.

3.1.3.2 Technical Support

Technical support is defined as the monitoring of the efficient operation of

delivery media and offering of technical assistance to learners (Abate, 1999).
In some instances, this often involves all round presence of technical
assistance at the institution’s web site.

3.1.3.3 Library Support

In the distance education programme, “adequate library services and

resources is essential for the attainment of academic excellence” (Lee,
2003:183) so there is the need to extend the library services to the students
because those at a distance from the traditional campus setting usually do not
have access to the library services.

3.1.3.4 Counselling Support

Counselling support include guidance and advising. Lee (2003) states that the
“focus of such services tends to be on how to deal with academic concerns
and/or career advising” (p. 183). It also addresses ways to improve
communication skills and increase interactivity. This type of support takes the
bulk of the support services that takes place in the study centres. This is
similar to what other scholars have termed “academic counselling”.

Academic counselling can be described as helping learners to understand all

matters related to curriculum, course contents, academic administration and
processes. Das and Ghosh (2011) also believe that academic counselling

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includes the tasks of “informing, advising and counselling about the
administrative aspects” (p. 193) of the programme. Academic counselling
support represents the core learners’ support services that is usually provided
at the study centres.

4.0 Conclusion
In his unit you have gone through the various activities that are classed
together as learners’ support services and also the three major classes under
which they are classified.

5.0 Summary

Despite the large number of activities lumped together as learners’ support

services, they are classified into three, namely: teaching and learning, social
and personal and access and information. Under teaching and learning are
activities like tutorials, counselling, tutorial marking and feedback as well as
examination administration. Under social and personal support services are
activities like peer/study group, career counselling and internet and email
support among others. Information support services include activities like
access to information technologies, information on fees and financial support
and information on administrative procedure.

Video

Audio

6.0 References/Further Reading

Usun, Salih (2004). Learner Support Services in Distance Education System.

Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 5 (4), np.

Chatpakkarattana, T. & Jintawee Khlaisang. (2012). The Learner Support

System for Distance Education. Creative Education, 3, p. 47-51.

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Unit 3 Sources of Learners’ Support Services

Contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
3.0 Main Content
3.1 Sources of Learners’ Support Services
3.1.1 Study Centres
3.1.2 Directorate of Information Communication Technologies
3.1.3 Directorate of Information Management System
3.1.4 Directorate of Examinations and Assessment
3.1.5 Faculties and Departments
3.1.6 Registry
3.1.7 Directorate of Media and Information
3.1.8 Library
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 References/Further Reading

1.0 Introduction

In the previous unit, you have gone through the types of learners’ support
services that exist. In this unit you would be studying the sources of learners’
support services, in other words, the sections of the open and distance
learning institutions where you are likely to receive activities that would be
seen as learners’ support services.

2.0 Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

By the end of this unit, you would have:

• Determined the role of study centres in providing learners’ support
services
• Listed the activities in the study centre that can be designated as
support service
• Identified other units of the university that provides support for learners
• Discussed the activities of other units in the university that are support
oriented

3.0 Main Content

3.1 Sources of Learners’ Support Services

3.1.1 Study Centres

The study centres of open universities form part of the detached programme
of the university framed to provide extensive modern and efficient student
support services to the students. The university assigns an important role to
contact sessions at the study centres and this is expected to help the students
both academically and personally. The study centre is equipped to offer a

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range of facilities to help the students overcome their problems through
assistance, in addition to providing a common forum for students to interact
(Kumar, Rao & Rao, 2000:18).

The study centre is equipped to with staff to fulfil these functions. In the
National Open University of Nigeria, a study centre is under normal
conditions, headed by senior academic staff (usually a professor and
associate professors or senior lecturers). It has to be noted that there are
some centres however that are under the leadership of senior non-academic
staff like Chief Counsellors or Deputy Registrars. The Director of the study
centre is supported by counsellors and Administrative Officers of various
cadres. Usually, the number of the study centre staff is dictated by the
population of the students in the centre. Other staff available in the centre are
accountants, information communication technology staff, clerical officers and
cleaners. However, the organization of the study centre is left in the hands of
the director of the centre. The support services of the centre are entrusted in
the hands of these staff. The learners’ support activities that go on in the
study centre can be divided into academic and non-academic activities. These
shall be discussed briefly as follows:

3.1.1.1 Pre-Admission and Admission Process

It is expected that prospective candidates should visit the study centres for
inquiries about the admission process. At this point, the job of directing the
prospective student on what to do to secure admission for their desired
course are handled by the counsellors and the administrative officers. Where
necessary, the counsellors would guide the student to take the course he/she
is most fitted for based on the basic qualifications of the prospective student.
At this stage also, all necessary information about fees and the course
demands are explained to the students. At the end of the admission process,
the student proceeds to the registration stage.

