Estratégia de aprendizado universitário

7.3: estratégia de e-learning.

Estratégia de e-Learning da Universidade.

1. Em 2003, o DfES declarou que o e-learning 'tem o potencial de transformar a maneira como ensinamos e aprendemos. Ele abre novas oportunidades para elevar os padrões, ampliar a participação na aprendizagem ao longo da vida e melhorar a experiência de aprendizado. Mais importante, o DfES observou que o e-learning "não pode substituir os palestrantes, mas, ao lado dos métodos existentes, pode melhorar a qualidade e o alcance de seu ensino". A Estratégia de e-Learning da Universidade pretende definir a direção do e-learning em Durham e incentivar os colegas a se engajar em atividades de e-learning, quando apropriado, abrindo, apoiando e divulgando suas possibilidades. Ecoando as descobertas do grupo de e-learning do Joint SFEFC / SHEFC, a estratégia baseia-se na premissa de que “o e-learning é fundamentalmente sobre aprendizagem e não sobre tecnologia”. Portanto, esta estratégia propõe um curso de ação que é 'baseado nas necessidades e demandas dos alunos e sua qualidade de experiência educacional'. Em suma, baseia-se em seis princípios-chave associados a esse objetivo: conectividade, flexibilidade, interatividade, colaboração, motivação do aluno (engajamento) e oportunidades ampliadas.

2. Esta estratégia ajuda na implementação da Estratégia de Ensino e Aprendizagem da Universidade, promovendo o eLearning como uma iniciativa pedagogicamente orientada para melhorar as experiências de aprendizagem tradicionalmente oferecidas por Durham. Ele descreve os planos e as direções futuras das oportunidades de aprendizagem flexíveis, apoiadas eletronicamente, da Universidade para todos os alunos e funcionários. Esta estratégia define uma visão de toda a Universidade para apoiar e desenvolver oportunidades de Aprendizagem e Avaliação suportadas electronicamente, existentes e futuras (mais tarde referido neste documento com o prefixo 'e'). Embora o foco principal dessa estratégia seja o aprendizado, ela está amplamente relacionada a todos os aspectos da experiência do aluno. Consultamos a nossa estratégia preliminar para eLearning em janeiro de 2008, via Comitê Universitário de Educação, Comitês de Educação da Faculdade, Comitês de Chefes de Casa e de Altos Tutores e o grupo de trabalho de Estratégia de TI. Essa estratégia deve ser considerada juntamente com a visão de TI da Universidade de Durham e a Estratégia de TI.

3. O Comité Conjunto para os Sistemas de Informação define o eLearning como «a aprendizagem facilitada e apoiada através da utilização de tecnologias da informação e das comunicações». O eLearning pode envolver o uso de uma variedade de tecnologias. Seja qual for a tecnologia, no entanto, a aprendizagem é o elemento primário e vital. O eLearning pode abranger um espectro de atividades que vão desde o apoio ao aprendizado até o aprendizado combinado (a combinação de práticas tradicionais e de eLearning) ao aprendizado que é oferecido inteiramente online. Este documento é formatado deliberadamente para replicar os estandes da Estratégia HEFCE para e-learning (Documento de Política HEFCE de março de 2005/12).

4. Os objetivos da estratégia são:

Para melhorar a qualidade e a flexibilidade das experiências de aprendizado de alunos e funcionários Apoiar a equipe na entrega, desenvolvimento e administração de eLearning Para orientar e informar investimentos e implantação de serviços de eLearning, equipe de suporte e infraestrutura.

5. Através da sua Estratégia de Aprendizagem e Ensino, a Durham University compromete-se a continuar a fornecer uma experiência de aprendizagem de alta qualidade e, quando apropriado, permitir que esta experiência de aprendizagem beneficie de métodos e tecnologias de aprendizagem electrónica.

6. A Universidade reconhece os benefícios potenciais do e-learning como um meio para:

alcançar uma abordagem mais centrada no aluno e personalizada para ajudar a aprendizagem, os alunos ganham maiores níveis de controle na gestão de sua própria aprendizagem.

7. Para facilitar a integração contínua do eLearning no currículo, a Universidade explorará maneiras de promover e incentivar a inovação em eLearning, eAssessment, eSupport e eFeedback e facilitará a disseminação de boas práticas nessas áreas, onde elas aprimoram a prática atual. Com a crescente integração do eLearning no currículo, novas abordagens de aprendizagem e pedagogia surgirão. Sempre que possível, recompensaremos a excelência para promover e incentivar mais inovação, bem como sua disseminação.

8. A Universidade reconhece a oportunidade única que a tecnologia oferece para auxiliar a aprendizagem independente dos alunos enquanto trabalham nas Faculdades, em casa e fora do campus. Experiências de aprendizado formal, como atividade de colocação, trabalho de campo e programas colaborativos, podem se beneficiar. Em sua forma mais básica, isso envolverá tecnologias de comunicação (incluindo e-mail e videoconferência), mas, no longo prazo, a Universidade trabalhará no sentido de melhorar as oportunidades de aprendizagem por meio de recursos eletrônicos direcionados ao usuário e colaborativos. Quando apropriado, o eLearning será usado para apoiar as pedagogias de aprendizagem à distância e distribuídas e onde estas abordagens mais intensas forem usadas, a Universidade compromete-se a assegurar, através da aprovação de módulos / programas, que mecanismos apropriados de apoio estão disponíveis.

9. A Universidade prevê o benefício do eLearning para conectar alunos e funcionários que trabalham entre os dois campi em Durham e Stockton. A Universidade continuará a assegurar que o hardware e o software estejam disponíveis para facilitar o acesso e a entrega de recursos de aprendizado entre campus, e a aprendizagem e comunicação entre todos os membros da comunidade universitária, onde quer que estejam localizados.

10. A Universidade continuará a avaliar como o seu AVA pode ser adaptado para melhorar as experiências de aprendizagem de todos os alunos, incluindo aqueles com necessidades específicas. A Universidade garantirá que todos os funcionários e alunos tenham acesso justo às tecnologias e materiais de eLearning, incluindo consideração especial para pessoas com deficiências e questões decorrentes da internacionalização. O Diretor de Diversidade e o Serviço de Deficiências da Universidade de Durham (DS), em conjunto com a CEI, terão um papel fundamental na identificação de boas práticas de disseminação.

11. A Universidade se compromete a expandir o uso do software de detecção e conscientização de plágio e a usar a tecnologia como um direcionador para o esclarecimento do plágio em vez da disciplina.

12. Há também uma oportunidade estratégica potencial para melhorar o apoio à nossa agenda de aprendizado conduzida pela pesquisa. Conforme mais articulado na Strand 4, incentivaremos tecnólogos, funcionários da biblioteca e funcionários acadêmicos a trabalhar de forma colaborativa para apoiar essa meta.

13. Num ambiente electrónico cada vez mais complexo, três princípios - facilidade de utilização, interoperabilidade e sustentabilidade - informarão / apoiarão os desenvolvimentos nos recursos de aprendizagem e na aprendizagem em rede. A Universidade trabalhará para capacitar os alunos a descobrir e acessar eResources com o mínimo esforço e atraso, através da integração de sistemas internos e adoção de tecnologias que facilitem as interações externas. Ao estabelecer repositórios adequados para a disseminação de uma variedade de objetos digitais, a Universidade fará todos os esforços possíveis para garantir que os direitos autorais, DPI e licenciamento sejam plenamente observados e que o armazenamento ea preservação a longo prazo sejam apropriados para os materiais. A Universidade procurará disponibilizar oportunidades de aprendizagem eletrônica para alunos de todos os níveis e em todos os módulos para capacitá-los a desenvolver as habilidades de informação que são um componente central da "graduação"; permitir que as pessoas operem efetivamente em uma economia do conhecimento; e aumentar a empregabilidade. Sempre que possível, o aprendizado de alfabetização informacional será integrado à experiência do aluno para que seja significativo e eficaz.

