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Open entry – Yes, Distance education – Why? Adult learning – Why not?

Open entry – Yes, Distance education – Why? Adult learning – Why not? Natalia Li, David Kember 11 th May 2005, OUHK. contents. Part I – Students ’ difficulties and mismatches in dealing with their study in the first year of distance education (30 minutes)

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Open entry – Yes, Distance education – Why? Adult learning – Why not?

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  1. Open entry – Yes, Distance education – Why? Adult learning – Why not? Natalia Li, David Kember 11th May 2005, OUHK

  2. contents • Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatches in dealing with their study in the first year of distance education (30 minutes) • Part II – Interpretation and explanation of the mismatches (20 minutes) • Question and answer (10 minutes)

  3. Part I Students’ difficulties and mismatchesin dealing with their study in the first year of distance learning

  4. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatches Introduction • Qualitative research on 10 new entrants to distance education • Had many hurdles • Their struggles interpreted as mismatches between degree of development of independent learning and method of study to be adopted • Findings are discussed – adult learning of self-determination and open entry

  5. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatches Methodology • 2 rounds of in-depth interviews (1 year apart) • Telephone discussions in between • Visits to tutorials - sought research subjects (end of 1999) - observed 6 research subjects (2000)

  6. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatches Students’ background • all 10 students recruited from a foundation business course, BBA (but 1 studied language stream) • 9 F.5 or F.7 graduates, 1 Grade 12 overseas • 3 studied full-time diploma or certificate courses • 3 studied part-time diploma or certificate courses • all learned through face-to-face taught mode before studying at the University

  7. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatches Learning independently assumed VS study methods adopted 8 mismatches were identified

  8. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 1 – did not make good use of prospectus and course supplementary • Not helping oneself to make decisions It’s very difficult to choose courses, by only relying on the prospectus. Oh, OU should tell/suggest what courses would be relevant to other courses. It affected my study. It is very difficult to tell OU that you should provide another course but not this one. It would be better if they can give advice on choosing courses.

  9. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 2 – could not manage new concepts of all courses • Some were good at essay type courses, but weak in computing or mathematics types, or vise versa • Performed not so well as they wanted to • Needed extra time, effort and support to handle tasks, which they might not have prepared for

  10. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 2 – could not manage new concepts of all courses • Not good at essay type courses You don’t know how the tutors or markers would mark your writing. There are no definite or standard answers. You never know exactly how you perform. Yes, it is right to ask for more elaboration. However, it is very difficult for me. I was required to present the theory in detail. The tutors might comment that I do not write enough to illustrate my understanding. I am used to write one or two sentences to present my ideas. I supposed the tutors should understand what I mean.

  11. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 2 – could not manage new concepts of all courses • Weak in other courses I am very afraid of doing mathematics. Once I got the answer wrong, I would not have any marks. I do not have much confidence in mathematics since in primary school. This student preferred to take essay type courses.

  12. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 2 – could not manage new concepts of all courses • Spent extra time I did not know how to do assignments. I wanted to have more time to finish the assignments by asking for extension.

  13. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 3 – did not have adequate English ability • All said that they could understand the course materials, although not in the first attempt. • For difficult parts, they would read a few more times and look up the dictionary to get a better understanding. • However, some students had more problems than others.

  14. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 3 – did not have adequate English ability • Not able to identify important parts My English is quite weak… I think I am not good at study skills. My ability is quite weak... I did not know how to select what should be covered or what should be left behind. I would say it is not a good or clever way of studying.

  15. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 3 – did not have adequate English ability • Not able to comprehend the materials The reason [for spending longer time] is that my English is too weak. In reading the textbook, I could not understand. I have to look up the dictionary very often. I could not comprehend the text quickly… My time was wasted in this area... I spent much more time to finish reading but still might not be able to understand thoroughly.

  16. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 3 – did not have adequate English ability • Not able to present ideas due to weak English writing I paid a lot of effort in the first TMA. I started it very early. However, I faced the problem of English competence. I had the points in mind but could not present them properly in English. I was not able to express clearly with correct words and grammar.

