dc.description.abstract |
Research into private distance education sector, particularly on student support system, is very
rare in Ethiopian context. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to investigate the practice
and challenges of learner support system in Ethiopian private distance education institutions in
case of Alpha University College Gondar Branch. To this end, mixed research approach was
used. From the total of 253 populations (male=132 and female= 121), 134 (male=68
female=66) sample participants were selected through available sampling technique.
Comprehensive sampling was employed to select center staffs in Alpha University College
Gondar Branch. The relevant data were collected through questionnaire, document analysis and
semi-structured interview. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics
(frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (one sample ttest,
independent samples t- test and one way ANOVA) whereas; the qualitative data were
analyzed through verbal description. Based on the analysis, it was found that learner support
service was not implemented in the expected manner and the learners were dissatisfied by the
services which were delivered by the institution. That is, the implementation of learner support
was minimum and not properly practiced. Appropriate feedback was not provided and various
modes of delivery were not used in the implementation. It was also found that the practice of
learner support was challenged by many factors of which individual related challenges including
expensiveness of communication and travel, work overload of learners, employers challenge to
give leave and conflicting commitments of learners; institutional related challenges including
lack of resources and low commitment of the institution to deliver effective learner support
service and instructional related challenges including inadequate content of instructional
materials and insufficient knowledge of tutors were the most serious ones. Based on those
findings, the institution were not able to implement effective learner support service and
challenges were not taken by the concerned bodies. Hence, some recommendations were
forwarded as a solution for the identified problems. |
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