Blended Learning Opens Doors For Businesses

Working and upskilling at the same time can be a lot to take on, and now an easier way for workers to upskill is available.

Two Business graduate diplomas will be offered in a blended learning delivery mode, with a mix of on campus (face-to-face), on job (work placement) and online learning from February 2021. These are the Graduate Diploma in Project Management and the Graduate Diploma in Operations and Production Management.

Blended learning combines on job, online and campus learning and gives learners flexibility around when and where they study.

For these programmes, people can attend lectures on campus or access material online through a digital learning platform called Moodle Collaborate. Online sessions will be recorded so they can be watched again whenever it suits.

There are still regular times to connect with lecturers, either in person or online, and there is also the added option of coming to block courses on campus. Study can be part-time and at a pace that fits with work and personal lives.

Leanna Burnett, Head of School for Business and ICT at UCOL, says the decision to offer blended learning options came because many people would like to upskill but are limited in the time they can spend on campus.

“By offering blended delivery we are able to cater to those who are perhaps working during the day but would like to further their qualifications. Students have the benefits of the social interactions with other class members and the connections with the lecturers similar to on-campus learning, but they have the convenience of being able to choose when and where they study.”

“We offered blended learning to some students during 2020 and it proved successful so the decision was made to extend it further.”

One of those students is Stacey Edwards, who is studying towards the Bachelor of Applied Management. She says blended learning fits in well with her work hours and she likes the level of interaction she gets with her lecturers.

“Blended learning works a lot better for me than fully online study. I have good interaction with the lecturers while also studying on my own accord. It’s a good balance while still working fulltime.”

Edwards is doing two courses a semester, each with two hours of lectures per week and dedicated time for discussions with her lecturers.

“The best thing about blended learning is having the time to study after work, but still having that guidance from your lecturers. You can ask any questions you have there and then instead of always going back and forward through email.”

These blended learning options come at an opportune time, as UCOL recently announced 200 scholarships for Manawatū, Whanganui, and Wairarapa Chambers of Commerce members to study business diploma or graduate diploma programmes for free. The blended delivery of the Graduate Diploma in Project Management and the Graduate Diploma in Operations and Production Management makes the programmes more accessible for learners who cannot regularly travel to classes at UCOL Manawatū.

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