Experience(s) in creating distance learning texts

Abstract

A combination of factors including longer working hours, emphasis on professional development, and increased access to the Internet have fuelled the current high demand for distance learning options in tertiary biology. Distance learner students come from a heterogeneous pool of ages, backgrounds and abilities and they require choice in how they learn. Many students still prefer to have their learning materials provided in hard copy as opposed to online. These materials are often edited and produced in-house by module tutors who must learn a wide range of new skills. This paper provides suggestions on how to create distance learning module texts based on the experience(s) of the author.

Keywords:

• Biology
• Conservation
• Design
• Distance learning materials
• Module texts

Acknowledgements

The School of Life Sciences, Napier University, supported the development of distance learning materials for the Wildlife Biology and Conservation postgraduate programmes. Course lecturers Paul Ward, Richard Ladle, Kathy Velander, Alison Craig and Mark Huxham provided many ideas and plenty of encouragement. Huang Danwei offered comments on early drafts of this manuscript.