Abstract of the seminar

Manchester Metropolitan University is the largest non-federal university in the UK with over 30,000 students and about 2000 staff. In 1996 the first course units were validated for web-based delivery. Over five years the use of online teaching has developed to the extent that about 20% of the student population has access to an online course area to support some part of their programme. The seminar will describe how they have coped with the expansion in demand, developed new materials, encouraged good practice and planned for the future, all in the absence of central policy on online delivery, and with a tiny support staff base (1.5 academic staff and 0.4 technical staff).

Brief biography of speaker

Dr. Rachel Forsyth has worked in flexible and distance learning development for Manchester Metropolitan University since 1989. During this time, she has worked on the adaptation of existing courses into more flexible formats as well as the creation of new programmes for both internal and external clients. Within the University, she has worked on subject areas as diverse as Sports Physiotherapy, Hospitality Management, Teacher Education and Management Education. Since 1996 Dr. Forsyth has focused her development work on web-based learning. Together with her colleague, Robert Ready, she has been supporting the implementation of a web-based learning system at Manchester Metropolitan University. This has involved planning the technical and pedagogic support for a system which now has 6000 users and 140 active courses. She has developed a suite of on-line training materials which are used to support staff development both in a structured way and as a 'just in time’ resource. This system makes it possible for 160 members of academic staff delivering web-based learning to be supported with a minimum of academic support from the Learning and Teaching Unit.