Studying Online;Succeeding through Distance Learning at University

What is diferent about online study? 5 
explored the potential use of “teaching machines” (Skinner, 1958). 
He demonstrated that students could learn without the presence 
of a teacher. Skinner was clearly ahead of his time. He predicted 
that “teaching machines” would be used so that students could 
study from home. He also suggested that these machines would 
help to expand education to people with disabilities. Tere was 
much interest in his work. Over the years, educational researchers 
have found that performance increases when learning is person-
alised. Te more that studying is centred around the individual 
student’s personal interests, motivations, and requirements, the 
better they perform in assessments. 
Te digital age in which we live has made the dream of person-
alised learning much more tangible than previously. Tere is 
still some way to go; many universities, and other educational 
institutions, are focused on traditional delivery methods. Tey 
are only providing truly personalised studying as an “added ex-
tra”. Tat said, the rapid growth of online studying due to inter-
national lockdowns following the global Coronavirus pandemic 
in 2020–2021 triggered universities to dramatically change their 
oferings to students. Nowadays, students expect an element of 
online studying. Tat’s because they have discovered that it gives 
them much more control and a personalised approach. 
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THE FLEXIBILITY OF ONLINE 
LECTURES 
As a university lecturer, organising the timetable is one of the 
most troublesome activities at the start of each term or semester. 
It can’t be fxed, with lecturers doing the same lectures every term 
on the same day and time. Each year the number of students on 
a degree programme changes, as also happens on the individu-
al modules. For instance, I had more than 80 students select one 
of the modules I was teaching in one year. Te year after it was 
only 30. Fluctuations like this mean that each year diferent sized 
lecture theatres are needed. With the same thing happening to 
lecturers throughout a university, it is a major “jigsaw puzzle” 

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