ABSTRACT
Peer support in open and distance learning has been around for many years and is highly rated by students — often as highly as tutor support. There are a range of sources of support outside the institution: work colleagues, staff in other agencies such as libraries and advice centres, as well as more formal arrangements such as head teachers mentoring students in teacher training schemes. Support from other students can fall into two types: support from students on the same course or at the same level and support from students who have completed the course in question or are on the same course but have more experience. Institutions can offer the opportunity in a general mailing to students, collating the responses and mailing out lists by course. It is important to remember that there are many possible support organizations outside the institution to which students can be referred when circumstances dictate.
