Appraisal of Provision of Guidance and Counselling to Postgraduate Distance Learners in Open University X, Malaysia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61841/t8xf6w41Keywords:
Appraisal of Provision, Guidance and Counselling to Postgraduate Distance Learners, Open UniversityAbstract
Background: One of the most important learner support services that can be provided to distance learners is guidance and counselling. This allowsthemtocope with their cognitive, psychological, and social needs while studying. Such servicescan bridge the gap between the institution and the student,asit acts tocompensate for the isolated “individual” and theabsence of “live support” from the teacher.
Objective: The aim of the study is to establish how guidance and counselling services meet the needs of postgraduate distance learners in Open University X, Regional Centre, Malaysia.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was employed among postgraduate distance learners in Open University
- Data werecollected throughquestionnaires that aim to appraise the provision of guidance and counselling among the respondents. The survey instrument was tested for face validity and its content validity index ranged from 0.80 to
1.0. The reliability of the instrument was computed and the Cronbach’s alpha was revealed to be .732.
ResultsA total of 33 postgraduate distance learners participated in the survey. The study revealed that about 42.4% of the respondentswere not aware of the guidance and counselling services in the university. One-third (33.3%) of theserespondents agreed that guidance and counsellingweremost needed during the application process. Additionally, reasons related to academicsranked first (mean=1.5758) among the students’ perceived need for the service to address theirissues. Moreover, one-third (33.3%) of the respondents viewed the lack of student awareness of such service as the main challenge in terms of guidance and counselling.
ConclusionIt was concluded that there is low awareness of the guidance and counselling services among students. As a result, there were only a few currently availingthem.It is therefore recommended tocreate and increase awareness of the availability of guidance and counselling services. Also, training more counsellors can improve their quality and effectiveness
Downloads
References
Biswalo, L. (1996). An introduction to guidance and Counseling Diverse Africa Contexts. Dar es Salaam: Dares Salaam University Press.
Canel, A. N. (2007). EgitimdeRehberlikHizmetlerininYeriveOnemi (The Place and Importance of Guidance Services in Education). (B. Aydin, Trans.). Rehberlik (pp. 117-151). Ankara: PegemYayıicilik.
Commission for University Education.(2015). Accredited Universities in Kenya. Retrieved from Commission for University Education: http://www.cue.or.ke/images/phocadownload/ACCREDITED_UNIVERSITIES
_IN_KENYA September_2017.pdf
Idowu, A. I., &Adeoye, E. A. (1990). Guidance and counselling in the National Policy onEducation: A revisit. The Counsellor: Journal of the Counselling Association of Nigeria, 10 (1), 101-109.
Ilgar, Z. (2004). RehberliginBaslicaTurleri (The Main Types of Guidance). (G. Can, Trans.). PsikolojikDanısmaveRehberlik (ss. 28-46). Ankara: PegemYayincilik.
Kangai, C., Rupande, G., &Rugonye, S. (2011). Student perception on the quality and effectiveness of guidance and counseling service at the Zimbabwe Open University.The African Symposium: An online journal of the African Educational Research Network, 11 (1), 12-30.
Kepceoglu, M. (1994).PsikolojikDanismaveRehberlik (Psychological Counseling and guidance), Ankara: OzerlerMatbaasi.
Krishna, C. (2012). Students Support Services in Distance Higher Education in India: A Critical Appraisal. IJRESS. Vol. 2., Issue 2.
LaPadula, M. (2003). A Comprehensive Look at Online Student Support Services for Distance Learners// American Journal of Distance Education, 17 (2), 119–128.
Martin, P. J. (2002). Transforming school counselling: A national perspective.Theory into Practice, 41 (3), 148-153.
Marzo RR. (2016).Study of Association between Psychological Stress and Depression among Undergraduate Medical Students from Asia Metropolitan (Amu) in Johor Bahru. Texila International Journal Academic Research.;3:41-51.
Mertler, C. A., &Vannatta, R. A. (2005).Advanced and Multivariate Statistical Methods. Los Angeles: Pyrczak Publishing.
Mills, R. (2003). The Centrality of learner support in open and distance learning: A paradigm shift in thinking. In A. Tait and R. Mills (Eds.), Rethinking Learner Support in Distance Education: Change and Continuity in an International Context. London: RoutledgeFalmer
Moore, M. G. (2013). Theory of transactional distance.In D. Keegan (Ed), Theoretical principles of distance education. London: Routledge
Mutie, E. K., &Ndambuki, P. (2011).Guidance and Counselling in Schools and Colleges.Nairobi: Oxford University Press.
Nyaga, V. K., Oundo, M. B., &Kamoyo, J. M. (2014). Effectiveness of guidance and counselling services on development of students’ academic competence: A comparative study of public and private universities in Kenya. International Journal of Education and Research, 2 (4), 21-28.
Pulist, S.K. (2001). Student Support Services in Correspondence Distance Education in India: A Historical Perspective. Journal of Distance Education, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 66-82.
Raunic, N., &Xenos, W. (2008).University Counselling Service Utilization by Local and International Studentsand User Characteristics. Melbourne: Springer.
Reid, J. (1995). Managing learning support. In F. Lockwood (Ed.), Open and distance learning today (pp. 265-275). London: Routledge.
Scheer, S. B. &Lockee, B. B. (2003).Addressing the wellness needs of online distance learners.Open Learning, 18(2), 177–196. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0268051032000081860
Simpson, O. (2015). Student support services for success in open and distance learning. CEMCA EdTech Notes.https://empower.eadtu.eu/images/fields- ofexpertise/StudentSupport/Student_Support_Services_for_Success_in_OED_SIMPSON.pdf
Shoffner, M. F., & Briggs, M. K. (2001). An interactive approach for developing inter-professional collaboration: Preparing school counsellors. Counsellor Education and Supervision, 40, 193-200.
Wango, G. M. (2015). Counselling Psychology in Kenya: A Contemporary Review of the Developing World. Nairobi: Kenya Literature Bureau.
Wako J A (2015). The Need, Practice and Challenges of Guidance and Counseling Services in Selected SidamaZone Secondary Schools of SNNPRS Ethiopia.
YifrashewaSeyoum (2011). Revitalizing quality using guidance counseling in Ethiopian higher educationinstitutions: Exploring students‟ views and attitudes at Haramaya University. International Journal ofInstruction, 4(2).
Yorgason, J., Linville, D., &Zitzman, B. (2008). Mental health among college students: Do those who need services know about and use them? Journal of American College Health, 57(2), 173-182.
Yusuf Omer Abdi (1998). Gender sensitive counseling psychology: A Handbook for Ethiopian High SchoolCounselors. Addis Ababa.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation .
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
