Mr. David Nthengwe is a Mass Information Officer with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. He enrolled in COL's "Writing Effectively" programme in early 2007 and immediately received an email from his tutor in Canada, Mr. Greg Starr, asking about his job, his family, education, hobbies and interests.
"I am very eager to know about my students' lives, especially because we do not meet face to face," Mr. Starr's email read. "I would like to get to know you as a person, not just as a student." Mr. Nthengwe's extensive response launched a close personal relationship between student and tutor.
"Although we are continents apart and are linked only by information technology, we established a human feeling between us," Mr. Nthengwe explained. "The long exchanges that ensued explain how we broke through what would have been a communication barrier. In addition to his lively writing, Greg is very sensitive to situations and embodies a human touch in his interactions."
Shortly after beginning the course, Mr. Nthengwe encountered one of these "situations" when violence broke out in Kinshasa in March 2007. Some UN staff members were stranded in their offices; others were in hotels with no extra clothing for weeks on end. Then one of Mr. Nthengwe's colleagues died in a plane crash. It was a traumatic and troubling time. As a result, Mr. Nthengwe submitted his first assignment one month late.
"His whole life was interrupted, but David was determined to continue with his studies," said Mr. Starr. "I told him to take his time and arranged for an extension. By the middle of May, he submitted the assignment and went on to successfully complete the course."
"Greg always kept my spirits high when I needed him," said Mr. Nthengwe. "Many times I wondered how I'd manage to continue with my studies, but I didn't want to disappoint my tutor. Greg was so kind that I wanted to pay him back by completing the course - which I did!"
Having tutored some 330 students from several international organisations over the past seven years, Mr. Starr says students often have trouble getting started in a distance learning programme. That's one area where learner support is critical: after receiving a few "gentle nudges" by Mr. Starr by email, students are able to focus on their studies, submit assignments and learn from his feedback. It is a tremendously gratifying experience for both tutor and student.
Growing Use of eLearning for Professional DevelopmentFor eLearning to be relevant and learner focused, developers and designers need to put in place all the best practices that lead to quality distance education. In addition to providing education at the primary, secondary and post-secondary levels, eLearning plays an important role in ongoing professional development for adults in the workforce. No matter what the level or what the subject matter, there is one constant: learner support is essential to the success of eLearning.
COL provides eLearning programmes in subjects such as Writing Effectively, Operational Data Management and Editorial Skills for international organisations such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Labour Organization, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Bank and the World Health Organization.
COL has developed a comprehensive learner support system that includes several elements:
- E-tutoring
COL has developed a talented and committed roster of tutors who provide personalised support, advice and evaluation to learners. Each learner is assigned a tutor who communicates with them one-on-one via email. The role of the tutor is to support learning by orienting the learner to the course, answering questions, encouraging learner engagement, evaluating assignments and providing feedback. This often evolves into a close personal relationship that benefits the learner significantly.
- Virtual system
Learners are able to use the Internet to submit applications, register for courses, access counseling services and connect with their tutors. Course materials are available to learners through their organisation's Intranet, on a website, on a CD-ROM or in hard copy. This virtual system ensures "anywhere, anytime" access, an important convenience for eLearners, especially those who are also employed. This system has also been designed so that it uses the lowest common denominator of technology to ensure access and that it doesn't tax the information technology capacity of the organisation.
- Just-in-Time response
To minimise costs and to be as responsive as possible to learners, course materials are produced as required, and turnaround times are very quick for tutor responses and marking of assignments. A Help Desk can be accessed by email 24/7 for information about key dates and Frequently Asked Questions. A Learner Support Hot Line connects learners directly to a learner support assistant, who will respond to administrative and related questions.
- Recruitment, training and development of tutors
In COL's experience, the quality of the tutor has an enormous impact on learner success in eLearning. The tutor must have the right expertise, experience, teaching ability and commitment - it's a tall order. COL has recruited tutors through online advertisements and referrals from other tutors. Tutors are interviewed by telephone or in group face-to-face interviews. After an extensive training programme, tutors start to coach or mentor learners. Tutors are monitored and evaluated on a regular basis. Tutors take part in regular online discussions with each other to share best practices and solve problems collaboratively.
- Support web for tutors and learners
COL has created a system of support for tutors and learners that includes external course advisors, COL Course Co-ordinator and COL Learning Manager. Each member of the COL team has specific functions and expertise for the tutors and learners to draw upon. The course advisors monitor tutoring quality and standardisation of assignment marking. The Course Co-ordinator tracks logistical issues such as registration, admission, and materials production and delivery. The Learning Manager is responsible for overall quality assurance of the eLearning materials development and delivery.
- Focus on learning success
COL has discovered that learners face work demands, family issues and civil unrest (even war, for some learners), which can have a significant impact on their studies and quality of work submitted. By adopting a policy of flexibility, which includes granting extensions on assignment deadlines and allowing for resubmission of work, COL encourages learning success.
The effectiveness of COL's learner support can be seen in an impressive 75 percent completion rate for students taking its eLearning programmes. As eLearning continues to improve and develop, so too will learner support. It is absolutely essential that organisations providing eLearning carefully evaluate which forms of learner support suit their learners and their distinct circumstances. By providing the appropriate, responsive learner support, educators will take a hugely important step in ensuring eLearning success.
www.col.org/COLeIO