Nothing unusual in that. What lies behind the link at Coventry, however, marks a shift in the institution that is rarely encountered elsewhere. Every student at the University has access to every one of their modules online. Every module is equipped with a fully functioning web-based environment comprising communication and information tools.
Every module tutor is authorised to work with and develop use of the online facility.
This paper describes how this came about and the impact it has had across Coventry University. It is therefore crucial to ensure the support of a critical mass of lecturing staff who can recognise the empowering nature of the technology. For this reason, the implementation process required close collaboration amongst many members of staff across the University, bringing together the CHED, Computing Services and the University's Teaching, Assessment and Learning Task Force. The development of the online facility, even though primarily a management decision, can be characterised as consultative rather than directive. Choosing the online environment A thorough investigation of all online learning systems might clarify their relative strengths, weaknesses and their potential and there is great demand in the sector for such comparative analyses.