14. O sistema colegial em Durham permite diferentes maneiras de se engajar com estudos acadêmicos (individualmente e de forma colaborativa) e, particularmente, fornece uma série de mecanismos para o apoio ao aluno e atividades extracurriculares. Novas formas de comunicação devem aprimorar essa experiência universitária (e, de fato, toda a experiência do aluno). A Universidade explorará maneiras pelas quais o eLearning pode garantir que todos os alunos possam ter acesso igualmente a materiais que aprimorem seus estudos acadêmicos, possam se engajar na experiência universitária e especificamente naqueles que lhes permitam desenvolver suas atividades extracurriculares. Pensamento também deve ser dado aos "fígados", aqueles que estudam à distância, que precisam novamente ter acesso a materiais acadêmicos, mas também podem usar tecnologias para se envolver em atividades universitárias, mesmo que não sejam fisicamente estabelecidos em Durham ou Queen's.

15. A Universidade reconhece que o apoio ao estudante pode ser significativamente melhorado através de tecnologias de informação e comunicação. Durham continuará a desenvolver meios simples e eficazes para orientar os estudantes a apoiar os sistemas (tanto on-line quanto face a face) e garantir que os alunos com necessidades específicas de aprendizagem possam ter alguns deles abordados por meio de tecnologias assistivas. O objetivo de Durham é garantir que seu eSupport seja simples, acessível e coerente. A Universidade se compromete a melhorar a provisão de planos de desenvolvimento pessoal e transcrições de progressão. É reconhecido que melhores dados e integração de sistemas é um objetivo estratégico claro para atingir esse objetivo. A Universidade explorará o uso de diferentes soluções tecnológicas para permitir que os perfis dos alunos sejam preenchidos automaticamente ou simplesmente com dados padrão relacionados à progressão e realizações e aqueles que permitiriam o desenvolvimento colaborativo de perfis entre estudante, departamento, faculdade, tutor e outros grupos. Reconhecemos como tais tecnologias podem apoiar os estudantes, através da universidade e além, em estudos adicionais e no local de trabalho. Prevemos essas tecnologias oferecendo oportunidades para manter e melhorar as relações de ex-alunos com a universidade, o departamento, a faculdade e os grupos de amigos / colegas. Para obter sucesso, esses desenvolvimentos precisam se concentrar em garantir o envolvimento dos alunos com os processos e reconhecer a ampla gama de ferramentas pessoais colaborativas já em uso pelos alunos.

16. A Universidade continuará a trabalhar no sentido de desenvolver sistemas para apoiar o acesso de todos e assegurar, em particular, que quaisquer conflitos em potencial ao nosso compromisso de apoiar o aumento da participação sejam abordados. A Universidade compromete-se a garantir que seja pró-ativa ao abordar as diferentes habilidades dos alunos para acessar tecnologias, seja por causa da localização, necessidades especiais ou pelo custo da tecnologia necessária para acessar os materiais.

17. A Universidade reconhece a necessidade de abordar habilidades, conhecimentos e competências para o eLearning em treinamento e desenvolvimento profissional contínuo para o pessoal que fornece ou apoia o pessoal de ensino e aprendizagem. Durham assegurará que os recursos adequados da equipe estejam comprometidos a longo prazo para apoiar e desenvolver o eLearning para atender às necessidades de estratégias e iniciativas institucionais, de corpo docente e departamentais. Um fator-chave de sucesso para maximizar os benefícios da tecnologia será alcançado através do incentivo de abordagens coordenadas de gestão estratégica para o desenvolvimento do eLearning, incluindo estratégias de aprendizado e ensino, recursos humanos, TI e propriedades. Para isso, as iniciativas de eLearning serão incorporadas nos processos de planejamento estratégico e melhoria da qualidade da Universidade.

18. Para continuar a desenvolver a capacidade em todas as áreas de eLearning, a Universidade manterá redes e comunidades de prática em toda a instituição para desenvolver, compartilhar e incorporar práticas de eLearning. A Universidade compromete-se a fornecer recursos de aprendizado eletrônico de alta qualidade. Através do ITS e da biblioteca, continuará a fornecer treinamento e apoio ao pessoal que está desenvolvendo recursos e aos estudantes, para garantir que eles sejam capazes de usar os recursos de maneira mais eficaz para apoiar seu aprendizado. A Universidade vê as tecnologias da aprendizagem como uma forma de fortalecer seu currículo liderado pela pesquisa. Para conseguir isso, Durham explorará os benefícios para a comunidade de pesquisa da Universidade de Ambiente Virtual de Pesquisa integrado.

19. A Universidade está empenhada em fornecer oportunidades de e-learning de alta qualidade e recursos que sejam consistentes com a alta qualidade de sua oferta fornecida por outros meios. Para isso, garantirá que:

seus processos para a aprovação, monitoramento e suporte de sua provisão continuam rigorosamente para assegurar a qualidade e padrões de provisão entregues total ou parcialmente pelo eLearning, onde necessário atualizando estes processos para levar em conta novas abordagens de aprendizado e pedagogia que surgem como a integração de eLearning no currículo aumenta; existem mecanismos claros para promover e disseminar boas práticas no uso de eLearning para melhorar a qualidade das oportunidades de aprendizagem que a Universidade oferece; A LTC é mantida totalmente informada sobre questões de garantia de qualidade e aprimoramento relacionadas ao uso de tecnologias de e-Learning.

20. Durham se esforçará para contribuir para a compreensão e apreciação do setor sobre as questões mais amplas colocadas pelo eLearning. Manteremos nosso alto perfil através de eventos e conferências e participação em eventos e conferências em outros lugares. Além disso, a Universidade pretende encorajar mais investigação específica sobre o eLearning e a sua pedagogia, promovendo e premiando a excelência e a inovação em eLearning, eAssessment e eFeedback e facilitando a sua disseminação. Especificamente, incentivaremos, quando apropriado, a colaboração entre departamentos na pesquisa, desenvolvimento e avaliação do eLearning.

21. A Universidade se compromete a avaliar e disseminar boas práticas nacionais e internacionais para e-Learning. A esse respeito, reconhecemos as contribuições específicas de organizações como a Academia de Educação Superior e a JISC, bem como outras instituições educacionais.

22. Durham continuará a monitorar seu fornecimento de tecnologias de aprendizado para garantir que a infra-estrutura da Universidade seja suficiente para suportar as crescentes e mais variadas demandas de estudantes e funcionários. A Universidade continuará a explorar o uso de novas tecnologias em seu direcionamento para capacitar o aluno a se envolver em aprendizado baseado em sala de aula e independente de local. Isso incluirá a facilitação da produção de recursos eletrônicos de ensino e aprendizado de alta qualidade, incluindo aqueles criados por meio do aumento do uso de tecnologias de streaming de áudio e vídeo.

