Exploring the disconnections: Student interaction with support services upon commencement of distance education

While provision of appropriate supports in the first year of study has been found to have a positive effect on student success, supports targeting distance learners are often applied in a 'goulash approach'. Against this backdrop, the research investigated the experiences of first-time distance learners with a view to informing the future design of supports during the early stages of the study lifecycle. The study was framed around Design-Based Research involving a mixed method approach over three phases: a s tocktake of services designed to support distance learning; a pre and post semester survey of first-time distance learners; and a video diary phase that gathered the lived experiences of 20 students upon commencement of their study. Triangulated results of the three phases highlight a disconnection between institutional support and development services and the majority of first-time distance learners who were labelled Self Sufficient Students.