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[Endike Baur]

How Flexible Learning Can Enhance Higher Education: Insights from the SEDA Series

Flexible learning is a term that encompasses various approaches to delivering courses that cater to the diverse needs and preferences of learners. Flexible learning can involve online, blended, or distance modes of delivery, as well as learner-centered pedagogies, personalized learning paths, and flexible assessment methods. Flexible learning can benefit higher education by expanding access, improving quality, and fostering innovation.

One of the sources that provides valuable insights into flexible learning in higher education is the SEDA Series, a collection of books published by the Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA) in the United Kingdom. The SEDA Series aims to promote good practice and professional development in higher education through case studies, research findings, and practical guidance. One of the books in the series is Flexible Learning in Action: Case Study in Higher Education, edited by Rachel Hudson, Sian Maslin-Prothero, and Lyn Oates.

This book, first published in 1997, presents a range of case studies that illustrate the diversity of flexible learning approaches and strategies in higher education institutions in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States of America. The case studies cover three main themes: flexibility for learners on campus, flexibility for work-based learners, and flexible approaches to skills development. The book also discusses institutional strategies for supporting flexible learning initiatives and provides a conclusion that summarizes the key issues and challenges.

Some of the examples of flexible learning in action that are featured in the book are:

• Teaching business writing online: a case study from California State University that describes how an online course was designed to develop students' writing skills and responsibility in a flexible learning environment.

• Don't lecture me about flexible learning: a case study from Kingston University that shows how an undergraduate education studies module was delivered using a variety of methods, such as workshops, seminars, tutorials, and self-directed study.

• Improving independent learning with aural German programmes: a case study from Loughborough University that explains how audio tapes were used to enhance students' listening comprehension and pronunciation skills in German.

• Peer mentoring through peer-assisted study sessions: a case study from Deakin University that demonstrates how peer-assisted study sessions were implemented to support first-year students' academic performance and social integration.

• Flexible learning for Australian club managers: a case study from Southern Cross University that reports on how a distance learning programme was developed for club managers who wanted to upgrade their qualifications and skills.

• Distance learning in post-registration nurse education: a case study from Robert Gordon University that evaluates how open learning materials were used to deliver a post-registration course for nurses who wanted to specialize in palliative care.

• Professional development through reflective inquiry: a case study from Aberdeen University that describes how reflective inquiry was used as a method for professional development for teachers.

• Workplace learning: removing the barriers: a case study from Sheffield Hallam University that explores how workplace learning was facilitated for employees who wanted to gain academic credits for their work experience.

• Empowering school managers through flexible learning: a case study from Nottingham Trent University that illustrates how school managers were empowered to improve their management skills through a flexible learning programme.

• Off the cuff and on the cusp: a flexible approach to teacher development: a case study from Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education that shows how teachers were encouraged to develop their own professional portfolios through a flexible approach.

The book concludes by highlighting some of the common themes and issues that emerged from the case studies, such as:

• The importance of learner autonomy and responsibility in flexible learning.

• The need for clear communication and feedback between learners and tutors in flexible learning.

• The role of technology and multimedia in enhancing flexible learning.

• The challenges of quality assurance and evaluation in flexible learning.

• The implications of flexible learning for staff development and institutional change.

The book also offers some recommendations for future practice and research on flexible learning in higher education, such as:

• Developing a shared understanding of what flexible learning means among stakeholders.

• Providing adequate support and guidance for learners and tutors 51082c0ec5