Distance Education

Numbers of students undertaking tertiary study from a distance have increased with a particular increase in numbers of Māori students at the Open Polytechnic, the largest provider of distance education in Aotearoa.

Results from a study by Walker (2000) show that students studying in rural or isolated areas identify a number of factors influencing their withdrawal from study including lack of contact with staff, lack of access to support and resources, and isolation from peers.

A study by Bourke et al (1996) presented some interesting analysis of the tertiary experience of indigenous Australian students. Internal (studying on campus) students were compared with external (studying off campus) students. A sample of non-indigenous Australian students was provided as a control group. The results showed the success rate of external indigenous Australian students was similar to that of external non-indigenous Australian students. However, the success rate of internal indigenous Australian students was significantly lower than that of internal non-indigenous Australian students.

The report suggests that study in external mode, where there is adequate back up support through faculty study centres, may well be a more culturally appropriate mode of study for many indigenous students (Bourke et al, 1996). This is supported by evidence that suggests that advantages of distance learning include a more leisurely and self-directed time frame that allows students to maintain a sense of greater control and autonomy. Furthermore, students are able to remain within their own communities and familiar surroundings with the opportunity to call upon established support systems when needed.

The issues for Māori students in distance education are therefore very different in some ways and quite similar in others to those experienced by other Māori students. For example, the degree of importance for support of some kind still exists, however the structure of this support will differ to that offered on campus. Whilst regional or community based study support centres are identified as an option, some providers in Aotearoa are still working towards establishing that particular type of support structure.

Case Study: Te Rau Puawai, Massey University

Massey University provides courses to students from three campus' around Aotearoa: Palmerston North; Albany; and Wellington. Additionally, in 2000 Massey University offered extramural courses to approximately 1800 extramural students. One of the programmes offered to Māori students including those studying from a distance, Te Rau Puāwai, is a joint initiative between the Workforce Development Programme, funded by the Ministry of Health, and delivered through Massey University.

Te Rau Puāwai was established in 1999 to increase the number of Mäori in mental health related tertiary studies and consequently to enhance the Māori mental health workforce. The goal of Te Rau Puāwai is to graduate 100 Māori with a mental health related tertiary qualification by 2003.

Students can study from 100 level to Doctorate level from all three Massey University campus', conjoint polytechnics and from home. The majority (70%) of the Māori students are employed in the Māori mental health workforce while studying part-time from a distance.

Recruitment of students occurs through visits to Mäori mental health providers throughout the year, mailouts to providers and promotion through newsletters. During visits, staff are available to speak one-on-one after presentations with interested potential students. Enrolment and course information is walked through individually to ensure the potential student is well informed of the course expectations.

Entrance criteria for Te Rau Puāwai:

• students must be of Māori descent
• students must be studying Psychology, Māori, Social Work, Social Policy, Rehabilitation or Nursing, with a Māori mental health focus at Massey University
• students must be committed to the Māori mental health workforce.

Applications in both 2000 and 2001 were so numerous that 50% of applicants were turned away as the programme currently caters for 116 students. In 2000 Te Rau Puāwai students were made up of 37% returning under-graduate students, 29% new under-graduate students, 19% new post-graduate students and 15% returning post-graduate students.

Te Rau Puāwai promotes a holistic and pro-active student centred approach reflected in the employment of support staff. Currently Te Rau Puäwai employs a full-time Co-ordinator and Administrator as well as providing academic and peer mentors who students can access by calling 0800 PUAWAI using their telephone.

The Co-ordinator:

• monitors student progress
• identifies study related needs
• provides one-to-one study support
• provides a link between students and staff
• provides regular contact through regional visits.

Peer Mentors:

• provide academic support to students
• are accessed by calling 0800 PUAWAI
• are available on Thursday nights
• are students who have experience in mental health
• are paid in recognition of their contribution.

Academic Mentors:

• provide study specific learning support
• can be accessed by calling 0800 PUAWAI during business hours
• provide a link between students and the School of their major.

