Flexible learning [FL] It is all about providing a quality education around the needs of a student who has work and family commitments. FL’s philosophies and theories are about making education accessible to a wide range of students, and enabling students to get the most out of it in the time frame and course structure that is right for them.
Thanks to e-learning technologies, such as a virtual learning environment and online degrees, flexible learning is a strong feature of the many online courses available to full-time students.
FL also suits employers, because students often find that an online or distance education course will fit around their work/family schedule. Moreover, the staff at colleges that offer courses delivered via the FL format will also understand that their students are also people who are professionals.
This helps in two main ways – that online and FL degree instructors understand that the course should be delivered with the student’s other responsibilities in mind, and that they can be in a career that will contribute to and benefit from their chosen path to FL.
Engaging students in the e-learning environment is key to ensuring that technology is available, functional and easy to use. This aligns snugly with the FL philosophy, whereby focusing education resources and course work in line with a student’s professional schedule can result in better participation in online education.
Components such as project work and team exercises are accessible through FL online courses, thanks to the capabilities of the Virtual Learning Environment. Web-based applications can facilitate a range of functions that can have a better impact on student outcomes in many ways than a traditional campus-based college.
Therefore, while FL does not necessarily rely on a host of web-based technologies, when technology exists to support and advance the delivery of education online, it can only broaden the scope of students who may not find the possibility of studying for a degree online.
It seems that the future of FL is more and more related to the development of the virtual education environment. For example, distance learning courses now feature a much larger range of study activities thanks to innovations and the development of online education applications.
However, the self-motivation and discipline traits of the student remain the same as any learning platform for any online flexible or distance learning program to be useful.
Studies show that employers see flexible learning as a necessary way to increase the skills and knowledge of their employees, with a professional attitude towards studies already emerging from workplace study-related abilities.
Far from being an easy approach to learning, FL exists solely to support students who may find it impractical to attend a college in a traditional setting. For employers and employees alike, FL is the education platform of choice.