Report for MA MDE at UPOU, EDDE 205 - Module 6

1. Report on Module 6:
Instructional and Student
Support Systems
Francis Jim B. Tuscano
EDDE 205 l 3T-2017-2018

2. Guide in Navigating the Slide Presentation
• Icons are hyperlinks. Click the icons to go to specific or
desired slides.
• Additional notes are available in the slides notes.
Home Slide
Check Learning Objectives

3. Module Objectives
At the end of this module, learners should be
able to:
• Compare and contrast the different models in
course delivery
• Describe the support systems in developing
and delivering DE programs and discuss
their importance
Home Slide

4. Home Slide
Support Systems
in Developing
Courses
Support
Systems in
Delivering
Courses
Focus on
Learner Support
Systems in ODL

5. Background on design and
development of DE courses

6. Background on design and
development of DE courses
(Care & Scanlan, 2001)
• Not much literature or studies on development of courses for
DE
• Most DE institutions follow British Open University’s model to
course development
• Course development in DE requires project management
approach, requiring a team to work on the courses
• Designing courses is not as simple as converting on-campus
course and applying ICT tools

7. On the importance of planning phase
in course design and development
(Care & Scanlan, 2001)
If course design is not give much importance and attention,
instruction in DE appears to be disjointed and teacher-
centered, especially when converting traditional on-campus
courses to DE courses.
Course designers must avoid "standby approach where
traditional on-campus courses are re-worked slightly.”

8. Support Systems in
Developing Courses

9. Two Models for Planning and
Development of DE Courses

10. Parallel-Linear
Model1

11. • Model gives members of the course development opportunity for
frequent exchanges, but only limited to any two individuals at a
time
• It is possible that participants in the course development will not
come together to discuss about the course.
• Similar to Bate’s “Lone Ranger Model” - which may lead “to a
poor use of technology, sub-standard production of educational
materials, limited applicability of the finished product, and an
inappropriate use of faculty time”
Parallel-Linear Model

12. Parallel-Linear Model
as seen in the study of Care and Scanlan, 2001

13. Interdisciplinary
Team Model2

14. • Found to be successful in developing courses in the graduate
program
• All participants meet as a team on a regular basis to develop
the course, problem solve, and discuss issues as course
development unfolded
• Membership on the team includes faculty members with
expertise in course content, a coordinator of the overall
project, and technical support personnel.
Interdisciplinary Team Model

15. • Well suited for courses incorporating advanced technology in
distance delivery, such as, web-based courses.
• Strength of this model:
• Team members learn from one another
• Broadens team knowledge base
• Everyone contributes to the team
• Team can still meet to discuss issues during course delivery
Interdisciplinary Team Model

16. Interdisciplinary Team Model
as seen in the study of Care and Scanlan, 2001

17. Issues in Developing and Designing
DE Courses

18. Issues in Developing and
Designing DE Courses
(Care & Scanlan, 2001)
• Faculty workload - Time consuming and impacted other
scholarly responsibilities
• Search for more effective DE course development and
design model
• Ownership issues of course materials: Faculty or DE
institution?
• Additional administrative costs

19. Recommendations for Support
System in Developing Courses

20. Recommendations for Support
System in Developing Courses
(Care & Scanlan, 2001)
• Develop a strategic plan
• Adopt an interdisciplinary team model
• Provide faculty development especially on tech skills for
developing and delivering courses
• Adjust faculty workload
• Give more value to faculty work on DE course development,
i.e. in tenureship and promotion
• Address ownership issues

21. Support Systems
in Delivering
Courses

22. What’s a Student Support System?

23. Student Support System(Tait, 2000)
“a the range of services both for individuals and students in
groups which complement the course materials or learning
resources that are uniform for all learners”
cognitive affective systematic
supporting and developing
learning through the
mediation of the standard
and uniform elements of
course materials and
learning resources for
individual students;
providing an
environment which
supports students,
creates commitment
and enhances self-
esteem;
establishing
administrative processes
and information
management systems
which are effective,
transparent and overall
student-friendly.
All of these are essential and interdependent.

24. Historical Context: Emergence of
Student Support in DE
(Tait, 2003)
1844 - Isaac Pitman’s
shorthand course
correspondence -
support made possible
because of railway
1858 - University of
London’s external study.
William Brigg’s design of
tutorial support services
1946 - University of
South Africa (UNISA) -
developed distance
education without
adequate learner
support.
1969 - Open University
UK - establishment of
modern DE and
integration of student
support system

25. Kinds of Student Support System
(Tait, 2000)
• enquiry, admission and pre-study
advisory services,
• tutoring,
• guidance and counseling services,
• assessment of prior learning and
credit transfer;
• study and examination centers;
• residential schools;
• library services;
• individualized correspondence
teaching, including in some cases
continuous
assessment;
• record keeping, information
management, and other
administrative systems;
• differentiated services for students
with special needs of one sort or
another e.g.
disability, geographical
remoteness, prisoners;
• materials which support the
development of study skills,
program planning or
career development.