In addition to the support services provided above two hui are held each year at the Te Rau Puāwai Office, Te Pūtahi-ā-Toi, Palmerston North campus to promote whakawhanaungatanga (the growth and strengthening of relationships) between Massey University academic and support staff, Te Rau Puāwai staff and students. Here students also have the chance to participate in under-graduate or post-graduate workshops, to share research and ideas, and to celebrate achievements. Students are also introduced to the campus and the support services it offers.

An 0800 free-call number was established early in the programme's development to ensure that all students had access to support provided by Te Rau Puāwai. This primarily ensured finances did not hinder student communication with Te Rau Puāwai. The use of this number has extended to provide a weekly Thursday night call centre where experienced Te Rau Puāwai students have formed a peer support team and are responsible for supporting other students studying in their area of expertise. The Te Rau Puāwai support team will also pro-actively seek out and contact those students who have not regularly updated Te Rau Puāwai on their study progress.

A website was developed in 2000. The website has a virtual whare, to remind students that although the röpu is unable to meet regularly (with the exception of the two hui a year), that by using technology the students have a virtual meeting place to gather regularly in which to share ideas and support each other. The website has 12 different discussion groups relating to research, schools of study and resources all students can access.

To promote whakawhanaungatanga each student is required to introduce themselves in a paragraph with their photo and email address. This is distributed to each student to identify other students in the same study area.

Regional visits are conducted throughout the year. Students have the opportunity for one-to-one study assistance with the Co-ordinator. Efforts are made to provide this opportunity to each student twice a semester.

To ensure those who do not have access to the Internet are not left out of the communication loop of Te Rau Puäwai, a newsletter is sent to each student once a month. Regular features include a column from the Co-ordinator, details of regional visits and a column from the Te Rau Puäwai Support Team and Administrator. All Te Rau Puäwai students and graduates are also encouraged to contribute.

Te Rau Puäwai is funded through the Ministry of Health which provides the salary of the Te Rau Puäwai staff and provides funding to students to assist with their study related costs.

The University contributes by providing:

• a supportive work environment for the Co-ordinator and Administrator
• facilities to assist in the running of Te Rau Puāwai, through Te Pūtahi-ā-Toi, School of Māori studies
• academic mentors
• representation on the Te Rau Puāwai Board.

Locating the Te Rau Puāwai Office within Te Pūtahi-ā-Toi has been reported as imperative to ensure the programme and staff operate in a safe environment. This has allowed the staff who are supporting and driving the programme to seek and receive support and to prevent isolation. If staff are not operationally safe, then developing a programme that aims to provide a safe environment for the students becomes very difficult.

The provision of a safe learning environment for Māori students is seen as a success factor of Te Rau Puāwai. Accompanied by a proactive learning support model, encouragement of students to study collectively, and recognition of the importance of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori, the success of Te Rau Puāwai is illustrated in these statistics:

• for the second consecutive year, initial results suggest that Te Rau Puāwai students have achieved an overall pass rate of 80%
• Te Rau Puāwai students are also performing slightly better than the overall passing rate for all Massey University students
• nearly three quarters of papers undertaken by Te Rau Puāwai students were successfully completed, compared to just over half for other Māori students studying from a distance
• the majority of students agreed that they would not have succeeded without the support of Te Rau Puāwai
• the majority of students agreed that the resources available through Te Rau Puäwai made a positive difference to their studies.

For many Māori students returning to education after negative experiences, perhaps the most important factor to success is the belief of Te Rau Puāwai that each Te Rau Puāwai student has the capacity to achieve and excel in tertiary studies, and that Te Rau Puāwai provides that opportunity.

Case Study: 0800 Contact, The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand.

The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand is one of the largest providers of tertiary education for Mäori. The uniqueness of the Polytechnic, in that it provides distance education for so many Māori students, means it is constantly evaluating how it can best serve the needs of Māori students at a distance.

An annual survey gauges Māori student responses in terms of the benefits of open and distance learning, the value of their course of study and how to improve current support systems. Responses indicate a high level of satisfaction amongst Mäori students to the fulfilment of their particular needs as distance learners. When compared with non-Māori student responses the level of satisfaction of Māori students is generally higher.

