Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/52657

Title

Making a choice: why Australian universities adopt different modes of delivery

Author(s)

Smith, A.;  Ling, P.

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of a major national research project examining the use of multiple modes of delivery in Australian universities. A variety of factors including the increased use of on- line educational technology has pushed Australian universities in recent years to extend the ways in which they deliver learning and teaching. However, the extent of the uptake of these modes of delivery has remained somewhat unclear as have the precise reasons why universities have adopted multiple modes. The research identified the pedagogical, organisational and environmental factors impacting on university decisions to diversify course delivery across more than one location or mode. In this paper the authors report briefly on the results of a survey which clarifies the extent of the use of multiple modes of delivery in Australian universities and case study research that attempts to unpack the reasons for adoption. The paper focuses on the second issue - factors influencing university decision-making about modes of delivery. The research finds that traditional face to face delivery is still the dominant form of delivery but universities are experimenting with a surprisingly wide variety of alternatives. [Author abstract]

Publication type

Conference paper

Source

Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE 2006), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 27-30 November 2006

Publication year

2007

Keyword(s)

Case studies;  Conventional teaching;  Course organisation;  Distance education;  Higher education;  Online learning;  Surveys;  Teaching methods;  University teaching

Publisher

Australian Association for Research in Education

ISBN

1324-9339

Publisher URL

http://www.aare.edu.au/

Peer reviewed