This paper addresses distance education systems where opportunities for students to meet frequently are limited by time, distance or resources. This paper does not cover systems where students are attending weekly video sessions, or an equivalent. In such cases student-group dynamics are more closely related to part-time, on-campus study.

·                             Content delivery is the presentation of the syllabus to the student.

·                             The support system that accompanies content delivery aims to:

·                             help the student develop their understanding of the content,

·                             help the student identify areas of weakness and to
overcome these,

·                             provide administrative support, such as counselling.

·                             For large population courses, tutors may be employed to support small groups of students under the supervision of a central academic.

·                             The assessment system aims to measure the level of the student’s understanding.

It is essential that the support groups in a course be integrated with all other components. The group’s role in the course should be clearly defined and the benefits of participation clear; the rewards should justify the costs involved.

Geographical constraints

For groups to work, members have to be able to communicate with one another. The geographical distribution of students can be a major factor. Arranging for a group of urban students to meet face-to-face can be easy; in country areas, getting to a meeting can involve considerable travel and expense.

You need to decide, at the institutional level, a number of questions:

·                             must all students be guaranteed the same access to groups? For example, if it is impractical for rural students to physically gather into groups, should this opportunity be automatically denied to urban students?

·                             where equity cannot be ensured, should disadvantaged groups be allocated additional resources to redress the imbalance? For example, should a free telephone conferencing service be provided for groups of rural students as a substitute for face-to-face meetings?

·                             is it appropriate to segregate the student body by geographical location? Are there unique qualities to mixed groups that would enhance the learning experience?

·                             can separate group activities be combined efficiently to offset the cost of attending sessions? Travelling two hours each way to attend six, two-hour tutorials seems inefficient compared to attending two, day-long sessions.

·                             can meeting places be decentralised? For example, instead of the students having to travel to the tutor, could the situation be reversed to decrease the distance that students need to go?

Technological constraints

Modern technology allows groups to interact effectively even though individuals are far apart. Video conferencing allows for live sound and image sharing, which most closely resembles the classroom environment; this is, however, likely to remain an expensive option. Telephone and radio conferencing have been used in a number of countries to good effect, but this can also be costly either in capital outlay or in renting communication time for the institution or student. The latest addition to the suite of technological options has been the Internet, with e-mail, mailing lists, news groups, bulletin boards and chat groups.

While technology may appear the answer to overcoming geographical obstacles, there is the problem of access. The availability of modern communication technologies is often linked to household income, which again raises the question of equitability and the danger of inadvertently segregating students. Attempting to address such imbalances can be expensive for the institution. The effectiveness of allocating resources needs to be considered; for example, would using the funds to improve course content be more beneficial?

Accepting variation in student needs

Too often, institutions plan for only one type of student. The vast majority of students believe that face-to-face meetings with the tutor and fellow students are an essential component of education. Such group meetings can greatly help understanding and morale, but not all students thrive in such situations. Some actually prefer the isolation that distance education offers; group dynamics can be intimidating and distracting. For others, attending group meetings may be a burden financially, or in terms of time and effort.

It is important to keep in mind that not every student will feel participation in group meetings is important. Any group support system needs careful consideration before, for example, making attendance compulsory. You may feel it is essential a science student spend time in a laboratory, but is it essential for a business student to attend an accountancy tutorial that only revises techniques presented in the course material? Having to attend a meeting that covers material already comprehended can be most frustrating for the student.