Papers Presented at the 2nd National NADEOSA Conference
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Author:
Vaughn John

Title:
Learner support needs within the UN/SACTE distance programme: towards broader and more formalised support.

Abstract:
This paper examines a mixed-mode Bachelor of Education programme soon after it initial phase of development. A brief overview of the model and general progress of the programme is provided, highlighting the main achievements. The programme is seen as having successfully negotiated a huge range of logistical challenges within extremely tight time frames.

Using data from recent evaluative studies, the paper focuses on the support needs of learners within this model, how such needs are currently addressed and proposes ways for improved provision of non-academic support. The powerful role of learner-led study groups as an organic support system is examined. Finally, a case for broader and more formalised learner support is made and a programme of staff development is outlined as a vehicle for achieving this.

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I have always found that the commitment of a distance teaching institution to its clients is often reflected by the level of support such a system provides for its clients.
Gajaraj Dhanaraj,
1996 President of the Commonwealth of Learning

Introduction

The mixed-mode, Bachelor of Education (B Ed) programme of the University of Natal-Pietermaritzburg (UNP) and the South African College of Teacher Education (SACTE), will be two years old at the end of 2000. Some 1000 learners from all over the country will constitute the first and largest group of B Ed graduates of a new model of delivery at UNP. This early phase of the programme has seen considerable effort and resources concentrated on planning, establishing systems and developing materials. With small core teams at UNP and SACTE, together with approximately 130 tutors around the country, the first offering of the programme has successfully negotiated a huge range of logistical challenges within extremely tight time frames. The phase was characterised by planning for the immediate needs of launching the programme with little lead time and therefore the planning was of necessity of a relatively short-term nature.

With most of the material now written and piloted and the essential initial infrastructure in place, the B Ed programme could be seen as entering a phase of reflection, redesign and more medium-term planning. The dissolution of the UNP/SACTE partnership that takes effect at the end of August 2000 has also influenced the level of reconceptualisation and planning currently underway. A number of evaluation-type studies have recently been conducted to inform this process. This paper draws on some of these studies with a view to evaluating the model and contributing to its further development and improvement. With no direct involvement with the B Ed programme, this paper presents something of an ‘outsider’s view’. In taking such a perspective, a brief assessment of the progress of the programme is made, leading to a focus on learner support needs within the programme and an examination of how such needs are being addressed. Finally, a proposal for a broader range of support that is formalised through central planning and a programme of staff development is made.

The research methods and sample

This paper draws on a small qualitative study that involved 34 learners, six tutors, three Regional Learning Centre (RLC) administrators and two course writers, in focus group discussions and interviews, conducted in the KwaZulu Natal learning sites of Vryheid, Hibberdene, Durban and Pietermaritzburg. The purpose of this study was to assess learner support needs and how such needs were being addressed. The findings from two large sets of data collected from students and tutors via "end-of-course" questionnaires supplemented the information presented here. Research thus far has produced a large quantity of interesting and valuable information about the specific programme, the model of delivery and about the nature of distance teaching and learning in general. Most of this cannot be reported here. What is reported are some general indicators of the current status of the programme and most of the data that relates to learner support needs. This selection has a deliberate bias towards those aspects in need of further development, rather than those which are working reasonably well.

It is important, particularly for managers who are forced to spend a lot of their time fixated on the immediate and urgent, to see a programme from a more long-term perspective. In this regard, the progress with the B Ed programme as described above, has followed a fairly typical trajectory for a new programme at a mixed mode institution. What is important is that the programme lies within an organisation with a commitment to quality and critical reflection (Bertram 1999) and there is a firm commitment to improving the programme. This is evident from the high convergence between student-identified problems and institution-identified needs within the programme. The research that has been conducted has flagged a number of aspects that could be attended to and this paper will explore some of these possibilities. Knowing that the types and extent of improvements attempted will ultimately be constrained more by resource implications than complacency or a lack of will, a range of options will be explored and the resource implications examined. Randell & Bitzer challenge "institutions which claim to be committed to change" not to escape their "responsibility for creating systems which promote and support quality and ease students’ progress rather than hampering it" (p138). In this regard, the programme is at an important phase in its development. This is also an important time for the institution as a whole, as the B Ed programme provides a window from which to examine the mixed-mode path that it is embarking on.

