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This section highlights the history, orientation and mode of course delivery followed by the University of South Africa (UNISA).

3.5.2.1 Introduction and background

The University of South Africa (UNISA) has a long history and possibly the oldest university dating back to 1873, as the University of the Cape of Good Hope (Segoe, 2012: 118). The name of the university was changed to the University of South Africa in 1916 and was moved to Pretoria in the same year (Segoe, 2012: 118). In 1946, in terms of South African legislation, UNISA redefined its focus, developed programmes, and according to Nonyongo (2003: 128), it became the first public university in the world to teach exclusively by means of distance education. The 2013 statistics for student enrolment indicate that there were 355240 students registered in different programmes of whom 91.4% were from South Africa (UNISA, 2014: n.p). Furthermore, UNISA has seven regional centres and several regional offices across South Africa that complement the efforts of the head office which is based in Pretoria (Dube & Holomisa, 2014: 291- 292). UNISA has various facilities and resources at the regional centres to accommodate students who cannot access face-to-face services like discussion classes (Molepo & Mothudi, 2014: 497). One of the objectives of the UNISA strategic plan is to establish service-oriented, technology-enhanced learner support to increase retention and throughput rates (Pillay, 2009: 29). According to Molepo and Mothudi (2014: 497), many face-to-face services such as discussion classes are being phased out due to the introduction of technological resources such as videoconferencing and teleconferencing. Given its massive size and the resultant economies of scale, UNISA can assist students to acquire the necessary hardware such as desktop, notebook and other ICTs resources for the effective implementation of eLearning. Mabuza (2014: 514) submitted that UNISA’s vision is captured succinctly as “towards the African

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University in the service of humanity” – befitting the role it plays in education in Africa and beyond.

3.4.2.2 Student Support at UNISA

UNISA as an ODL institution is making increasing use of technology in order to provide support to the majority of its students as it was found that it would not be possible to reach and effectively support all UNISA students through face-to-face means (Molepo & Mothudi, 2014: 497). Furthermore, UNISA relies heavily on the tutor system to service the massive numbers of students. According to Kintsch (2009: 230), tutors must provide a platform for students to assess their current level of understanding, provide tips on what to do to improve their understanding and carefully select new activities to be studied that afford students opportunities to advance their understanding. To enhance the face-to-face lecturer-tutor interaction and the tutor’s understanding of the subject content, UNISA’s fulltime lecturers give training to part-time tutors once a year (Segoe, 2012: 130).

Kuboni (2009: 363) advocates an effective learner support system as a key to the success of a DE institution; hence support must be given before, during and after registration. Furthermore, orientation sessions for new students should be conducted to familiarise, motivate and orientate them about their intended field of study. UNISA still sends students a package of study materials such as course outlines, assignments, prescribed books and programme for contact sessions, but unfortunately, as Segoe (2012: 127) notes, in some cases, these materials do not reach students on time. This study highlights five critical aspects of student support available at UNISA such as myUnisa, tutorials and asynchronous and synchronous distance education technologies.

A web-based system, myUnisa is intended to provide collaboration and learning/teaching management platforms that support students at UNISA. It is interactive and it was developed to supplement and enhance academic interaction and improve communication between the institution and its students and among students anywhere in the world (Unisa, 2010: 24). It should be noted that UNISA uses the open and distance learning model which provides education access to individuals who would otherwise be isolated from the benefits of tertiary qualifications

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such as those residing in rural areas and those who are employed on a full-time basis (Pillay, 2009: 10). Dube and Holomisa (2014: 292) reported that UNISA planned to roll out eLearning in 2013 as part of the ODL implementation plan of transforming to a fully-digitised transactional environment. It was assumed that once eLearning is implemented in myUnisa platform, it would promote student-student, student-lecturer and student-tutor interaction and vice versa. With integrated eLearning platforms, myUnisa requires lecturers and students to have basic technology skills, and Latchem (2010: 89) therefore emphasises that both DE tutors/lecturers and students need to be prepared and trained in the technical skills of using ICTs. This means that tutors, lecturers, administrative staff and UNISA students must have basic skills in using technological media to ensure that teaching and learning is effective.

The tutorial system is an important learner support system that caters for the rural and the disadvantaged students. However, this is hampered by the fact that not all students have access to technology, electricity and network connectivity. Lentell (2003: 66) states that tutors are not merely markers of their students’ work during contact sessions, but their roles include facilitating and guiding learning of their students so that they could gain knowledge and deeper understanding. Lewis (1995: 244) summarises the role of the DE tutor thus:

….your role as tutor is to complement the learning materials and extend the learners’ understanding of them through marking and grading assignments and help with general problems. You are the first port of call if the learner cannot make sense of the material and you act as the link between the course material and learner, initiating and taking part in a dialogue with them.

