A pedagogy for ICT education in mixed mode studies

This paper explores an appropriate pedagogy for teaching the information and communication technology (ICT) students in mixed mode studies, particularly in teaching a first-year-first-term undergraduate course ‘Systems Development A’. For the purpose of this research, mixed mode studies refer to the studies that students undertake with a mixture of different enrolment patterns i.e. on-campus (on multiple campuses) and flexible learning (or distance education) study modes. To explore this unique phenomenon, qualitative case study research method was adopted. In particular, it compares the expectations and performances of all on-campus and flexible learning students. The findings indicate that many flexible learning students are working in the ICT industry and could easily grasp the concepts in their study contents without very much of the face-to-face guidance. In comparison, the majority of on-campus students need guidance from their teaching staff members and classroom interactions. A proposed ICT pedagogy is developed to explain how to effectively help and guide the first year first term undergraduate ICT students in a mixed mode study.