The B Ed model

The B Ed programme involves a combination of learning materials (largely print-based) and contact sessions with a tutor. The eight courses needed for the qualification can be completed over a two-year period. Each course runs over a semester, has four predetermined contact sessions, has three assignments and culminates in a written examination. The course material includes a number of activities which learners are required to complete, some of which are discussed during the contact sessions. Learners are awarded 5% of the course work total for showing evidence of having engaged with at least 80% these activities. Contact sessions for groups of about 25 learners take place on Saturdays at various regional venues. Registration and administration is handled mainly by the various SACTE Regional Learning Centres (RLCs). In 2001, this function becomes the sole responsibility of UNP.

Altogether, the B Ed team comprises managers and administrators at both UNP and SACTE, course writers and editors from both institutions, main course coordinators based largely at UNP, RLC heads and administrators and a large number of tutors all over the country. Only a small proportion of this team work full-time on the B Ed programme.

Progress with the programme to date

The programme is fortunate in having attracted a large learner population thus far. This is important for a new programme in that if cost efficiencies are reached sooner, investments in further development may be allowed. Such an opportunity should not be missed as many distance education programmes in developing countries find it difficult to invest in developments beyond the initial materials development and delivery (Simpson, 2000).

At this stage in the programmes development, the team has sharpened policy and procedures for commissioning writers and publishers, for ensuring the quality of such work and for being able to disseminate material. Other systems for tutor recruitment, training and scheduling have also had opportunities for testing and fine-tuning, and continue to be developed. While there were many crises along the way, these have been overcome and important lessons learnt. Looking at all of this, one can reasonably claim that a programme has been successfully launched. Further support and perhaps more important support for such a claim, can be gleaned from an examination of learner feedback and learner progress.

Learners express a high level of satisfaction with the content of the course. This emerges both from learner surveys (questionnaires) and focus group discussions. Learners claim that the courses are relevant to their needs as educators and are assisting them to keep abreast of the numerous transformations taking place in education. They report that they are able to implement what they learn in their work lives and, further, enabled to assist their principles and peers at work. Learner evaluations of the materials have also been predominantly positive. Getting the most important element of the system, the materials and resources, right is an important milestone (Dhanaraj, 1996), and this has been largely achieved.

The questionnaire survey data shows high satisfaction with the tutorials. However, this is not supported by feedback gained during focus group discussions. Given that the learner surveys are a larger data set, one could be tempted to accept that this part of the programme has also been largely successful. However, Randell & Bitzer (1998) do warn about cases where questionnaires have not provided accurate assessments of learner satisfaction. The combination of survey and more qualitative methods seems necessary.

All the studies conducted show high satisfaction with administrative support. Given the small administrative team, this is a remarkable success. This team is however under constant pressure and the need to increase capacity in this sector requires attention.

With the UN/SACTE partnership and the lack of centralised record-keeping, learner drop-out is difficult to determine at present. From a learner support perspective, such an information gap is a serious one. A new information system about to be completed should remedy this and provide the team with such important information.

A final indicator that has to be considered is pass rates. While one cannot be certain, the number of graduates at the end of this year is likely to be a reasonably high percentage of those currently enrolled. The pass rates for the various modules completed thus far have been about 75%.

While it is clear that the programme is not in crisis, areas in need of improvement are also easily discernable. These areas will be discussed later.

What is learner support?

The terminology describing various support functions in distance education have not been used in a uniform manner (Simpson, 2000). As an umbrella term, learner support includes a wide range of functions conducted with the aim of assisting learners throughout their interaction with a programme of study. Siaciwena (1987) has observed that distance study puts "pressure on distance learners who have to fit in their new role of student among other occupational and social responsibilities. They therefore need preparation, encouragement, support and guidance for them to cope with the academic demands" (p.120). Learner support thus includes both academic support in the form of tutorials and non-academic support that may take the form of providing information, advising, guiding, counselling or active forms of advocacy work on behalf of the learner. The last-mentioned could be particularly important in cases of traditional contact institutions that are entering the mixed-mode scene, and where institutional lethargy and bureaucratic blockages may need to be challenged on behalf of the distance learners (Paul, 1988). A discussion of some of these non-academic support needs will follow.

What support needs do learners express within the current model?

