Features of the whole programme of Study

For all students. . .

A programme of study, which is flexible in its design, will almost by definition be more accessible to more students. There are several ways in which a programme can incorporate a degree of flexibility. In listing these, it is recognised that there may be sound arguments against flexible provision as the norm. Yet when the range of reasons students have for wanting or needing different provision is borne in mind, the availability of choices can seem helpful. Students who work to finance study, who have family commitments or problems, who are sometimes ill, as well as students with some impairments, are among those who can benefit from a programme of study incorporating substantial choices within it.

There can be flexibility about attendance at time-tabled classes, and students can be helped to take advantage of this flexibility where it is available by being directed to alternative sources of learning, such as library materials or web-sites.
There can be flexibility over pace of delivery, either of the whole programme of study, or of individual modules or credits. In the first case, students might be able to choose to study part-time or full-time, or a mixture of both, at different times of their course. In the second case, students could either complete all aspects of a module or credit as it is scheduled, or perhaps postpone some elements of it, such as parts of the assessment or a placement, for completion at a later date. Many students will leave University to become part-time employees, and this fact in itself might recommend the possibility of part-time placements as well as study.
There can be choice of elements within programmes of study, and ease of movement between such elements.
There can be flexibility over method of delivery (e.g. learning packages, use of e-mail.)
Flexibility can also acknowledge that there may be many ways of demonstrating competence in relation to clearly defined course objectives. This can mean making available to, or developing with, students a variety of ways of demonstrating programme specific learning.

For some students with impairments. . .

Many people who consider themselves to have an impairment are not ill. However, of those who are, occasional spells in hospital or at home can be necessary, just as they can be necessary for any student. When this happens, knowing that it is possible to return to the programme when the student is well enough is very reassuring. Most institutions of Higher Education are able to make arrangements to help a student who becomes unexpectedly ill to catch up when it is possible for them to do so. Building this possibility into programmes from the start might widen accessibility.

Heavy timetables where students are required to attend can be difficult for students who have reduced stamina, who have a mental illness, who rely on lip-reading or who are dyslexic.

Some students with impairments may identify a programme module or single subject which would be unduly difficult. And students can find the variation in provision of different departments, or within the same department, difficult.

"I also think it's down to the actual department and how they view dyslexia because at the moment I take several subjects, and three of them are really really helpful, and would do anything for me if I really needed it, but the other two just accept that I have it (dyslexia) and that's it."

Students who have been assessed as dyslexic, or who are deaf or hard of hearing, for example, may regard the requirement to study a modern language as part of an Arts degree as a barrier to the whole degree programme. Programmes of study, which permit flexibility of choice over its elements might therefore increase accessibility.

While these are examples of students with impairments who can benefit from flexibility in programme design, clearly no extra or special arrangements would have to be made where programmes were designed with flexibility possible for all students.

Next: Induction of students into the programme or into the discipline

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Copyright: The University of Strathclyde 2000
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