Case Summaries
Back to Case SummariesAcademic Appeal - CS042502
Case summary April 2025 | Not Justified
A student studying for a Postgraduate Diploma via distance learning was withdrawn after they were unsuccessful in a module for the second time. The student appealed on the basis that they had been disadvantaged when the provider changed their virtual learning environment (VLE) platform. The student included screenshots of the new VLE system that showed failed login attempts, and screenshots from WhatsApp conversations with other students about problems with the new VLE.
The provider invited the student to an appeal hearing to hear more about how they used the VLE. The student said that they accessed it on their phone because they only had time to study when commuting to their paid employment or when walking in the evenings. The student confirmed that they had not asked for any help to access the new VLE.
The provider looked at the access logs to the VLE. This showed that the student only had failed login attempts when they had entered the wrong password and there were no other problems with the student’s account. The student’s pattern of accessing the VLE was similar for the old and new systems. The provider noted that students were advised not to try to complete their studies only using a mobile phone.
The provider rejected the student’s appeal, and the student complained to us. The student suggested that the provider shouldn’t have looked at the access logs but should only have considered the screenshots they had supplied.
We did not uphold the student’s complaint (we decided it was Not Justified). It was reasonable for the provider to look at the information it had about VLE access to see if anything was wrong with the way the student’s account had been working. It was also reasonable to expect that the student should have asked for help at the time they were experiencing any difficulties with the VLE.