Most common problems

Lack of time and lack of finances are the two most significant problems faced by learners. They wish for "more time for each course" and for the opportunity to "pay fees in installments". These are all adult part-time learners with several demands on their time and resources. Learners report difficulties in finding the time to work through the course material and the assignments. Difficulties are experienced in being able to co-manage the time needed to prepare for work and the time needed for study purpose. In terms of their family and social lives, they also complain about the sacrifices, such as being unable to attend church, funerals and weddings, that need to be made in order to attend to the course demands and to attend the Saturday contact sessions. These are not uncommon circumstances for distance learners (Siaciwena, 1987).

Three-quarters of the learners are women. Problems experienced with family life are extremely common. Many learners complain that their partners have become frustrated with their long and regular absence from their homes, particularly over the school holiday period. Albeit grudgingly, many learners give up their entire holiday period for study purposes. This was clearly the case with all the learners that participated in the focus group discussions. They could be found on any day during the holiday at their privately-arranged study venues. Survey statistics indicate that as many as 25% of learners meet every weekday and that 57% of learners meet at least once a week. A few learners believed that their partners had embarked on a strategy of sleeping away from the home "as revenge". The inability to give sufficient attention to their children is also common. One learner reported quite severe behavioural problems with her child, which she attributed to her studies and recent divorce.

What sort of support could the institution provide for such learners? Many of these problems seem to be outside the boundaries of institutional influence. A couple of strategies could perhaps help. One is to signal to learners very early on about the demands of the course and the amount of time that is usually required for various parts of the programme. Although a large proportion of the learners, 81% in 2000 and 86% in 1999, had had some experience of distance study, only a small number would have done so at degree level. A learner reported that while she was aware of the assignment requirements, she was totally unprepared for the demands of working through the regular learning activities. It may also help to inform learners at the time of registration of problems that are commonly experienced by past learners. This could be done in a "Preparing for distance study" handbook or brochure.

At some institutions, new learners are given a document addressed to the family of the learner, which explains the implications of having a family member who is studying by distance methods and the types of support that the family could provide the learner (Simpson, 2000). This is done as a means of gaining family support and buy-in. In the scheme of things, these strategies are relatively inexpensive and should not alter the budget drastically. Getting learners to conduct an audit of how their time is spent and to explore how time could be better managed is another low-cost, self-help strategy. Simpson (2000) provides examples of such exercises which could be done by the learner independently or with assistance from a tutor or counsellor. Tutors need to be aware of circumstances and emotions within the learning environment and any centrally-provided support could also be supplemented by the tutor, if made formally part of the tutor’s role.

Problems about expectations

To avoid unmet expectations leading to disappointment and a lowering of motivation, it is important to assess and rectify learner expectation early on in the programme. Two types of expectations held by learners are worth examining here, firstly, expectations of tutorials and secondly, the role of the tutor. It would seem that there is a mismatch between what learners expect of a tutor during tutorials and what the institution has asked tutors to do. Tutors are told during training that they are not being employed to teach the course, but merely to facilitate the tutorial session according to a tutorial plan that is provided. They are expected to have been through all the material and to have completed the activities themselves.

During focus groups considerable dissatisfaction emerged on the part of learners with what they describe as "ill-prepared tutors" or the tutorial sessions where "all answers are correct answers". When asked about their view of a good tutor (and everyone had experienced good tutors at sometime during the programme) they described tutors who "knew their stuff" or who were able to "clarify their problems". These learners appear to value a more directive style or didactic approach rather than the facilitative approach adopted by the programme. Interviews with tutors confirmed this problem of learners expecting and wanting to be "taught" during tutorials. Some tutors are of the opinion that learners’ previous experience of education had made them dependent learners. In writing about the South African distance education context, Randell and Bitzer (1998) do note that," Overcoming years of reinforcement of a teacher-focused model of teaching and learning and changing underlying conceptions of learning and teaching will be a lengthy process requiring a great deal of skillful professional development (p. 139).

The tension of where to pitch a session on the facilitative-didactic spectrum is not new or peculiar to distance education (Simpson, 2000) and there is rich debate on the nature and purpose of tutorials within distance education (Murgatroyd, 1980; Evan, 1982). With a large tutor body there are likely to be tutors who are ill-prepared or unsuitable. A staff development programme that involved regular developmental appraisals and evaluations could identify and remedy this. Adopting a facilitation approach should not mean that tutors can escape the need to prepare and be familiar with the material. In addition, the institution may need to orientate and prepare learners for the form of tutoring that they will receive and help them adjust their expectations at the outset.

