The University of Cape Coast Experience - South African Institute for ...

We are submitting the following contribution to the Programme Committee for
consideration for presentation at the conference to be held at the North-West University,
Potchefstroom Campus
Title of Presentation:
Creating Supportive Learning Environments
for Quality Distance Education Programmes.
The University Of Cape Coast Experience
Initials and Surnames of ALL authors
J.Sam-Tagoe
Number of words 4,293
C.Akumamoah-Boateng
Sub-topic of paper addresses
Creating Supportive Learning Environment
Details of author to whom feedback must be submitted
Name
Institution
Josephine Sam-Tagoe (Mrs)
University of Cape Coast
Work Telephone Number +233285402716
Fax Number
Cell Phone Number +233 24 4370878
E-mail
nsamtagoe@yahoo.com
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Abstract
The study delves into the existing supportive learning environments put in place by the
Centre for Continuing Education-University of Cape Coast (CCE-UCC) and how these
systems impact on the students learning. The research design used for the study was
the descriptive survey with the questionnaire as the research instrument. A sample of
580 students drawn from a population of 4,300 final year students of the distance
learning wing of CCE-UCC served as respondents to the study. The quota and simple
random sampling techniques were used in collecting needed data. Data was analyzed
using frequency distribution and percentages. The study revealed that distance
education students of UCC enjoy supportive learning environments such as facilitation
by course tutors, face-to-face sessions, already prepared print modules and services
rendered by course coordinators and Regional Resident Tutors. The study also
revealed that students want Online, Tele and audio conferencing as well as teleseminar
facilities to be added to the existing support systems at CCE-UCC. It is recommended
that the creation of supportive learning environments for distance education students
should be an integral part of the programme.
Background to the study
The provision of quality education is critical to the development of a nation as it serves
as a source of better life for people. It is an acceptable principle that a country’s human
resource development is paramount to the country’s own development. In view of this,
some countries in Africa have come to the realization of creating educational
opportunities for their citizens to update and upgrade their knowledge and skills in order
to perform creditably in their work environments. In Ghana, much as people from all
facets of life would like to upgrade their qualifications, the conventional educational
institutions all over the country are not enough to absorb all aspiring students into the
various tertiary institutions available. Year after year, it is becoming increasingly difficult
for the few public universities to admit all applicants who apply for admission. For well
over a decade now, the universities have not been able to offer admission to more than
40 percent of qualified applicants (SRMIS, 2009). For example, at UCC, the total
applicants for the 2007/2008 academic year were about 15,000. Out of this number,
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only 4,146 (27.6%) had admission to pursue various programmes at the university. In
2008/2009 academic year, the total applicants were around 13,000 and 4,319 (33%)
gained admission. Similarly, during the 2009/2010 academic year the applicants were
about 13,964 with only 4,216 (30.2%) gaining admission into the university (SRMIS,
2010).The question is “where do the rest go Informal discussions with students in the
classroom indicate that there are several thousands of adult workers who need higher
education to consolidate their positions at their work places. This trend of affairs over
the years necessitated a move for the University of Cape-Coast to establish her
distance learning wing which is the CCE-UCC in 1997.
Distance learning is any type of instruction in which the student and instructor are
separated by physical distance, which implies that the student is not in the same
classroom most of the time (Wahlstrom , C.; Williams, B.K.; & Shea, P.( 2003). It is a
medium of teaching and learning using modern technology so that teachers and
students do not have to be together in the classroom. Honeyman & Miller (1993) added
that, distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on the
pedagogy, technology and instructional system designs that aim to deliver education to
students who are not physically “on site” in a traditional classroom or campus. It has
also been described as a process to create and provide access to learning when the
source of information and the learners are separated by time and distance or both
(Honeyman and Miller, 1993). The California Distance Learning Project (CDLP-2005)
says Distance Learning is an instructional delivery system that connects learners with
educational resources. The Higher Education Opportunities Act (2009) defines Distance
Education as a formal interaction which uses one or more technologies to deliver
instruction to students who are separated from the instructor. It usually incorporates
technologies such as the internet, one-way and two-way transmissions through open
broadcast, closed circuit cable, broadband lines, satellite or wireless communication
devices, audio conferencing and video cassettes in conjunction with any of the other
technologies. From the perspective of the researcher, distance education can be
defined as a system of education that allows students to be “on site” as a group at
certain times and “off site” at other times.
