E-Counselling for Learner Support Services in ODL Institutions: A Practical Approach

Like in conventional institutions, students in open education encounter various problems ranging from social, psychological, vocational to academic challenges, which impede their performance and retention. Their case is worsened by the virtual nature of their studies, which demands adequate support...

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Main Author: A. C. Ukwueze
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Regional Training and Research Institute for Distance and Open Learning (RETRIDOL), National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) 2016-07-01
Series:West African Journal of Open and Flexible Learning
Subjects:
Online Access:http://wajofel.nou.edu.ng/wajofel/index.php/wajofel/article/view/234
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author A. C. Ukwueze
author_facet A. C. Ukwueze
author_sort A. C. Ukwueze
collection DOAJ
description Like in conventional institutions, students in open education encounter various problems ranging from social, psychological, vocational to academic challenges, which impede their performance and retention. Their case is worsened by the virtual nature of their studies, which demands adequate support in order to engage in meaningful learning and studentship. This paper therefore explains e-counselling as an innovative learner support service necessary to engage students in open education. E-counselling is an online counselling that provides students with the platform to interact with their counsellors using a variety of social media networks. Efforts were made to look at some networks that could be made available for e-counselling in open education such as Facebook, e-mail (g-mail, Google talk, Skype, WhatsApp), twitter, video conferencing, blog, instant messaging and chat among others. These social media networks ensure that students are not isolated as they provide better alternative to face-to-face counselling, which many experts now see as narrow, archaic and selective in the face of the present technological advancement of the entire world. Some fundamental challenges facing the use of this innovative platform include power failure, poverty, illiteracy and attitudinal problems towards the use of computers. Ideally, every open education institution should have a robust learner support services unit with adequate facilities necessary for e-counselling in order to engage students in meaningful virtual academic activities.
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publisher Regional Training and Research Institute for Distance and Open Learning (RETRIDOL), National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN)
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spelling doaj-art-50b5c4eac24e48668694e9794a80c3942025-02-08T01:55:27ZengRegional Training and Research Institute for Distance and Open Learning (RETRIDOL), National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN)West African Journal of Open and Flexible Learning2276-64722786-97172016-07-0151E-Counselling for Learner Support Services in ODL Institutions: A Practical ApproachA. C. Ukwueze Like in conventional institutions, students in open education encounter various problems ranging from social, psychological, vocational to academic challenges, which impede their performance and retention. Their case is worsened by the virtual nature of their studies, which demands adequate support in order to engage in meaningful learning and studentship. This paper therefore explains e-counselling as an innovative learner support service necessary to engage students in open education. E-counselling is an online counselling that provides students with the platform to interact with their counsellors using a variety of social media networks. Efforts were made to look at some networks that could be made available for e-counselling in open education such as Facebook, e-mail (g-mail, Google talk, Skype, WhatsApp), twitter, video conferencing, blog, instant messaging and chat among others. These social media networks ensure that students are not isolated as they provide better alternative to face-to-face counselling, which many experts now see as narrow, archaic and selective in the face of the present technological advancement of the entire world. Some fundamental challenges facing the use of this innovative platform include power failure, poverty, illiteracy and attitudinal problems towards the use of computers. Ideally, every open education institution should have a robust learner support services unit with adequate facilities necessary for e-counselling in order to engage students in meaningful virtual academic activities. http://wajofel.nou.edu.ng/wajofel/index.php/wajofel/article/view/234e-counsellinglearner support servicesocial media networksopen education
spellingShingle A. C. Ukwueze
E-Counselling for Learner Support Services in ODL Institutions: A Practical Approach
West African Journal of Open and Flexible Learning
e-counselling
learner support service
social media networks
open education
title E-Counselling for Learner Support Services in ODL Institutions: A Practical Approach
title_full E-Counselling for Learner Support Services in ODL Institutions: A Practical Approach
title_fullStr E-Counselling for Learner Support Services in ODL Institutions: A Practical Approach
title_full_unstemmed E-Counselling for Learner Support Services in ODL Institutions: A Practical Approach
title_short E-Counselling for Learner Support Services in ODL Institutions: A Practical Approach
title_sort e counselling for learner support services in odl institutions a practical approach
topic e-counselling
learner support service
social media networks
open education
url http://wajofel.nou.edu.ng/wajofel/index.php/wajofel/article/view/234
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