Another example of mismatched expectations relates to the purpose of the series of activities included in the material. While the course writers intended for the activities to be an integral part of the course material, and a way of engaging the learner in active learning rather than passive reading, some learners have adopted a view that the activities are supplementary to the rest of the text or that the activities are intended as mainly preparation for examination. It is not uncommon to hear complaints that "the activities did not appear in the exam". This problem could be related to the lack of familiarity with interactive learning materials.

Identifying with the institution

Learners report to having given serious consideration to the options available for study before opting for the UN/SACTE programme. A widely-held perception that a qualification from the University of Natal was worth more than that of other providers that had been considered seems to have been the strongest influencing factor. Apart from the influence of this notion of an institutional pecking-order, the availability of contact sessions in the B Ed programme was the only other strong determinant of institutional choice. Interestingly, learners in Pietermaritzburg cited the close proximity of the university as one of the factors that influenced their choice. Since it is known that the learners on the programme are the best marketers of the programme, often recruiting their colleagues to join them, these factors have important implications for the future of this programme and for other distance programmes at the university. The implications which will be discussed below, relate to how well the learners identify with the university and to their levels of satisfaction with the contact sessions i.e. tutorials.

Having one’s learners identify strongly with the institution is highly desirable for any type of institution. Universities all over the world invest in developing their alma mater. It can be argued that with distance learners, more conscious effort needs to be given to creating and nurturing that sense of ‘belonging to a particular learning community’. This is an area of attention for the B Ed programme and indeed for the university as a whole as it seeks to grow its off-campus student body.

In every focus group discussion, concern was raised about issues like,

"Whose qualification is this, UNP or SACTE?" and, more importantly, "What will appear on our degree certificates?" and "Will our graduation be at the university?"

These concerns have undoubtedly been confounded by the UN/SACTE partnership issue and the fact that for most of the KwaZulu Natal (KZN) students, SACTE was not well known. In addition, this could merely be a strong vote for a postgraduate degree from a university rather than a college diploma. For most of the KZN learners, the SACTE RLCs display no University of Natal identification. However, this is where learners who chose to register for a University of Natal qualification have made most, if not all, of their contact with the institution. In expressing their concerns about the nature of the qualification certificate and the graduation venue, learners may also be indicating their need for a closer association with the University of Natal. More evidence for this assertion can be found in the fact that some learners have chosen to travel a significant distance to the university campus for their tutorials rather than attend at a venue closer to their home. A number of the Pietermaritzburg learners come onto the campus for administration matters that could be accommodated at a distance.

In Hibberdene, on the South Coast, where the RLC is situated in a complex above a Spar supermarket, learners claim that their colleagues showed skepticism about the "University of Natal being upstairs in the Spar building". These same learners also expressed their wish that the graduation ceremony would be a grand affair that would impress their family and friends. In Durban the location of the RLC at rented offices within a technikon was confusing for learners who were aware of a University of Natal campus in the Durban area. The desire to see "their lecturers" is another common request made by learners.

Much has been written about the importance of learner motivation (Bilston, 1996) and about the sense of isolation that distance learners experience (Simpson, 2000; Bilston, 1996). Wheeler et al (1999) report on a more subtle "psychological gap" that is introduced by the separation of learners from education providers. Some of the above-mentioned concerns raised by learners may well be an effect of this more subtle form of isolation. What this may mean in more practical terms is that learners may need information and, perhaps, preparation for the separation and that the institution should be devising strategies for welcoming and developing a sense of belonging. As the institution transforms its identity, some attention should be given to how the identities of new learners are influenced. It would be argued later that reconceptualised tutor roles and relationships could aid this process. Also, that better learner support, communication and tutor development could improve the above situation. To neglect this, could easily lay oneself open to criticism of ‘trading in an industrialised form of teaching and learning’ and of alienating learners. The idea of recreating and duplicating the identity of the institution in distributed forms of education has not received much attention in the literature. As the B Ed programme moves in solo next year and sets up its own administration and learning centres, an opportunity is created for recreating and duplicating something of a University of Natal identity. Student-held notions of ‘a quality provider’ that attracted them in the first instance, need to be reinforced in the operations of these centres. In this regard as well, good staff development has an important role to play.

