A conceptual framework for understanding the transitions in perceptions of external students

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Abstract
Most student withdrawals from studying at a distance are for personal reasons. This paper is an attempt at clarifying and analysing the reasons from a more subjective perspective than the often‐used survey. The first step in this process is to identify the students’ perceptions of their situation, as they make the necessary transitions from non‐student to student. The study endeavours to outline a conceptual framework for investigating these transitions, with its main emphasis being on the interpretation of the students’ perspective of the influences acting on them. The next step would be to use this information as a basis for more systematic (rather than intuitive) specialised counselling of distance education students.