Abstract:

Over the last 5 years, a Supported Distance Learning (SDL) business programme at the Hertfordshire Business School (HBS) has been successfully delivered to over 1000 students, majority of which is international, mature, and in full-time employment. Around 80% of the students who have graduated from this programme have achieved a ‘good degree’. The programme is delivered with the support of some of the school’s international partners located in Trinidad (CTS College), Pakistan (The Millennium Universal College - TMUC), and Indonesia (Raffles College). Students are offered the opportunity to gain a UK degree with global relevance and local support, and without having to leave their homes. Partners provide local face-to-face sessions that are tailored to their students’ expectations and local demands. The SDL model relies heavily on excellent inclusivity in practice, and this is achieved through the tight and ongoing collaboration between the programme team, partners and students. There are two key parts leading to the success of this programme: the first one is the ‘global classroom’ facilitated by CANVAS, whereby all students in the programme (regardless of their location) have access to module pages where they can engage in discussion forums with each other, the module leaders and/or the local tutors from the other locations/colleges; the second one is the classroom environment, whereby each partner provides equivalent level of support, facilities and tutorials. General guidance is provided for all the face-to-face sessions, but each local tutor is responsible for bringing their own business experience and case-studies into the classroom. This is usually linked to their own business practice. There is great flexibility and variety in the delivery methods, something that prepares students for the needs of an increasingly demanding global market. Global classrooms offer an accessible way to internationalize teaching and learning experiences by combining cross-cultural collaborations with technology – some examples of good practice will be explored by this paper. On the other hand, local face-to-face sessions complement the ‘virtual’ experience – the partners’ work with their students and the team at HBS will also be explored by this paper. Overall, there is a wholesome approach to the SDL learning experience because it provides students with important key opportunities for them to apply, discuss and develop new concepts and theories at both a global and a local level.

Keywords:

SDL, Supported Distance Learning, Collaborative Provision, Globalisation, Local communities, Higher Education, Blended learning, International Partnerships.