Communicating with the institution

Satisfying learners’ needs for information on a regular basis is a critical part of learner support. The need for good systems of communication within distance learning cannot therefore be overemphasised (Rowntree, 1997). This consideration has strong links with the issues of isolation discussed earlier.

The learners on the B Ed report a range of information needs. The types of information needed naturally change throughout their involvement with the programme. Initially, the needs are about programme structure, costs and registration dates. These needs seem to be handled well by administrators based at UNP and at RLCs. However, some staff at RLCs do claim to understand the UN/SACTE offering less well, when compared to the other SACTE programmes that they administer (for example, Hibberdene and Durban). This could have exacerbated the dislocation that learners have felt. Once registered, learners tend to focus on information regarding tutorial venues and assignment schedules and various dates and deadlines. On the basis of information needs expressed towards the end of the first year, there are indications that learners are developing a gradual and somewhat atomistic view of the programme. Despite information being available and supplied at the beginning, learners are asking questions about the courses that will be offered in the second year. This expression is more than just a need for information but for guidance. They want to know something about what the course is about and how it could benefit them in order to make selections. Tutors and RLC administrators do not seem to be able to satisfy these needs. Some thought and provision needs to be planned centrally and delivered locally for this. The timing of this provision clearly also needs to be considered. "Taster-packs" as employed elsewhere (the Open University, for example) could assist with this need, by providing a general overview of a course and assessment requirements. Once again, the issue of tutors’ roles emerge. With the current system of tutors being employed for individual courses and concentrating solely on their courses, a broader understanding of the programme as a whole may be lacking. Despite being the face of the university, these tutors are not sufficiently prepared to assist with information and guidance needs beyond the course that they are contracted for. A proposal for a new tutor role will expand on this issue.

How are learners supported within the current B Ed model?

In the B Ed programme, academic support is delivered via contact tutorial sessions. From a planning point of view, considerable work has gone into and continues to be devoted to this aspect of support. From a cost point of view, this type of support is by far the most costly element in the programme and a recurring cost at that. By comparison, very little planning or resources are devoted to non-academic support. Whatever non-academic support that has been provided has occurred by a variety of individuals in an unstructured or non-formalised manner. For example, a few tutors see guidance and counselling functions as part of their role. This is not surprising as their contract and training has not included this dimension. Tutors are also not active in the area of monitoring learner progress or guiding learners on course selection. Administrators at UNP and at some of the SACTE RLCs are engaging in advisory functions and in some instances seeking to help learners by providing information on the availability of loans. Course coordinators also field a relatively small number of queries from learners, most of which would be classified as academic support. In one course with about 800 registered learners the course coordinator fielded just 15 telephone calls from learners. In many instances contact between the course-coordinator and the tutors are limited to the training and marking events. There is little coordination of the non-academic support that is being offered. A system of a helpline, where learners could get assistance was introduced during an earlier version of the programme and then abandoned due to low usage.

Learners are largely unaware of services at the institution that are available to them as registered students. While this may seem like a strange line of enquiry with a distance learner who is not expected to come onto campus, none of the local learners who have come onto campus for tutorials and sometimes for administrative support, were aware of the campus-based student support services like guidance and counselling for example. While it is unlikely that these services developed for the on-campus students and not available on Saturdays, would cope with requests from large numbers of distance learners, the point about learners’ lack of awareness is still important and poses a challenge for the institution as a whole.

Some learners expressed a desire to use the library but claim that they are unable to do so because they have not been allocated student cards that allow use of the library. Although the materials are intended to be self-contained, the use of library facilities could enhance learning. These same cards also control physical access to the university premises and the lack of cards limit access. Once again, an institution-wide plan is needed to address this matter. This matter is receiving some attention through the work of the institution’s Open Learning Network.

Another area of attention in this institution which has committed itself to fostering equal opportunities, is awareness of learners with disabilities. Distance education is known to be particularly attractive to this part of the learner population. Special provision may be needed by learners with disabilities. Such information needs to be solicited, recorded and conveyed to the relevant parts of the system. For example, it will be important for a tutor to know that there may be someone in her/his group who will be arriving in a wheelchair or that someone with visual or hearing impairments may need to be seated appropriately.

