Networked Learning and the World Wide Web

Allan Ellis
Senior Lecturer
Faculty of Education, Work and Training
Southern Cross University
aellis@scu.edu.au
http://www. scu.edu.au/

Recent advances in educational delivery technologies based primarily upon telecommunications and interactive multimedia give rise to opportunities for the development of new models of teaching and learning at a university level. An integrated delivery model, Networked Learning, is being developed at Southern Cross University which seeks to provide a core of electronic services and paper-based print services supplemented by other services related to students geographical location, World Wide Web based resources are a central component of this model.

This paper reports on current initiatives to implement elements of the Networked Learning model including the development of World Wide Web based resources and a tailored library World Wide Web server. These moves are being supported by the creation of several new staff positions with the brief to conduct staff training and to provide instructional design assistance in course redesign and development. The notion that the network and the Web resources are more like a "place" rather than just a "delivery service" or a "communications channel" may hold the key to acceptance of the model by students.