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Distance Education at UCC
There are a wide range of opinions concerning the appropriateness of distance learning.
Some support the importance of face-to-face and classroom experiences in which
students learn from one another through classroom interaction. Others contend that a
hybrid configuration, that is, part of the course in the classroom and part in distance
learning is much better than learning that is presented exclusively through distance
learning (O’ Lawrence, 2007). Twiss & O’Lawrence (2002) opine that hybrid courses
are a blend of face- to- face instruction and online learning that satisfy students’ need
for convenient course offering while making use of faculty facilities and resourses.
According to the CDLP, there are two types of distance education delivery systems. The
first is synchronous instruction which demands a simultaneous participation of all
students and instructors. Whatever is being done comes off at the same time and
students are expected to get connected at the scheduled time. The second one is
asynchronous instruction. This does not need the simultaneous participation of students
and instructors. Students do not need to gather at the same place at the same time for
instructions. Instead, students can choose or select their own instructional time frame
and interact with their course materials and instructors according to their schedules.
The CDLP continues to say that asynchronous instruction is more flexible than
synchronous instruction but then time limits are necessary to maintain focus and
participation. Any distance education programme that requires that students meet
physically for face- to- face sessions, write examinations and or receive any other
information is said to be hybrid in nature. A critical analysis of the types of distance
education delivery systems above reveals that the UCC Distance Education Programme
is both synchronous and asynchronous in nature. The Centre for Continuing,
Education, University of Cape-Coast (CCE-UCC) has 24 study centres spread all over
the ten regions of Ghana. The Centre runs both Diploma and Degree programmes as
well as a Post Graduate Programme in Information Technology (M.Ed.-IT). The courses
CCE-UCC offers include Basic Education for teachers, Management Studies,
Commerce and Marketing courses for non teachers.
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Quality Assurance in Distance Education
Quality assurance and control are crucial to any educational package in the sense that
it is the level of standard set by the education enterprise that will determine the level of
success it will attain. If high educational standards are set and maintained, the
probability is that, high educational achievements and success will be attained. The
Centre for Continuing Education, University of Cape-Coast follows certain measures
that can guarantee quality. These include entry requirements, course content, qualified
facilitators, study centers, face-to-face sessions, registration of courses, writing of
quizzes and examinations among others. To make sure that good materials are
admitted into the programme, CCE-UCC admits students whose qualification fall within
the entry requirements of the regular students. A Special Entrance Examination (SEE)
is conducted for some CCE applicants as the mature students’ component of the
regular system and candidates who pass the entrance examination are admitted into
the programme. On course content, Professors, Senior Lecturers and Lecturers of the
various faculties are recruited to write print materials (modules) for learners. These
follow the course outline of the regular students, and are edited and reviewed from time
to time. Qualified course facilitators are recruited to facilitate students learning during
face-to-face sessions that are organized for students. The staff of the centre visit these
centers to interact with students. Regional Resident Tutors (RRT’s) have been placed
in the regional capitals to cater for the needs of students and offer counselling where
necessary. At the headquarters, there are co-coordinators for the various units of the
centre. The units include students and course tutors affairs, assessment, examination,
teaching practice, project work, research, records and dispatch. The centre organizes
three quizzes in a semester and an end of semester examination for all students. Those
offering Basic Education programmes do Teaching Practice and write Research Project
Work. In order to build a unifying front, the students of CCE-UCC have an association
captioned, Distance Education Students Association of Ghana (DESAG) which is a
component of the Students Representative Council (S R C) of the conventional
students. DESAG has therefore become a channel of communication for students of
CCE and the university authority. At the beginning of each semester students are
expected to register personally at the study centres and to collect their learning
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materials. All these bring about quality in the distance education programme in the
sense that students draw on these resources to enhance the learning process.
