ABSTRACT
Education was an elitist pastime which was bounded by a set of social roles and social engagement. As universities and higher education has changed and developed so has the practice of learning. Some learners will be based on different campuses of the same institution and although they may share a ‘brand’ or an ‘identity’, the lived experience of learning may be very different. The diverse experience of learning in a contemporary higher education institute will bring together students from different backgrounds and experiences, often with learning preferences based on study elsewhere including international settings. Technology-enhanced learning can be utilised effectively to support accessibility and flexibility in learning, but digital learning can be a mode by which a strong community of learners can be established and maintained. In contrast socially-immersive learning recognises that learners are learning in multiple contexts and bring skills from other settings into their higher education experience.
