Abstract:

This paper presents the findings of a study which examined the use of new media technologies to support student learning on a new social science post graduate course in a UK university. It considers the characteristics of post graduate students (as compared to under-graduate), their needs and expectations of a Masters course and the context of juggling post-graduate study with working and family commitments. The rapid development of new technologies has been seen to both support student learning but also threaten the ‘quality’ of knowledge and sound academic rigour in assessment. This research considers the effectiveness of using Blogs and new technologies to support student learning outside the traditional university classroom environment to develop student confidence and competence in Masters’ level writing and research skills. The qualitative data suggests that, although anxious at first, the students developed skills of critical analysis and a more academic style of writing much faster than when conventional learning and teaching methods were used. The course results, retention rates and levels of student satisfaction were also improved and the students developed a cohesive community of learning as a result of using technology enhanced learning.
Higher education is becoming an increasingly competitive globalised market and this paper argues that we need to incorporate more student centred approaches to developing Masters level and post graduate courses if we are to meaningfully engage with and motivate learners with increasingly diverse educational backgrounds and completing constraints on time.

Keywords:

Technology, higher education, post graduate, student leanring.