A Comparative Study on the Fluency in French by Distance and Full Time Students. The Case Study of Kwame Nkrumah University

This study investigated a comparative fluency in French by distance education and full time students learning French at Kwame Nkrumah University. Both distance and full time students were interviewed in French and their class lessons observed. The study revealed that distance students performed better in French and their academic results were better than their full time counterparts. Factors such as access and exposure to digital technologies such as social media and computers, quality modules and linguistic visit to French speaking countries are the main factors contributing to communicative fluency in French by distance education students at Kwame Nkrumah University. The study has made recommendations and proposals which will equally enable full time students improve their communicative ability in French as well. Among the recommendations were to encourage social networking among full time students through online French social groups and providing adequate study materials as those given to distance education students. French embassy was advised to reintroduce the programme of sending students studying French to Reunion or any other French speaking country in order to expose students to French civilization and culture. Parents were encouraged to provide their children in full time learning with digital technologies such as smart phones and laptops to enable them access modern language learning techniques online.