23. A Durham almeja uma integração perfeita dos sistemas de informação e aprendizado existentes, de modo a buscar formas de apoiar o gerenciamento estratégico coordenado em toda a Universidade, tanto dos dados quanto dos sistemas e provedores que afetam a experiência de aprendizado do aluno. Continuaremos a desenvolver uma abordagem abrangente e coerente em relação às ferramentas e recursos eletrônicos que apoiam o aprendizado e o ensino. Também exploraremos novas oportunidades para aprimorar a infraestrutura de suporte para o aprendizado independente e em sala de aula, a fim de garantir que ela seja adequada ao objetivo e, especificamente, na área de aprendizado móvel.

Analise as disposições estratégicas de financiamento para o eLearning, incluindo a consideração de:

um Fundo de Desenvolvimento eLearning para apoiar o financiamento da inovação para o desenvolvimento de materiais de aprendizagem genéricos, financiamento para o futuro aprimoramento da atual infra-estrutura de eLearning, compra estratégica de materiais digitais de nascença.

A Universidade de Alberta e E-Learning.

Direção Estratégica da Universidade.

Os Planos Estratégicos e Acadêmicos da Universidade de Alberta estabelecem o contexto organizacional para o Plano de E-Learning. As seguintes declarações de visão e missão ajudam a definir a direção e o propósito da Universidade e do e-learning em nosso campus.

A Universidade de Alberta, no ensino, pesquisa e serviço comunitário, será indiscutivelmente reconhecida, nacional e internacionalmente, como uma das melhores universidades do Canadá e entre algumas das melhores do mundo.

A missão da Universidade de Alberta é servir a nossa comunidade pela descoberta, disseminação e aplicação de novos conhecimentos através do ensino e pesquisa.

As metas delineiam os resultados sociais implícitos na universidade, atualizando sua visão e missão. A universidade preparará os alunos para vidas e carreiras de sucesso como líderes de amanhã. A Universidade será líder na criação, disseminação e aplicação de conhecimento. A universidade alcançará excelência institucional. A Universidade contribuirá para as necessidades de suas comunidades.

A visão, a missão e as declarações de objetivos acima foram tiradas do Quality Investment em Alberta's Future - Atualização de 2004 para o Plano Estratégico de Negócios 2002-06.

Prevê-se que a nossa nova Presidente, Indira Samarasekera, inicie uma exploração da comunidade e atualize a visão, a missão, os objetivos e as principais iniciativas estratégicas da Universidade. Para se preparar para essa atividade, o Vice-Presidente (Acadêmico) e o Vice-Presidente (Pesquisa) facilitaram um processo de consulta inclusivo com reitores, chefes de departamento, estudantes, funcionários, membros do corpo docente e comitês universitários. Um dos objetivos desse processo foi examinar e reafirmar a cultura acadêmica da universidade. Além disso, os participantes procuraram identificar temas unificadores no ensino e na pesquisa que promovessem a vitalidade institucional.

Os temas acadêmicos resultantes do processo de consulta pública são descritos como "particularmente apropriados para atividades significativas imediatas, porque se baseiam nas forças e atividades existentes ou têm oportunidades imediatas de desenvolvimento, e atendem a necessidades críticas".

Embora o estabelecimento de uma visão para a Universidade como um todo seja essencial, também é reconhecido que muitas estratégias robustas emergem das Faculdades que têm suas próprias visões e prioridades contextualmente relevantes para o futuro. Por isso, os temas acadêmicos desenvolvidos por meio do processo de consulta pública são diretrizes e não um conjunto firme de prioridades. Alguns temas são geralmente aplicáveis, como o tema sobre a qualidade da experiência de graduação, enquanto outros podem ser mais relevantes para algumas Faculdades do que outros. Além disso, cada Faculdade desenvolverá temas exclusivos de seu contexto específico.

Os temas acadêmicos que foram identificados são: Melhorar a qualidade da experiência de graduação; Foco no continuum ensino-pesquisa; Estratégia do norte; Engajamento aborígene; Envolvimento rural; Colaboração interdisciplinar; Engajamento internacional.

(Esboço de temas para a reunião conjunta de decanos e presidentes, 2005)

Temas Acadêmicos e E-learning.

As tecnologias de informação e comunicação são elogiadas por sua capacidade de ampliar a distância, conectar comunidades e transmitir rapidamente grandes volumes de dados. O e-learning é uma aplicação integrada dessas tecnologias. Como tal, o e-learning tem o potencial de afetar como todos os temas são atualizados. No entanto, dois temas têm relação mais imediata com a estratégia de e-learning: melhorar a experiência de graduação e focar no contínuo de ensino e pesquisa.

Os temas acadêmicos derivados do processo de consulta confirmam que a qualidade da experiência de graduação é fundamental para o cumprimento da visão e da missão da universidade. Vários comitês e grupos de serviços universitários iniciaram atividades para melhorar a experiência de aprendizado da graduação. Este tema acadêmico ressalta a importância fundamental deste trabalho e estabelece uma estrutura para os esforços futuros. Sua descrição inclui vários métodos para melhorar os ambientes de aprendizagem de graduação.

As práticas recomendadas vão desde o planejamento do nível superior do programa do corpo docente até as estratégias instrucionais individuais a serem usadas nos cursos. As faculdades são incentivadas a considerar a renovação do currículo e estratégias para envolver os alunos em programas de pesquisa acadêmica. Vários métodos para transformar o ensino são propostos, incluindo aprendizado ativo, instrução baseada em problemas, uso de coortes para estabelecer comunidades de aprendizado e fornecimento de oportunidades para pequenas classes.

A aplicação cuidadosa das tecnologias educacionais permitirá que a universidade implemente de maneira econômica muitos dos métodos recomendados como parte da melhoria da experiência de graduação. Ambientes de e-learning bem projetados permitem que os instrutores estabeleçam atividades de aprendizado ativas e usem a instrução baseada em problemas, apesar do tamanho das turmas. As tecnologias de comunicação não apenas aumentam o acesso à informação, mas também podem ser usadas para facilitar a colaboração e o discurso entre estudantes, instrutores e especialistas externos. O e-learning fornece um meio para aumentar a flexibilidade dos ambientes de aprendizagem para acomodar alunos com diversos conhecimentos, habilidades e experiências culturais. A profunda mudança na forma como as pessoas abordam o aprendizado e o ensino, aceleradas pelo e-learning, está agora influenciando o projeto arquitetônico das instalações de ensino.

O tema acadêmico que enfoca o contínuo de ensino-pesquisa também é de relevância imediata e direta para o planejamento do e-learning. A discussão deste tema acadêmico incentiva a integração do ensino com a pesquisa, estabelecendo extensas oportunidades de pesquisa de laboratório e de campo para estudantes de graduação. A colocação no trabalho e o serviço comunitário são considerados meios potencialmente viáveis ​​para combinar a aprendizagem com a pesquisa. O objetivo é criar um continuum de bolsa de estudos até o nível de pós-doutorado.

O e-learning pode ser usado para cultivar a integração do ensino com a pesquisa, envolvendo os estudantes no aprendizado sobre pesquisa, desenvolvendo habilidades de pesquisa e realizando pesquisas em ambientes virtuais. As tecnologias da informação e da comunicação permitem que os alunos não apenas acessem dados, mas falem com outros pesquisadores como parte da participação em comunidades de pesquisa.