26. Framework for Development of Student
Support Systems
(Tait, 2000)

27. Framework for
Development of Student
Support Systems
(Tait, 2000)
6
Areas to
Consider
student characteristics
course or program demands
geography
technology
scale
management systems

28. student
characteristics
course or program
demands
geography
technology
scale
management
systems
Student Support
System
(Tait, 2000)

29. Focus on Learner
Support Systems in
ODL

30. Trends Challenges in ODL and
Importance of Student Support

31. Trends and Challenges in ODL
ODL, due to ICT, brought new
opportunities for learning -
hence, skyrocketing of
enrollment
(Ludwig-Hardman and Duniap, 2003)
Drop-our rate was also significant
and student attrition rate was
greater than traditional on-campus
programs
CHALLENGE:
How to retain students in
ODL once they have
started
RESPONSE:
Effective retention
program through learner
support services in ODL
Most learner support systems
focus on systematic
characteristics - need for more
cognitive support

32. Importance of Student Support in ODL
To provide a sense of belongingness to ODL students who feel
isolated and increase motivation
(Ludwig-Hardman and Duniap, 2003)
Assist ODL students to have self-direction and manage their
learnings
Help ODL students develop and practice responsibility and
initiative in learning

33. Scaffolding for Leaner Support
Services in ODL

34. Understanding Scaffolding for
Leaner Support Services
(Ludwig-Hardman and Duniap, 2003)
• Based on the concept of scaffolding by Wood, Bruner and Ross (1976)
which builds on the development theories of Vygotsky (1978), i.e. on
assisted learning as describe by the zone of proximal development
(ZPD)
• While this has been a key concept in pedagogy, ODL institutions can
also build on this concept to assist adult learners who are new to ODL
• Scaffolding for learner support services can help learners in the areas of
cognitive and affective support, working on the presence of interaction
between learners and support services personnel.

35. Sample Interactive Student Services Strategies
that Provide Scaffolds (Ludwig-Hardman and Duniap, 2003)
From: Western Governors University (WGU)

36. Tutoring as Student Support in ODL

37. Role and
Importance of a
Tutor in ODL
Setting
Coach and mentor
Provides developmental
feedback to students
External peer reviewer of
course material
Planner for support
structures
(Segoe, 2014)

38. Characteristics of a good DE mentor or tutor
1.Be friendly and approachable.
2.Plan carefully around students’ needs, prepare thoroughly and know
his or her subject content well.
3.Facilitate learning and help students with academic and technological
support in the related course of study.
4.Mark assignments promptly and give high quality feedback to
students.
5.Communicate, guide and counsel students regularly in their studies
and even in their private affairs.
6.Assist DE students to develop time management and study skills.
7.Know that students are unique and that they are autonomous
learners.
(Segoe, 2014)

39. Principles and Areas to Consider in Planning
Tutor Support in ODL(Segoe, 2014)
Ask the following:
• Who are the students?
• What are the needs of the
students
• How will the students’ need be
met?
• How much will the tutor services
cost?
• How will the tutor services be
implemented?
• How will the tutor services be
evaluated?
Tutor support during
contact sessions
Tutor support through
feedback strategies
Tutor support through
technological resources

40. Conclusions

41. Conclusions
• The two Models for Planning and Development of DE Courses are the “Parallel-
Linear Model” and “Interdisciplinary Team Model” which both aim to develop
online courses but threads different means and processes in the development.
• Support systems are essential in the areas of course development and delivery.
‣ Course developers and designers need different support in areas such as
professional development, workload, and ownership among others.
‣ For course delivery, students need a whole range of support services that is
not only purely systematic or logistical, but also on cognitive and affective
support.
• In ODL, approaches to or strategies for effective student support include building
on the big idea of scaffolding and tutoring services.

42. Points for Discussion
• Which of your top 3 needs as ODL student do you want a DE
institution to prioritize and consider in their learner support
system program? Kindly briefly explain your 3 choices.
• If you were to assume the role of a tutor in an ODL
environment, which of the characteristics of a good DE mentor
or tutor (Nemati, 2008 as cited in Segoe, 2014) do you:
• already possess and/ or
• aim to further develop?

43. References:
Care, W. D., & Scanlan, J. M. (2001). Planning and managing the development of courses for
distance delivery: Results from a qualitative study. Online Journal of Distance Learning
Administration, 4(2), 1-9.
Ludwig-Hardman, S., & Dunlap, J. C. (2003). Learner support services for online students:
Scaffolding for success. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed
Learning, 4(1).
Tait, A. (2000). Planning student support for open and distance learning. Open learning, 15(3),
287-299.
Tait, A. (2003). Guest editorial-Reflections on student support in open and distance learning.
The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 4(1).
Segoe, B. (2014). Tutor Support in an Open Distance Learning (ODL) Environment for
Upgrading Teachers. Journal of Human Ecology, 48(1), 161-169.