  17. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 3 – did not have adequate English ability • Weak examination performance My performance in the examination was weak. I did not allocate my time properly. I did not read the passage for comprehension in good detail… I did not think for the answers thoroughly.

  18. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 4 – not enough tutorials for face-to-face learners • They enjoyed tutors’ support: Helped understanding course materials and concepts Maybe you do not understand if you study the book only. The tutorials would be very helpful. It also helped me to understand more and clearer by using lesser time. I thought of not attending tutorial before. However, I decided to attend eventually. If you missed a tutorial, you might miss some important points and have no chance to fill in the gap. When [the course] first started, I was very hardworking that I read a lot before attending tutorials. I thought that I understood what was presented. However, after attending the tutorials, I realised that I made mistakes. Therefore I regard that attending tutorials is very important. Otherwise, I would not be able to make sure if I have understood correctly.

  19. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 4 – not enough tutorials for face-to-face learners • They enjoyed tutors’ support: Helped to handle assignments It’s very useful. First of all, the most important thing was that she reminded us of the due date of the handing in the assignment. Although the deadline has been stated in the assignments, I did not read that for TMAs as I focused on the contents without reading the assignment guides. Secondly, (the tutor) reminded us the important remarks of doing assignments, e.g. we cannot use point form to answer the questions. I think there would be a lot of students would make this kind of mistakes if they were not reminded. The points were very useful.

  20. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 4 – not enough tutorials for face-to-face learners • In the first interview, the students were asked how would they handle the problems and their study. They said -- they were the responsible ones -- they would take control of their study • However found not able to handle their study independently --they relied on their tutors’ presentation or explanation

  21. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 4 – not enough tutorials for face-to-face learners • Attended more than one round of tutorial sessions on the same courses It would be no harm to attend two tutorial groups… I attended two tutorial groups for [a computing and I.T. course] once… It helped me to understand more. You know, each tutor presents what she/he sees as important. Not all topics will be covered. Somehow, you might not be able to listen to what you need. If you go to another tutorial group, you will have the chance to get what you want. At least three students did so

  22. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 4 – not enough tutorials for face-to-face learners • Preferred more tutorials I think the tutorials sessions are not enough. If we could have tutorials each week, the assistance would be better. (5-credit course) I think the time gap between two tutorials is too long. (Q: You have 1 tutorial per month, and you have surgeries.) I prefer to have a tutorial for every two weeks. It can keep my study mood. (10-credit course)

  23. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 5 – varied degree of involvement in tutorials • Students attended tutorials to help their learning • Involvement in tutorials varied because of different reasons

  24. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 5 – varied degree of involvement in tutorials • Did not preview – too busy at work (could not contribute ideas) • Not ready to ask questions (just focused on TMAs) • Weak English • Shy to present in front of others

  25. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 6 – not using telephone tutoring • Because of a time gap between the needs and availability --only four hours per week was not enough -- over-time work did not allow to make calls within the scheduled hours -- scheduled hours did not fit into late night study habits -- not easy to understand through telephone discussion -- felt uneasy to call all the time, meaningless

  26. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 6 – not using telephone tutoring • Expected more hours I would like the tutors to provide more consultation hours, not only limited to the evenings of Saturdays and Sundays. Usually, I was not at home... There are very limited hours for consultation. There are so many of us who need advice. I feel uneasy to disturb them… Three students always called only to extend the assignment deadlines.

  27. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 7 – not using online support, surgeries, libraries • Read notes from tutors or other students’ messages mainly, without participating in discussion or sharing views It (Attending surgeries) is very practical. However, I cannot arrange my time to attend those surgeries. You can ask a lot of things if you have interest. (Q: Have you attended any sessions of surgery?) I have not attended any. I am lazy in this case. I only used the e-mail system. My tutors encouraged us to use the e-mails, discussion board… I only read the messages. I was lazy. I did not join the chat room discussion.

  28. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 7 – not using online support, surgeries, libraries • Not using the University library, e-library, public libraries • Because of -- not needed -- no time -- too far away from work place/ home

  29. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 8 – study groups not functioning well • Suggested by the University and the tutors to form study groups to support one another. • These ten students formed study groups in the first tutorial in the foundation business course. • They had exchanged contact information.