Supportive Learning Environments of CCE –UCC
In creating a supportive learning environment, it is necessary to look at all the factors
that impact on the development of students. Consideration should be given to the
physical, intellectual and emotional aspects of the environment (Thompson and
Wheeler, 2008). The distance learning environment plays a key role in the success or
failure of the student. Every effective distance education programme must therefore
give a serious attention to the creation of supportive learning environment for students.
Reddy (1988) explains that, the objective behind setting up the student support system
is to minimize the potentials for conflict and help the student to proceed with the
academic work in a systematic manner to achieve success. To do this effectively, the
human element of the programme must be considered.
Alias and Rahman (2005) after a study in some Malaysian Universities came out to say
that learners indicated a conventional view of their learning facilitators and were waiting
to be taught during monthly seminars. Some of the students expressed their needs for
continuous human contact and the presence of a teacher figure to guide their learning.
It is worth noting that distance learners may need different kinds of help. They may
need help before, during and after the programme. Before they start learning, students
may be supported to recognize that they need to learn and decide what they want from
the learning and how best to achieve it (Lewis and Spencer, 1986). Rowntree (1992)
stated that: “these support systems need to be planned at least as rigorously as the
package materials. Learners without support are most liable to delay their completion of
a programme or to drop out completely. They simply have no one to turn to when they
run into problems. The sad thing is that their problems would often have been solved by
a few minutes of a supporter’s time-perhaps just enough to say “yes, of course you can
take longer over the project” or you’re doing fine, everybody has trouble with that
section” (Rowntree, 1992:35). The foregoing indicates that learners can run into all
kinds of anxieties, problems and difficulties when trying to learn under their own steam.
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It is based on some of these frustrations and expectations that CCE-UCC has created
some support system for its learners. The Centre runs face- to-face session fortnightly
for each year group. During such sessions, facilitators throw more light on what
students have studied. There are student-student as well as facilitator-student
interactions. CCE-UCC also supports its students by assigning members of staff to visit
all the 24 centres in the country weekly. They solve students’ problems and enlighten
them on issues that may be bothering them. Another supportive learning environment
created by CCE-UCC is the placement of RRT’s in all the ten regions of Ghana. The
RRT’s are permanently based in the Regional capitals and are expected to handle all
issues pertaining to students and facilitators welfare. They disseminate all information
coming from the head quarters to the public including students and act as counsellors
on academic, social, and emotional issues brought out by students in the course of their
studies. Study centres that are located outside the regional capitals have course
coordinators who see to the week to week activities of the centers. A supportive
learning environment worth mentioning is the print material or modules used by
students. These are written in an interactive style and therefore are user friendly. The
collection of modules at the beginning of each semester alone brings students,
facilitators and CCE-UCC staff together for effective interactions. These measures are
put in place to bring quality as well as making CCE-UCC students comfortable and
confident in their course of study.
Statement of the Problem
The assumption that adult learners could be largely self sufficient may not be correct
(Coldeway, 1982). In most cases, adult students are studying part time and have to
accommodate their studies within the demands of their families, jobs and established
social life. This implies that their role as students is one of the many other roles they
play. To complicate issues, most Distance Education Learners have been away from
any kind of educational environment for at least a few years, so that their study habits, if
not non-existent are, at least, rusty (Reddy, 1988). When they enroll into a distance
education programme, the potential for conflict between the demands of their studies
and those in other areas of their lives is great. It is therefore necessary to put certain
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measures in place in order to put the students at ease as well as ensuring quality in the
system. The purpose of this study is to sort out the existing supportive learning
environments put in place by CCE-UCC and to find out whether students also see them
as support systems. The study also finds out whether the supportive learning
environments lead to quality distance education programmes and unravel new support
systems that CCE-UCC should add to the existing ones for course effectiveness.
In view of this, the study delves into the existing supportive learning environments that
have been created by CCE-UCC and whether these supportive environments impact
positively on students learning and lead to quality distance education programmes, as
well as looking at the new supportive environments that can be created. The following
research questions guided the study.