A universidade promove o valor de estudantes que ganham experiência internacional. Esse tipo de experiência amplia a perspectiva de um aprendiz e pode aumentar sua motivação para aprender. Poucos estudantes universitários têm os meios necessários para viajar ao exterior para participar de programas. No entanto, o e-learning pode ser usado para aumentar o número de alunos que podem adquirir conhecimento e experiência através de relacionamentos com comunidades internacionais.

Com o tempo, as estratégias de e-learning da universidade serão essenciais para a prossecução dos temas envolvidos na estratégia e envolvimento do norte com as comunidades aborígines e rurais. Da mesma forma, o tema da colaboração interdisciplinar será atualizado em parte através dos sistemas estabelecidos para apoiar o e-learning.

Documentos-chave da Universidade Examinando Estratégias de E-Learning.

Conforme descrito na Introdução, a Universidade lançou o Technology in Learning, um relatório da força-tarefa do Senado da Universidade em 1995 e o Learning First, um relatório de acompanhamento em 1996.

Por causa de seu enfoque de planejamento, o Learning First serve como uma referência contra a qual a Universidade pode medir seu progresso. Desde 1996, investimentos maciços foram feitos em laboratórios em expansão, melhorando a infra-estrutura de tecnologia da informação, estabelecendo padrões de computação e mudando para um clima educacional centrado no aluno. Quando o relatório foi escrito, ainda não havia um sistema de gerenciamento de aprendizado. A Learning First também cataloga os inúmeros projetos LEE (Learning Enhancement Envelope) inovadores que estavam em andamento no momento. As melhorias na infra-estrutura tecnológica, o entendimento gerado pelos projetos LEE e os programas de desenvolvimento profissional para instrutores universitários fornecem a base sólida que sustenta o amplo escopo e profundidade da integração tecnológica em nossa Universidade em 2005.

A Learning First também propôs um Centro de Aprendizagem integrado que incorporasse: espaços físicos para videoconferência, educação a distância e apresentações multimídia; um estúdio de produção para desenvolvimento de conteúdo multimídia; um centro de negócios; uma rede de comunicações avançada que faz interface com o mundo exterior; um centro central de comutação e controle para salas de aula com tecnologia habilitada.

O Centro de Aprendizagem descrito neste relatório serviu como estrutura conceitual para o Centro TELUS de Desenvolvimento Profissional.

Os relatórios da Tecnologia em Aprendizagem e Aprendizagem em Primeiro Lugar salientam a importância de alinhar os esforços das unidades de serviço e faculdades para promover ambientes de aprendizagem superiores para os alunos. Os relatórios também registram os muitos obstáculos para alcançar esse estado ideal na Universidade de Alberta.

Desde 1996, a Universidade tem se beneficiado dos esforços de dedicados acadêmicos e pessoal de apoio associados a unidades como os Serviços de Ensino Universitário (UTS), Tecnologias Acadêmicas de Aprendizagem (ATL) e Serviços de E-Learning no AICT. Os programas e serviços dessas unidades expandiram-se para refletir o aumento significativo do uso de tecnologia no ensino. Para obter descrições das atividades dessas unidades, consulte o Apêndice A. A necessidade do alinhamento estratégico e coordenação de suas atividades, conforme identificado em Tecnologia em Aprendizagem, tornou-se cada vez mais urgente.

No final de 2003, o Gabinete do Reitor e Vice-Presidente (Académico) iniciou uma revisão das unidades de apoio e-learning na Universidade. Revisores externos foram contratados para: avaliar o mandato e a organização das unidades de apoio ao e-learning; identificar os pontos fortes e oportunidades para melhorar os serviços e apoiar o e-learning; e recomendar diretrizes para a alocação de recursos para tecnologias de informação e comunicação e e-learning.

Os revisores entrevistaram um grande número de administradores e representantes do corpo docente, bem como um número de funcionários das unidades de suporte de e-learning. M. Prescott e J. Curry, os revisores, resumiram suas observações e recomendações na Revisão Externa das Unidades de Suporte de E-Learning da Universidade de Alberta emitida em maio de 2004.

Os revisores ouviram que os membros do corpo docente que implementaram a tecnologia em seus ensinamentos repetidamente descobriram que o aumento da carga de trabalho inerente a essa atividade não era nem reconhecido nem recompensado. Vários entrevistados relataram que estavam confusos quanto aos vários papéis das unidades de serviço, especialmente dada a crescente sobreposição de serviços entre a ATL e o Grupo de Serviços de E-Learning. Os revisores também observaram as pressões inerentes ao gerenciamento do aumento do volume de uso do WebCT no campus e comentaram que esse crescimento seria insustentável sem recursos adicionais. Eles enfatizaram que o aumento no uso antecipado de tecnologia educacional continuaria a aumentar as demandas por apoio.

Em suas recomendações, os revisores encorajaram o Reitor e Vice-Presidente (Acadêmico) a tomar "medidas imediatas e decisivas para posicionar a Universidade de Alberta para melhor apoiar o uso das TIC para apoiar o aprendizado e o ensino". As três recomendações abrangentes do relatório foram: estabelecer diretrizes e planos estratégicos; criar uma nova unidade de guarda-chuva para suporte de e-learning; e concentrar-se em áreas de oportunidades que incluíam o lançamento de iniciativas direcionadas para alcançar maior impacto, desenvolver estratégias de dimensionamento de WebCT e avaliar a prioridade de programas inteiramente à distância que proporcionam maior acesso aos alunos.

A Revisão Externa das Unidades de Suporte E-Learning da Universidade de Alberta concluiu: Com o objetivo comum de apoiar o aprendizado e o ensino mais efetivos através do uso de tecnologia, a expertise do pessoal das unidades de apoio, um corpo de professores inovadores interessados ​​em compartilhar suas experiências, e uma administração de apoio, a visão do futuro é atraente.

Resumo.

O e-learning é extremamente importante para o UOL em 2005 e além para:

Foco no mercado & amp; position Utilizando recursos & amp; Capacidades de novas maneiras Criando uma arquitetura para o sucesso futuro.

Importância para a universidade no contexto mais amplo.

DfES e HEFCE e-learning estratégias & amp; fluxo de recursos Financiamento e publicação de pesquisa Desenvolvimento de negócios, incluindo posicionamento, publicidade e classificação Qualidade - mencionada na auditoria de QAA.

Importância para Aprendizagem.

· Equivalência - para distância, modo misto & amp; Aprendizagem baseada no campus.

Escalabilidade de acesso Valor agregado para toda Flexibilidade, diversidade, integração de engajamento (Leicester online & amp; e-library)

Importância para o ensino.

Valor igual ao ensino e pesquisa Pesquisa em tempo de ensino para acadêmicos - eficácia & amp; eficiência, uso de associados treinados, quando apropriado.

Natureza da Estratégia.

Acomoda os pontos fortes existentes, mas estimula a inovação e a capacidade de resposta. Desenvolver capacidades e capacidades relacionadas aos requisitos do cliente. Concentrar-se na preparação para o futuro. Custos: dentro dos recursos existentes ou recursos adicionais focados, reposicionamento e reutilização, geração de renda e projetos financiados.

Seção 1: Uma subestratégia para a Estratégia de Aprendizagem e Ensino, formando um quadro estratégico e metas para e-learning e inovação pedagógica na UoL nos próximos 3 anos, incluindo 15 objetivos estratégicos.

Seção 2: Uma estrutura para o plano de implementação.

