The experiences of adult learners in distance learning at the South African College for Teacher Education

M.Ed.The aim of this research was to gain an understanding of the experiences of adult learners engaged in a distance learning programme in Early Childhood Development at the South African College for Teacher Education. It is argued that distance education learners have different needs and experiences to their counterparts at contact universities, and for this reason, distance providers should understand the experiences, needs and characteristics of adult distance learners in order to design quality course material and give effective student support. In light of the above argument, qualitative research was conducted using interviews and the collection of documents for data collection. Ten participants were purposefully selected by maximum variation sampling to represent the widest possible range of experience. They were then interviewed in order to gain insight into their experiences as distance learners at SACTE. The data were then analysed and the findings written up. The findings of the research show that most students experienced excitement and fear at the outset of the course — excitement because of the new experience and fear because they were uncertain what to expect. Students' enjoyment of the course was enhanced by the use of mechanical media, such as video recordings, the usage of interactive text, and by the relevancy of the course material, that is, when they could apply it to the workplace. Students' responses in the interviews contained valuable information on their perceptions of the course. They were able to give feedback on ways in which they believed the course could be improved such as regular contact sessions and more efficient administrative support