Use of IT in a Postgraduate Distance Learning Course: Part 1: Students' Experiences

Abstract

The number of postgraduate courses delivered by distance learning is increasing continually, yet there has been little research into the student experience of these courses. This paper reports an in-depth study of students on one such course, a Masters course in records management by distance learning. Amongst the 28 students, there was a common experience of being a distance learning student, though not a common experience of the use of IT. Students welcomed distance learning for the opportunities it provided to combine employment with study. The drawbacks centred on the distance from university resources, the library and teaching staff. The use of IT on the course had benefited most students at work and, to some extent, at home, though there were some differences. The experience of the least positive students had been 'compartmentalized' so that the course and employment were seen as distinct. The experience of the most positive group had been 'integrative', meaning that the course, employment and their own personal experience of IT were informing and enhancing each other. These students were particularly well-equipped to benefit from the course in the component parts of their lives.