Evaluating a flexible learning initiative: an Australian case study

As an institution with more than 25 years experience in flexible delivery education, the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) Australia, has the ability to provide lifelong learning opportunities for students around the world through a range of open and distance education initiatives. Using a 'Hybrid Education' model USQ has recently delivered a resource based learning package on CD to all students in the undergraduate core course, Introduction to Law. The application of flexible learning pedagogies and digital technologies has enabled the benefits of a distributed learning environment to be encapsulated by delivering the CD to on-campus and distance students, in conjunction with student access to interactive teaching support activities online. The use of CD technology has enabled the creation of a technologically enhanced learning experience for all students. The resource rich learning environment includes a combination of learning modules, essential readings, purpose built case law and other data bases, tutorial questions and answers, and lecture style presentations (including video, audio and animated graphics). CD technology enables the delivery of a large volume of learning resources in an economical and interactive way. The use of networked technology means students also have access to just-in-time content delivery via the web, interactive web discussion and telephone conferencing. Initial qualitative and descriptive findings from research undertaken to evaluate this initiative indicate that there is a cohort of students that have very favourable opinions about studying in this new environment provided on the Law CD, however as students needed to modifY their learning approach to use the Law CD, we found that there was also a group that were resistant to changing and thus had less favourable opinions