1. Key facts about the need for information consultation services
Of the 500 students participating in the investigation, male students accounted for 51.6% and female students accounted for 48.4%. Urban students accounted for 77.4% and rural students accounted for 22.6%. The investigation covers 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government of China. The provinces of Sichuan, Guangdong, Guizhou, Shandong and Henan constitute the majority of students involved in the investigation.
Participants aged 18-30 accounted for 62.4%, and they also represent the main learning group in open education. Most of them have relatively stable occupations, with company staff accounting for 32.4%, staff from government institutions accounting for 23%, and freelancers accounting for 13.6%. 85.6% of the students have clear learning objectives and motivation, but they also experience a conflict between work and study. This means that schools must offer students comprehensive information services, establish smooth communication channels, strengthen online interaction with students, and help to counter learning difficulties so as to enhance the students’ sense of belonging, reduce the dropout rate, and help them to successfully complete their studies.
2. Analysis on students’ requirements for the content of information consultation services
According to the results of the investigation, 54.2% of students are concerned about the technical aspects of the learning platform, such as login, assignment submission, and web technologies; 53.6% are concerned about learning resources, such as how to search, download and play videos; 49% are concerned about teaching management, such as study or examination exemption, credit transfer, and graduation and degree review; and 37.6% are concerned about enrolment, including majors, curriculum, and tuition standards. A further 36.4% are concerned about career guidance, such as job analysis and career planning, which the author found surprising.
The analysis reveals that the students have different needs for information consultation services at different stages in their learning processes. Before starting their studies, they are mostly concerned about enrolment information, such as majors, tuition standards, curriculum, and graduation qualifications. During the course of study, they are concerned about course registration, course selection, changes to school registration policies, learning guidance, platform application, examination requirements, graduation application, and degree application. After they finish studying, they are concerned about employment guidance, job training, and skills training.
It can be observed that information consultation services can satisfy students’ online support needs throughout the entire process of enrolment, course selection, learning, and graduation by analysing students’ periodic and random service needs. At the same time, weak links can be detected in teaching, teaching management, and learner support through information service data mining. For example, a series of post-learning information services should be included in the service content, including employment guidance, career planning, and job and skills training. Analysis of the reasons why the students have a strong demand for platform-based technology information can lead to strengthened training of students’ skills of using learning platforms, improved navigation of learning platforms, and developing online courses suitable to the students’ learning needs.
3. Analysis of students’ preferred channels for information consultation services
The results of the investigation show that 61% of students hope to obtain comprehensive information services from their class tutors; 50% of students hope to obtain information services provided by the OUC; 48.4% of students hope to obtain relevant information from their classmates; and 36.2% of students hope to obtain information services from tutorial centres.
Class tutors, also known as learning guidance tutors, are an indispensable part of information consultation services. Their main responsibility is to manage the students’ daily affairs, and to improve their learning process. If the students run into information difficulties, class tutors represent the most direct and convenient channel to solve the problems. 50% of students hope to obtain information services from OUC headquarters, as they feel the information provided will be more accurate and authoritative.
4. Analysis of students’ preferred information consultation services methods
The results of the investigation show that 74.6% of students would prefer that schools offer online services, including QQ, MSN and other chat tools; 61.8% prefer telephone services；38% prefer email; and 18.8% prefer BBS.
The author also analysed the 2015 student services provided by the OUC Call Centre, which provides external consultation services through toll-free “400” telephone calls, synchronous online consultation services, email, and BBS, among others. Of the 10,000 random instances of provided services, telephone consultation accounted for 53%；online consultations accounted for 33%；BBS accounted for 8%；and email accounted for 6%. Telephone remains the primary method of consultation. We also found that online services have gradually taken the place of email and BBS, as feedback via these platforms takes longer time.
5. Analysis of the level of satisfaction with educational information consultation services
With regard to students’ satisfaction with information services, the investigation shows that 55.4% of students feel satisfied; 32% feel that the services are average; and 12.6% feel dissatisfied. The reasons behind their dissatisfaction are as follows: 54.2% of students are not aware of the consultation services provided by the schools; 58.8% think that the channels are not convenient or easy to use; 47.4% think that information services are not timely enough; and 43.2% think that the information provided is not accurate enough.
The core elements of the research on distance education information consultation services lie in supplying the students with truly effective information support, and in improving their satisfaction with information consultation services. If consultation services fail to meet the students’ requirements, solutions should be adjusted in a timely manner. A failure to smooth away any learning difficulties students might face is bound to negatively affect the teaching quality of distance education.