1.1 Benefícios do E-learning para o UoL.

Podemos ver o e-learning e suas pedagogias inovadoras associadas como um contínuo com distância e distâncias remotas de um lado, através do uso intencional para melhorar o aprendizado em modos mistos ou mistos para a integração do e-learning em todas as experiências de ensino e aprendizagem no outro. .

Os principais benefícios potenciais do aumento do uso de e-learning na Universidade são:

satisfazer o requisito imperioso de continuar a desenvolver o ensino à distância de forma a incluir modelos pedagógicos e de negócio sólidos num mercado educativo cada vez mais exigente e exigente, e proporcionar aprendizagem e apoio de alta qualidade a alunos à distância equivalentes aos proporcionados aos participantes do campus para aumentar a flexibilidade, acessibilidade e personalização da oferta para alunos do campus e à distância e melhorar a capacidade de integração do estudo com o lar, lazer, vida social e profissional, integrando e-learning e ensino com a crescente oferta de e-business, recursos eletrônicos e e-suporte em a universidade para que cada um contribua e aumente, os outros tratam as habilidades de e-learning como normais, necessárias e desejáveis ​​no século XXI, rumo a uma oferta de aprendizagem de 'modo misto equilibrado' com números aproximadamente iguais de alunos de campus e distância - provavelmente em uma posição única no Reino Unido.

1.2 Escopo deste documento.

A estratégia de e-learning leva em consideração o desenvolvimento de negócios que vale a pena, processos de aprendizado de qualidade e inovação pedagógica na UoL. O que ele não faz é considerar uma ampla gama de outras missões que podem ser abordadas pelo e-learning, como maior abertura, educação cruzada e sem fronteiras e divulgação na comunidade. Também não aborda os prós e contras das tecnologias existentes em uso (particularmente os AVAs de Ambientes Virtuais de Aprendizagem), uma vez que isso seria um desvio e a atenção precisa ser focada atualmente no desenvolvimento pedagógico e de negócios, proporcionando um ambiente tecnológico estável. Além disso, não especifica o uso muito detalhado de certas tecnologias de aprendizado e seus links para abordar diretamente as necessidades ou aplicações dos alunos. They need to be developed close to the learners, researchers and teachers through the implementation of this strategy, rather than prescribed. The strategy makes provision for this to continue in a wide variety of ways and puts resources in place in terms of plans and people to ensure it is achieved.

Within UoL, ‘lone rangers’ with special energy often achieved many of the more entrepreneurial actions including the development of distance learning. Commitment and organizational processes have grown up around these accordingly. These are not easily transferable or scalable. The strategy in this paper seeks to provide a framework to embed awareness of distance and e-learning and research into teaching innovation into the much wider consciousness of UoL. The recent interim report lays out in much more detail the UoL’s capabilities and markets in distance learning and the need for associated systems development ( Continuing the Development of Distance Learning - An Interim Report, David Christmas, January 2005)

1.3 A Key Moment in Time.

Three years appear to be the longest we should strategize in the current rapidly changing climate. In addition, to benchmarking, we suggest an initial review towards the end of the first 2 years with a more substantial review towards the end of the third year. At this point, the aspiration should be to integrate the e-learning strategy into the broader Learning and Teaching Strategy.

Recently, the early focus on technological infrastructure has given way to emphasis on pedagogy, connectedness and in blending newer and older approaches to learning. The new buzz word is ‘blend’. However this cannot be seen as a panacea: choices of pedagogy and technology are complex. If students are offered regular teaching and learning processes (books, lectures, face-to-face seminars) together with somewhat uncertainly presented e-learning, it is inevitable that they will prefer the familiar.

1.4 Principles of the E-learning Strategy in UoL.

1.4.1 Core Capabilities.

The framework for the UoL e-learning strategy takes a ‘resource-based’ definition of the match that we can make between our internal resources and skills, and the opportunities and risks created by our external environment. Such a framework both implies identifying what core capabilities and existing strengths (what are we good at, what makes us special?), and how a strategy can take advantage of these in a competitive world (what can we do well and differently?). A strategy based on our strengths will be more durable, and harder to imitate than ‘off-the-shelf’ strategies (Hamel and Valikangas 2003) or those based on traditional marketing approaches.

For these purposes, we can identify our core capabilities as:

UoL’s status as a major provider of post graduate distance learning strengths in sectors which may lend themselves to e-learning approaches including archaeology, genetics, science and education teaching fully informed by research networked within region and FE diverse and non-elitist international teaching excellence including acknowledgement of distance learning and e-learning plans (QAA)

Of these, probably only item 1 truly differentiates UoL from other UK universities, some.

of whom could claim all or some of the others.

The core capabilities that are obvious or we most enjoy or admire, may not be strategically relevant. Instead they need to be those that our wide range of ‘stakeholders’ (students, clients, partners, funding bodies etc.) both perceive and value. Choices of where to be innovative, and where to increase the development of e-learning should not be based on a bland view of ‘market’ but a more complex view of the value of e-learning meeting mission and objectives.

1.4.2. Differentiation of Technologies.

We can distinguish between core technologies and peripheral technologies. The core forms the basis of current activities that must be maintained, and since effort and investment have been put into them, they do not present a high risk. For the purposes of this strategy we consider the use of commercial Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs), and the e-resources provided by the library to be core technologies. Nearly all universities are currently adapting to using VLEs, so in the medium term these core capabilities will no longer be innovative. Peripheral technology is on the ‘edge’ and offers more choice. However some peripherals will become mainstream over time so the strategy needs ways of including potential new technologies and preparing for new capabilities. Hence, it is also important to focus on building increased capacity and capability for e-learning innovation and on looking ahead to potential and new learning technologies and their applications in our context.

1.5 The Challenges and Opportunities to be Addressed for UoL and E-learning.

There is considerable evidence that most HEIs are still struggling to engage a significant percentage of students and staff in e-learning and real development beyond projects by innovators has so far been modest. At UoL we need to recognise these challenges and implement our strategy very specifically to address them. Eles incluem:

Research into the technology is now robust enough for attention to turn to business development, pedagogical innovation and away from technical ‘solutions’ and ‘fixes’. Research into distance learning over more than 30 years identified what works, what does not, what constitutes excellence and what adds real value to student experiences. Most is relevant to distributed e-learning. Such knowledge is of no value if it cannot be used in a flexible and contextualized manner and in particular if it is not embedded into the everyday teaching processes of the University.

· There are two main ways in which e-learning can be introduced into traditional teaching, whether on campus or at a distance. One is through large scale centralisation and provision of professional services. The second is more incremental, perhaps a little slower and more challenging, but gradually involving all members of staff to make their contribution. This involves the choice of easy to use technologies and investment in personal, course and departmental learning. The latter has the advantages of developing capabilities for the longer term and keeping ‘ownership’ with the academic departments. It is this model we chose as most appropriate for UoL.

Internal investment and approval systems in UoL do not encourage systematic change and there is a lack of institutional learning from isolated experiments and innovation. The Beyond Distance Blackboard site and the Research Alliance have started to address these issues.

Distance and e-learning require more up-front investment (compared to campus based teaching) but offer a low cost and sustainable model over several years if large numbers of students continue to register . Any pedagogical innovation has start up costs, especially if associated with sharing and reusability of resources and processes. Costs associated with e-learning of course include capital and direct costs of the technology itself but also the development of resources involving a number of professionals and considerable academic and technical staff development. In the medium term the costs, and opportunity costs associated with the human resources are likely to be highest and offer the faster payback, than the technology provision. In addition, effective and efficient support systems need to be in place. Once set up, the cost effectiveness of online support systems will be realised speedily.