Some institutions have introduced satellite broadcasts to give presentations to remote students. Segoe (2012: 132) highlights that satellite broadcasts are a fairly new delivery system at UNISA. This medium can be live or in the form of pre- recorded presentation of lectures, tutorials, scientific experiments and training programmes for students in remote areas to watch live television broadcast.

Asynchronous and Synchronous distance education technologies are also used at UNISA as discussed under Section 3.4. UNISA uses technological support such as emails and faxes, satellite broadcasts, audio and video conferencing and eLearning

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to reach out to its students. Jaffer, Ng’ambi and Czerniewicz (2007: 131) argue that information and communication technologies (ICT) can and do play a number of roles in distance education. These roles promote critical thinking, develop innovative graduates that form part of responsible citizens for the information society, and enhance educational outcomes and the quality of pedagogy and learning. As Gulati (2008: 01) argues, the integration of technology in teaching and learning is now a global phenomenon as it gives value and meaning to learning. It is interesting to note that UNISA is aware of the need to evolve with the world and is continually positioning itself to be a 21st century world university (Mabuza, 2014: 514). To do that, UNISA has embarked on improving its Information and Communication Technologies (ICT); engages in multi- and trans-disciplinary research; forges collaborations across the globe; contributes towards Open Educational Resources (OERs); and implements virtual learning by using technologies (Mabuza, 2014: 514). While UNISA is commonly known as the Africa’s leading ODL university, Mabuza (2014: 514) reported that the university faces a plethora of issues when it comes to the management of quality. UNISA’s admission policy was amended in 2011, allowing many students who meet the basic statutory requirements to be admitted to undergraduate diplomas and bachelor’s degrees, leading to massive growth student numbers. Mabuza (2014: 514) submitted that the high student numbers have ripple effects on planning and capacity of the university to improve, and put pressure on the ICT systems or myUnisa, which causes unnecesary delays. For example, UNISA relies on myUnisa as a virtual learning environment for resources and assignment submissions, however, sometimes it expereinces failure during peak times. As the largest university on the continent, UNISA should be commented for managing to facilitate the administrative access and for its recognition of prior learning policy (Dhunpath & Dhunpath, 2013: 112). However, they report that UNISA continues to face challenges of articulation, the challenges of learner support and the challenge of throughput rate. Alternative pathways or opportunities are provided to those not meeting the basic entry requirements, which although noble, may have contributed to the high numbers of students who eventually battle to exit the system with a qualification – in other words they drop out (Mabuza, 2014: 514). One can only ask what strategies UNISA has implemented to assist these students for their performance to improve and increase the success rate.

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3.5 SUMMARY

This section highlighted the history of distance education and student support services in general. It then articulated the factors to be considered for the development of adequate SSS. Foundations of distance education such as theory of industrialisation of teaching, Holmberg’s theory of didactic interaction and the theory of independence and autonomy were explored. A theoretical framework underpinning this study and how to enhance support services were discussed. The last part covered practices on support services at two DE institutions, namely, the Open University in the United Kingdom and the University of South Africa. Besides the modes of course delivery at UNISA and the Open University in the United Kingdom (OU UK), challenges facing the two institutions were explored. The next chapter discussed research design and methodology

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CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

4.1 INTRODUCTION

The literature review in Chapters 2 and 3 has provided strong grounds for the importance and necessity of student support services in distance education. Chapter 2 presented the nature of distance education in Namibia and how local distance education institutions such as the University of Namibia (UNAM), Namibia University of Science and Technology Centre for Open and Lifelong Learning (NUST-COLL), Namibia College of Open Learning (NAMCOL), Institute of Open Learning (IOL), International University of Management (IUM) and National Institute for Education Development (NIED) support students to make the learning process easier and realise the instructional objectives of their courses. Chapter 3 presented the global perspectives on student support services in open and distance learning. The theoretical framework for distance education and practices of student support system at the University of South Africa (UNISA) and the Open University of the United Kingdom (OU) were also discussed in depth.

The chapter deals with the research design and methodology used in the study to collect data on the implementation and effectiveness of student support services at the Namibia University of Science and Technology, Centre for Open and Lifelong Learning, particularly at the regional centres. The research paradigm within which this study is located is explained followed by a discussion on methodological approach adopted in this study. The chapter also discusses data collection methods, data analysis procedures, measures of trustworthiness, ethical considerations, delimitations and limitations to be considered throughout the study.