RESEARCH - US STUDY ON DISTANCE LEARNING DIFFICULTIES

Human Learning - US Study on Distance Learning Difficulties.
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B. Instructor and Course Preparation Issues;
Historical Findings

(i) Lack of Staff Technical Support

- various forms of support to encourage staff are poor in many institutions.
Technical support and faculty training greatly vary amongst institutions along with financial incentives, through grants or additional salary options as staff develop on-line courses. Some institutions ask staff to only provide the course content and have 'support-center personnel convert the course materials to an on-line format.' A team approach is suggested : lecturers, curriculum designers and technology support.

(ii) Lack of Coaching and Mentoring Skills

'Instructors must be willing to put in extra work to build trust and understanding to make on-line courses as successful as classroom delivery.' Extra communication efforts, the "human touch" are particularly needed to minimise misunderstandings and to 'motivate and support learners throughout the course.' Without any consistent collaboration, figures of 75 % course drop out have been witnessed.

C. Distance Learning Administration Issues
Historical Findings.

(i) Lack Student-Centered approach

- The luxury of not commuting to the campus may lead to student needs inadequately being met. The phenomenon of "out of sight, out of mind" could well apply here. A well-designed course serves all learning styles but needs repeated reinforcements, clarifications and assurances. Access to all information at one's fingertips in electronic form appears attractive to students.

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Current Study Findings

Technology

Four key problems are seen to be associated with technology usage from the instructor's viewpoint (graph below). Technology-related system, support and skills are greatly lacking at institutions, as assessed by experienced distance learning business professors. 80 % saw their technology as causing serious-enough problems that disrupt the learning process.

Four key problems are seen to be associated with instruction from the instructor's viewpoint (graph below). Access to resources is a major problem. 68 % of the respondents considered student access to course-related resources as a serious-enough existing problem. One out of two distance learning coordinators see on-line testing as problematic.

Six key factors are seen to be associated distance learning overall from the instructor's viewpiont (graph below). Instructors clearly saw Flexibility and Instructor as Facilitator as two critical factors. Many are convinced that this is a forward step for both adult learners and teachers. Cost efficiency to students is important to a large part of the instructors surveyed however another 37 % were unsure of this factor being important. Another 36 % were also unsure about learning that is student-centred.