Challenges and coping strategies among distance education learners: Implication for human resources managers

This study examined challenges and coping strategies among distance education learners and their implications for human resources managers. The quantitative and descriptive survey design was adopted, and a sample of 1358 university students pursuing distance programmes was drawn from a study population of 44,458 distance undergraduate and postgraduate students. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire, and the data obtained was analysed with Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The study found that instructional challenges, psychlogical challenges, socio-religious challenges and institutional challenges had a statistically significant relationship with coping strategies and educational output among distance learners. Coping strategies also obtained a statistically significant relationship with educational output. The four main effective coping strategies identified among distance learners were problem-focused, emotion-focused, preventive and proactive coping strategies. It was recommended that human resource managers provide orientation, counselling on coping strategies, decent and suitable teaching and learning facilities, supply modules and communicate assessment feedback on time, and provide competent and committed course tutors to help reduce challenges faced by distance learners.