3.1.1.2 Registration

The payment of the fees marked the commencement of the student’s formal
registration. There are three types of fees:

a. The compulsory fees which are made up of fees peculiar to new

students such as orientation and matriculation fees, library fees and
laboratory fees among others.
b. Course Registration fees: course registration fees are determined by
the course units and based on the open policy of the university, the
student can register for the number of courses that he/she wants. It is
not compulsory to register for all the courses, however, the minimum
credit load a student can register for is 10.
c. Examination fees: the students pay between 1000 (undergraduate) to
2000 (postgraduate) naira per course.

The student has the opportunity to pay these fees in instalments as long as all
fees are completed by the end of the registration period that is usually

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between six to eight weeks. You need to know that until a student pays the
examination fees, tutor-marked assignments however would not be made
available to the student.

In order to register, the student would go to the portal and click on the register
courses button. As soon as this is done, all the courses available for that
session would be opened up and the students would click add to pick the
desired courses. At the end of this, the student can proceed to register for
examination by clicking the register exams button. The two registrations would
be printed out in triplicate. At the end of the registration process, the student is
expected to return two copies of the admission form, letter of admission and
proof of fee payment and the registration forms to the study centre. The third
copy, endorsed by the counsellor, is returned to the student and it would
serve as a proof to the store officer for the issuing of the available print course
materials. Other course materials that are not available in print would be
available to the student as electronic copies at the university courseware on
its website.

3.1.1.3 Orientation and Matriculation

The next major activity after the registration process is the orientation and the
matriculation program. The orientation is a programme designed to familiarize
the new students to the study centre operations and the university by
extension. Most new students, on this day for the first time come across the
university anthem and are made to learn the anthem. During the programme,
the students listen to talks from all the arms of the study centre: Director,
Counsellors, Registration, DMI, ICT, Accounts, library and others. Available
services are made open to the students and who as well as where they can
turn to when they have issues are made known to them.

In NOUN the matriculation holds about a week after the orientation. The
orientation holds simultaneously across all the study centres in the country.
The new students take the matriculation oath after which they are accepted as
students of NOUN.

3.1.1.4 Facilitation

In between the registration and orientation/matriculation facilitation sometimes

would have commenced or when it is not possible, it commences after the
matriculation exercise. Facilitation is the period when students are made to
have some face-to-face interaction with university appointed facilitators to
help them in the process of learning or content digestion. Usually, where the
centre is large and well equipped, facilitation takes place on site but where
this is not possible, facilitation takes place at other places chosen for the
exercise.

There are some rules that are in place guiding face-to-face facilitation and the
most important of them is that facilitation of any particular course would take
place if there is a minimum of 50 students registered for the course in the
study centre. The class can also be divided into two where there are more

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than 200 students. It is the duty of the study centre to make a workable
timetable to guide the facilitation exercise and also to appoint staff that would
be on ground to monitor the smooth running of the exercise. The duration of
the facilitation also has to do with the units of each course. A 2-unit course is
allocated 8 hours facilitation; a 3-unit course is allocated 12 hours of
facilitation and a 4-unit course gets 16 hours. You need to note that there is a
difference between a lecture and facilitation and so you cannot expect your
facilitator to lecture you.

3.1.1.5 Counselling

There is hardly any NOUN study centre that does not have at least 1
counsellor; there are some that have about 4 or 5 depending on the student
population. The good thing is that all these counsellors are trained, as they
are all graduates in Guidance and Counselling, and some of them have
Doctor of Philosophy. They are thus equipped to counselling both
academically and psychologically. If you have issues with your studies and
other areas of life that may affect your output, you are advised to visit the
counsellor’s office for a session.

