Prior Learning Experience and Student Performance in Distance Education: A Cross Sectional Survey on B.Sc. Students at OUSL

P.S. K. Pathirana, S.R. Weerakoon and S. Somaratne

Abstract

Prior learning experience has been found to be one of the key factors contributing to the disparity in outcome of undergraduate learning. The present study was carried out to find the relationship between educational qualifications at entrance and undergraduate performance, with special reference to science students at the Open University of Sri Lanka. Based on the results of a preliminary survey, a sample of graduates who had successfully completed the degree programme in three consecutive years from 1998 to 2000 was selected. Data on previous educational qualifications and undergraduate performance were extracted from personal files and analyzed. At the same time data on student characteristics such as age at entry, gender and district of residence were collected to find out whether there is any relationship between them and performance of the student sample concerned. The study revealed that the students enrolled at younger ages with better results in General Certificate in Education (Advanced Level) examination, performed better in university examinations as well and obtained Degree earlier than others. Prior exposure to the methodology of Open University or additional qualifications obtained after General Certificate in Education (Advanced Level) seems to contribute less to performance towards the end of the Degree programme. The contribution made by additional qualifications to the completion of Degree programme earlier than others is noteworthy and needs further investigation.

1. Introduction

The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) is a national university, which has the same legal and academic status as any conventional university in Sri Lanka. It is the only recognized University in the island, where students are able to pursue further studies through distance education in keeping with the philosophy of open learning.

Conventional Universities in Sri Lanka admit students, on the basis of a specific formal qualification – General Certificate in Education (Advanced Level)[GCE (AL)]. The selection is competitive and made after the release of GCE (AL) results. The OUSL on the other hand, as an Open Education Institution, requires no qualifications at entry. It admits students of 18 years or above to its academic programmes. However, for the Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Degree Programme, which requires a certain level of competency, the Faculty of Natural Sciences has stipulated some minimum basic admission requirements to identify whether prospective students are capable of following the selected programme. Accordingly, the students are eligible to register for courses at the lowest level (Level 3) of the B.Sc. Degree Programme if they possess the following basic qualifications:-

1. A minimum of three passes in any number of sittings at the GCE (AL) in approved science subjects such as Botany, Zoology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Combined Mathematics, Higher Mathematics and Agriculture.

2. A minimum of three credits in approved science disciplines at the Foundation Levels 1 and 2 conducted by OUSL itself [Foundation 1 and 2 are of an academic standing equivalent to that of the GCE (AL)]. *The credit rating is the expression used in the OUSL to denote the academic value of a course

Students with only one or two passes at the GCE (AL), as well as the students who have not sat for or passed GCE (AL), need to follow the appropriate Foundation courses to fulfill the requirement of a minimum number of passes for admission to the B. Sc. programme. If however, they have passed certain subjects at the GCE (AL), they are granted exemptions from the relevant foundation courses. The other qualifications for which exemptions are granted are as follows:

General Science Qualification (GSQ)/ Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) 1st Examination of a recognized university

•Laboratory Technicians Certificate Course (LTCC) conducted by the Institute of Chemistry, Sri Lanka

•Trained Teachers Certificate (TTC)

•National Diploma / Diploma in Teaching Science or Mathematics

•Science Teachers Diploma

•National Diploma in Technology (NDT)

•Part I Examination of the Institute of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL)

•Agriculture Diploma from School of Agriculture, Sri Lanka

Some of the qualifications for which exemptions are granted not only from Foundation but also from Level 3 and higher-level courses are as follows:

•The 1st year examination in science of a recognized university,

•Graduate-ship from the Institute of Chemistry

•National Diploma in Science

•Science Teachers Diploma

•National Diploma in Mathematics

•Chartered Engineer's Institute examinations

In addition, there may be some other qualifications, which are considered for granting exemptions after reviewed by the Faculty of Natural Sciences. The students who are granted exemptions from relevant OUSL courses are given a final mark of only 40% irrespective of the mark obtained at the equivalent courses / examinations.

Once enrolled into the Degree Programme, a student's progress is assessed continuously by means of home assignments, assessment tests in both theory and practical, and at the end of the course by means of a final examination. The overall grade for each course is determined by a combination of the Continuous Assessment Mark (CAM) and the Final Examination Mark (FEM). The degree is awarded after completing 6 credits based on a standard criterion. As such the overall final result of a student generally reflects the contributions made by continuous assessments and final examinations of all the courses followed for the degree programme.

The minimum period required to complete the B.Sc. degree programme is three academic years. However, certain students spend more time to obtain the degree, because in distance education, students do not necessarily have to stick to a time frame. In addition, some students have to spend more time by repeating courses when they are unable to obtain the CAM prescribed by relevant departments, to be eligible to sit the final examination. Some other students postpone sitting the final examinations even after obtaining eligibility. As a consequence, the number of years spent to earn the degree varies from student to student and becomes an important measure of academic performance.

