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Evaluating student support provision in a hybrid teacher education programme using Tait’s framework of practice Cover

Evaluating student support provision in a hybrid teacher education programme using Tait’s framework of practice

Open Praxis
Volume 13 (2021): Issue 1
By:   
Open Access
|Mar 2021
Figures & tables

Figures & Tables

Table 1

The Distribution of the Participants in Relation to the Instruments

InstrumentParticipantsCodesNumber of participants
SurveyStudentsSS126
Focus Group (FG) discussion scheduleStudents (from five contact session venues)FGSDB (Durban, 6)
FGSNS (Nelspruit, 5)
FGSPK (Polokwane, 7)
FGSPT (Pretoria, 7)
FGSRB (Richards Bay, 5)		30
FG discussion
schedule		Student Administration: Distance Education staff membersSADE3
Individual interview scheduleInstructional designerID1
Total participants160
Table 2

Gender and Age Brackets

Question itemFrequencyPercentageMissing frequencies
Gender
Female8173.6%
Male2926.3%
Total110100.0%16 (14.5%)
Age brackets
21–302925.4%
31–403328.9%
41–504035.1%
51–60119.6%
60+10.8%
Total114100.0%12 (1.7%)
Table 3

Awareness of the Face-to-face Contact Sessions included in the Study Programmes

Participants’ responsesMissing frequencies
Yes%No%TotalTotal response % of total
Awareness9085.7%1514.2%10583.3%21(16.6%)
Identification of the ones(s) students know (questions 8a-c)
Knowledge of ICT training session8046 (36.5%)
Knowledge of modules orientation session3393 (73.8%)
Knowledge of modules consolidation2124 (98.4%)
Table 4

Students’ Response to Questions on Assessment and Feedback

Question itemResponseMF
a. There was a good mix of assessments4977 (61.1%)
b. The amount of assessment was appropriate for the module5868 (53.9%)
c. Assessment arrangements and marking were fair7119 (94.4%)
d. I received prompt feedback on my work11115 (91.2%)
e. The feedback will help me improve my work in future16110 (87.3%)
f. The feedback will help me to prepare for my final assessment (exam/portfolio)5121 (96.0%)
g. I am satisfied with the feedback I received from my tutors2124 (98.4%)
Table 5

Guidelines on the Use of Tait’s Framework

Key elements of Tait’s frameworkSuggested indices
Pre-study information, advice, guidance and admission

  • - Marketing strategies relevant to the context

  • - Clear information regarding the programme to prospective students

  • - Guidance on choice of programme

  • - Clear line of communication (e.g. staff students could liaise with)

Curriculum or programme design for student success

  • - Programme aligned to institutional mission and vision

  • - Programme aligned to national and student goals

  • - Built-in student support

  • - Technologies relevant to student context and the future plan of the institution (pull and push approach)

  • - Training of staff and students regarding the use of technologies

  • - Programme evaluation that involves all stakeholders

Intervention at key points and in response to student need
(pre-study, in course and through qualification)

  • - Pre-study

    1. Clear line of communication

    2. Review of readiness (Survey to measure student readiness and to know what to improve on and how to further support students)

  • - In course

    1. Call centre

    2. Contact sessions/Tutoring (online/face-to-face depending on the context)

    3. Learner analytics on first assignment and mid-module

    4. Exam preparation: Contact sessions/Tutoring (online/face-to-face depending on the context)

  • - Through qualification

    1. Guidance on next-module choice (as applicable) and qualification planning

Assessment to support learning and to judge achievement

  • - Relevant formative and summative assessment

  • - Built into the programme design, not an after-thought

  • - Training of staff (tutors) on effective feedback

  • - Administrative and academic monitoring on timeous feedback

Individualised and personalised systems of support to students

  • - Call centre

  • - Communication (e.g., tutor-student and student-student)

  • - SMS

  • - The use of social media (WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube

  • - Quick response to student query

  • - Funding

  • - Students with disabilities

Information and logistical systems that communicate between all relevant participants in the system

  • - Management Information System (MIS) with diverse levels of accessibility

  • - Learner analytics (information to improve practice)

Managing for student success

  • - Total Quality Management

  • - Communication of mission and vision to all stakeholders (including academic and administrative staff members)

  • - Communication of institution’s stance on quality and how this relates to all staff

  • - Management of key staff with clear line of responsibilities

  • - Operational meetings with key staff members with timelines attached to actions

  • - Periodic evaluation of all structures – short-term and long-term

  • - Periodic institutional audit

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5944/openpraxis.13.1.1171 | Journal eISSN: 2304-070X
Journal RSS Feed
Language: English
Page range: 21 - 35
Submitted on: Oct 2, 2020
Accepted on: Feb 24, 2021
Published on: Mar 31, 2021
Published by: International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Keywords:
distance education,
teacher education,
student support,
student success,
Tait’s student support framework

© 2021 Folake Ruth Aluko, published by International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 13 (2021): Issue 1
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