In response to the changing professional development needs of students enrolled on the course in recent years, the programme has undergone a process of restructuring and now utilises a range of online learning and support facilities. As you will find out in this module, it is delivered through a ‘blended’ learning approach that seeks to integrate ‘established’ face to face activities (e.g. campus-based sessions, regional tutorials, study days) with learning opportunities facilitated through educational technologies. You will be aware of the range of established and emerging technologies including institutional virtual learning environments (iVLEs) and mobile learning platforms that provide exciting opportunities for technology enhanced, off-campus learning throughout education. These developments allow schools and universities to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse range of students and thereby serve to enhance the flexibility of learning.

Your learning environment therefore no longer needs to be a classroom, your study or indeed a set place. Increased access to the internet means that you can almost study anytime, anyplace anywhere! In the next section we provide you with a short overview of the ‘virtual’ learning environment within which the programme is structured.