Distance students get on-campus experience at UNE

April 23, 2007

Residential schools at the University of New England, which began on 10 April, have been drawing distance education students from throughout Australia to the Armidale campus. They will continue until 28 April.

Residential schools provide distance education students with an intensive program of lectures and tutorials, usually held over four very full days. Many units involve a compulsory residential school, while attendance at others is optional. All, however, are valued as part of "the UNE experience". They provide an opportunity for face-to-face teaching and remain an important part of distance education, despite the Web-based delivery of that education becoming increasingly interactive through new technologies.

"We are way beyond the old 'learning by correspondence' days, when audio tapes were mailed out, along with course material and recommended readings," said UNE Assistant Registrar, Greta Williamson. "Now, unit materials may be provided online, lectures may be available as podcasts, and interactive discussion with lecturers is possible from anywhere in the world through the Web. Yet, even with the most advanced distance education methods at UNE, nothing will entirely replace the face-to-face teaching of the residential schools, or the opportunity for students to learn from each other in tutorials."

UNE has close to 18,000 distance education students. They range in age from school leavers to retirees in their 80s, and are studying at their own convenience right across Australia and overseas. Up to 3,000 students are coming to UNE residential schools this month. The units they are studying are drawn from a broad cross-section of subjects on offer at UNE: from law to genetics, from nursing to geology, from rural science to history, and from education to languages.

Twenty-nine-year-old Catherine Jackson travelled up from Wollstonecraft, north Sydney, to attend her 3rd year History residential school as part of her Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Laws degree program. "I work full-time for an insurance firm," she said. "Distance education through UNE fits in with my schedule. It's really good.

"I'm at my first compulsory residential school, so it's totally new to me, even though I've been studying for 10 years. It is mentally exhausting but a lot fun. Hearing other people's ideas, and seeing other people studying what I am – it's boosted my learning experience."

Drew Ingleson (aged 27), from Narellan in south-west Sydney, attended Sociology and Psychology residential schools. He completed UNE's Bachelor of Counselling degree program in 2006. Working for Lifeline, he is continuing his studies externally to enhance his contribution to the organisation and his career prospects. "Studying externally is challenging but good," he said. "It's a different way of learning: a lot of work – so you've really got to apply yourself."

"The lecturers really know their stuff," he continued, "and they give it to us in a way that is easy to learn, helping us through areas we have difficulties with. It's also important that we can get to know other students facing the same learning process."

"Armidale has a comfortable and welcoming feel to it," he added. "It's a world away from Sydney."

Cathy Wright, aged 19, is also from south-west Sydney, and doing an English residential school. "I've found the residential school I'm in is a great way to make sure I've understood what I've been learning along the way," she said. "It's full-on, but worth it. Distance education through UNE is just so flexible. I work as a swimming teacher, and I can fit my studies around that."

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here shows Drew Ingleson and Cathy Wright during their visit to UNE for this month's residential schools.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at April 23, 2007 02:30 PM