3.1.1.6 Organization of Field Work

Another academically important activity that goes on in the study centre

simultaneously with the facilitation exercise is the organization of all field
related exercises for the semester. This includes teaching practice and
practicum for the undergraduate and graduate Education students, field trips
for the Tourism students, seminars for Tourism, Hotel and Catering, and the
Business Administration students and Practicum for the Nursing students.
Apart from this, there are some students who are also involved in SIWES and
these are also planned and carried out during the semester. It is also
important to know that students in the Sciences also go through their practical
courses during this period. In study centres where there is no laboratory, the
Director looks for a tertiary institution that they can collaborate with so that the
students would partake in the laboratory classes.

3.1.1.7 Library

In some study centres, there are physical libraries while some centres have e-
libraries and some centres have no library at all, either physical or electronic.
Thus, the study centre is a place where the students of NOUN are expected
to make use of the library. Due to the nature of the university, the e-library is
emphasized more and so most of the study centres do have e-libraries and
also a dedicated librarian to assist the student in accessing the libraries that
the university is subscribed to.

Also available in the study centre library are the project copies of the past
students of the study centre that the current students can use as a guide as
they embark on their own projects.

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3.1.1.8 Examinations

All examinations except the Tutor-Marked Assignments/Computer Marked

Assignments holds at the study centres. To this end, most study centres are
equipped with infrastructure to allow student write the examinations. It has to
be stated that where there are more students than facilities, study centres rent
venues to hold the examinations. Two types of examinations are held every
semester: the e-examinations which is taken by the 100 and 200 levels
students and all general studies (GST) at all levels, including the postgraduate
level. Other papers from 300 to 800 levels are taken as pen-on-paper
examinations. There are centres where students write e-examinations at
rented venues and write pen-on-paper examinations at the centre or vice-
versa or where all examinations are written at rented venues or at the centres.
All the planning for the smooth running of the examinations is under the
control of the Director and other staff of the centres.

3.1.1.9 Other Administrative Matters

There are other administrative matters that hold at the study centres. An
example of such is disciplinary matters. For example, in the case of
examination misconduct, immediately after examinations, students that were
caught for one offence or the other are asked to face the examination
misconduct panel at the study centre level. At the end of this exercise,
recommendations and evidences on each case is forwarded to the University
Examination Misconduct panel that reviews and or ratifies the decisions of the
study centre panel and then forward their recommendations to the University
Senate for approval.

In some other institutions, study centres offer only a selection of these

services but unlike these other open and distance learning institutions whose
study centres may not be able to fulfil all these functions, NOUN study centres
are expected to fulfil all these functions.

3.1.2 Directorate of Information Communication Technology

The Directorate of Information Communication Technology (ICT) plays a vital

role in meeting the digital requirements and expectations of students. The
DICT provides a wide range of information technology and communication
facilities to support students throughout their course of study.

All university staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students have access to

the services that are available throughout the day. There is at least 1 DICT
staff in all study centres around the country. Heavily populated centres have
more than 1. For example, the Lagos Study Centre, that is most populated
centre, currently has 9 DICT staff. The ICT officers are the central point of
contact for staff and student seeking help, advice and support for all IT related
services. The IT support staff can assist with the following:

Online registration issues (password, accounts, etc.)

Course and examination registration issues

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Computing advice and information

E-examination administration and support

Support services for personal computers

Training for students and staff.

The DICT also ensures that computer laboratories are operational and
accessible in all the study centres, so that students can have access to
computing facilities and electronic examination. Furthermore, the directorate
provides asynchronous and synchronous communication tools such as
emails, e-mail groups, online forums, webinars and web conferencing. This is
to make the learning process very flexible, where students can learn anytime,
anywhere and at their own pace.

3.1.3 Faculties and Departments

The very first truth that often seems buried in the open and distance learning
institutions is that no matter the location of the study centre, all students
belong to the departments and faculties. The first support service of the
departments and faculties is response to students’ issues. For example, if any
student feels his score in any course is unduly low, he can write to the Dean
of the Faculty (definitely through the Director of the study centre) to ask for a
reassessment of the paper. If it is a case of not having result for an
examination taken, the student would also write to the Dean to complaint and
the Department would respond at the end of their investigation.

