Sbaffi, L. orcid.org/0000-0003-4920-893X and Bennett, J. (2019) Postgraduate students’ experience of a jointly-taught, distance learning degree : the example of a Russell Group university. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 41 (6). pp. 600-618. ISSN 1360-080X
Abstract
This paper reports the results of a primary data collection exercise conducted with postgraduate students enrolled at a large Russell Group university in the UK. The aim of this study was to gain insights of students’ experience of a jointly-taught, distance learning, part-time postgraduate programme. A mixed-methods approach involving an online survey and semi-structured interviews was adopted. The results show that students concentrated their perceptions on three main areas: the academic content of the programme, seen as current, interesting and relevant to the students’ professional lives; delivery processes, including the advantages of the flexibility and tailored approach but also the disadvantages of being exposed to different teaching styles and lack of face to face interaction; finally, the administrative and practical aspects, accounting for the majority of complaints and worries due to the discrepancies across the two schools responsible for the delivery of the programme. Differences in experience also emerged depending on gender and year of enrolment within the programme.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2019 Association for Tertiary Education Management and the LH Martin Institute for Tertiary Education Leadership and Management. This is an author-produced version of a paper subsequently published in Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | distance learning; jointly-taught programme; postgraduate; student experience |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) > Information School (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 29 Apr 2019 08:47 |
Last Modified: | 23 Nov 2021 14:46 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/1360080X.2019.1637612 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:145073 |