Enhancing Student Involvement through Service Package Offered: Case of Distance Education in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Distance education is an effective system of education as it allows students to make their own learning decision with greater flexibility while removing barriers for education. However, despite its effectiveness the system has been suffering from critical and inherited issues as higher student dropout rate and lower academic excellence of students. Even though previous studies emphasize on services offered by distant education institutes as solutions, students have a significant role to play as self-responsibility towards academic matters is crucial in the context. Therefore, this paper investigates the impact of core services and peripheral services offered by distance education institutes on student involvement in distance education in Sri Lanka. For this purpose, quantitative research approach based on cross-sectional survey design was adapted. Sample consisted of 400 undergraduates of the Open University of Sri Lanka, drawn using simple random sampling technique and data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Data which were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling revealed that there is a positive significant impact of peripheral services on student involvement. Since the primary focus of this paper, service package in distance education context, which has not been concerned before, theoretically it provides a novel contribution. Essentially, findings are important for the management of distance education institutes in designing and redesigning their service offering. Well-designed services can improve student performance and lower their dropout via student involvement and ultimately result in effective distance education system which contribute to improve the literacy of the nation as a whole.