Māori enrolments at The Open Polytechnic mirror the geographical distribution of the Māori population. Eighty-five percent of Māori students say The Open Polytechnic is their first choice option for study.

While comparatively higher numbers of Māori enrol in offerings at lower levels on the National Qualifications Framework, the largest single programme is the New Zealand Diploma in Business and the fastest-growing option is the Bachelor of Business degree (third most popular programme for Mäori overall).

Open and distance learning has provided opportunities for many Mäori to participate in tertiary education without leaving their social and geographical surroundings, to study at their own pace and to fit learning around the other demands in their lives. The majority of Māori students identified the most important reason for enrolling with The Open Polytechnic was being able to study without attending classes. They also especially valued being able to study at their own pace.

Student evaluations also indicated the needs of Mäori students learning at a distance were very similar to those non-Mäori students learning at a distance. While The Open Polytechnic does not differentiate between cultures, its organisation-wide systems are designed to meet the widest possible range of student needs across all subject areas offered.

A free telephone support service is accessible to students who call 0800 650 200. The call centre receives approximately 30,000 calls a month. These calls are a mixture of enquiries about courses offered, enrolment enquiries and calls to tutors for learning support. Calls are received initially by call centre staff and then passed on to individual programme leaders for further information. Students can enquire about anything from student finance to course detail. Students also have an 0800 number to access library services where they can request books, readings or general assistance on materials relevant to their course.

Students are not identified by ethnicity over the phone but may ask to speak to a particular person for help, including a Mäori staff member or staff member with some knowledge of te reo Mäori if needed. Of importance here is that the service provided is a semi-anonymous one.

Some advantages of anonymity include:

• some students may feel more comfortable talking about certain issues in anonymity; no feelings of whakamä (embarassment)
• for Māori students there are no stereotypes or low expectations
• students are treated equally which is important when many of the Mäori students are first time tertiary learners with negative educational experiences.

When each student enrols at The Open Polytechnic they have the option of accessing a one-to-one tutor within their area of study. Communication is via telephone (the 0800 number), email and post. Students also have the opportunity to develop study groups consisting of fellow students living in the same area and studying the same course.

Māori students often prefer personal links to Mäori staff members or staff with some understanding of Mäori needs. The Open Polytechnic is committed to meeting the needs of all students and is proactive in developing support through groups such as the Mäori Network and the Bi-cultural Network. It is also focused on increasing the confidence and ability of all staff in functioning within the Mäori culture.

Students living in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch have access to regional offices that can assist with enrolments, course enquiries and so on. Some tutors also work from these centres so students have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with a tutor and other students.

A centralised student management system provides monitoring of student achievement. Within a course, goals are set for students to meet. If a student has not met a goal the student management system will alert the assigned tutor of the student. The tutor will then follow up with the student. Currently the system receives input from academic staff, tutors, enrolment staff and 0800 staff members. From this, collective data on each student is provided for early intervention in the achievement of students.

Alongside enrolling individual students, The Open Polytechnic also works with Mäori groups, organisations and providers to assist them in developing their people, and in improving educational access.

The Open Polytechnic prepares a separate Mäori annual report, Te Pürongo-ä-Tau, each year; a concept The Open Polytechnic has pioneered among tertiary providers. The success of The Open Polytechnic is perhaps best illustrated in the following statistic taken from Te Pürongo-ä-Tau, 1999 (a companion to the Annual Report):

• Overall satisfaction with The Open Polytechnic among Mäori students was 93%, increasing from 91% last year.
• In addition, 97% of Mäori students were satisfied with courses, 95% of Mäori students agreed that their studies were valuable for a future job, 91% said their studies were good value for money, and 95% said that they were valuable for personal development.
• 99% of Mäori students would recommend The Open Polytechnic to other people (Te Pürongo-ä-Tau, 1999).

In conclusion, the fact cannot be overlooked that so many Mäori students are choosing open and distance education over internal (on campus) learning environments. Furthermore, they are choosing The Open Polytechnic over other distance education providers.