A Creative Use of Distance Education to Meet Contemporary Problems of Students Career Aspiration: Implications for Strategic Planning

Abstract

Effective learning is directly related and dependent on the social and emotional well being of the learner. It is important to recognize that particular conditions which may arise within the social, economic and political environment in which the learner lives, and which impact negatively on the learner's social and emotional well-being, thus placing the learner at risk of learning breakdown. Such factors influence learners either positively or negatively. Distance education has failed to become integrated into the academic culture, not as a result of the commonly factors of cost and faculty resistance, but rather due to the insistence of distance educators on perpetuating a culture that is out of touch with the driving force of higher education. Effective distance education program demands the strategic planning should be made at all times. Such planning could be done well if challenges confronting learners on the program are identified and addressed. There is need for conducting research on distance education since it provides the empirical data which can be used for the development of the education and career aspiration of distance students. The study recommends that, in order to help boost students’ academic performance, Distance Education of the students should organize periodic career guidance seminars for students, to stimulate their career awareness, career aspiration and nurture their enthusiasm. This paper sets out to explore and provide an up-to-date picture of the challenges faced by distance education students in their quest to study. Among the challenges identified were - institutional, instructional, social, psychological, financial, Lack of Support, Feelings of Isolation, Technology, Interactivity and Commitment. In this paper the investigator also discuss the different challenges which were faced by distance learners. The paper also provides some valuable suggestions to overcome these challenges and provides some implications for future strategic planning for career aspiration.