Effect of Face-to-Face Tutoring on Academic Performance of Distance Learners: Implications for Educational Practice

Abstract

The need to improve students' academic performance is paramount to distance learning educators. This study investigated the effect of face-to-face tutoring on academic performance of distance learners in the University of Cape Coast. Descriptive survey design with a quantitative approach was employed, using a sample of 1,491 out 44,134 students. A questionnaire developed by Gow and Kember was adapted and used for data collection. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyse the data. The findings revealed that, all the eight elements used to measure students' perception on tutoring scored above the statistical mean threshold of 3.0. The findings further revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in the performance of students with negative or positive perceptions towards face-to-face tutoring. Though the predictive effect of tutoring on academic performance was positive, the findings further established that only three elements of tutoring (tutorial sessions, assessment and collaboration) positively affect respondents' academic performance, the rest do not. Implications for educational practice with reference to course-tutors were discussed. The study recommends that tutors should provide effective tutorial sessions that promote opportunity for collaboration. The study also recommends to management to include course-tutors in students' assessment procedures.