RECOMENDACIONES Y CONCLUSIONES

This research is an important study which has significant implications for the HEI at which I am employed and the sector more generally. The study was motivated by a

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perception that ODL students’ experiences of their distance learning courses could be improved, specifically with regard to the academic skill development opportunities available to them. Concern for a perceived lack of parity and equity between the experiences of ODL students and a potential lack of efficiency in the use of resources led to the exploration of practice within this HEI. Whilst this research study did not explicitly seek to establish the existence (or not) of a university strategy for distance learning, there is currently no evidence of a strategy to underpin academic skill

development for ODL students. Recent personal experience as a faculty learning lead enables confirmation that collaboration at faculty level occurs between faculty senior managers, learning and teaching staff, librarians, skill support staff, learning leads and learning technologists. However, in the absence of a university strategy and adequate resources, any development is fragmented and reliant upon innovative individuals. Findings from this research study did reveal a lack of parity and equity between

students’ experiences, in part due to differences in the way the availability of academic skill development opportunities are communicated to students, but also because some ODL students are able to take advantage of generic skill support services on campus due to their geographic location. However, this research highlights these generic skill support services, whether online or campus-based, do not meet the needs of ODL students.

It is important to acknowledge that since the inception of this research study a number of important changes to teaching and learning strategy have occurred within the university. Most significant is the imminent introduction of a new VLE which will transform teaching and learning for all students. In addition, a suite of resources to support students’ academic skill development were introduced shortly after data collection took place for this research study. Whilst this suite of resources are a significant improvement on what was previously available, including the inclusion of more interactive resources, personal review of these resources through the lens of this research study leads me to suggest they still do not fully meet the needs of ODL

students. Some text-based resources remain and navigation within the site is laborious, thus it continues to present challenges on students’ time in locating the information they need.

The unique capture of the ODL student voice in this research study using fully online research methods provided insight into students’ use of academic skill development opportunities and some of the challenges they face in doing so. The student voice is thereby conveyed in the recommendations which are based on the findings, analysis and conclusions drawn from this study.

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The recommendations which follow are for: (a) senior managers and university policy makers, (b) ODL tutors, (c) university support staff and (d) further research. Given that there are multiple factors affecting the provision of academic skill development

opportunities for ODL students, the proposed recommendations should be considered for their appropriateness at module, course and HEI level. It is also important that a holistic approach is taken whereby ODL students’ preferences are central to the provision of academic skill development opportunities. The recommendations relate to the checklist (Figure 7.1), thus providing a framework to facilitate the implementation of changes in practice.

Senior managers and university policy makers

Evidence from this research study confirmed the lack of a clear institutional strategy for ODL teaching and learning, specifically in the area of academic skill development. Senior managers, learning and teaching advisers and university policy makers should consider the following:

 Introduction of an institutional teaching and learning policy for ODL delivery. Alternatively, contextualisation of existing university teaching and learning policies to ODL delivery, thus leading to a more consistent approach across the institution.

 At the same time, development of an institutional communication policy to identify preferred methods of communication to convey specific types of information.

 All academic staff involved in teaching and supporting ODL students should be adequately trained to ensure they understand the specific pedagogical

requirements of online teaching and learning.

 Review of generic skill support resources to ensure they are available and accessible to ODL students and that they meet students’ preferences.

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Given the ad hoc nature by which students reported academic skill development opportunities were included as part of a module, ODL tutors should:

 Consider the skills required by students for each module.

 Adopt a ‘just in time’ approach to academic skill development, explicitly directing students to resources in each module.

 Review course curricula (course leaders), thus promoting progression of academic skills within and across academic levels of learning.

 At the same time, course leaders should consider how students who enter a course at various stages with accreditation of prior learning might be supported to ensure any gaps in their academic skill development are filled.

 Use a standardised format of the VLE for all modules across a course.  Provide academic skill development opportunities where there is ‘human’

interaction.

 Review their own training and development needs to ensure they are

conversant with ODL pedagogy and effective strategies for communicating with and motivating students.

University support staff

In light of the mixed responses by students to the generic skill support services, university support staff, in collaboration with learning and teaching advisers and ODL tutors, should:

 Ensure the availability of librarian support and the nature of the service

librarians are able to provide for ODL students is made explicit on the website.  Provide opportunities for ‘human’ interactivity such as Skype.

 Review existing generic skill support services to reduce the text-based nature of resources.

 Review the presentation and navigational aspects of existing generic skill support services to facilitate students’ time management.

Further research

In light of the findings from this research study the following should be considered:  Based upon students’ prevalence for the use of internet resources as an

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by ODL students to establish what it is about those resources which students prefer;

 A further similar study to analyse re-useable learning objects (RLO) embedded within course materials to establish whether they represent good practice which could be disseminated across the university; and

 A study to explore the approaches used by ODL tutors to embed or direct students to academic skill development opportunities, including the communication strategies utilised.