Strategies for accommodating individuals` styles and preferences in flexible learning programmes

There has been a considerable growth in the use of flexible methods of delivery for workplace learning and development. However, in designing programmes of flexible learning there is often the assumption that learners will exhibit uniformity in the ways in which they process and organise information (cognitive style), in their predispositions towards particular learning formats and media (instructional preferences) and the conscious actions they employ to deal with the demands of specific learning situations (learning strategies). In adopting such a stance one runs the risk of ignoring important aspects of individual differences in styles, preferences and strategies. Our purpose in this paper will be to: (i) consider some aspects of individual difference that are pertinent to the delivery of flexible learning in the workplace; (ii) identify some of the challenges that extant differences in styles and preferences between individuals may raise for instructional designers and learning facilitators; (iii) suggest ways in which models of flexible learning design and delivery may acknowledge and accommodate individual differences in styles and preferences through the use of an appropriate range of instructional design, learning and support strategies.

Training general practitioners in flexible sigmoidoscopy to screen for colorectal cancer

Background: A screening programme to detect polyps or early carcinoma would significantly reduce the mortality and morbidity of colorectal cancer (CRC). The aims of the present study were to evaluate: (i) the feasibility of training general practitioners in flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) for CRC screening; (ii) the acceptability of screening by faecal occult blood testing (FOBT) and FS in asymptomatic standard risk Australians aged over 50 years; and (iii) the yield of such screening. Methods: Subjects were recruited by general practitioner (GP) referral, newspaper advertisement or by a direct approach to retirement villages. Participants were mailed a FOBT kit and a prescreening questionnaire. Flexible sigmoidoscopy was performed by a GP supervised by an experienced endoscopist. Subjects then completed a second questionnaire. General practitioners were assessed after 50 unassisted procedures. Results: A total of 264 individuals contacted the study coordinator; 169 were screened. Screening was accepted well by the participants. Fifteen per cent of subjects had polyps and 4% had a positive FOBT. Training in FS was adversely affected by the availability of resources. Three GPs completed 50 unassisted procedures over a 15-month period, but none were able to reliably assess the distal bowel. Conclusions: Although the three trainees and their supervisors did not consider that the GPs were adequately trained after 50 unassisted procedures, training was adversely affected by limited resources within the Victorian public hospital system. Screening by FOBT and FS was considered to be acceptable by the patients undergoing these procedures. Existing facilities are not adequate if GPs are to be trained in FS as part of a national CRC screening program.

Teaching and learning: flexible modes and technology applications

Australian universities face many challenges In providing postgraduate midwifery education opportunities for registered nurses, particularly for those residing in rural areas. This paper will describe the measures implemented by a team of midwifery academics of Deakin university, Melbourne campus, specifically for units of study within the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery. As a consequence of these measures, student travel to a campus of the university and separation from their families and communities have been reduced. These innovative measures include a blended teaching approach incorporating face-to-face and online teaching consisting of Deakin Studies Online based in Web CT Vista, and Elluminate Live, an interactive online synchronous communication tool. Over the past 20 years in Australia, Deakin university has led the way in computer mediated learning methods and the challenge was to provide appropriate teaching strategies for course content to meet the requirements of the regulatory authority, the Nurses Board of Victoria (NBV), while promoting pedagogical methods of teaching and learning.

Flexible delivery in the Australian vocational education and training sector: Barrier to success identified in cases studies of four adult learners

Government policy in Australia is increasingly encouraging training organisations in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector to adopt flexible delivery approaches, but some researchers are sounding a note of caution. Evidence is emerging that Australian VET learners are not universally ready for flexible delivery, and this is reflected in high attrition rates and low pass rates. The literature on flexible delivery identifies a number of specific factors that can impact on the success of adult learners. However, there seems to be agreement that failure or dropout is not determined by a single factor, but by the interaction of a number of factors that build up over time. To understand these factors, we need to understand the learners - what their participation in education means to them, the context in which they are studying, and the numerous inter-connected factors that contribute to their failure to achieve a successful outcome. This paper discusses four case studies from a research project that followed up a small number of adult learners who enrolled in flexible delivery VET courses but did not achieve a successful outcome.

