University of Essex/Kaplan

The university has a long-standing commitment to widening participation and access to higher education, actively encourages and supports students from non-traditional routes and recognises the need to tailor modes of teaching and learning to provide effective support to all students.

Via a partnership with Kaplan Open Learning, the university offers online courses in the Home/EU market, which are flexible, accessible, provide practical work-based skills and can fit around work and family commitments that prevent students from attending traditionally delivered courses.

For the university's direct provision, blended learning is integrated across the curriculum, but with considerable variation between discipline areas. The university offers a few courses that are delivered online, particularly in professional areas.

The central e-learning support unit provides advice and guidance to departments and many incorporate elements of technology available into their courses.

Online courses with Kaplan Open Learning

Kaplan Open Learning's strengths include its culture of responsiveness to student and employer needs. Courses on offer have been developed and expanded, providing students with more choice and geared towards improving employability.

The Business Studies foundation degrees were the first to be validated in 2007, followed by courses in Criminal Justice and Financial Services, and honours progression routes. Certificates in Continuing Education have recently been validated to offer an interim award en route to a foundation degree and honours degree, and to provide students studying over an extended period with a feeling of achievement and motivation.

Kaplan Open Learning has adapted the successful model of delivery used by Kaplan in the US. There are multiple start points and opportunities to take study breaks. Each student is allocated a personal student adviser, who monitors progress and proactively identifies where students may need additional support. A variety of assessment methods are used, including online discussion forums and seminars, and tutors are available at times to fit around other commitments. Courses are designed to maintain momentum and keep students engaged to aid retention.

The partnership reached a milestone in July 2010, when the first students to graduate with foundation and honours degrees attended Graduation at the university campus in Colchester.

The university is the awarding body for the Kaplan Open Learning courses and programmes are therefore validated and quality assured by the university. The partnership is managed by a University of Essex- Kaplan Open Learning Joint Academic Management Board, which monitors the quality and standard of courses and considers proposals for new developments. Procedures have been adapted to suit online delivery and the particular needs of the students, for example online meetings of the Board of Examiners are scheduled at more regular intervals, and the collaboration agreement with Kaplan Open Learning sets out clear requirements for the management and support of the online learning platform.

Other online learning activity

There are departments which offer courses or modules delivered entirely online. There are also courses or modules which incorporate elements of online technology to varying degrees, from use as a teaching tool to simply making materials available online.

Use of e-learning technology

The university's e-learning support unit offers advice to staff on how to use the range of learning technologies available, which include use of Moodle (a free web application that educators can use to create effective online learning sites), Questionmark Perception (a web-based application to produce online tests, assessment and surveys), ePortfolios, online submission of coursework and a course materials repository. There is guidance for supporting online learning and an e-learning network for staff to share information on projects, funding, conferences and other activities.

Examples of courses delivered online

One faculty with significant online provision is Health and Human Sciences, providing 100 per cent online courses and courses with a combination of some 2011/01 Collaborate to compete 31 modules delivered online and some face to face, particularly on professional courses. Postgraduate qualifications in Infection Control are delivered entirely online, with individual support provided by the course leader, specialist practitioners, an academic supervisor and a research supervisor.

The faculty offers a mentoring module (blended learning), paid for by health trusts, plus a mentorship update module which is available either face to face or online, and which ensures staff meet CPD requirements in order to remain on the register of mentors. Both are very successful.

In the faculty of Social Sciences, the department of Psychoanalytic Studies offers two foundation degrees in Therapeutic Communication and Therapeutic Organisations, which include two modules delivered online.

Future developments

The university has just launched an e-learning review to assess all technology-assisted learning activity and to share best practice and expand horizons.

Kaplan Open Learning continues to review the courses and subjects on offer, and is keen to extend its provision validated by the university.