Understanding Student Support

Abstract

Blended learning comprises of teaching and learning formats that complement online technologies for both on-campus and off-campus students. The disposition of online learning requires the student to exercise autonomy, independence, and self-reliance, and the teacher to engage skills that facilitate, guide, and mentor students. These skills need to be developed through support systems that encourage both faculty and student participation. This chapter examines the concept of student support with the objective of providing a background and justification for its role in online learning. The chapter proposes that student support should be part of faculty training with a double-faceted benefit: 1) faculty will adopt the use of technology while learning online student support systems; 2) a well-designed support system will contribute to best practice through improved student retention and success.