Flexible teaching & learning

What staff and students say about flexible teaching & learning

Making the move: What students and staff need

Examples of flexible teaching & learning are available on the Case Studies website

A printable version of the Flexible Teaching & Learning Statement [PDF] is available.

What staff and students say about flexible teaching & learning

There have been a number of comprehensive studies into the impact of flexible teaching & learning on UTAS staff and students, and the issues they face. As a result, action/implementation plans have been developed.

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Dimensions of flexible delivery

Flexible delivery refers to the means by which flexible teaching & learning approaches can be applied. It includes the use of technologies to create, store and distribute course content, and broaden and enrich the scope of communications between staff and students. However, it also includes other means that increase students’ learning options and access to courses – e.g. options with respect to specific course content to be learnt; means/focus of assessment. Below is a list of flexible delivery options and their definitions. These options (except item 11) are reporting fields in the UTAS Course and Units [electronic] Handbook.

Flexible delivery definitions

Information about the reporting fields [for individual course units]

Section A: Reporting fields 1–3 inclusive
These fields relate to the way in which the Web is used in the teaching of a unit (for example with WebCT).

Section B: Reporting fields 4 and 5
These two fields relate to purpose-designed and developed resources – other than web resources – made available to students for study purposes

Section C: Reporting fields 6–8 inclusive
These fields cover the use of communications technologies for conferencing purposes.

Section D: Reporting fields 9 and 10
These fields cover two other flexible teaching & learning strategies

Item 11 relates to options within a course, rather than an individual unit.

	Reporting fields	Explanation
Section A: Online delivery An online unit component is provided via the web.
1	Web-Supported	The web is used to supplement/support other teaching arrangements (such as face-to-face, distance), by, for example: Presentation of/access to information, content (such as lecture summaries, PowerPoint presentations, hyperlinks. It includes lectures delivered through Lectopia or Impatica.) Provision of self assessment tools; assignments submission tools Provision of communications tools for student-student and/or student-teacher interaction. Access to the web is not compulsory for students, i.e. all assessable requirements are available through other teaching arrangements.
2	Web-Dependent	The web is an integral, and compulsory, part of the mix of teaching & learning arrangements for the unit. The web is used for: Presentation of/ access to course content and/or Communication with staff and/or other students (e.g. through bulletin/discussion boards, email, chat) and/or Formal assessment purposes (e.g. through graded tests, submission/posting of assessable work). Other complementary teaching arrangements (e.g. face-to-face classes) are in place.
3	Fully online unit	The web is the only formal and compulsory teaching & learning medium (for presentation of/access to content, communications between students and staff; and continuous* assessment). Any other teaching or orientation arrangements are non-compulsory, or not on offer. *However, the end of semester examination may be held and supervised in the normal way (i.e. be off-line).
Section B: Resource-based teaching & learning Resources are purpose-designed and developed by or on behalf of the teaching staff for independent study (in terms of place and/or time) by students. Note: This section excludes web-based resources (see Section A above); it includes traditional distance education delivery. Examples include: Print study guides Audiotapes Videotapes CD-ROM
4	Resource-supported	Resources are provided to supplement (but not replace) other teaching arrangements (such as face-to-face). For example, the provision of recorded audiotapes, audio CDs, videotapes of lectures, seminars etc. held on campus for those on-campus students unable to attend the session, or for review purposes.
5	Resource-dependent	Resources are an integral part of the teaching program, complementing other teaching arrangements and replacing some or all face-to-face teaching
Section C: Conferencing technologies Communications technologies are used for live interaction between teaching staff and students.
6	Videoconferencing	Live two-way interaction by video link between teaching staff and students at a remote location (e.g. other campus) is an integral part of the teaching program.
7	Audioconferencing	As part of the formal teaching program, the telephone is used for voice-only links between teaching staff and students.
8	Webconferencing	The web is used to speak live to students and display images through the computer desktop (but telephone may be used for the audio component).
Section D: Other arrangements
9	Flexible scheduling	Face-to-face classes are held outside normal University teaching times, e.g.: Out of hours (i.e. outside 8am to 6pm, Mon - Fri) Weekend blocks Summer/winter schools Starting or completing a course or unit outside standard semester times.
10	Workplace learning	A formal, assessable or compulsory workplace learning component (e.g. workplace project, practicum, placement) is in place.
11	Flexible pathways through studies	Students are provided with opportunities to blend their UTAS studies with studies at other institutions, for example through: Flexible entry and exit points with TAFE, other universities or other educational providers Integration of offerings with other tertiary institutions

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Making the move: What students and staff need

Student needs

Students may need support to use flexible teaching & learning approaches:

To develop as independent learners
To develop skills to use IT tools.

Staff needs

Staff may need support to use flexible teaching & learning approaches:

To re-think the way they teach
To learn the use of new technologies
To undertake the redevelopment of units and courses.

Further information and assistance

See the Links to Teaching & Learning Resources for more information.

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Authorised by the Co-Heads, Centre for the Advancement of Learning & Teaching

August 21, 2009, 4:01 pm

Teaching & Learning