Investigating the role of non-academic support systems of students completing a Master’s Degree in Open, Distance and e-Learning
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Date
2017
Authors
Fynn, Angelo
Janse van Vuuren, Herman
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Education, University of the Free State
Abstract
This paper investigates the role played by the non-academic
support systems that students can access during their master’s
journey within the Open, Distance and e-Learning context. In
defining support, this paper draws on the theory of connectivism,
which portrays relationships as a network with various connecting
nodes. Traditionally, support for master’s students takes the
form of academic assistance that is channelled primarily through
the supervision relationship. The relationship between student
and supervisor in Open, Distance and e-Learning represents
the main bridge between student and institution. As such, the
process of supervision has evolved into a critical component of
student success at the level of master’s studies. The theory of
connectivism challenges this rigid view of unidirectional learning
in a supervision relationship or programme. The connectivist
approach acknowledges that learning and knowledge rest within
a diversity of opinion. Drawing from a cohort of postgraduate
students at a South African distance‑education institution, this
paper measures the learning network of each student. In total,
37 students and graduates responded to an online survey aimed
at investigating the networks that students have created during
their master’s studies. The instrument consisted of 34 items that
covered aspects such as the cognitive, affective and systemic
support provided by supervisors as well as external sources of
support. While the supervision relationship remains the core
process during postgraduate studies, meeting the needs of
postgraduate students extends well beyond the capabilities of
most individual supervisors. Results in this study demonstrated
that students have a range of needs for the successful completion
of their qualifications. Respondents reportedly had the necessary
social and financial capital to support these needs outside the
supervision relationships; however, not all students do. This study,
therefore, provided a student‑support framework that may identify
the support needs and support sources to improve postgraduate
student support.
Description
Keywords
Connectivism, Master's, Networked learning, Non-academic support systems, Student success, Student throughput
Citation
Fynn, A., & Janse van Vuuren, H. 2017. Investigating the role of nonacademic support systems of students completing a Master’s Degree in Open, Distance and e-Learning. Perspectives in Education, 35(1), 186-199.