CONTRIBUTION OF THE STUDENT SERVICE CENTER TO THE SUSTAINABILITY OF STUDIES OF DISTANCE EDUCATION

Abstract

One of the vulnerabilities of study for Open Distance Learning (ODL) students is stopping halfway or dropping out. This happens because most students do not have the readiness to study independently without proper assistance. In addition, students at ODL are mostly people who are already working so they often don't care about the schedule of the lecture process. This article aims to identify the variables that cause obstacles in the continuity of distance student studies and the solutions that have been carried out by student service centers and study groups. The research design is descriptive and qualitative with in-depth interviews as a data collection technique. The informants are administrators of Universitas Terbuka (UT) service centers and study groups in Purwokerto, Samarinda, Jakarta and Surakarta. Data collection was carried out from May-August 2022. The results showed that although students could study independently, assistance from individuals or institutions was still very much needed. Assistance is provided in terms of admissions, scheduling, academics, and administering exams. This article also provides recommendations that can improve the role of student service centers and study groups to help students complete their studies faster and on time.