The flexible learning experience - how good is it really?

The Ipswich campus is purpose built for flexible learning with learning spaces carefully designed to encourage collaborative, interactive and participative models of teaching and learning. These learning spaces include many meeting rooms for face to face tutorials and small learning activities. Self directed learning centres and a high ratio of computers to students support self paced learning and group learning activities. The development of courses specifically for flexible learning has been a major undertaking, with a new unit, the Learning Resources Development Unit, (LRDU) established to support this. As a major part of the initiatives at Ipswich, the LRDU in conjunction with other University staff, is undertaking a comprehensive series of evaluation projects which are examining many different aspects of students experiences of flexible learning as it is actualised at this new campus.

At Ipswich, the flexible learning experience is generally an on campus one with face to face meetings integrated with a wide variety of resources including the Web, communications technologies, CD-ROMs, interactive activities, small group work and print learning guides. The adoption of flexible learning introduces a variety of new teaching and learning environments for the majority of staff and students. Thus there is a need for institutions to develop an understanding of how staff and students experience the adoption of flexible learning, however it may be interpreted, and the degree of satisfaction and success there is with these approaches to teaching and learning.

This paper reports on the findings of one of the evaluation projects, "a study of the learning experience in a flexible delivery environment" conducted at Ipswich. This particular study investigated students' expectations of flexible learning, the difficulties they encountered, and the factors that contributed to, successful learning. It identified aspects of the learning experience that students found to be most beneficial and those that were more problematical. Data was gathered by a questionnaire and focus group discussions. These activities involved students from the seven degree programs on offer at Ipswich in 1999.

The results showed that students found some aspects of the learning experience to be positive and others less so. For example, students showed a preference for print learning guides and email, but were less enthusiastic about chat programs and books of readings.

The insights gained from this particular project are being used to assist in refining and enhancing current offerings and informing future initiatives.