  30. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 8 – study groups not functioning well • Peer support enjoyed When I shared with my peers to finish different parts of the assignment, that is, we reminded and showed each other what we knew, I got a high sense of satisfaction. It was very nice that I got someone to ask. If I only studied on my own, it would be too difficult. I think it would be much easier to solve the problems together. It makes a very big different to have peers to work together.

  31. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 8 – study groups not functioning well • Peers not available I discovered a course mate took the exactly same subjects with me. I planned to ask for his telephone number in the next tutorial session. But he did not attend the tutorials again. I have no where to contact him again… The second tutorial was a month afterwards. We had to hand in the first assignment. It was too late to get another course mate to ask… I really hoped to learn with course mates of the course. If I could have someone to discuss with, I would not have dropped the XXX course…

  32. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatchesMismatch 8 – study groups not functioning well • No initiative to make the first call • Not easy to get group members (new to one another in new courses) • No time to meet up • Living far apart

  33. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatches Summary • students did not make good use of information provided in the prospectus and human resources indicated in course supplement to help themselves making decisions • students could not manage new concepts of all courses. Some were good at essay type courses, but weak in computing or mathematics types, or vise versa. They performed not so well as they wanted to. They needed extra time, effort and support to handle tasks, which they might not have prepared for

  34. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatches Summary • students did not have adequate languageabilities to handle their study in English. It caused problems in comprehending course content and writing up the assignments and answering questions in essay form

  35. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatches Summary • numbers of tutorial sessions were not enough for students who needed more face-to-face support • involvement in tutorials varied because of different reasons: not previewed, had not understood concepts even with tutors’ support, not enough confidence to share views or asking questions, not enough language ability, and personal preferences in learning

  36. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatches Summary • the telephone tutoring support was not well used as there was a gap between the time of need and availability • students did not use online and surgery support although available • peer learning outside classrooms was not functioning well because of limited time, lack of initiative and distant residence location

  37. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatches Why were there so many mismatches? • The key reason -- studentswere not equipped with sufficient study skills in distance learning mode that they needed to have for independent learning. -- The gap between what they had (to be fed) and what they had to display (self-determined) was too big.

  38. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatches Why were there so many mismatches? -- as mainly traditional study skills acquired from their face-to-face learning experiences since young -- so not able to practice what they preached – to take up own responsibility, but relied a lot on others instead

  39. Part I – Students’ difficulties and mismatches If the students were to survive and the University was to help, students had to be provided with chancesto learn how to study in the alternative way.

  40. Part II Interpretation and explanation for the mismatches

  41. Open entry • 33% of age group admitted to F6 • ~ 17% obtain place in UGC-funded universities • Large number of youths miss out

  42. Distance Education • Education Commission accepted need for distance learning but did not recommend UKOU model • Potential open entry students different to UK • OUHK follows UKOU model

  43. Mis-matches • Entrants to undergraduate courses have been conditioned by HK schools to be heavily dependent learners • Distance education needs independent learning

  44. Outcome of mis-matches • In both kinds of institutions it seems that many are called to enrol but few are chosen to graduate. Such evidence as we have – and there is not enough of it – is consistent across open and dual-mode universities: that successful completion rates on many courses are disturbingly low. … But the general conclusion has to be that the methods of open and distance learning, held out as a promise of grand educational expansion, have failed to meet the hopes of the majority of higher education students. (Perraton, 2000)

  45. Adult education theory • Pedagogy to andragogy • Dependent to independent learners • Teach how to swim down the shallow end rather than throw in deep end • Distance learning materials with enhanced face-to-face tuition aiming to cultivate ability to learn independently

  46. Open course choice • UKOU has freedom in choice of courses to promote openness • Curtails guidance • Curtails class cohesion

  47. Part III Question and answer (10 minutes)

  48. Open entry – Yes, Distance education – Why? Adult learning – Why not? Natalia Li, David Kember 11th May 2005, OUHK Thank you.

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