Effective student support is a key to learners achieving success. Rick Whalley discusses his research findings and shares a resource for schools.

In 2015/16 I completed a dissertation as part of my fulfilment in completing a Master of Education with Waikato University. The dissertation reports on the findings of an exploratory qualitative study investigating the role of school based support staff (SBSS) in supporting students to become independent virtual learners in the Virtual Learning Network Primary School (VLNP). 

 At present the majority of the research into virtual learning has focused on adult learners, the eteacher and administrators with very little focus on the student or the school based support staff (SBSS) in primary schools (Barbour & Reeves, 2009). There has been a call for further research on the "factors that affect student success in virtual school environments" (Barbour & Reeves, 2009, p. 412), particularly with regards to the role and ways that SBSS can support virtual learners.

The SBSS are staff members in the student’s home school who support and mentor the students during their time in the VLNP. Students that learn through the VLNP have varying levels of academic, technical and independent skills. In some schools the SBSS assist students, however the expectations and degree of support varies from school to school.

Two schools within the VLNP were case studies highlighting 3 key themes:

•  Administration
  
• Scaffolded Learning
  
• Empowering Learning 
  

These themes are described through the notion of mediated agency to illustrate the multiple roles that the SBSS importantly play in supporting virtual learners.

The SBSS is the most important, underestimated and under prepared role (Davis & Niederhauser, 2007) and this research has gone some way to identify the "factors that affect student success in virtual school environments" (Barbour & Reeves, 2009. p. 412). The SBSS are not the only support in student's online learning, the eteacher, principal, parents, whānau and school technicians also play important roles. The SBSS are however the most significant support as they are part of the student's physical location and learning contexts. 

 The Overarching Role of the School Based Support Staff - a resource for schools.

Read Rick's dissertation:

Supporting Student Independence in Virtual Learning within New Zealand Primary Schools: Investigating the role of the School Based Support Staff