A high percentage of learners in both the evaluation surveys conducted in 1999 (61%) and 2000 (50%), and in the focus group discussions conducted in both these years, reported experiencing a problem of either a "financial, health or personal nature" that they believed to have seriously affected their studies. This was a period of immense stress and instability in the teaching profession with rationalisation and redeployment programmes. These factors would have been a source of stress for learners. Further research is needed to understand the exact nature and the extent of the difficulties that learners are experiencing. In focus groups and individual interviews, individual learners have recounted instances of divorce, pregnancy, promotion and financial difficulties as conditions in their lives that have caused them to consider withdrawing from their studies. In addition, learners raise concerns that are typical for older adult learners (Jarvis, 1995) like feelings of insecurity about "being too old to learn" and a lack of confidence about sitting for examinations. Research into these problems is needed to explore what forms of support, if any, could be appropriately provided by the institution. The line between educational counselling and guidance and more psychotherapeutic counselling may not be clear enough for a decision on whether the institution should or could help. However, a system that creates awareness and provides points of referral would be a helpful contribution.

It seemed to be a worthwhile line of enquiry to examine how learners were satisfying their non-academic support needs. Important lessons could be gained from examining help-seeking behaviour and strategies to solve problems. Such information could make a valuable contribution to any institutional response or strategy. This information has only been solicited from learners participating in the focus group discussions and is therefore based on a small sample. More research will be required to make firm recommendations.

Learners do not appear to be taking problems of a personal nature to their tutors or the course coordinators. Apart from financial problems, the RLCs also do not appear to be seen as a resource for such problems. Past learners are a source of advice and guidance. Peer support in the form of other learners within one’s study group (not the same as tutorial group) is the main source of support for learners. Learner-led study groups are becoming increasing popular, with 65% participation in 1999 and 70% participation in 2000. The role that these groups play in supplementing planned academic support will be discussed in another presentation at this conference (Bertram, 2000). In terms of non-academic support, these student-initiated groupings appear to play an immensely important role. Strongs bonds have been developed within these groups. The sense of commitment to the group is partly responsible for the regularity of attendance at study group meetings and these meetings seem to provide structure to the learning programme. Of all the learners who had considered withdrawing, the study group was cited as the site where such feelings were taken, clarified and eventually changed. While more needs to be understood about the roles of these formations, both positive and negative, at this stage it is clear that they are widespread, meet regularly, are supportive and help learners to retain motivation. It is also clear that participation in such groups ameliorate some of the isolation that is so typically associated with distance learning. From the learners’ perspective, these groups are the most supportive element in the system. Similar findings of non-institutional support being rated most highly, have been reported from studies with learners at the Open University (Simpson, 1999). From a course management perspective, this support system has no costs. It would seem that the powerful influence of these peer-support groups warrants special attention in thinking about South African models of leaner support.

While recognising and valuing the ability of these adult learners to organise themselves and initiate support structures (Randell and Bitzer, 1998), the institution should be looking at ways in which it can harness the positive effects of these organic support structures and facilitate their development. For instance, learners in these study groups report difficulties in securing venues. Many are using their school premises but do not have access to such venues over weekends and school holidays. Learners using a tertiary institution in Pietermaritzburg are pretending to be registered at that institution and a public adult centre has several groups sharing a single room. With the permission of learners, lists of names and contact details of learners in a geographic location could be supplied by the institution. The new information management system that will be based at the School of Education, Training and Development at UNP will allow for this.

To conclude this section, there is a need for more focused attention on the non-academic aspects of learner support within the B Ed programme. Support for such a shift is taken from Paul (1988) who states that, "it is easy to conclude from a scrutiny of research in this area that what the institution does can make very little difference to student persistence and success if it merely focuses on academic and pedagogical considerations" (p. 52).

The potential benefits of investing in tutor development

At several points in this paper, the possibility or need to reconceptualise the roles of the tutor has been highlighted. This final section will now examine the current role of the tutor, how tutors have experienced their roles and explore ways in which these roles could be redefined or reconfigured. A brief assessment of the cost implications of such changes will be included, together with arguments about costs versus benefits.

