Assessing long-term impact of postgraduate online learning

Team: Ellie Devenish-Nelson, Magdalena Cerbin-Koczorowska. And Jenna Fyfe

School: Biomedical Teaching Organisation and Edinburgh Medical School: Medical Education

Abstract

Online learning at a distance is a growing mode of teaching that offers flexibility, accessibility and empowerment for many students. Online student profiles typically differ from in- person students, meaning that they may also experience education differently. However, the long-term impact of. postgraduate online learning for alumni careers and capacity development is relatively little understood. Understanding how these programs influence the career trajectories, skill development, and personal growth of graduates can offer valuable insights for enhancing curriculum design, delivery, and support systems.

By examining alumni experiences across three online MSc programmes in the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, the project seeks to understand how each programme influenced their transition from postgraduate student to new roles and how their experiences in these programmes have shaped their long-term professional and personal development. In doing so, we will be able to make cross-programme comparisons to identify common elements that demonstrate good practice for generating capacity development and leadership qualities in alumni. This will be useful to those within and external to the University interested in digital education.