Class-based Short Courses
Bondi Junction Campus
Learning Method: Class-based

Some of the benefits and features of our Class-based Short Courses includes:

• You are able to participate in classroom learning.
• You can ask your tutor questions and have them answered on the spot.
• You get to meet other students and hear what they have to say.
• Your learning is enhanced due to the added practicals, activities and handouts.

Different Learning Methods

Many people ask us: what is the different between class-based courses, correspondence courses, online learning, elearning, workplace learning, and mixed/blended delivery.

To answer these questions we've provided this information overview. It should help you to decide the right type of course for your learning needs.

Face-to-face Delivery Mode

Class-based Learning (or Classroom Training): This is where you attend classes in the day or evening with a number of other students (referred to as participants) and a trainer (sometimes called a facilitator). You need to get yourself to and from the classroom or sometimes trainers are brought into the workplace. There is usually home research and assignments to do. The quality of class-based courses is very much dependent on the ability of the the trainer (not all trainers are good classroom trainers). Class-based training is ideal for people who don't learn well in a distance environment, and have the time and ability to get to class.

Workplace Learning (on-the-job): This is where you receive instruction on doing your job role by a colleague, a more senior staff member or by a workplace trainer. There is a direct relationship to the tasks you would normally do and what you are being trained in.

Other face-to-face methods of learning include: lectures and seminars, coaching, mentoring and so on.

Distance Delivery Mode

Correspondence Learning: This is where your materials are mailed to you and you communicate with your student advisers and tutor by mail/email/fax/phone. You don't attend classes and you do your assignments from home or work and send them in to your tutor for marking and feedback. Your materials are often supplemented with additional textbooks, videos, CDs, activities and online support. Correspondence education can be delivered through open semesters (enrol at any time) or fixed semesters (start on a certain date). Of course, the quality of delivery depends very much on the course materials, support and feedback provided by the institution.

eLearning: (Electronic Learning) This includes learning through the use of on or more of the following methods: video, CD, tape, web streamed movie clips, chat rooms, discussion forums,web research, online tutorials, emailing and any other form of electronic learning. Many courses now included some component of eLearning (also spelt e-learning). It's a fairly generic term so you do need to check what the institution means when they refer to eLearning.

Online Learning: This is where you do the entire course on the web. You usually log into a secure area with the use of a password and then use the menus to navigate around your study materials. Nothing is sent to you. You learn 'online'. You lodge your assignments online and submit any feedback online. It's a great method of learning if you like to manage your own learning and study approach. Keep in mind that you will need to take breaks from computer learning regularly, as it can be a strain on the eyes.

Mixed Delivery Mode

Blended Courses: This is where you might do a course that has a blend of delivery methods. This could be a correspondence course blended with classroom sessions, correspondence blended with live web classes, workplace learning blended with online learning, a class-based course blended with elearning support, or it could be any mix that works. It has proven itself to be one of the most successful methods of learning: you are not stuck in a classroom all the time but not completely left alone to fend for yourself either. You get a blend of flexibility, convenience, support, interaction, feedback and learning enhancements.

Learn more about the Class-based Short Courses with your Free Short Course Guide. Download it or have it mailed to you.