ABSTRACT
The future of student support in open and distance learning will depend on social and technical developments within the wider field of education. Student support may be seen as a competitive edge in the institution, just as some producers advertise not just the quality of their product but also the quality of the 'after-sales' service. Students may be allowed to purchase student support as a form of'extended warranty' to use when they need it. Whatever the future scenario, there are some trends that do seem clear in computer and phone support. In any case offering student support merely increased student dependency in a vicious circle of tutor—student conspiracy. The office of Study Success Direct, a subsidiary of Global Megaversity Incorporated, is in a large warehouse in a suburb of London. From inside the huge central space there is a steady hum as 500 staff deal with calls and e-mails from students.
