December 2011 - Issue #14
Working the online space
Story by Summer Goodwin
View articles in related topics: Education
Drawing on her background in building successful start-ups in the corporate service industry, Denice Pitt leads Swinburne’s new joint venture with jobs website SEEK providing degree programs online.
What attracted you to this role?
I am a firm believer in the value of education. I have seen the potential that degree qualifications can unlock. SEEK and Swinburne partnered to combine their respective online smarts and academic knowledge – I get to take the best from both.
What is revolutionary about Swinburne Online?
‘Revolutionise’ is a strong word but it does capture our approach. We want to ensure we meet the needs of working adults, so we don’t want to modify; we are transforming the on-campus university degree model so it meets their needs in a totally online environment.
Why target working adults?
We believe working Australians are not as well serviced as other groups. We are focused on providing a whole-of-degree experience, rather than offering individual units. Everything we are creating is aimed at meeting the needs of busy, working adults who are looking for new qualifications to achieve their career goals.
How is research influencing the company?
Research shows working, studying adults need both flexibility and regular interaction, which is reflected in our approach. We won’t invest in technology just because it is leading-edge – it must enhance the student experience and be accessible on all devices. There have been spectacular successes and failures in the online education space internationally, providing valuable experiences for us to learn from.
Isn’t the online education market saturated?
Our success will be in the high quality of our programs and teaching and student support. We are using a high-touch approach, which means lower student-to-tutor ratios. Our e-moderators will focus on mentoring and coaching students, rather than disseminating content. Our aim is to create Swinburne’s five-star student experience in a virtual campus for working adults.
MORE INFORMATION
Swinburne Online