The Faculty of Natural Sciences enrolls students to the restructured B.Sc. Degree Programme from 1996, allowing the students registered under the old structure to continue their studies by offering old courses for one more year and then transferring to the new programme.

Based on OUSL records, in the year 2000, the Faculty of Natural Sciences has enrolled a total of 800 students and passed out 128 graduates with first classes, second classes (upper and lower division) and passes in different proportions. This low graduate output showing a disparity in performance has been identified as a key problem and investigations on the main factors causing this problem are essential for taking steps for the success of OUSL – the leading distance learning institution of the country.

2. Literature Review

Variation in the outcome of undergraduate learning is very common in University systems (Morgan, 1993). Learning outcome or student performance is found to be indicative of the academic success of educational institutions and is often used as a measure of institutional performance (Shale and Gomes, 1998). On such basis, studies of factors related to student performance that cause variation in the learning outcome are carried out in many Universities, with the intention of taking necessary steps to achieve institutional success (Koch, 2004). In many such studies the commonly used measures of undergraduate performance in distance learning are grades obtained in examinations and the time taken to graduate (Koch, 2004; Shale and Gomes, 1998).

The main factors affecting undergraduate performance and causing disparity are found to be hard work, above average intelligence, motivation or orientation to education, age and the prior learning experience (Gibbs et al, 1984). However, Morgan (1993) pointed out that in a conventional university, the student population of a particular academic programme is more or less homogeneous at least with respect to previous educational qualifications and age at entry. As such, in conventional Universities, the relationship between previous learning experiences and variation in undergraduate performance is found to be negligible (Morgan, 1993). In contrast, in open learning institutions, undergraduate population of a particular programme varies with respect to previous educational qualifications and age. Therefore, prior learning experience and age at entry could be considered as two important factors that influence academic performance of such student populations (De Lange, 1997; Rekkedal, 1983).

Studies carried out to find the relationship between prior learning experience and student performance under distance mode in various academic fields have shown that this relationship varies with subject area. For instance, Cybinski and Selvanathan (2005) who worked on distance learning undergraduates of Statistics and Mathematics found that educational level prior to enrollment is significantly related to performance. On the other hand, De Lange et al (1997) who focused on academic achievement of undergraduate Accounting students studying under distance mode showed that there is no significant relationship between a student's prior education level and results achieved. Furthermore, Johnes (1990) focusing on British University students pointed out that previous education exerts an effect on academic performance only at the beginning but not towards the end of the Degree programme.

Various studies focused upon factors related to student success have shown that in addition to prior learning experience, some student characteristics too are important determinants of student success. For instance, Koch (2004) has shown that in addition to previous academic success, age, gender, distance learning experience and previous experience with the same institution are statistically significant determinants of student success in distance learning. Based on the findings of Rekkedal (1983) and Koch (2004), older students obtain better grades and appear to have higher course completion rates and hence become better performers. However, the findings of different works performed on relationship between gender and academic achievement in distance education seem to be contradictory. As shown by Koch (2004), gender plays an important role in academic achievement and females outperform males in university education across a range of subjects. The studies undertaken by Gammie et. al. (2003) examining the impact of gender on distance mode undergraduate Accounting, Finance and Auditing has shown that such gender differences are apparent only for some subjects in early university performance but not in the Final years. However, Ergul (2004) has shown that gender is not significantly correlated with academic achievement.

Furthermore, researchers have found that previous exposure to open learning methodology and experience with the same distance learning institution has a positive effect on performance (Rekkedal, 1983; Koch, 2004; Shale and Gomes, 1998).

Performance based studies on OUSL students have been carried out in the fields of Social Sciences and English language, taking the students below degree level into consideration. For instance, Gamaathige and Disanayake (1999), making a comparison between previous educational qualifications of OUSL students who had completed and not completed the Foundation Programme in Social Studies, pointed out that academic success is related to GCE (AL) grades, other training received after school-leaving and background characteristics such as gender, age and area of residence. However, Ratwatte (2000) studying the effect of previous learning experiences on learning in the distance mode, by focusing on students registered for Advanced Certificate in English, suggests that although subject related previous education might have an advantage initially, it does not help in outperforming others towards the end of the programme.

3. Background

The graduate output in the Faculty of Natural Sciences of OUSL seems to be less than desirable. Literature indicates that prior learning experience could be one of the main factors leading to disparity in undergraduate performance in distance education institutions such as OUSL. In addition, undergraduate performance seems to be related to prior exposure to distance learning methodology and some student characteristics such as age at entry, gender and area of residence. Such relationships seem to vary for different disciplines as well as from early university years towards the end of the study programmes. Based on literature, the commonly used measures of undergraduate performance in distance learning are grades obtained in examinations and time taken to graduate.

Although some performance based studies have been carried out in the fields of Social Sciences and English language at OUSL focusing on students below degree level at early periods of the programmes, no such investigations have been carried out with respect to Science undergraduates towards the end of the degree programme.
