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campusreview.com.au
Bright future for Block Model
Is university education in
Australia still fit for purpose?
By Wade Zaglas
V
ictoria University’s new Block Model
of education – whereby students
study one subject intensively over
four weeks, instead of four over 11 or
12 weeks – is having a marked effect
on student retention and performance,
prompting experts, policymakers and
academics to reconsider traditional models
of university education.
According to a VU statement, the
Block Model has increased the average
pass rate from 76 per cent per subject to
84 per cent. This improvement has been
largely attributed to not only the concept
of the Block Model, but a standardised
and technological platform “so students
can learn anytime, anywhere”, the
statement said.
The use of D2L’s Brightspace Learning
Management System throughout the
university has produced “profound” gains
among some of the most disadvantaged
university students, with completion rates
for students from non-English speaking
backgrounds and Indigenous Australians
up 14 and 19 per cent respectively.
Mark Yaxley, director of the ANZ region
of D2L, said the Australian university
sector (and universities in some other
parts of the world) are still clinging on to
a conventional model that is a disservice
to many students, particularly ones from
disadvantaged backgrounds and others
who have competing demands such
as family and work commitments.
“Certainly, within the university sector,
the predominant method of teaching is
still stand in front of the class, in front of a
large number of students, lecture to them,
and have them read and write essays,”
Yaxley said.
Yaxley acknowledged that there is
probably a level of anxiety in shifting to
newer, block-style models, with some
academics fearing it might dilute the
educational quality of degrees awarded in
particularly rigorous disciplines, including
law and medicine. He also said that the
traditional model is highly economical and
may discourage some higher education
providers from significantly changing their
learning delivery styles.
Another important point Yaxley
highlighted is the potential obsolescence
of some degrees where industry practices
and technology are moving quickly.
What he sees, instead, is “a growing
movement towards specific skills and
competencies in the workplace”, not vague
or theoretical courses that do not explicitly
tell an employer what a prospective
employee can do.
“And you’re seeing companies like
LinkedIn Learning picking up those
and starting to create their own digital
exchange economy around the concept
of ‘I’ve proved I have these skills, these
competencies, and they’re visible to the
employer’,” he said.
Yaxley added that possessing certain
skills will be more valuable because
employers are increasingly interested in
what you can do, rather than the grades
you’ve achieved or the qualifications
you’ve obtained.
Yaxley also believes in the importance of
educating “marginalised students”, those
who did not complete high school, VET or
university. He said that leaving them out of
the economy is a waste of human talent, a
drain on the economy, and that skills-based
programs and block models could be ways
to equip them with certifiable skills for real
and sustainable jobs.
If we do not embrace flexible models
of higher education, “we’re taking away
their chance for a future in many instances,
and we’re not breaking that cycle of poverty
that comes from a lack of education,”
he said.
“I think the successful universities are
going to be the ones that can really add
value to the individual beyond getting
a degree … and actually translate it into
enhanced life opportunities.”
On a final note, Yaxley said universities
must continue to forge strong industry links
with multinationals such as BHP to keep
their skills relevant and in demand. ■
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