Student understandings of learning at the end of an undergraduate program using networked learning: A case study

Course-based online learning has grown significantly in the last decade, yet the understanding of students’ experience of this form of learning is only just starting to emerge. Practitioners and researchers are already starting to explore post course-based networked learning scenarios, including networked lifelong learning. Now would seem to be an opportune time to investigate students' learning experiences in course-based networked environments, in order to inform the development of these post course-based learning environments. The aim of this case study was to examine students’ understandings of learning gained through course-based networked learning, with the aim of shedding some light on how students might engage with post course-based networked learning environments. Specifically, the study sought to understand what aspects of identity as learners and understandings of ways to learn were shown by students who had been through a program using course-based networked learning. Through interviews with six students who were close to completion of an undergraduate program making significant use of networked learning at a west coast Canadian University, this research explored the understandings about learning that these students had developed through their program. Results showed that students were faced with an onslaught of technologies and found it challenging to develop new ways to learn. This suggests that newer ways to learn will have to be explicitly taught if students are to be successful with networked lifelong learning. The study concluded with implications for the development of post course-based networked learning environments, for educational programs using networked learning and for future research on students’ experiences of networked learning.