· Attempting scaling up of distance learning through ‘hand crafting’ (in a way that is possible in campus based learning) is uneconomic and unsustainable for distance. Therefore predictions need to be made about which courses are worth funding in this way, serious choices made and resources diverted in those directions.

2. The E-learning & Pedagogical Innovation Strategic Framework for UoL.

Quadrants 1, 2 and 3 represent the deployment of UoL’s existing core capabilities and capacity through incremental innovation.

Quadrants 1 & 2 suggest deployment of UoL key strengths in teaching excellence but with adjustments to new technologies.

Quadrant 3 suggests deploying the understanding of technologies already in place to promote business development, solve problems and increase quality of all kinds.

Quadrant 4 represents a more radical view of change using peripheral technologies, new products, new markets and missions.

The top left hand box of the matrix suggests achieving growth with our established technological products, especially our VLEs (Blackboard™ and Tribal Learning’s le™) embedding them further into our teaching and learning processes and using them for increasing numbers of purposes and students.

Much can be achieved by deploying such ‘off the shelf’ technologies but this requires careful business planning, investment in staff development and support and excellent provision of ICT within university systems. It also requires that we plan our markets and student requirements and the resource implications of supporting this technology.

For DL, the focus should be to further develop communication and group teaching in the online environment, rather than a major shift from the delivery of print to online resources at this time. Content is rarely viewed as a major differentiator; value lies in brand, support, group teaching, communication with staff, accreditation and licenses to practice. At a discipline level, the relevant HEA (ex-LTSN) Subject Centres can often provide academic courseware that is freely available.

We should first identify and target those areas where there is potential for growth, rapid improvement in quality or efficiency gains. The aim is to move more of our regular learning into the e-environment but in a way we can pilot transferable or scalable processes.

Recommendations: Quadrant One.

Time scale: immediate and ongoing.

Promote use of the VLEs for all distance learning (DL), including the evaluation of existing distance learning courses.

Enhance the experience of campus based students through the use of e-resources and learning support through the VLE.

Key actions for Quadrant One.

Revise pedagogy to ensure excellence for topic in terms of resource delivery, accessibility to diverse student groups and communication.

Sustain or promote growth in student numbers.

Enable efficiency of delivery.

Enable efficiency gain for staff.

Make economies of scale.

Develop a wider range of online services and support, including for diverse student groups.

Promote effective communication and identification with the University.

Promote completion and continuing study with the University.

Reduce face to face components for DLs and replacing with high quality e-seminars.

Ensure equivalence for DL and campus based students.

Build on the work started to inspire, increase awareness and applications of e-learning.

Explore how e-learning relates to conventional and traditional forms of learning and teaching.

Increase quality of experience for students, especially from perspective of flexibility, diversity or engagement.

Pilot research-led innovation in teaching through VLEs.

Pilot potentially scalable processes.

Increase services, resources, communication or value for students already using the VLE.

Experience in and development of the skills of e-learning design and teaching online with and for remote students is not widespread in UoL. There is a need to enable more teams in departments to understand and develop effective e-learning using the VLEs. All need support in designing for participation and intervening for learning. Many of the problems and benefits of using the VLEs can be dealt with by appropriate design before the students arrive. In addition, we plan that selected members of staff and relevant assistants are further trained to initiate and maintain quality online tutoring.

In order that academic departments can focus on high quality e-learning design using the VLEs, services including student support services, the library, and the Students’ Union will be developed and brought together through the VLE (project title ‘Leicester Online’) thus providing an excellent service to distance students and good access to all students when working remotely. This will enable the University to embed holistic support within departments and subject areas. It can become a part of the student experience naturally, rather than appearing as a ‘bolt-on’ facility to which students may feel they are driven when difficulties arise .

Full time campus students.

We do not intend to replace face-to-face teaching in the university for campus based students but instead extend and enhance their experience, and enable them to study in more flexible ways. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence of students presenting with wireless enabled laptops and/or the desire to use broadband from residences. We will promote and encourage blended learning on campus especially towards innovative e-teaching, learning or assessment approaches where we can offer improved quality in resources and/or delivery, enable effectiveness and efficiency and aid retention and completion of students. Some staff may be happier to gain experience in blended learning before considering distance.

Time scale: Medium - pilots to start in 2005 and ongoing for foreseeable future.

The top right hand quadrant (existing mission/new technologies ) addresses the many new learning and mobile technologies now available. Most of the newer widely used technologies such as smart phones, ipods, GPS etc have no t been developed for learning and need good understanding of potential teaching applications to be successful in new contexts. Many new technologies are appropriate for off campus use, as combinations and blends, for dynamic delivery of content and for human intervention and support of distance learning processes. There are new understandings of the use of knowledge creation, sharing and repositories that can be deployed. Many technologies can be channelled through the VLE but are not limited by the obvious VLE operations. Many applications are at the pilot stage and the opportunity here is for UoL to be at the forefront of developments.

Recommendations: Quadrant Two.

Research and pilot the use of the new technologies for distance learning, where value might be gained for students or staff, access, retention or achievement.

Enhance the experience of campus based students through the use of new technologies.

Key actions for Quadrant Two.

Research applications and pilot applications to go ‘beyond the VLEs ‘

Encourage students and staff to explore everyday technologies for learning, communication and support purposes.

Improve accessibility for all, especially using everyday communications technologies.

Talk to providers of technology and find a good fit at the right price for pilots.

Provide for evaluation and dissemination of selected projects for scalability and transferability to distance learning or transferability from department to department.

Time scale: immediate and ongoing.

The lower left hand box ( existing/new ) represents using e-learning technologies to address different and new markets, missions, levels and disciplines of learning and teaching (compared to now) but using the expertise and technologies already developed. Realistic approaches must be taken to the market to reduce risks as far as possible. As distance learning depends on volume, there should be a minimum contracted commitment before new e-learning processes are developed.

In addition, UoL’s CETLs are charged with not only developing excellence in their fields but also transferring understanding to others, including outreach and virtual networking activities, application to other disciplines of techniques and approaches developed, links University-wide initiatives, such as the e-learning strategy & development of a pedagogic research agenda.

There is an opportunity to enable joined up provision through e-resources across the UoL but also to have students make stronger and easier connections between the subject areas they study and the services they can use, and for the first time to move towards an equality of experience for every student of the UoL.

Recommendations: Quadrant Three.

Identify, create and deliver, using the VLE to new markets, countries and groups.

Focus on transfer of learning and technology applications from one department to another thus providing enabling technologies through the university.

Key Actions for Quadrant Three.

Identify untapped markets and develop distance learning deploying e-learning in a new topic areas or levels.

Enable understanding, appreciation of and transfer of e-learning successes from one department to another.

Collaborate through e-learning with our associates, partners, collaborators and lower costs through economies of scale.

Time scale - medium to long - research during 2005 with one or two high profile pilots to start by 2006.

The lower right hand box ( new/new ) is the most challenging, risky and potentially rewarding. Research about e-learning is being published and goes beyond the simplistic ‘what works’ scenarios of stage one of technology introduction. In this quadrant lies power behind the e-learning movement and the greatest potential to put UoL on the global e-map. The Beyond Distance Research Alliance will focus on bringing forward ‘weaker’ signals from the technological and e-learning environment for consideration.

Recommendations: Quadrant Four.

Develop 1 or 2 large innovative projects.

