Meridith Davis

November 6, 2016
OMDE 608 9040
Assignment #2

Introduction

In their article Online Student Support Services: A Case on Quality

Frameworks (2013) Stewart, Goodson, Miertschin, Norwood, and Ezell posit

that quality standards and frameworks each can be used to capture and

share a vision of the elements of online education that are critical to quality

(Stewart, et al., 2013, p. 291). Frameworks are often used by educational

institutions to outline the elements that they believe create a quality

distance education program. The authors of this study assert that the quality

of learner support offered by an educational institution is important for

student success in an e-learning program. Through a thorough review of the

literature, as well as an examination of multiple case studies, this essay will

provide further support for the thesis posed by Stewart, et al. and the idea

that a quality learner support system positively impacts student success in

an online distance learning program.

Evidence

In a large study of online learning programs conducted by Stewart et al., the

researchers found that over half of the 12 frameworks reviewed concluded

that student support systems were linked to quality factors in online

education. Three major quality frameworks that were included in the study,

Quality Matters (QM) Program, Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP),

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and Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education Cooperative for

Educational Technologies (WCET) all list student/learner support as one of the

major standards in postsecondary education. This finding that student

support was widely recognized as a standard of quality led Stewart et al. to

conduct a case study examining the effectiveness of learner support systems

in order to make recommendations for future distance education policy and

frameworks. They specifically chose to examine the system of learner

support within the Bachelor of Science in Retailing and Consumer Science

program at the University of Houston so that areas of strength and weakness

could be identified. The researchers used a series of interviews with students

and faculty as well as an in-depth examination of the university web site,

student materials, catalogues, and directories. Student and faculty

participants demonstrated the need to have support services prevalent in all

levels of the university system in order for students to reach their full

potential in the online learning environment. The findings of their case study

were consistent with the research that student support services are an

integral part of student success at an online distance learning institution.

Since the evolving needs of students will continue to be an issue, support

services must be made a priority in the framework of any e-learning

institution.

Goodson, Miertschin, and Stewart (2011) had similar findings when they

conducted a thorough review of the current frameworks that identify

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important factors for online course delivery. The authors specifically

examined three of the most widely recognized frameworks in higher

education: Quality Matters Program, Institute for Higher Education Policy, and

Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education Cooperative for

Educational Technologies. All three of these well-known frameworks

acknowledge the importance of student support systems in creating a quality

educational experience for students. Quality Matters lists learner support as

one of their eight standards; Institute for Higher Education Policy names

student support as one of the seven areas of quality concern; Western

Interstate Commission for Higher Education Cooperative for Educational

Technologies names student support as one of the five institutional activities

that map to areas of quality in an online institution. Goodson, Miertschin, and

Stewart found the existence of student support in all three major frameworks

to be statistically significant and a strong indicator of a quality online

learning program.

Earlier research from Ehlers (2004) also concludes that student support is an

indicator of quality in an eLearning program. In his comprehensive survey he

identified 30 quality preferences based on responses from learners. The

definition of quality therefore has to be defined at the final position of the

learning-services, as there is the learner (Ehlers, 2004, para. 6). Using

student responses based on their preferences he found that learner support

was an integral component in four of the seven fields of quality (Tutor

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Support, Information Transparency, Course Structure, and Didactics). This

indicates that students value learner support systems that are integrated

into many levels of the institution.

More support for the Stewart, et al. thesis comes from a study of Asian

students conducted by Jung (2012). She conducted an in-depth study with

1,665 participants from 14 distance education universities, seven

conventional universities, and multiple for-profit companies. All participants

were taking courses in an e-learning environment. In conducting this study

Jung was aiming to determine the criteria in assuring a quality distance

education program. Her data clearly showed that student support was

perceived as an indicator of quality among Asian students. The distance

learners perceived a DE institution or program that provides social and

psychological supports and clear course information to be of high quality

(Jung, 2012, p. 18). These findings support the claim by Stewart et al. that

learner support systems positively impact student success in an e-learning

environment.

All of the aforementioned articles have examined existing literature in field of

student support and some have conducted formal surveys in order to assess

student attitude towards support services. A 2012 study conducted by

Hunte, however, found a direct correlation between the quality of student

support services at an online institution and student performance. Hunte

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conducted her study at the United Nations Development Programme site in

Barbados using the Advanced Negotiations course (developed by MIT) as her

case study. Many of the participants were new to online learning so learner

support was offered continuously in the areas of online learning and

knowledge management and technical support. Using a student survey

Hunte found that the learner support systems that were in place for this

course had a high impact on student learning. This study supports the

findings that student support services positively impact learners

performance in the online teaching and learning environment (Hunte, 2012,

p. 195).

Conclusion

Stewart, Goodson, Miertschin, Norwood, and Ezell theorize in their article

Online Student Support Services: A Case on Quality Frameworks (2013)

that student support services are an indication of the quality of education

that e-learning students will receive at an online institution. This theory has

been backed up with an extensive review of the literature by several

researchers including Ehlers (2004) and Jung (2012). In order to put this

theory to the test case studies were undertaken by both Jung (2012) in Asian

and Hunte (2012) in Barbados to examine student responses to quality of

support in association with their academic performance. Both case studies

concluded that high quality learner support has a direct impact on student

performance in an online learning environment. Research in distance

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education has demonstrated that student support services, including

individual tutoring by tutors specialized in distance teaching and learning,

have considerable effect in increasing both student satisfaction, learning

results and completion rates (Sjaastad, Lge Akre, & Rekkedal, n.d.).

Stewart et al. propose that learner support services should be offered at both

the course, department, and university level so that students can benefit

academically from these services.

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References

Ehlers, U. (2004). Quality in e-learning from a learners perspective.

European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning, 2004(1). Retrieved

from

http://www.eurodl.org/materials/contrib/2004/Online_Master_COPs.html

Goodson, C., Miertschin, S., & Stewart, B. (2011). Distance delivery of

courses: What components are important to students?. Retrieved from

https://peer.asee.org/distance-delivery-of-courses-what-components-are-

important-to-students

Hunte, S. (2012). First time online learners' perceptions of support services

provided. Turkish Online Journal Of Distance Education, 13(2), 180-197.

Jung, I. (2012). Asian learners' perception of quality in distance education

and gender differences. International Review Of Research In Open And

Distance Learning, 13(2), 1-25.

Sjaastad, J., Lge Akre, A., & Rekkedal, T. (n.d.). NKI Distance Education -

Case study student support systems in E-Learning. Retrieved from

learning.ericsson.net/socrates/doc/norwayp2.doc.

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Stewart, B, Goodson, C., Miertschin, S., Norwood, M., & Ezell, S. (2013).

Online student support services: A case based on quality

frameworks. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 9(2), 290-

303. Retrieved from

http://jolt.merlot.org/vol9no2/stewart_barbara_0613.pdf