learning and to be engaged in learning activities and opportunities that meet their own individual needs (). Students who wish to study by flexible modes tend to enrol in courses externally (). However, research suggests that learning options can be anything but “flexible flexible, constraining students in ways they had not imagined, and causing untold (). Frequently used terms such as flexible learning, online learning and frustrations” in very diverse ways by providers and clients. Consequently what “are understood they do under these headings, and the judgements they make about the outcomes and outputs vary (). greatly” Flexible learning has similarities to open learning (discussed below) but has constraints, and there are degrees of flexibility (). In practice at Australian universities, rarely does the level of flexibility extend beyond the means by which students interact with staff, learning resources and fellow students, and there is little flexibility in terms of commencement, selection of courses, duration and choice of assessment. McDonald and Postle () suggest that adoption of the concept of flexible delivery has been a key “the initiative in many institutions although this concept has been interpreted in many ways”. However, flexible learning not necessarily equate with effective learning, as simply “does providing a range of options does not bring with it (). Although there has been deep learning” considerable growth in the use of flexible methods of delivery for learning and development, it is important that adequate consideration is given to individual differences in learning styles, preferences and strategies (). At one stage, the was and University’s mantra “fast, fluid (), but it was eventually abandoned by the University and no longer appears on flexible” promotional material. It has now been replaced in the strategic plan by the promise of personalised learning () which reflects the characteristics of open and flexible learning. The proposed changes at the University do not appear to heed the advice of ) who suggested that changes in learning environments should not take place without consideration
learning and to be engaged in learning activities and opportunities that meet their own individual needs (). Students who wish to study by flexible modes tend to enrol in courses externally (). However, research suggests that “flexible learning options can be anything but flexible, constraining students in ways they had not imagined, and causing untold frustrations” (). Frequently used terms such as flexible learning, online learning and “are understood in very diverse ways by providers and clients. Consequently what they do under these headings, and the judgements they make about the outcomes and outputs vary greatly” (). Flexible learning has similarities to open learning (discussed below) but has constraints, and there are degrees of flexibility (). In practice at Australian universities, rarely does the level of flexibility extend beyond the means by which students interact with staff, learning resources and fellow students, and there is little flexibility in terms of commencement, selection of courses, duration and choice of assessment. McDonald and Postle () suggest that “the adoption of the concept of flexible delivery has been a key initiative in many institutions although this concept has been interpreted in many ways”. However, flexible learning “does not necessarily equate with effective learning, as simply providing a range of options does not bring with it deep learning” (). Although there has been considerable growth in the use of flexible methods of delivery for learning and development, it is important that adequate consideration is given to individual differences in learning styles, preferences and strategies (). At one stage, the University’s mantra was “fast, fluid and flexible” (), but it was eventually abandoned by the University and no longer appears on promotional material. It has now been replaced in the strategic plan by the promise of personalised learning () which reflects the characteristics of open and flexible learning. The proposed changes at the University do not appear to heed the advice of ) who suggested that changes in learning environments should not take place without consideration
130417-Barrie-Todhunter-RS-REVIEW-v01%20BT.docx