It is also the departments and faculties that establishes the curriculum for
each of the programme the students are registered for and the curriculum is
made available for to each student at the registration point, clearly specifying
the status of each course, that is, showing the courses that are core and
those that are electives as well as the minimum number of units the students
can register for each semester.

3.1.4 Registry

The role of the registry in support services is largely administrative and takes
place even after the student has graduated from the university.

3.1.4.1 Issuance of Admission Letter

The Registrar of the university signs the provisional letter of admission issued
to all the students at the point of their admission. Though the letter is
automated, it comes directly from the Registry. Without this letter of
admission, no one can proceed to the registration point.

3.1.4.2 Issuance of Introductory Letters (Visa/Research)

Another support service the students receive from the Registry has to do with
introductory letters. Students sometimes, in the course of their research, may
need to visit other institutions and libraries and may be requested to bring
letters of introduction from their institution. When this is the case, the student

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would write to the Registrar through the Director of the study centre to request
for the letter of introduction. After the letter had been written and signed by the
Deputy Registrar (Academics), it would be returned to the study centre for the
student to collect. It is also important to know that sometimes, as part of their
course of study or sometimes for leisure, students would want to travel abroad
and embassies would request for letters of introduction form the university.
The same procedure is followed for the issuance of such letters.

3.1.4.3 Issuance of Certificates

At the end of the student’s course of study, the certificate signifying the
successful completion of their programme, is signed by the Vice Chancellor
and the Registrar and distributed by the staff of the Registry to the deserving
students. The distribution of the certificates is usually done at the end of the
convocation service at designated points.

3.1.4.4 Issuance of Transcripts

When students after graduation want to further their education in other

universities, they would request for transcripts from the university and this
would be sent again to the Registrar who would refer the request to the
Deputy Registrar (Academics). After the payment of the required fees, the
Academic office would prepare the transcript and the Deputy Registrar
(Academics) would sign it and the letter would be mailed to the requesting
institution.

3.1.5 Library

The library is another support unit for students’ learning in the university. The
support services of the library is captured in the following two excerpts:
“Most students used the library not to obtain resources but as a place of
study. Generally, the students regarded the library as a quiet place to study”
(Baloyi, 2014:1257). “Librarians go beyond information access and retrieval to
helping students become information literate – to develop research questions,
think critically, and navigate and evaluate the reliability, validity, and
usefulness of the overwhelming amount of information available to them”
(Brindley & Paul, 2004:5).

From the above quotations, the support functions of the library are:
information access and retrieval, supporting students to become information
literate and provision of a place of study.

3.1.5.1 Information Access and Retrieval

In fulfilling this function, the NOUN library is involved in the provision of a

physical library both at the headquarters and at all the study centres all over
the country. Where there is no space for good collection of books, the library
ensures that electronic library is available for the students so that they can
access and retrieve information. It is important to know that the library usually
requests for list of relevant books to be purchased from the departments and

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the faculties and use the list to acquire volumes for the library. Also included
in the library volumes are copies of past research projects of students for
guidance for students who are preparing for their own research projects.

3.1.5.2 Supporting Students to become Information Literate

In fulfilling this function, the library ensures that most study centres have at
least 1 library staff to guide the students in the process of information access
and retrieval as well as how to use the avalanche of information available to
them. This allows for one-on-one interaction between the library and the
students.

3.1.5.3 Provision of Study Space

Finally, the library both at the head office and the study centres offers the
students a place where they can study. It is usually serene and calm and the
librarian is always at hand to control the students in case some are going
errant.

4.0 Conclusion

In this unit, you have studied that learners’ support services takes place in the
study centres, the Directorates of Information Communication and
Technology, Information Management System, Examinations and
Assessment and Media and Information, Faculties and Departments and the
Library. The widest range of support services take place in the study centres
and it includes pre- and admission processes, registration, orientation,
matriculation, facilitation, counselling, organization of field work, library
services, examination and other administrative matters. The Directorate of
Information and Communication Technology supports registration and
examination issues; Faculties and Departments determine courses to be
offered across all levels as well as admission and graduation requirements.
The Registry also has a wide range of services like the issuance of
introductory letters, certificates and transcripts.

5.0 Summary

To recap what you have learned in this unit, click on the video below or copy
the link and paste on a web browser. The video is a summary of what you
have read in this unit. You could also click on the audio version and listen.
You can also download them and play offline.

