Supporting learners: The tension between institutional provision and learners’ expectations

Abstract

The rapid growth of open, distance, online, and flexible qualification programmes over the last decade has introduced a new set of challenges for tertiary education providers. Study from a distance increases the support and interaction needs of learners with a diverse range of academic skills and abilities. This paper will discuss the issues and challenges faced by both tertiary institutions and learners in the provision of effective support systems for open and distance courses, supported by data from three research studies.

Keywords

• online learning
• distance education
• e-learning
• distance learning
• technology-enhanced learning
• flexible learning