Teaching methods are decided by the individual teacher, department,
faculty or institution, or a combination of these. Most courses involve
a combination of formal lectures and less formal seminars, in which
students are encouraged to participate and lead discussions. By their
nature, certain courses require practical sessions such as work in a
laboratory for science subjects and oral classes for foreign languages.
Institutions may exploit information and communications technology, for
example, using computer-assisted learning. Some courses also include a
work experience component.
Open and distance learning has expanded in recent years not only in the Open University ,
but also in other institutions which are increasingly offering these
types of courses, often taking advantage of information and
communications technology such as the internet and e-mail.