1. How do students view the existing supportive learning environments that have
been created by CCE-UCC
2. How do these existing supportive learning environments impact on students
learning as index to quality distance education programmes
3. Which other supportive learning environments could be created to enhance and
maintain the programme
METHODOLOGY
The descriptive survey research method was used for the study. The design was
chosen due to the fact that descriptive survey enables the collection of detailed and
factual information which describes existing phenomenon. It justifies current conditions
and practice (Ulin, P.R.,Robinson,T.E., Tally, E.F.,& McNeill, E.T. (2002).
The target population of the study consisted of all students of the Centre for Continuing
Education, University of Cape-Coast. The accessible population comprised 4,300 final
year students of the 2009/2010 academic year group offering Commerce, Management
Studies and Basic Education programmes. The group was selected because they have
been in the system for about three years and understands the system better.
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The quota and the simple random sampling techniques were used to select 610
students from the accessible population. Thirty to sixty of the instruments were allocated
to each study center depending on the numerical strength of the final year students in a
particular study centre. The simple random sampling technique was then used to select
students to respond to the instrument.
The main instrument used for the study was a twelve item questionnaire designed by
the researcher. It had two sections –A and B for demographic data and information on
supportive learning environments respectively. The items include sex and age of
respondents, what students consider as supportive learning environments, the impact of
the support systems on students learning, how students rate their performance in
relation to the support systems put in place as well as the new support systems that
should be added to the existing ones.
According to Bowling (1999), the questionnaire is the best instrument for collecting data
for survey research because surveys are carried out in natural settings. The reliability
level of the instrument was determined using the test-retest technique. Sixty (60)
students were pre-selected and the instrument was administered to them. After one
week interval, the instrument was re-administered and a co-efficient of 0.82 was
obtained.
Copies of the questionnaires were sent through CCE-UCC staff who visits the various
centres each week end. Respondents were given one week to complete the
questionnaires. Out of the 610 questionnaires sent out, 595 were retrieved but only 580
were properly responded to. This gave about 96% return rate. Data was analyzed using
descriptive statistics in the form of frequency distribution and percentages.
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FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
Supportive Learning Environments Created by CCE-UCC
Table 1: Supportive Learning Environments (N=580)
Learning Environments Respondents Percentage
Face-to-face Sessions 180 31.0
Course Facilitators 200 34.5
RRT’s & Course Coord,s 120 20.7
Print Modules 80 13.8
Total 580 100
Research Question one sought to find out from students the supportive learning
environments that CCE-UCC has put in place for them to facilitate their learning. Data
in Table 1 indicate that 200 (34.5%) of the students see the role played by course
facilitators as a Supportive Learning Environment while 180 (31.0%) see face -to- face
sessions in the same vein. One hundred and twenty (20.7%) said the services rendered
by Regional Resident Tutor’s and course coordinators is supportive while the rest 80
(13.8%) talked of print modules. The implication is that students see the role played by
course facilitators, face-to-face sessions, and the role of Regional Resident Tutors and
course co-coordinators as well as print modules as supportive learning environments.
One might have thought that most students will see the print modules as a support
system but rather only a few students saw it that way. Perhaps students see the print
modules as a package they are entitled to. On supportive learning environments, Cain,
Darrell L., Marrara, C., Pitre, Paul E. & Armour Sabrina (2003), in a study came out to
say that all the respondents used for their study discussed the need for some type of
interaction that would assist them in getting to know each other. They agreed that some
type of person-to-person contact was essential to having enjoyable learning. In the
same vein, Wright, T.M.; Marsh, G. E. & Miller, M. T.(2000) are of the view that, the
amount of student interaction is likely to, improve distance learners’ educational
experiences.
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The impact of Supportive Learning Environments on students’ learning leading to
Quality Distance Education Programme.
