Time Series Analysis of the Geospatial Distribution of Distance Education Learners: Implications for Student Support

Abstract

Distance Education (DE) is a new field in education that is entirely separated from the standard, classroom-based, classical instructional model. It is believed to attract geographically diverse learners. A time series enrolment data (2005-2010) of UPOU was categorized by province, and fed into a GIS-data analysis environment Visual analysis was conducted to analyze the temporal and spatial behavior of the data; identify major spatial units of students ‘concentration; and extract the implications of this behavior on the development of student support system. Data were visualized as maps, tables, and graphs. Results indicate that enrolment in UPOU is increasing within the period of analysis, and enrolment data were widespread in 2005 but tend to aggregate in urban centers in the succeeding years. The increasing trend in enrolment data may be due to the convenience factor of online learning. On the other hand, the geospatial distribution patterns over time highlight the equity and accessibility issue, and the importance of mobile communication facilities as supplemental learning platforms. It is recommended that a mobile-learning environment that is equivalent to the online learning management system may be developed. Keywords - distance education, student support, UP Open University, geospatial, GIS, student support, time series analysis