Video

Audio

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Unit 4 Benefits of Learners’ Support Services

Contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
3.0 Main Content
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 References/Further Readings

1.0 Introduction

You are welcomed to the last unit of the last module of this course. Over the
last few weeks you have studied through the four modules that made up this
course.

2.0 Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

By the end of this unit, you will be able to:

• List the benefits of learners’ support services
• Write briefly on each of the benefits
• Evaluate if they have benefitted from this course on learners’ support.

3.0 Main Content

3.1 Benefits of Learners’ Support Services

Learners’ support is one critical component of an effective open and distance

learning environment. As a concept within the open and distance learning,
learners’ support

3.1.1 Promotion of Academic Achievement

Scholars have been able to show that one of the causes of high rate of failure
in the open and distance-learning system is the nature of the system, in which
the students’ study independently most of the time. Also, Tshivhase (2008)
cite lack of contact between lecturers and learners and lack of self-help study
groups as some of the major factors contributing to low performance and pass
rates at UNISA. However, this can be mediated through an effective learners’
support service. It has been asserted through research that the use of
students’ support aids the students learning and increases their academic
achievement. For example, Farajollahi and Moenikia (2010) have been able to
show that there is a “positive and significant relations between students’
support services and academic achievement in distance education. In other
words, students who benefit from services are more, their successes are
higher” (p.454).

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3.1.2 Mediation of Distance

One of the major perennial issues in open and distance learning institutions is
the distance between the learners and the institutions and the resultant
feelings of isolation by the students. Baloyi (2014) in discussing this says
“ODL students often feel isolated, as they are studying on their own” (p.
1252). Boyle, Kwon, Ross and Simpson (2010) state there can be particularly
acute issues in the distance learning environments where students often
report feelings of isolation, little sense of connection and belonging.
Responding to this issue vis-à-vis learners’ support services, Tait (2003) says
“student support in ODL has as its primary aim that of assisting students to
learn successfully, and in doing so it recognizes that in learning and teaching
systems characterized by distance and part-time studying helping students
with their feelings of confidence and self-esteem will energize them in ways
that support persistence and success (p. 5).

3.1.3 Reduction of Drop-Out Rate

One of the major problems of open and distance learning institutions is the
problem of attrition. Attrition is defined as the rate at which students drop out
of their program. Research has indicated that ODL learners have a higher
attrition rate than their counterparts in traditional campus-based institutions
(Brindley 1985; Parker, 1995). Describing the rate of attrition among new
students at the Open University of Malaysia, Raghavan, Mohayidin and Chun
(2015) say, “nearly 30% of new learners enrolled in their first semester in
OUM do not re-register for their second semester and nearly 10% do not re-
register for their third semester” (p. 208-209). Describing the issue of attrition
in the early years of NOUN, Adewale and Inegbedion (2008) discovered that
between 2004 and 2008, out of the 439 students that enrolled for the MBA
program, only 60 were left giving an attrition of 86.3%.

However, Bowa (2008) discovered that “learner support contributes to the

reduction of drop-out rate through student guidance and counselling, tutor
support, and affective information and administrative system” (p. 35). Tait
(2003) affirms this as he states “these systems provide a range of activity that
impacts not only in teaching but also affectively, thereby, reinforcing the
student’s sense of confidence, self-esteem and progress” (p. 4).

4.0 Conclusion

In this unit you have examined the three major advantages of learners’
support. These are the promotion of academic achievement among students,
which is usually attained as a result of the mediation of distance that takes
place with the learners’ support activities. Finally, when learners’ support
activities are properly taken, students who would have ordinarily dropped out
of the system would be encouraged to pull through. As you can see, the
effects of learners’ support seem to be spiral like.

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5.0 Summary

To recap what you have learned in this unit, click on the video below or copy
the link and paste on a web browser. The video is a summary of what you
have read in this unit. You could also click on the audio version and listen.
You can also download them and play offline.

Video

Audio

6.0 References/Further Reading

https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/24076/Complete.pdf?

https://empower.eadtu.eu/images/fields-of-
expertise/StudentSupport/Student_Support_Services_for_Success_in_OED_
SIMPSON.pdf

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