On-line topic based flexible learning

We are seeing the coincidence of two developments that both offer new opportunities for higher education: work-based learning and web-based delivery. The political interest in lifelong learning and the need to qualify the work force, together with the rising cost of mass higher education, has reinvigorated an interest in work based learning. The need to support individuals through the odyssey of their careers becomes a new challenge for both the established institutes of higher education and other training and assessment organisations. One of the options is to exploit the Internet with web-based delivery. This too is in its infancy in terms of our understanding of how to best use the technology to support learning. This paper identifies the issues that were explored in a DfES funded project to develop on-line topic based flexible learning. It introduces both the ideas in workbased learning and the presentation difficulties and opportunities with web delivered material. The outcomes of the project are also discussed.