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Executive Summary

1 Introduction

2 Context

3 Methodology

4 - 9 Findings, Analysis and Discussion

10 Summary of Findings

11 Discussion of Findings

12 References

13 Case Studies

Acknowledgments & Partners

Case Study Map 

Institution H2

10 Impact of networked learning on access

The university is committed to widening participation and it is making efforts to use networked learning in support of this commitment. Two particular aspects were discussed, flexible access for campus based students, and remote access for part time students and for students on work placements.

Flexible access

Access for all students depends initially on successful registration with the university, and there seem to have been some problems with registration in the past caused by the complexity of the process and the lack of user IT skills. The registration process is now online, and this is expected to make access easier, but for anyone having difficulties with the online registration, there is face to face help on campus during the induction period.

Access on the log on has been a problem for us from in the first year we tried it, [with] the first year students coming brand new in the door. We had far too complicated a process of issuing user names and passwords. (H2I3)

And electronically I think there are still some problems with registering students and supporting students online, which we are aware of, which we’re beginning to address... Well, even simple things like access to library resources, for example, for overseas students. (H2I2B)

… because either they haven't had access to a computer or for some reason they just don't have the skills to do it. And there'll also be people on hand from 'Learning Services' to help them because that week, that induction week, there are drop in sessions (H2I1)

Physical access for campus based students is becoming easier; a new learning centre is being built, but currently there is flexible access via the library and the Internet café. The opening times have been extended to allow more flexible access for students.

… the university, is about to build a learning centre and it’s … a rather ambitious new project which probably end up costing in the region of 20 to 30 million and the concept of the cyber café is something that is going to be part of that learning centre, open space, computers.…(H2I6)

Remote access brings slightly different problems, some of which were mentioned by the respondents. Access for students on work placements was a particular difficulty, since employers seemed to be unwilling to allow students use of their facilities. The university is organising a scheme whereby students could loan laptop computers, but it was not clear whether this had been fully resolved yet, for example the students will still need to arrange access to the Internet.

What we are finding now in practice is that… many employers will not let their employees access the internet and probably particularly not these placement students and therefore there is a dilemma there about access and I’m not really terribly sure how it has been resolved but it has gone from asking employers to allow them to have access, to buying laptops which we will loan to students to take on their placements. But that’s not the whole story either because as you know a laptop is no use unless you have got an ISP, unless you’ve got a network connection and then you’ve got costs on top of that because you’ve got all your connection charges and stuff. That’s why I’m saying I’m not terribly sure how that has been resolved, or if it has been resolved yet… (H2I3)

Widening participation

Discussion of widening participation specifically (rather than in terms of improving flexible access) tended to focus on campus based students rather than on students at a distance; although one respondent felt there was a need to provide better support for remote learners.

I think obviously with user network learning you are increasing the access. People can access it from where ever [they are], and they can access the lectures perhaps by email rather than [just through] phone calls or letters etc. So as long as people have the facilities to get on to the network, it is obviously going to increase [access]. But again I think you have to work at it. You can’t just set it up and expect it to happen. You have to provide support. I think something we need to work on is providing support for those remote students and not necessarily just technical support or academic support but perhaps more pastoral support so they can access all the services at the university that on site students would have. (H2I2A)

We have very small numbers of remote learners and the ones that we are targeting tend [to have] sponsors that have the money to equip the students…It’s really the full time campus based students who … don’t have the connections from home and they therefore can’t benefit from the flexibility and … there is no getting away from it, they are disadvantaged because they don’t have the access there. (H2I3

These limited comments suggest that the university is currently focussed on campus based learning, and this view is supported by the questionnaire responses. Seven out of eight respondents felt that networked learning had not changed the focus of the institution, and written comments explained that this focus was the campus based student.

Most of our students are campus based, therefore networked learning is being integrated to enhance their experience rather than target new markets (at least for the present). (H2I4 questionnaire)

Summary

Networked learning was seen as considerably increasing the flexibility of access to learning resources and as enabling communication between staff and students. Online registration and new learning centres were seen as increasing flexibility, but there were some concerns expressed about the support provided for remote learners. Improved access and widening participation was considered mainly from the viewpoint of the campus based student.