Seek several smaller but highly innovative projects using peripheral technologies.

Actions for Quadrant Four.

Search for models of success and application of future technologies.

Integrate research understanding from e-learning and innovative pedagogy in future business, planning and budgeting processes.

View learning technologies as iterative processes, between what technology makes possible and what demands are made on that technology, and be involved and influential in the e-learning world.

Build research into all and any projects .

Seek collaborative partners.

1.5 Summary of Strategic Aims : Each aim will be planned as a project, and tied into the relevant committee structure. Some adjustments to targets and timescales may be made in discussion with individual departments and faculties.

Unit/dept Responsible For lead.

DfES e-learning strategy.

An enabling policy related to full access & equivalence.

1. UoL part time and distance students to be advised to have regular Internet access, indication in prospectuses immediately. See note 1 below.

Oct 2006 for brochures October 2007 for access.

under-representation, flexible mixes.

2. VLE available for all UoL distance students by 2007 See note 2 below.

under-representation, flexible mixes.

3. VLE available for all campus based students See note 2 below.

under-representation, flexible mixes.

4. Distance learners receive equivalent support to campus attendees.

under-representation, flexible mixes.

B Staff development and enablement.

5. Staff to have basic VLE access, training, support & encouragement.

training leadership, refining practice of front line staff, flexible mixes.

6. Media zoo & demonstration lab available for staff and associates.

new understandings of pedagogy, training, leadership, refining practice of front line staff.

7. Deployment of teaching initiatives funds.

New understandings of pedagogy flexible mixes.

8. High profile celebration and reward of individual and department innovation in teaching.

new understandings of pedagogy training, leadership, refining practice of front line staff.

9. Training in online teaching and delivery provided for associate tutors, where required.

refining practice of front line staff.

C E-learning research.

10. Attendance by staff of Beyond Distance Research Alliance events & availability to all staff of Beyond Distance Blackboard™ site.

2.2, 2.3, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3.

new understandings of pedagogy, refining practice of front line staff, flexible mixes urgent develop research in pedagogy & e-learning & inf sharing.

11. Staff researching into their own teaching, attracting external funds and publishing in area of e-learning.

training, leadership, refining practice of front line staff flexible mixes.

D Future projects and positioning.

12. Online assessment for appropriate D&ML courses.

demand for e-assessment, flexible mixes.

13. Students using learning technologies other than VLE and e-library.

training, leadership, refining practice of front line staff flexible mixes.

E Impact on business development.

14. New courses use VLE productively See note 3 below.

new understandings of pedagogy, flexible mixes.

15. New courses and modules assessed for distance, e-learning or distributed teaching applications See note 3 below.

new understandings of pedagogy flexible mixes.

Note 1 : This statement of policy can also accommodate exceptions. If it can be demonstrated that access to the Internet operates in a discriminatory manner then the University will seek to find an acceptable alternative.

VLE use is already developing rapidly in UoL:

· Blackboard course sites activated to date: 715.

· Blackboard course sites currently in use: 519.

· Active students on Blackboard: 5043.

· Students enrolled on more than one course site: 6730.

· Instructors on Blackboard : 687.

· All pre-clinical modules are in Tribal’s Technology’s le™. 1st years 13, 2nd years 23 & 3rd years 28 modules.

· Phase 2 (clinical) modules are being launched on le™ this semester.

· Learners on le™ : 3000.

· Tutors on le™ : 170.

Note 3: course approval processes.

Individual departments are best placed to take decisions on content, level, the demands of accreditation by professional bodies and a wide range of other issues. Intervention in course approval processes is intended to raise awareness of the possibilities and enable the strategic aims to be fulfilled in the most appropriate manner. Those proposing to mount new courses will need to demonstrate that they have considered distance and e-learning. Those proposing new e-learning courses will need to demonstrate that they have the skills for effective and efficient design and delivery, or are seeking funds for appropriate support.

Resumo das Recomendações.

Promote use of the VLEs for all DL, including the evaluation of existing distance learning courses.

Professor of E-learning.

Enhance the experience of campus based students through the use of e-resources and learning support through the VLE.

Professor of E-learning.

Research and pilot the use of the new technologies for distance learning, where value might be gained for students or staff, access, retention or achievement.

Professor of E-learning.

Research and pilot the use of the new technologies for campus or mixed mode students where value might be gained for students or staff, access, retention or achievement.

Professor of E-learning.

Identify, create and deliver new modules, courses and programmes, using the VLE to new markets, countries and groups.

Director of International Office & Programme Dvpt Working group.

Focus on transfer of learning and technology applications from one department to another thus providing enabling technologies through the university.

Director Staff Development Centre.

Develop 1 or 2 large innovative projects associated with new media and markets.

Professor of E-learning.

Seek several smaller but highly innovative projects using peripheral technologies for learning.

Professor of E-learning.

Develop communication plan and use new channels to ensure all staff are informed about and involved in the e-learning strategy.

Diretor de Marketing.

Ensure computer services develop to accommodate increasing numbers of remote learners and increased use by campus students of mobile and remote technologies.

Director Computer Centre.

Develop the project ‘Leicester Online’

Professor of E-learning.

Ensure equivalent experience for all Leicester students regardless of location.

Pro Vice Chancellor.

Advise on the provision of specialised software and support for students with specific learning difficulties and disabilities, with appropriate resourcing.

Head of AccessAbility Centre.

Review progress of e-learning strategy at end of 2 years, major review at end of 3.

Professor of E-learning.

Relevant recommendations from Continuing the Development of Distance Learning (January 2005)

There are strong connections between the E-learning Strategy and the development of DL. Listed below are DL recommendations that are particularly relevant here (using the original numbers).

Encourage DL staff to become actively involved in the Beyond Distance Research Alliance.

Professor of E-learning.

Explore the potential for extended Computing Helpdesk opening hours.

Work with EDSC to develop electronic student support services.

From March 2005.

Produce DL Business Plans with departments.

Explore options for enhancing programme approval processes to identify opportunities for extending the DL curriculum and inclusion of effective e-learning.

Director DLA and Professor of E-learning.

Report to VCACAO 21st March 2005.

Use DL Business Planning process to explore new product and market opportunities with DL departments.

Director DLA and Director of Marketing.

By April 2005 ongoing.

Document the use of external teaching staff (based on information gathered during business planning).

Work with the Professor of E-learning to produce proposals for improvements to the management and ongoing development of external teaching staff, drawing on Open University practice and the potential for using e-learning techniques.

By September 2005.

Establish an annual review of competitor activity in DL and e-learning, reporting to VCACAO and the DL and E-learning Sub-committees of the T&LC.

Director DLA, Director of Marketing and Professor of E-learning.

Review overall approach to student support.

Professor of E-learning and Director DLA.

Section 2: Action Plan.

Many agencies (people, departments, units) in UoL are keys to the success and achievement of the e-learning strategy through support, development and implementation. Resourcing is provided in two main ways:

1. through repositioning, focus and alignment of many plans and actions throughout the university.

2. through recognition of the need for start up and booster resources of various kinds (see Appendix 4).

