A Multi-Island Situation Without the Ocean: Tutors' perceptions about working in isolation from colleagues

dc.creator	Ilse Fouche
dc.date	2006-09-01T00:00:00Z
dc.date.accessioned	2015-08-12T11:17:53Z
dc.date.available	2015-08-12T11:17:53Z
dc.identifier	1492-3831
dc.identifier	https://doaj.org/article/9ea5061d5fd84e1aac8436d89cf64e92
dc.identifier.uri	http://evidence.thinkportal.org/handle/123456789/26531
dc.description	Distance education is generally seen as a very isolating experience for students, but one often forgets that it can be an equally isolating experience for teaching staff who oftentimes work in isolation from colleagues. This study examines the experiences of nine tutors at the Reading and Writing Centres of one of the 10 biggest universities in the world, Universtiy of South Africa (Unisa). The tutors work at different Regional Offices across South Africa. This study examines both quantitative data (closed-ended questions) and qualitative data (open-ended questions) obtained from questionnaires. This study seeks to determine to what extent administrative support, professional development support, and colleague support influence tutors’ feelings of isolation. This paper takes the position that if feelings of isolation are curbed, staff retention will be improved, which means that the university can retain valuable experience. Findings show that contact with and collaboration between and among colleagues significantly decrease feelings of isolation. Other important methods of curbing isolation are regular training and continuous administrative support.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	Athabasca University
dc.relation	http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/295/640
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/1492-3831
dc.rights	CC BY
dc.source	International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, Vol 7, Iss 2 (2006)
dc.subject	Distance education
dc.subject	open education
dc.subject	tutor isolation
dc.subject	staff isolation
dc.subject	collaboration
dc.subject	administrative support
dc.subject	professional support
dc.subject	colleague support
dc.subject	mentor
dc.subject	mentorship
dc.subject	staff retention
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.title	A Multi-Island Situation Without the Ocean: Tutors' perceptions about working in isolation from colleagues
dc.type	article