Postgraduate students in an open distance learning institution : student support services’ awareness and utilisation

Abstract

This paper reports on the findings from the qualitative data (gathered by means of open-ended questions) of a quantitative, explorative, descriptive, cross-sectional, and contextual research study conducted to generate measures to increase awareness and enhance utilisation of student support services amongst postgraduate students in an ODL institution. Out of the 261 postgraduate students registered in the academic year 2020 in the specific Department at the selected institution, only 71 participated in the study. A census was used to select the participants. Data were collected utilising an Online LimeSurvey that used a self-completion questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions. The quantitative data (demographics) were analysed using the SPSS (version 26.0) and the qualitative data were analysed using Tesch’s method. The results indicate that, the majority of the participants were employed (84.1%), married (82.6%), female (63.8%), computer literate (32.4%), PhD students (72.1%), older than 46 years (47.8%), living outside South Africa (52.2%) and in South Africa (47.8%); who have regular access to the internet (98.6%). However, they use the library only sometimes (47.8%). While only 2.9% of the participants lived in Asia. These participants registered with the specific Department for the first time in 2016 and with ODL institution for the time, some in 2013 and 2016 and some other in 2019. From the qualitative data, six themes emerged, namely: (1) awareness of the services; (2) provision of information regarding the services; (3) accessibility and availability of the services; (4) support and communication between students and the university; (5) the involvement of the library; and (6) marketing and advertisement of the services. Based on the findings from the qualitative data, the following measures were generated: increase awareness and enhance the utilisation of these services amongst the participants through information provision about these services; make the services available and accessible to all students irrespective of their levels; encouragement, motivation, enhance support and communication between students, and between students and their lecturers; involve the librarian; market and advertise the services utilising mass media and social networks. The effective and efficient implementation of these measures could increase awareness and enhance utilisation of these services amongst the participants and other students. Thus, students will be able to deal with academic challenges and improve their academic performance.