Influence of chromium content on the dry machining performance of cathodic arc evaporated TiA1N coatings

Physical vapour deposition (PVD) titanium aluminium nitride coated cutting tools are used extensively in global manufacturing for reducing production costs and improving productivity in a number of aggressive metal-cutting operations, namely, dry and high-speed machining. In this investigation, the performance of Ti1−xAlxN and Ti1−x−yAlxCryN coatings was assessed on Co-HSS twist drills used to machine grey cast iron. The failure criterion for drills was defined as a critical sized flank wear land at the outer corners of the drills. Using this criterion, the average tool life of uncoated twist drills was increased by factors of 2.5, 3.0 and 3.0 by Ti0.59Al0.41N, Ti0.27Al0.19Cr0.54N and Ti0.21Al0.14Cr0.65N coatings, respectively. Notwithstanding the similar increase in average tool life, the Ti1−x−yAlxCryN coatings produced more consistent results than the Ti1−xAlxN coated drills with standard deviations of 67, 3 and 19 holes, respectively. This result has significant practical implications in manufacturing, since drills are not replaced on an individual basis, but rather on a preset tool change frequency. The present paper discusses the performance of Ti1−xAlxN and Ti1−x−yAlxCryN coated drills in terms of average and practical drill life and concludes with remarks on the characterisation of PVD coatings and their significance on the performance of Co-HSS twist drills when dry machining grey cast iron.

Dynamic output feedback control of single-link flexible manipulators

This paper presents an efficient technique to design dynamic feedback control scheme for single-link flexible manipulators.  A linear model can be derived for the robotic system using the assumed-mode method.  Conventional techniques such as pole-placement or LQR require physical measurements of all systme states,  posing a stringent requirement for its implementation.  To overcome this problem, a low-order state functional observer is proposed here for reconstruction of the state feedback control action.  The observer design involves solving an optimisation problem with the objective to generate a feedback gain that is as close as possible to that of the required feedback controller.  A condition for robust stability of the closed-loop system under the observer-based control scheme is given.  The attractive features of the propsed technique are the resulted functional state observer is of a very low order and it requires only sensor measurements of only the output- the tip position of the arm.

Flexible delivery and student attrition in the vocational education and training sector: case studies of students who dropped out

Government policy in Australia is increasingly encouraging training organisations in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector to adopt flexible delivery approaches. This policy shift is supported by key VET stakeholders including Industry Training Advisory Boards. A recurring theme in VET policy documents is an apparent confidence that flexible delivery can meet the diverse needs of individual learners while at the same time providing cost savings. Yet evidence is emerging that Australian VET learners are not typically ready for flexible delivery, and this lack of readiness is reflected in high attrition rates and low pass rates in many flexibly delivered courses. One research project found that over 70% of learners in the Australian VET sector do not have the learning capabilities required to be ready for flexible delivery. A recent review of the module outcomes achieved by VET students nationally found that students studying by external/correspondence and self-paced unscheduled modes had lower module completion rates than students studying by other delivery strategies.

Research on student progress in flexible delivery within the Australian VET sector has largely been quantitative. That research provides useful statistical data on completion and attrition rates for various modes of delivery, but does not explore the reasons underlying the high attrition rates found in flexible delivery. The qualitative research that is available tends to focus on students who successfully complete their courses, not on those who withdraw. As a result, the Australian literature on flexible delivery in the VET sector is lacking in-depth qualitative information about students who enrol in courses but do not complete. In comparison, the broader literature on distance education and flexible delivery in other educational sectors offers some useful insights into student attrition, and can be can be used to inform research into attrition within the Australian VET sector.

This paper reports on aspects of a research project that followed up six adult learners who enrolled in VET courses but who either failed assessment or withdrew. The research project presented the students’ stories in the form of narrative case studies, focussing on the detailed examination of the barriers that each student experienced, and analysing these barriers in relation to issues raised in the literature. This paper reports on two particular themes that emerged from that research project. The literature on distance education and flexible delivery argues that:


· student dropout is often not determined by a single factor, but by the interaction of a number of factors that build up over time;

· students who experience difficulties when studying by flexible delivery can often be reluctant to access the support that is available to them.

This paper uses these themes as a point of reference in presenting the stories of some of the students who participated in the research project.

