Reaching REMOTE Learners: Successes and Challenges for Students in an Online Graduate Degree Program in the Pacific Islands

From The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, this article describes an evaluative study of the Regional Education Master’s Online Training in Evaluation (REMOTE) programme, which is designed to address a need for building the capacity of educational leaders in the Pacific to conduct and utilise programme evaluation appropriately and effectively. The Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) and the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM), Hawaii, United States (US), partnered to deliver a two-year, online Master’s degree programme to provide this educational opportunity to students located on several islands in the Pacific region. "The purpose of this study was to identify promising practices and common challenges faced by students enrolled in a multiyear, online degree program. We also sought to determine (a) the unique challenges experienced by students from rural areas and traditional cultures and (b) what factors helped them to stay on track and graduate on time. The students in this program were all mid-career working professionals who lived in rural settings and who were from traditional cultures and indigenous communities."

Students involved in the study were from islands across the US-affiliated Pacific, including American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), the Federated States of Micronesia (Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei), Guam, Hawaii, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Republic of Palau, and enrolled in the coursework through the University of Hawaii Graduate Division. All courses were taught online, using WebCT and Sakai course management systems. The only exception was a face-to-face meeting for part of the first summer semester to meet with REMOTE instructors and begin course work. "Courses were offered largely in an asynchronous format, with course management software and email as the primary means of communication. When students first returned to their islands, program staff implemented ways to bring the cohort together using synchronous technologies. The staff began using teleconferencing and web-conferencing as a way to bring students together to discuss questions and issues. Course instructors also began to use web-conferencing (using Elluminate Live! software) to convene students in their courses periodically. These synchronous meetings were optional and informal, not a required element of the program."

Surveys, administered throughout the duration of the programme, helped to understand the significance of student experiences for continuous course improvement. The information obtained from these surveys added quantitative data to information obtained from interviews. The study sought to find what factors helped students succeed and what factors posed challenges.

Challenges included finding time to do the coursework, lack of computer skills, slow internet connections, technological changes mid-programme that presented a new interface to students, and complexity of assignments. Success was supported by personal interactions during the course, organisation and clarity of the course, and relevance of the course content to local situations. Student interaction was supported by a discussion forum online and web-conference meetings. Interaction with advisors, instructors, and program staff was valued, as well as instructors’ flexibility and personal touches, which "were often cited as factors that made students persevere....Asked what changes they would make to the program, student suggestions included a mandatory weekly meeting by phone or web-conferencing, having local coordinators on their home islands for the program, and more opportunities for face-to-face meetings."

Recommendations for multi-year degree programmes in settings such as the Pacific Islands include the following:

1. "Provide opportunities for synchronous meetings either in person or virtually using technology. Synchronous technologies that bring students together for virtual meetings can greatly enhance interactions and motivate students by allowing them to feel as though they are part of a learning community.
2. Create support structures for students with key personnel who are connected to students and who remain with them over the course of the program. Faculty and staff who are aware of the challenges of the online learner can be instrumental in designing course and program elements that support the student who is juggling coursework among many obligations.
   
3. Be aware and respectful of the realities of the students’ lives. Adult learners from traditional and indigenous communities have multiple obligations that require them to prioritize their coursework in different ways."