Optimising student academic support in open distance learning at a technical vocational education and training college

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe and analyse factors of management and teaching for optimising the student academic support services in ODL in TVET colleges. This was achieved through evaluating factors that contributed to the lengthy period it took students to complete their qualifications. Being an empirical study, this involved a review of published studies and empirical data. The main findings constitute that the academic support services offered to students studying in various institutions of higher learning are neither efficient nor sufficient. The challenges facing students who study through distance learning in terms of support services can be circumvented through provision of comprehensive support which includes academic, psychological, financial, exit, career related support among others. In the process of collecting and analysing data, the mixed methods approach was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with selected TVET college staff members involved in lecturing, administration, and management. Interview schedule and questionnaire are the instruments used to collect qualitative and quantitative data respectively. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively and inferentially through the aid of a Spreadsheet computer application. The findings constitute series of challenges associated with student academic support services provision. Through the findings, it was explicit that the academic support services offered by the college were neither efficient nor sufficient and these were counted among the reasons that caused students attrition and some taking longer than expected to complete their qualifications. The study also revealed that the college used blended learning to close the transactional distance gap between students and their instructors as well as addressing the feeling of isolation among students. Unfortunately, there were series of ICT related challenges mentioned as factors hindering the incorporation of an online learning. For example, lack of computer skills among students was another hindering factor. It was recommended that the college should employ e-learning which would feature both asynchronous and synchronous transmission to cater the needs for diverse students.

Inhloso yalolu cwaningo kwakuwukuchaza nokuhlaziya izici zokuphatha nokufundisa ukuze kuthuthukiswe izinsiza zokuxhasa abafundi ezifundweni ezivulelekile ezifundwa emakhaya ezaziwa nge-ODL emakolishi okungama -TVET. Lokhu kufezwe ngokuhlola izici ezibe nomthelela esikhathini eside esisithathe abafundi ukuthi baqedele izifundo zabo. Ucwaningo lubandakanya ukubuyekezwa kwezincwadi kanye nedatha yocwaningo. Imiphumela esemqoka ihlanganisa ukuthi izinsiza zokwesekwa kwezemfundo ezinikezwa abafundi ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme ezehlukene aziphumeleli futhi azanele. Izinselele zabafundi abafunda bengekho ezikhungweni zokufunda kodwa emakhaya ababhekana nazo mayelana nezinsizakalo zokweseka zingagwenywa ngokunikeza ukwesekwa okuphelele okuhlanganisa ukwesekwa kwezemfundo, kwengqondo, kwezezimali, ukuphuma kanye nokwesekwa okuhlobene nomsebenzi, phakathi kokunye. Kusetshenziswe izindlela ezixubile ukuqoqa imininingwane; ukwenziwa kwezingxoxo ezingahlelekile nabasebenzi abathile bekolishi le-TVET ababambe iqhaza ekufundiseni, ekuphatheni nasekuphathweni; kanye nedatha yekhwalithi nenani laqoqwa, kusetshenziswa ishejuli yenhlolokhono kanye nohlu lwemibuzo. Idatha yobuningi yahlaziywa ngendlela echazayo futhi engasho lutho kusetshenziswa uhlelo lokusebenza lwekhompyutha yesipredishithi. Okutholakele kuhlanganisa uchungechunge lwezinselelo ezihambisana nokuhlinzekwa kwezinsiza zokweseka abafundi. Okutholakele kukhomba ngokusobala ukuthi, phakathi kwezizathu ezidale ukuthi abafundi baphelelwe yisikhathi futhi abanye abafundi bathathe isikhathi eside kunaleso ebesilindelekile ukuqeda iziqu zabo, izinsiza zokweseka ezihlinzekwa yikolishi zingaphumeleli futhi zinganele. Ucwaningo luphinde lwaveza ukuthi ikolishi isebenzisa ukufunda okuxubile ukuvala igebe lebanga lokuthengiselana phakathi kwabafundi nabafundisi babo, kanye nokubhekana nomuzwa wokuhlukaniswa phakathi kwabafundi. Ngeshwa, kube nochungechunge lwezinselelo ezihlobene ne-ULK eyaziwa nge-(ICT) ezishiwo njengezici ezithikameza ukufakwa kokufunda ku-inthanethi. Ngokwesibonelo, ukuntuleka kwamakhono ekhompyutha phakathi kwabafundi kwaba esinye isici esaba isithiyo. Kunconywe ukuthi ikolishi lisebenzise kokubili ukufunda nge-inthanethi kanye nokuhanjiswa okungavumelaniyo nokuvumelanayo ukuze kuhlinzekelwe izidingo zabafundi abahlukahlukene.

Die doel van hierdie studie was om die faktore van bestuur en onderrig van akademiese steundienste vir studente in oop afstandsleer (OAL/ODL) by TBOO-kolleges te beskryf en te ontleed. Dit is bereik deur faktore te evalueer wat bygedra het tot die langdurige tydperk wat dit studente neem om hul kwalifikasies te voltooi. Die studie het 'n oorsig van literatuur en empiriese data behels. Die hoofbevindings behels dat die akademiese steundienste wat aan studente gebied word wat aan verskeie instellings van hoër onderrig studeer, nie doeltreffend of genoegsaam is nie. Die uitdagings vir studente wat oor 'n afstand studeer, met betrekking tot dienste, kan omseil word deur omvattende ondersteuning te bied wat, onder andere, akademiese, psigologiese, finansiële, uittrede en loopbaanverwante ondersteuning insluit. Die benadering van gemengde metodes is gebruik om data te versamel; semigestruktureerde onderhoude is met uitgesoekte TBOO-kollegepersoneel wat by lesings, administrasie en bestuur betrokke is gevoer; en kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe data is versamel deur 'n onderhoudskedule en vraelys te gebruik. Die kwantitatiewe data is beskrywend en afleibaar met behulp van 'n sigbladrekenaartoepassing ontleed. Die bevindings behels 'n reeks uitdagings wat met die voorsiening van akademiese steundienste vir studente geassosieer word. Die bevindings stel dit duidelik dat van die redes vir studente-afname en dat sommige studente langer as verwag neem om hul kwalifikasies te voltooi, was dat die akademiese steundienste wat die kollege bied nie doeltreffend of genoegsaam was nie. Die studie het ook bevind dat die kollege 'n gemengde benadering tot leer gebruik het om die transaksionele afstandsgaping tussen studente en hul instrukteurs te verklein en om die gevoel van isolasie onder studente te hanteer. Ongelukkig is daar 'n reeks IKT-verwante uitdagings genoem as faktore wat die inkorporasie van aanlyn leer verhinder. Byvoorbeeld, 'n gebrek aan rekenaarvaardighede onder studente was nog 'n faktor wat leer verhinder. Daar is aanbeveel dat die kollege e-leer gebruik wat beide asinkroniese en sinkroniese oordrag insluit om aan die behoeftes van uiteenlopende studente te voldoen.