The impact of information and communications technology on teaching and design of flexible, online and distance education courses at Deakin University

This paper describes the use of an online learning environment which has been established for postgraduate students studying at Master’s level in Professional Education and Training Deakin University. A detailed evaluation of the use of computer conferences in an Open and Distance Education specialism was undertaken during 2000 as part of a CUTSD funded project, Learner Centred Evaluation of Computer Facilitated Learning Projects in Higher Education. As the Open and Distance Education specialism is being revised and new units are written, the information gathered in this evaluation is being integrated into the pedagogical planning and the technological decisions being made about the design of the new master’s program.

Determinants of student readiness for flexible learning : Some preliminary findings

An exploratory study using a questionnaire and focus group interviews was conducted amongst a small sample of first-year, first-semester, undergraduate design students from the Faculty of Art and Design at Monash University, Australia, to determine their readiness for off-campus, flexible, independent learning. The study explores common problems, similarities and differences among learners from South East Asia, other international students, and local Australian students. Findings of the study are presented under five key themes: dependence on the teacher and the classroom environment; flexible learning and working alone; structure; communication; and work patterns. The article details approaches to study of first-year undergraduates taking a creative unit such as design and concludes by discussing the possible cultural attributes that have an impact on the learning as well as related concerns and problems.

Crossing cultural boundaries, flexible approaches and nurse education : a case study

Computer-mediated conferencing commonly is used to promote collaborative learning, including student learning across distance. This article presents the outcomes and experiences of Master of Nursing students in three countries using flexible learning approaches facilitated by the use of computer-mediated conferencing. It examines issues relating to support for global nursing education, presents an evaluation of one particular unit, and presents themes in the feedback from students about their experience. The authors report the findings in three categories: broadened perspectives, tackling the technology, and adaptive learning. Furthermore, the article offers suggestions for enhancing student-learning experiences when computer-mediated conferencing facilities are used.

Professional development online : showcasing good practice to support open, distance and flexible learning

Designing Electronic Learning and Teaching Approaches (DELTA) is an online professional development initiative to support pedagogically-appropriate teaching with technology by showcasing examples of good practice in e-learning. The site aims to increase appreciation of e-learning possibilities for teaching staff through an easy-to-access, just-in-time resource. This paper describes the site and introduces the modular evaluation approach which is being implemented to examine it from different stakeholder perspectives. It then focuses on the first evaluation module which investigates how users perceive and engage with DELTA. The paper provides the initial evaluation findings which will contribute to the ongoing improvement of DELTA as a professional development resource that supports open, distance and flexible learning.

Vocational education and training at a distance : transformation to flexible delivery

This chapter will explore the position that distance education has held in the past in Australian vocational education and training (VET) and how that position has developed and transformed over the past couple of decades. It is argued here that after a period of VET provision through distance education that was largely based around an earlier centralised model, VET was early to recognise the potential that new technologies in distance education had for VET learners and learning. Concurrently there was recognition of the substantial limitations a centralised model of distance education posed for new demands on VET. Economic imperatives also contributed to what became a revolution in VET and its delivery to learners.
The chapter identifies these developments and the factors that have contributed to them, and tracks the transition of Australian VET distance education as it transformed away from centralised distance education provision towards its more recent forms of locally provided flexible delivery and blended learning.

Barriers to learners' successful completion of VET flexible delivery programs

In the early 1990s, Australian policymakers began explicitly promoting increased use of flexible delivery in vocational education and training (VET). Some researchers argued that many students lack the learning skills required to deal with the unique demands of flexible delivery. Concerns were also raised about the VET sector's capacity to help students develop needed cognitive and metacognitive skills. A review of the literature revealed wide agreement that students' success in flexible delivery and open and distance education in Australia and elsewhere is generally determined by a complex interplay of factors, including the following: readiness for self-directed learning; ability to balance the time demands of study with other commitments such as family and work; level of literacy; ability to understand and deal with assessment requirements; level of motivation; and previous educational experiences. Two case studies based on the actual experiences of two of six students interviewed about their experiences in flexible VET delivery were reviewed. Both students decided to withdraw from their VET course because of several interconnected factors that built up over time. Both cases illustrated that some problems that can be addressed quickly in face-to-face learning environments are much more difficult to resolve when students are off campus.