Student Affairs in Distance Education System of a Mega-University

Abstract

Student affairs is an important issue in distance education as the student first interacts with the related center/centers directly or indirectly, and it's a connection point to the education organization. This interaction may affect the student's learning life quality depending on his satisfaction with the services in terms of fastness, accuracy and effectiveness. On the other hand, although technology is seen as the communication tool between the student and the teacher/the organization in distance education, it is also the tool which can improve the student affairs background processes. In this study, student affairs in distance education system of a mega-university is discussed, critically examined and recommendations for future implementations are presented, in terms of both improving the scope of the services and integrating technology to the processes. Since student services for distance education is reported as a still quite lacking area in literature, the study will contribute to the field.