Tutors are currently contracted on an annual basis. They are expected to have worked through the learning material prior to a one-and-a-half day training session. They then conduct the tutorials, assess the first two assignments and make contact with the RLC and, occasionally, with the course coordinator. The tutorials are conducted according to guidelines provided by the course coordinator. Most tutors participate in a panel that comes together to assess the third assignment and the examination. From a programme management perspective, the system involves enormous logistical effort and considerable cost, but has worked reasonably well.

In the main, tutors enjoy this work and claim that it has allowed them to continually learn and expand their knowledge and skills. Their understanding of their roles and functions accords well with that described above. There is evidence of tutors going beyond the call of duty, in most instances providing learners with their private telephone numbers. Some tutors complain about "a large workload" and in a few instances this is seen as incommensurate with the payment that they receive. In addition, they express the need for some opportunity to practise for their assessment role and for training to offer more in terms of facilitation and motivating learners.

In this early phase, recruiting suitable tutors has not been easy. With time and a growing pool of graduates the situation should ease to some extent. A major problem in planning tutor selection and training, is that the number of tutors needed is dependent on the number of learners that register. This means that figures are not known in advance and many last-minute changes become necessary. The current system of only employing and training as many tutors as is needed creates difficulties when tutors become ill or withdraw. The B Ed team at UN have been reviewing this situation and some solutions have been found and will be implemented and tested this semester. One area that is receiving immediate attention, is that of tutor training. With the limited time of the training sessions, academic support issues have taken priority. The training sessions therefore concentrate on aspects of course content and assessment. However, as demonstrated in various parts of this paper, tutors need training on a range of issues that include topics such as adult learning, learning motivation, barriers to learning, facilitation skills, interpersonal skills, diversity awareness and group learning methods. If the tutor role is broadened to respond to some of the support needs expressed by learners, then training on guidance and counselling will need to be included. If tutors are to provide advice of an administrative nature, then their knowledge of the programme as a whole and how the different parts work will also demand space in tutor training sessions.

How does the programme accommodate such a range of tutor training needs? More importantly, how could such needs be accommodated in a cost-effective and viable manner? Simply increasing the length and regularity of training is one option. Given that tutors have to be transported from various part of the country, accommodated, fed and paid for this time, the cost of this option is unlikely to make it an attractive or feasible one. It is also a large investment in a person, particularly in someone who may not stay with the programme for any reasonable length of time.

An option worth exploring involves securing a stable group of tutors who are taken through a development programme that is rolled out over a number of years. This option eases the current anxiety about needing to prepare tutors rapidly just in the essential components of academic support. After two or three training sessions (a year and half for new tutors) the training sessions could focus on other roles such as advice about the programme, disability awareness and policy, monitoring learner progress, course guidance and aspects of educational counselling. These latter year training sessions could also be used for honing educator skills that are pertinent to the tutorial context. Such a longer-term programme offers opportunities for keeping tutors abreast of developments in education in the country, and of changes and developments in the modules that they are tutoring. Of significant benefit to the programme would be the space created for more direct feedback from tutors and for tutors to be learning from each other and, possibly, for the emergence of tutor-communities and support groups.

The changes suggested are more about perspective than doing things in radically differently ways. As such, the cost implications are not severe either. Given that not all of the tutor-development programme would need to take place in contact training sessions, the costs could be further minimised. Comprehensive tutor manuals could be developed on the basis of the feedback that is currently being received. New information and communication technologies (ICTs) could in the future also provide opportunities for tutor training and support. With only 15% of learners with access to a computer and just 7% with Internet access, ICTs could not be used as a medium for learner support at present. What seems to be required initially is a commitment, a conscious plan, someone or a team to champion and monitor the plan and a relatively moderate investment in resources.

Creating and maintaining a stable tutor base is however crucial to the plan and this aspect would require greater investments of resources. Tutors may need incentives to commit to a longer relationship with the institution. This could take the form of differential scales of reimbursement based on length of service. The possibility of promotion to senior-tutor or tutor-coordinator status should also be considered. For instance, it may be worth investigating whether a small number of senior-tutors could satisfactorily deliver the broader range of non-academic support that has been discussed. Opportunities for course writing and course coordination may also be attractive and signal something of a career path that is available. Finding the most appropriate configuration of roles and functions need to be trialed over time (Sewart, 1998).

