Author: Robyn Benson, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University
Edition: Volume 46, Number 3, November 2006
Summary: Two features of the recent higher education environment, which have implications for university policies and practices, are the changing nature of the student population and the impact of alternative study modes, particularly as a result of developments in new learning technologies. Both of these features have implications for the characteristics of students as adult learners.This paper outlines an exploratory survey which was undertaken to investigate students’ preferred modes of study, including full and part-time, conventional and online, university-based and workplace-based, in order to inform university planning in this area. The study indicated that, although there was some willingness by students to engage with non-traditional options, particularly as experience of these options or of university life increased, the strongest preferences were for traditional study arrangements. Many students were more interested in increasing the flexibility of their study through extended access to the campus and improved timetabling than through studying off-campus and/or online.
Keywords: study mode, technology
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