Case Study Map 

Institution H6

10 Impact of networked learning on access

Issues surrounding access impact on institutions in a number of ways. The respondents in these interviews focused on three main areas: flexible access, ability and IT skills and widening participation.

Flexible access

The flexibility of access that networked learning can bring has been commented on above in relation to communication (p24). The importance of the portal development to support such flexible access is also mentioned and this is echoed below under widening participation. Flexibility is ensured in a range of ways:

I mean it is possible for any student to access our systems. I mean they have halls of residence, which are all wired up and so on... (H6I5)

I think it is popular with students that they can access work at different times of the day, different times of the night, at times that they want to study and when they want to finish assignments… (H6I1)

Ability and IT skills

Issues around IT skills have already been noted in the section on support for students in relation to infrastructure (p20). Induction provides targeted IT training and the e-learning summer school document suggests that the institution aims to ensure sufficient IT skills in its students.

Widening participation

The role of networked learning in encouraging wider participation is also emphasised in a number of different ways:

… there has also been an intention to ensure that what is developed doesn’t deny access… and also in some cases might assist and help make it easier for part-time students for example to access materials and learning opportunities and, as I said, dealing with off-site nurses and veterinary nurses… We have also made available laptops as part of our widening participation funding to assist with access to online learning. (H6I4)

… then you might say that that is unfair on the students who can’t afford to buy their own PCs but the University has done a very small amount on that in that it has a widening participation scheme and there is a small number, and it really is a small number of students who have been given laptops so that they can access stuff online. (H6I5)

On a different form of widening participation one member of staff commented on the opportunity that networked learning provided in terms of enabling links with selected ‘widening participation’ schools:

We have two groups that we are targeting, one is 13 year olds in schools and the other is the teachers in schools and the project… we are bound to put a whole section up of materials which are targeted towards the National Curriculum in biology... a learning resource that is useful for teachers as well as pupils... but we are putting up lots of materials about how do you become a vet... what do you need to know... all the kind of things that the non-widening participation schools would be likely to be telling their pupils but the widening participation schools probably aren’t. (H6I3)

This would suggest that networked learning in its broadest sense is recognised by the institution, or individuals within it, as a vehicle for widening participation. The access to computers is seen as a potential problem; however, the institution has dealt with this to a limited extent by making some equipment available to a small number of students.

Questionnaire data

The questionnaire responses, in relation to teaching and learning, comment on the fact that networked learning provides flexible access thus supporting the interview data.

Summary

Both interview and questionnaire data support the view that networked learning in its broadest sense is recognised by some of the participants as a vehicle for widening participation. The institution is seen as developing its commitment to ensure that all students have access to the technology by making a small number of laptops available to those who can least afford such equipment. There is also a recognition that networked learning offers flexibility, especially to students whose studies include work placements.