Table 2: Supportive Learning Environment and Quality in Distance Education
(N=580)
Reasons for Quality Respondents Percentage
Print modules facilitate understanding 201 34.7
Course facilitators explain issues 199 34.3
Human touch through face-to-face 88 15.2
Regional officers solve students 92 15.8
problems
Total 580 100
Research Question 2 tried to find out the impact of the support systems put in place by
CCE-UCC on students’ learning. In table 2, 201 (34.7%) respondents said the print
modules are well illustrated and therefore lead to quality in distance learning. One
hundred and ninety nine (34.3%) said course facilitators throw more light on what
students learn and this goes a long way to impact positively on their academic
performance, while 92(15.8%) said the Regional Resident Tutor’s in the regional offices
help to solve students’ problems and act as cousellors when the need arises. The
remaining 88(15.2%) who talked of the periodic face-to-face sessions said such
sessions bring both students and staff together giving the programme a human touch.
The available result indicates that the print modules, presence of course facilitators,
establishment of regional offices and organized periodic face-to-face sessions all lead to
quality distance education. Belton (1994) and Garland (1992) ascertained that distance
education depended heavily on efficient support systems to provide quality education
that meets student needs.
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New Supportive Learning Environments that can be Created for CCE-UCC
Students
Table 3: New Supportive Learning Environments (N.S.L.E)
N.S.L.E Respondents Percentage
Online 206 35.5
Teleconferencing 120 20.7
Audio Conferencing 143 24.7
Tele-seminar 111 19.1
Total 580 100
Research Question 3 sought to identify new supportive learning environments that can
be added to those that exist already. Data in table 3 indicate that 206 (35.5%) of
respondents said online facilities should be added to the support systems, while 143
(24.7%) talked of audio conferencing. Out of the remaining respondents, 120 (20.7%)
talked of teleconferencing and the remaining 111(19.1%) talked of teleseminar.
Available results in table 3 show that CCE-UCC students want to be connected online.
They also need audio conferencing, teleconferencing and teleseminar. Online is the
condition of being connected to a net work of computers or other devices. The term is
frequently used to describe someone connected to the internet. Distance learners want
to access their results and other information online so that they may not have to move
from their homes and offices to regional and distance study centres. Audio
Conferencing refers to meetings held by people in different places using devices that
allow sounds to be sent and received. It allows multiple parties to connect using
devices such as phones, the computer and the Internet. If the parties involved need
only to listen, then they will need only speakers but if they will talk, then they will need
microphones in addition (Dye, 2003). A teleconference is video or a telephone meeting
between persons remote from one another but linked by a telecommunications system.
The Sci-Tech Encyclopedia says a teleseminar is unutilized for educational purposes. It
is primarily one way communication to many destinations from one source. It almost
always uses audio communication and may also use video and some form of graphics.
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A means is provided for the receiving locations to ask questions of the instructor via
microphones or telephone handsets.
Conclusion
The study is limited to the twenty four centres of CCE-UCC that have final year
students. The focus is on distance education students alone and the new supportive
learning environments mentioned by students were grouped under four main headings:
Online, Teleconferencing, Audio conferencing and teleconferencing. The new
supportive learning environments are all electronically operated. Much as these
supportive systems will enhance students’ learning and access to information, they may
not be of benefit to all CCE-UCC Students. This is due to the fact that some of the
students reside and work in very remote areas with no source of electricity at all. Others
do not have access to any of the electronic gadgets that can connect them online.
There is also the problem of power fluctuation in the country which may not make it
possible for students to be connected at certain times. On the other hand, if these
measures are put in place, there will be a broader access to students’ involvement in
university activities. It will save time and travel costs. Audio conferencing, for instance,
can be used to solve a number of problems that can arise when multiple parties need to
meet. People who are distant and busy do not have to sacrifice the travel time since the
meeting can be conducted from a nearby phone or computer. A person who will
otherwise be excluded due to a bedridden illness can participate. Money that will be
needed to book a meeting place can be saved for other pressing issues. In conclusion,
one can say that creating supportive learning environment for distance education
learners is crucial to the success of the programme.
Recommendation
Creating supportive learning environments for distance education students
should be an integral part of the programme.
The new support systems can be introduced by using electronic gadgets that can
make use of dry cell batteries such as the radio.
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Online facilities can start with students in the regional and district capitals that have
access to some of the electronic gadgets needed.
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