In the short-term, tutors, most of whom are educators in schools, could benefit personally if the components of such a training programme carried value towards continuous professional development (as required of teachers) and in the medium-term, the institution could look at formal accreditation for such a training programme. There may be a demand for such a programme in other parts of the institution and beyond the institution. This need has been identified and has given rise to the formation of a professional development consortium involving several key distance education organisations (Randell and Bitzer, 1998). Investments in tutors would carry additional benefits of signalling to them that they are an integral part of the programme and not an adjunct.

The need to attract, develop and maintain a stable group of skilled facilitators is critical to meeting a wider range of learner needs and, ultimately, to the future success of the programme. In summary, the benefits that could accrue from this would include the following:

Conclusion

In arguing that good staff development could provide a competitive edge for an institution, Sewart (1998) notes that "Staff development is therefore critical in ensuring quality of performance and outcomes and it is vital that this body of staff is well integrated into the institution’s overall operations" (p.153). While a reconceptualisation of staff roles and a staff development programme would require additional costs initially for the B Ed programme, there could be significant long-term benefits from such an investment. Given that the tutors are often the only human face of the programme and the institution, their role and the manner in which they function is absolutely crucial. An investment in such an important element would have widespread benefits for the institution, and, more importantly, for the learner communities it serves.

Not so long ago South African teacher education by distance methods received damning reports (SAIDE, 1995). Only high quality, well-supported provision can transform such a milieu. Research indicates that the UN/SACTE B Ed model has gone some way towards such redress. Improvements in the area of learner support, aided by a comprehensive staff development programme, could build on this successful start and significantly enhance the current model.

References

Bertram, C. (1999) Delivering a quality B.Ed. Reflecting on the UN/SACTE experience. Paper presented at the First NADEOSA National Conference, August 1999, Pretoria, South Africa.

Bertram, C. (2000) A mixed mode distance education model for teacher education: rationale, student experiences and quality. Paper presented at the Second NADEOSA National Conference, August 2000, Pretoria, South Africa.

Bilston, B. (1996) Supporting older learners in open and distance learning. In Mills, R. and Tait, A. (eds) Supporting the learner in Open and Distance learning. Pitman, London.

Dhanarajan, G. (1996) Setting up open universities. Paper presented at the British Council Seminar: Quality Assurance in Open Learning in Higher Education, 21-26 April, Bedford, United Kingdom.

Evans, O. L. (1982) Anatomy of a tutorial (or when is a tutorial not a tutorial?) Teaching at a Distance, No 21, Open University, United Kingdom.

Jarvis, P. (1995) Adult and Continuing Education: Theory and practice. Routledge, London.

Murgatroyd, S. (1980) What actually happens in tutorials? Teaching at a Distance, No 18, Open University, United Kingdom.

Paul, R. (1988) If student services are so important, then why are we cutting them back? In Sewart, D. and Daniel, J. Developing distance education. Papers submitted to the 14th ICDE world conference, Oslo, August 1988. International Council for Distance Education, Oslo.

Randell, C. and Bitzer, E. (1998) Staff development in support of effective student learning in South African distance education. In Latchem, C. and Lockwood, F. Staff development in open and flexible learning. Routledge, London.

Rowntree, D. (1997) Making materials-based learning work. Kogan Page, United Kingdom.

SAIDE (1995) Open learning and distance education in South Africa: report of an international commission, April 1994. MacMillan, Swaziland.

Sewart, D. (1998) Tuition and counselling: supporting the teachers for competitive advantage. In Latchem, C. and Lockwood, F. Staff development in open and flexible learning. Routledge, London.

Siaciwena, R (1987) Towards the integration of counselling services into distance education at the University of Zambia. Proceedings of the second international workshop on counselling in distance education, Open University, United Kingdom.

Simpson, O. (1999) Course on learner support in distance education, July 1999. International Extension College, United Kingdom.

Simpson, O. (2000) Supporting students in open and distance learning. Kogan Page, United Kingdom.

Wheeler, S., Vranch, A. and Reid, F. (1999) Bridging the ‘Psychological Gap’ in distance learning through telematics. Poster presented at the 19th World Conference on Open and Distance Education, June 1999, Vienna, Austria.

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