Student to student contact, facilitated by the Internet, adds great value and a sense of belonging to the lives of the more isolated of our students. Staff can offer student support from a distance on a daily basis either via Internet email messages or via such chat sessions arranged at predetermined times. Video conferencing and voice communication on the WWW are growth areas which may well change our methods of student support in the future. The Internet challenges us in this area. However there are no free lunches.
Costs are significant.
Currently the University is carrying this cost but it is possible that in these times of constricted budgets, economic rationalism and accountability, these costs will be allocated on a user pays principle, i.e. will be passed on the student. We are at the beginning of the process of using the Internet to support student learning. We are meeting the challenge and the work being accomplished today in this area has the potential to change educational delivery mechanisms as we approach the millennium. The critical accomplishment will be the provision of more choice for our students. We have much to learn before we complete this journey and seek your input and creative feedback.