1. The document describes a virtual study-buddy program implemented at a distance university to address high dropout rates. 2. In the program, first semester students were paired with another student and engaged in relationship-building and curricular activities over 6 weeks through a online platform. 3. Evaluation found the program increased students' sense of belonging and integration, and indirectly led to higher exam registration rates, demonstrating the program's effectiveness in socially supporting new distance students.

1. FELD 1
© FernUniversität in Hagen / Horst Pierdolla
Innovations and new modes of
teaching in flexible continuing
education
Prof. Dr. Stefan Stürmer

2. FELD 1
© FernUniversität in Hagen / Horst Pierdolla
Promises of a
Virtual Study-Buddy-Program

3. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
10.11.2015Folie 3
Overview
1. Balancing flexibility and structure
2. A virtual study-buddy program
3. Evaluations
4. Further developments

4. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Balancing flexibility and structure
 Openness, flexibility and accessibility are the hallmarks of
distance education.
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 But like with any freedom, “the more you have the more risk
you have”.

5. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Drop-out rates in higher distance education
 In fact, being a successful distance student (and effectively
dealing with the liberties provided by many distance education
programs) can be a demanding endeavor, however.
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 Accordingly, dropout rates for distance education has been
reported to be higher as for classroom teaching (Carr, 2000).

6. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
 One important explanation for higher drop-out rates is that
students in distance education have often limited opportunities
of social interactions with peers (e.g., Kim et al., 2011; Slagter,
van Tryon & Bishop, 2009).
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 As a consequence, they experience a relative deprivation in
peer-to-peer-support (e.g., practical, informational and/or
emotional support), peer-to-peer feedback and peer-to-peer
responsibilities (three important factors contributing to student
success, see Kuh, 2010).
The issue of peer interactions

7. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
 A main objective of our research was to create a structured
virtual peer-to-peer support program in order to address
this issue in the study entry phase (Stürmer et al., 2014)
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8. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Online-
Motivation-
Monitor
„Study Guide“
Online-
Motivation-
Monitor
„Study Guide“
Virtual
Peer-Pairing
Programm
„Study-Buddy“
Virtual
Peer-Pairing
Programm
„Study-Buddy“
Stress
Inocculation-
Training
„Study Coach“
Stress
Inocculation-
Training
„Study Coach“
Self-organisation Social integration
Commitment

9. Institut für Psychologie
10.11.2015 Folie 9
• Peer-to-peer pairing program
• First semester students of the same degree program
• Duration of six weeks
• Phase 1 (3 weeks): Structured relationship building
• Phase 2 (3 weeks): Joint curricular activities
Key Features

10. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Relationship Pre-Structured
Support
Building Activities
Feedback
A
B B
A
B
A
Virtual Environment (MOODLE)
B
A
Social Learning
Institutional
integration
B
A

11. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
10.11.2015Folie 11
Program Evaluation
 Eligible were all Psychology B.Sc. freshmen in summer semester
2013
 Students were matched on a one-on-one basis to one other
freshmen
 Over six weeks dyads engaged in pre-structured activities in a
protected virtual environment (MOODLE).

12. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
10.11.2015Folie 12
Participants
 Total N = 1614 participants (SB: 855, CG: 759)
 Sociodemographics:
 Age: M = 31.27 years (SD = 9.27, range 17 – 69 years)
 1014 (72%) females
 497 (35%) fulltime students
 319 (26%) participants had a migrant background
 Dyads: Intervention group 1: 428
Delayed interventon group 2: 427

13. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
10.11.2015Folie 13
Fast friendship effects on liking
 Repeated measurement main effect
 F(2, 628) = 92.95, p < .001, η² = .23
5
5,1
5,2
5,3
5,4
5,5
5,6
5,7
5,8
5,9
6
week 1 week 2 week 3
group 1
group 2

14. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
10.11.2015
Folie 14
Predicting first semester exam registration (SB vs. CG, N
= 518, 2 months-follow up)
• Significant indirect effect of program participation on exam
registration via institutional integration („peer interactions“).
**p < .01; **p <.001.
program
participation
(yes / no)
institutional
integration
(end of program)
exam
registration
(yes / no)
.41*** .25**

15. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
10.11.2015Folie 15
Participants‘ perspectives
„Gelohnt hat sich die Teilnahme am Study-Buddy-
Programm, weil ich mich nicht so einsam fühlte am
Anfang des Studiums. Ich habe jemanden kennengelernt
der die gleichen Interessen hat wie ich. [...] Ich könnte mir
vorstellen, mit meinem Buddy befreundet zu sein!“
Perzat F.

16. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
10.11.2015Folie 16
Participants‘ perspectives
„Das Study-Buddy-Programm diente als sehr gute
Einstiegshilfe, es machte Lust und verbreitete Vorfreude
auf das anstehende Studium. [...] Die Tatsache, dass wir
auch als Team Aufgaben zu lösen hatten, stärkte mich,
insbesondere nach jeder gemeinsam bewältigten
Aufgabe. [...] Mein Buddy wurde mir sehr vertraut und das
wiederum half mir, mich hinsichtlich des Studiums nicht
alleine zu fühlen.“Stefanie B.

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Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Homescreen
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Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Start
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Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Our duties
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Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Private Chats
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21. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Supervision
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22. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
Generalizability across culturally diverse dyads
 No systematic influences of cross-cultural composition of the
study-buddy dyads
 One exception: gender composition
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23. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
 Fast-Friendship-Procedure effective in establishing positive
and relatively enduring relationships among distance students
Conclusions
 Effectiveness held true independent of intercultural (dis)similarities
between students („personalization effect“ – exception: gender)
 Positive effects on study-related behaviors („exam registration“)
mediated via an increased sense of institutional integration

24. Lehrgebiet Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Stürmer
10.11.2015Folie 24
Thank you for your attention!