When one of Australia’s leading education academics confirms that traditional lectures don’t work, it’s time to pay attention – and make smarter choices about your education.
A brilliant piece recently published in The Conversation by Dr. Alice Brown, an online learning expert from the University of Southern Queensland, has sent shockwaves through the academic establishment. Her research-backed article reveals what forward-thinking Australians already suspected: the university lecture is dead, and that’s actually good news for students.
But while Dr. Brown diplomatically explains why universities are scrambling to modernise their ancient teaching methods, we’ll tell you the rest of the story – why Learning Online Group has already built the future of education that universities are still trying to figure out.
The Expert Verdict Is In: Lectures Don’t Work
Dr. Brown’s comprehensive analysis in The Conversation pulls no punches. She reveals that students at Adelaide University are protesting to keep something that educational research proves doesn’t work effectively. Think about that for a moment – students fighting to preserve a teaching method that experts confirm is outdated and ineffective.
The article presents compelling evidence that the lecture format – where students sit passively while information is transmitted at them – fundamentally misaligns with how humans actually learn. As Dr. Brown notes, we now have extensive research showing that students need to control their learning pace, replay complex concepts, and engage actively with content.
This isn’t just academic theory. It’s backed by hard data from learning analytics showing that short, focused video content dramatically outperforms hour-long lectures for knowledge retention and skill development.
The Shocking Reality: 40% of Students Can’t Even Attend
Here’s the statistic from Dr. Brown’s article that should make every Australian rethink traditional university: approximately 40% of domestic undergraduate students face significant barriers to campus attendance. They’re Indigenous students, people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, those in regional areas, or students with disabilities.
Add to this the growing number of students juggling work and study – because let’s face it, not everyone has parents funding their university lifestyle – and you’ve got a system that excludes nearly half its potential students.
Dr. Brown’s research confirms what we’ve known all along: the traditional university model is broken. It’s designed for a privileged few who can afford to spend three to four years on campus, accumulating average HECS debts of $24,770, all for the privilege of watching lectures that experts now admit don’t even work.
Why Learning Online Group Saw This Coming Years Ago
While universities are having existential crises about abandoning their medieval teaching traditions, we built something entirely different at Learning Online Group. We didn’t wait for academic research to tell us that sitting in a lecture hall for hours doesn’t create job-ready professionals. We knew it from day one.
Our approach across nine specialist schools – from Beauty and Photography to Animal Care and Counselling – embodies everything Dr. Brown’s research validates about effective learning:
1. Built for How People Actually Learn
Dr. Brown’s article emphasises that modern research supports self-paced learning where students can pause, replay, and engage on their terms. That’s exactly how our courses are structured. No rushing to scribble notes while a lecturer speeds through slides. No missing crucial information because you zoned out for 30 seconds.
2. Genuine Accessibility, Not Token Gestures
While universities struggle to accommodate that 40% of students who can’t easily attend campus, our entire model is built on genuine accessibility. Whether you’re studying Agriculture from a farm in rural Queensland, learning Landscaping while working FIFO, or pursuing Lifestyle courses as a busy parent, our education comes to you.
3. Social Learning Without the Lecture Hall
Dr. Brown’s research highlights the importance of “social and collaborative engagement” in online learning. But here’s what universities don’t understand: you don’t need a physical lecture hall for connection. Our students build stronger relationships through dedicated tutor support, interactive online workshops, and industry networking than most uni students ever achieve sitting silently in a 200-person lecture theatre.
4. Industry-First, Not Theory-First
While university lecturers debate theoretical concepts, our courses are designed with industry partners who tell us exactly what skills employers need. The Australian Bureau of Statistics confirms that employers increasingly value practical skills over academic credentials. That’s why our recent launches of the Australian Photography School and Omnia Tattoo Academy focus on portfolio-building and real-world application from day one.
The Universities’ Desperate Pivot (And Why It’s Too Little, Too Late)
Dr. Brown’s article reveals that many Australian universities, including her own University of Southern Queensland, have abandoned sole reliance on lectures. But here’s the problem: they’re trying to retrofit a broken system rather than building something new.
Universities are constrained by:
- Semester structures that don’t match working life
- Academic traditions that prioritise theory over practice
- Enormous overheads that keep fees sky-high
- HECS-HELP systems that saddle students with decades of debt
Meanwhile, we’ve built education for the real world, where you can start a course any time, learn at your pace, and graduate with skills that employers actually want – without the crushing debt.
What Dr. Brown’s Research Really Means for Your Future
The implications of Dr. Brown’s findings are clear: if even university academics admit that lectures don’t work, why would you pay ten’s of thousands of dollars and invest years of your life in a system built around them?
Educational research accelerated by COVID-19 proves that quality online education delivers equal or better outcomes than traditional methods. But here’s the crucial difference: universities are trying to force old wine into new bottles, while we’ve built a completely new vineyard.
Real Success Stories, Not Academic Theory
Every week, we celebrate graduates who’ve transformed their careers through our practical approach:
- Beauty therapists launching successful salons within months of completing our Beauty courses
- Photographers building thriving businesses after our Photography program
- Counsellors making real differences in their communities through our Counselling courses
These aren’t hypothetical case studies in an academic paper. They’re real Australians who chose practical education over prestigious debt.
The Bottom Line: Choose the Future, Not the Past
Dr. Brown’s excellent article in The Conversation should be required reading for anyone considering university. It confirms what we’ve been saying for years: traditional university education is an outdated model struggling to stay relevant.
The Department of Education’s own data shows universities failing to serve diverse student populations effectively. Meanwhile, modern learning theory supports everything we’ve built into our model: bite-sized learning, practical application, genuine flexibility, and personalised support.
As Dr. Brown concludes in her article, universities are finally “working out where and how we can best reach and engage with our students.” We’ve already figured it out. We reach students where they are, engage them with content that matters, and graduate them with skills that work.
Your Smart Move in 2025
While Adelaide University students protest to save lectures that experts confirm don’t work, and while universities scramble to digitise their broken model, you have a choice.
You can choose the traditional path: invest in a comprehensive degree programme that provides broad theoretical knowledge over several years.
Or you can join thousands of smart Australians choosing one of the Learning Online Group schools: gain focused practical skills, build your professional portfolio, and be job-ready in months, not years – all while maintaining your current commitments and avoiding long-term debt.
Dr. Brown’s research has given you the evidence. The choice is yours.
Ready to choose education designed for success, not tradition?
Explore our nine specialist schools and discover your path to a real career. Don’t wait for universities to figure out online learning – we’ve already perfected it.
For more insights on the future of education and career development, visit our News and Insights page. For partnership opportunities, please get in touch with our team.
Source: This article references the excellent analysis “Some unis are moving away from in-person lectures. Here’s why that’s not such a bad thing” by Dr. Alice Brown, published in The Conversation, which provides comprehensive research on the evolution of university teaching methods.
