Introducing Online Learning in Higher Education: An Evaluation

Traditionally, in educational contexts, learning and teaching has been seen as a direct interpersonal classroom activity. However, with the development of information technology in general and Internet and online technologies in particular, there has been an increasing emphasis on the development of distance learning methods, providing opportunities to extend boundaries of space and time. In this paper, the author sets out to present the findings of a case-study enquiry into student perceptions of the introduction of an e-learning component as part of their experience of an M.A. programme in Catholic School Leadership at St Mary’s University College, Twickenham. By engaging with online learning, students were able to participate in a “virtual classroom” through which they were able to share discussions initi- ated by questions that were provided online. The introduction of online learning, therefore, represents a significant development that had a potential impact on pedagogy and assessment. This paper concludes that, whilst there were some anxieties about the introduction of the facility, students acknowledged that, generally, online activities enhanced the quality of their education.