Fully Online

Online study that meets you where you are and supports where you’re going.

Fully Online courses are designed for intentional digital pedagogy, enabling students to complete all learning, assessment and course requirements from any location. Learning is driven primarily through well-designed asynchronous engagement, supported by targeted synchronous interaction, structured scaffolding and visible teaching presence.

This model ensures accessibility, flexibility and robust assurance of learning without any requirement for campus attendance.

Online Model Flyer

What distinguishes this model

This model is characterised by:

  • Intentional, evidence-based online design
  • Asynchronous learning as the dominant mode of engagement
  • Zero mandatory campus attendance at any stage
  • Carefully structured content and activities guiding independent learning
  • Strong, visible teaching presence to support connection and engagement
  • Balanced supervised and non-supervised assessment conducted fully online
  • Responsive, integrated and accessible digital support services

Learning design standards

Online learning is purposefully designed to support engagement, independence and belonging in a fully digital environment.

In practice:

  • Learning depends on intentional, evidence-based design
  • Interaction and community are intentionally created, not assumed
  • Social connection is cultivated through structured communication and engagement
  • Universal Design for Learning (UDL), scaffolding and responsive educator presence support accessibility and belonging
  • Students engage through carefully structured content, activities and supports that guide independent learning

Asynchronous learning forms the foundation of the student experience, enabling flexibility and accessibility.

In practice:

  • Students engage at their own pace and schedule
  • Learning is driven by well-designed, self-paced activities
  • Students can reflect deeply, revisit materials and manage study around work, family and geographic constraints
  • Asynchronous environments are intentionally structured to maintain engagement and academic rigour
  • Synchronous sessions play a targeted, high-value role in connection, feedback and collaborative learning
  • Most learning time is asynchronous (UG approx. 80% / PG approx. 90%, averaged across the course)

All course requirements can be completed fully online.

In practice:

  • No campus attendance is required at any stage
  • All learning, assessment and completion requirements are available fully online
  • Geographic, work, family, health and financial barriers to participation are removed
  • Accessibility and equity are central to course design
  • Authentic learning may occur within students’ local communities through placements, fieldwork or practice-based activities

Students are explicitly supported to develop the skills required for success in online study.

In practice:

  • Students develop self-regulation, time management and digital literacy skills
  • Readiness for online learning is not assumed and requires guided practice
  • Transition support is embedded across the student lifecycle
  • Supports accommodate diverse learner backgrounds and digital experience
  • A whole-of-institution approach provides coordinated, wraparound preparation

Teaching presence is strong, active and visible throughout the online learning experience.

In practice:

  • Teaching begins with intentional course design and continues through active facilitation
  • Educators provide clear structure, explicit instruction and responsive communication
  • Consistent, humanised presence strengthens connection, belonging and motivation
  • Teaching presence supports student engagement, satisfaction and retention

Assessment is intentionally designed to provide valid, reliable evidence of student capability in a fully online context.

In practice:

  • Tasks align with learning outcomes and use triangulated evidence across the student journey
  • Diverse assessment formats allow students to demonstrate learning in multiple authentic ways
  • All assessment can be completed fully online
  • Clear criteria, scaffolding and exemplars support preparation
  • Timely, constructive feedback builds feedback literacy and ongoing improvement
  • A balanced mix of supervised and non-supervised assessment supports authenticity and integrity

Online students undertake WIL through local and virtual professional experiences.

In practice:

  • WIL occurs through virtual professional contexts or local placements
  • Experiences build employability, professional identity and CLO achievement
  • Virtual WIL develops transferable, industry-valued skills
  • Courses provide fully online WIL preparation, supervision, debriefing and reflection
  • Online industry engagement opportunities support career readiness without campus attendance

Support services are integrated, proactive and digitally accessible.

In practice:

  • Timely, proactive communication reduces isolation and supports retention
  • Academic and professional staff work in partnership to provide an integrated support ecosystem
  • Support teams introduce themselves early and clearly communicate pathways
  • Discipline-embedded specialist contributions strengthen contextualised skill development
  • Teaching staff and support services collaborate on proactive outreach
  • Brightspace sites clearly signpost academic, wellbeing, financial, accessibility and equity support

What this model is not

  • Not a campus-based or attendance-dependent model
  • Not predominantly synchronous or lecture-driven
  • Not self-paced without structure, guidance or visible teaching presence

Your learning, your way

A flexible and supportive online learning experience that moves with you - designed to connect you with others, immerse you in purposeful learning and prepare you for your career, wherever you are.

Distinctive Characteristics

  • Learning is primarily asynchronous, with up to 10% scheduled synchronous activities.
  • No mandatory campus attendance; WIL can be local, remote, or virtual.
  • Assessments delivered online with approved authentication methods and leverage submission windows (48-72 hours) to accommodate work/caring
  • Structure accommodates multiple entry points supported throughout the year.
  • Flexible subject sequencing with clearly communicated prerequisites.
  • Time-zone aware support with student queries receiving an initial response within 24 hours during business days.
  • Not CRICOS-compatible (onshore).
  • E-portfolio capture evidence including projects, placements and simulations.
  • Time-zone aware online community events to foster engagement and connection.
  • Recognition delivered virtually with awards, badges and spotlights.
  • Professional engagement delivered online via time-zone aware seminars, panels, virtual mentoring.

Model Delivery Essentials

To deliver this mode effectively, courses must:

  • Publish course structure, assessment calendars and subject sequencing at least six months in advance.
  • Design asynchronous, activity-based online learning with time-zone aware synchronous components as needed.
  • Assessment and synchronous sessions distributed to avoid clustering.
  • WIL pathway options clearly outlined.
  • Provide structured online orientation for all commencing students, including LMS orientation, expectations and support.
  • Maintain teacher presence via announcements, check-ins and multimodal messages.
  • Publish technology requirements (bandwidth/device) in course brochure, subject outline and orientation.
  • Ensure all media is accessible, with captions, transcripts and low-bandwidth/offline alternatives.
  • Provide digital-first mentoring and time-zone aware support services.
  • New teaching staff complete mode orientation before teaching
  • Use analytics to trigger early intervention for at-risk students.
  • Deliver virtual community, recognition and professional engagement events.

Operational Standards

To ensure every online learning experience is delivered consistently and at scale, core operational checks occur before and throughout the session. Synchronous sessions are scheduled or recorded across time zones, assessments and portfolio checkpoints are published, and all media and resources meet accessibility standards. Support pathways are current, visible, and aligned to student needs. Online events and mentoring opportunities are scheduled to foster connection and engagement.

Operational checks include:

  • LMS subject sites structured with approved mode templates and all tasks visible from Week 1
  • Authentication methods documented for all assessments in Subject Outline
  • Portfolio submission and review dates in calendar
  • Actual sync/async ratio aligns with ≤10% synchronous specification
  • Synchronous sessions recorded or accessible across time zones
  • Staff trained in asynchronous pedagogy, online assessment design and security, accessibility and scalable facilitation
  • At-risk students identified through analytics and provided timely follow-up
  • Students receive technology support response within 24 hours.
  • Digital-first mentoring and online support pathways tested and operational

< Back to MEA Key characteristics page