Is there a conflict between providing access and providing learning resources?

When considering the flexible learning options in my courses I find it a continual challenge to ensure access for my students. I feel that by the very nature of the course that there are multiple ways the course can be accessed and with the varied materials I offer, this should not be a problem for most students to find something they can relate to. However, the courses are offered online and this can put some people off. I find that many people who are put off by digital resources usually find comfort in being able to print off pdf documents that they can hold in front of them so making the information available in that format is important - but printing is not sustainable so there is always a trade off. On the other hand, it can be overwhelming for a student to be offered too many options as they look at the smorgasbord that is their course materials. I think it is the presentation of these learning options that can be the difference between disappointment and success for the students.


Presenting multiple resources can be a challenge but I think it comes down to offering a clean well-laid out flow starting with simple and concise messages. There can then be links to additional resources but it is important to be aware that many students will not utilise those resources and instead choose to do their own research on the net or in the library so cluttering up their digital learning environment with unnecessary ‘stuff’ may not be helpful to their learning process.

Many courses find great success with utilising a topical course outline with chapters and my organisational mind finds this approach reassuring. With very complicated subjects it can be challenging to ensure that information is not buried deep within the outline and thus be inaccessible for those students who are not topically organised. Webpages often employ this strategy by having a topical outline at the top of the page but then listing all of the course information below it. I think this is a useful strategy however even the information below can get excessively cluttered with numerous resources that can be hard to get through as well as hard to determine what is essential to know. One way to combat this is to produce an organisational chart that is accessible but that hides additional resources so that the core subject area is clearly defined. This strategy has all of the benefits of organisation as well as the benefits of accessible resources.