Juggling the balls-study, work, family and play: student perspectives on flexible and blended heutagogy

This article draws on research with the student cohort in one of the early childhood teacher education programmes at the University of Western Sydney, Australia. It explores students' perceptions of a flexible and blended pedagogy, or 'heutagogy' which combines online work with face-to-face lectures and tutorials. Research into teaching and learning suggests that heutagogy (encouraging students to take responsibility for their own learning), rather than pedagogy, more closely approximates the way knowledge is appropriated by adult learners in the modern world. The study investigates the relevance of flexible and blended delivery modes and using heutagogy for students who have taken up university study after completion of lower level courses at a technical institution. The programme developed acknowledges students' need to work and considers the dynamics of family life. In recognition of students' complex study/work/family responsibilities and the need in some cases for considerable travel across Sydney, face-to-face tuition has been limited to two days per week. Data have been collected from student focus group discussions, surveys and online records and the results, when analysed, indicate that with support, learning in blended mode can be beneficial for most students, and preferred by some students over only face-to-face tuition.