| Abstract: | F or a country like Ethiopia where higher learning enrollment is very low, distance education
offers an ideal opportunity of access for the country in general and for the students in particular
since it avoids time and place constraints. In spite of these merits, distance education requires
care with regard to the quality of student support, tutoring and material preparation. Higher
education institution needs to evaluate the status of the three determining factors time and again
to alleviate factors which affect the quality of distance education and students achievement. If
the quality of student support, tutoring and material preparation is high, it is assumed that
students’ achievement would possibly be high. This research is conducted to investigate the
satisfaction level of students about the quality of student support, tutoring and material
preparation of Saint Mary’s Addis Ababa Center of distance division and the prediction power of
the three factors on students’ achievement. It also tries to see if there is any difference in terms o
f perception of quality from gender, department and year of study regarding tutors’, material
preparation and student support effectiveness. The study employs a quantitative method, using
questionnaire and document analysis. The findings reveal that students have high satisfaction
regarding tutors effectiveness, quality of material preparation and student support. And tutors
effectiveness, quality of material preparation and student support predict learners’ achievement.
There is no a statistically significant difference regarding the three factors when it comes to
department, but the study shows a statistically significant difference to year of study. Females
appear more satisfied compared to males about tutors’ effectiveness, quality of material
preparation and student support. |