2.1 Academic staff, Academic Related Staff, Departments and Course Teams.

Academic staff are naturally reluctant to change their methods of teaching and learning without a deep understanding of why and how, due to concern for quality and benefits. Furthermore, there is a belief that e-learning is about technical ‘solutions’ rather than pedagogical innovation. In practice, e-learning, whether combined with other forms of teaching and learning or not, is complex and involves shifts both in understanding and behaviours, well beyond the provision of technology. There are few direct reasons for academics to become involved in innovations in teaching as time for research competes on a daily basis, hence staff development, support and information is crucial to success. The e-learning strategy seeks to ensure that ownership, not only of content but also of pedagogy, continues to lie directly within academic departments but recognises that a wide variety of mechanisms must underpin the continued developments.

2.2 Communication Strategy.

At UoL, with its separate operations in departments, it is difficult to develop a joint ‘vision’ and direction and engage in a development process involving the maximum possible number of staff. The e-learning strategy is, of necessity, complex. Each of the quadrants needs a different approach to understanding appropriate technologies and pedagogies. UoL marketing department has agreed to put together a professional communication plan and use new channels to ensure all staff are informed and involved.

2.3 Staff Development.

Quadrants One, Two and Three.

The Academic Practice award provides continuing professional development (CPD), rather than an academic hurdle, for all staff new to teaching in HE. It ensures that such staff are introduced to the potential of VLEs whilst exploring the broader theory and practice of their work. This demand is likely to increase significantly as the Higher Education Academy requirements for new and existing staff are published for implementation in 2006.

Shorter interventions in both pedagogy and e-learning (First Friday, bespoke training and e-Reflections sessions) meet the needs of more experienced staff. The appointment of a Materials Developer to support the work of the Educational Developer (e-learning) has significantly increase capacity.

Increased developments that will support achievement in these quadrants include:-

1. Adaptation of modules specifically promoting e-learning as part of the expanded Academic Practice Award.

2. VLE training sessions for support staff.

3. Awareness of and engagement with other new technologies JISC Plagiarism.

detection, Classroom Performance System, SERSI Rooms, Impatica & Breeze,

specialised software for disabled students.

4. Engagement with the ‘Media Zoo’ as part of the revised Academic Practice award,

maximising size, flexibility and equipment levels of staff technology training space.

(including ‘Media Zoo’).

5. The Teaching Enhancement Forum together with TAN plans to take a ‘Community of.

Practice’ approach to generating initiatives and pedagogical projects including e-

The promotion and support of research activities through ‘Beyond Distance’. The Staff Development Centre plays a major part in dissemination of new technologies to new staff (through Induction and the Academic Practice award) and existing staff (through the Teaching Enhancement Forum and training events).

2.4 Computer Centre.

The Computer Centre is responsible for the provision of core academic systems and services, including the VLE, and the network infrastructure, for both campus and Internet access. It will support and share the aims and objectives of the e-learning strategy in terms of the development of IT systems for both teaching and research throughout the University.

In order to achieve facilitation of the strategy with relatively modest resources (especially manpower) it will be necessary to standardize on a limited set of software and hardware types, especially for Quadrants One & Dois. In addition, resources will need to be found to research technological developments and implement new services in an efficient way, (Quadrants Three & Four) whilst at the same time maintaining existing core services for campus based learning and teaching.

The e-learning strategy increases the reliance on the University’s IT infrastructure. The Computer Centre will consider the resilience of services, disaster recovery planning and support cover. In each of these areas we will need to balance additional cost against risk and perceived value of the service. The Computer Centre is continuing to develop and improve service resilience in the selection of server hardware and with recent SAN (Storage Area Network) developments. It also has a commitment to review and document Disaster Recovery plans by the end of 2005. Consideration of e-learning servers and file storage will be incorporated within this review. Any recommended improvements will be costed for further consideration and budgeting.

The services are essentially running on a 24x7 basis, but availability of human support is based around the UK 'working day', with some Help Desk support available on Saturdays. The acceptability of these hours and associated staffing requirements will be reviewed with respect to increasing use of our e-services by Distance Learners, in different time-zones.

There is close alignment between the e-learning strategy and the direction already being taken by the Library over the last few years. The new Library is being planned as the hub of an exciting hybrid service, encompassing both print and digital materials. Alongside these physical changes the capabilities are being developed to enable the Library to adapt readily to the wider changes underlying the e-learning strategy. The Library can add value to e-learning by:

· providing access to high quality information to UoL students which is integrated with the curriculum.

· ensuring that UoL learners are information literate and able to discover, evaluate and manage information.

· providing advice and assistance to learners through a range of services, ensuring that these services are effectively communicated to students.

The Library has invested heavily in digital resources, particularly in terms of e-journals, abstracting and indexing services and large datasets. These developments have been particularly strong in the science, technology and medicine fields, but there is also considerable progress in arts and social sciences. The coming year will see growing investment in e-books. The coming year will see growing investment in e - books which is increasingly important for students with specific learning difficulties and disabilities. Access to print resources remains essential and the Library works to ensure that these resources are known to learners at a distance and accessible to them through efficient document supply services of various types.

The Leicester Digital Library provides a range of services and tools which provide enhanced access to information resources. These include Leicester e-link providing access to the full text of over 10,000 electronic journals with links to the catalogue entries for print journals, SingleSearch software allowing simultaneous searching across a range of databases, and, most significantly, the Rooms context management project supports specific subject areas and courses in conjunction with Blackboard. In the next few months the online catalogue software will be upgraded to enhance services.

The Library is in the forefront in developing e-learning resources to teach information retrieval and information management skills and the use of bibliographic software. A growing range of interactive online tutorials, multimedia tutorials and text based web tutorials is available. As well as standalone tutorials the Library can also offer ways of embedding information retrieval skills into the curriculum so that they integrate, for example, into PDPs, course objectives and assessment. A current project is investigating the use of e-assessment in the form of diagnostic tests for information retrieval skills, which could be integrated into the PDP e-portfolio developments. Information librarians offer training to complement that offered by Staff Development and are happy to be involved in training staff to use e-resources in relation to e-learning.

Increased investment in information in all formats is already a key component of the Library’s strategy and it will be essential that the Library’s materials budget is able to accommodate new developments such as e-books. The Library will be working on specific proposals over the coming year.

E-learning and distance learning is a 24/7 activity and it will be necessary to investigate increasing the hours in which reference desks are available and to explore innovative ways of supporting learners, for example via 'chat' software. Working alongside academic colleagues, Library staff will keep abreast of new software to support e-learning. The Media Zoo will provide an excellent environment for this exploration and discovery.

The Clinical Sciences Library has experience in the use of PDA/handheld technology to deliver e-learning to junior doctors. There are opportunities to develop this work further for other user groups. E-learning raises a range of new copyright and IPR issues and there will be a need for additional expertise in this area within the University.

The Library plans to work more closely with other services to provide support for the diverse student body. This will help with the implementation of the "Leicester Online" project to provide an integrated online presence for student support services.

2.3.5 Beyond Distance Research Alliance.

In some areas of e-learning, research data remains embarrassingly thin, and even published papers, when examined, rely largely on anecdotal evidence, personal experience, expert opinion and general ‘wisdom’. To underpin the e-learning and pedagogical innovation UoL needs to focus on the research opportunities and the scholarship associated with applied e-learning to enable all lecturers, units and departments to exploit the new opportunities in a cost effective way with direct impact on student learning, build capacity in R & D into ICT and Learning Technologies, provide focused ways of networking nationally and internationally in the field and avoid technology-driven approaches. It is essential to promote a systematic application of the core body of knowledge and principles that have built up around e-learning and integrate new paradigms and processes as they are understood, and avoid highly descriptive approaches (often based in individual disciplines) or the tendency towards context free ‘prescription’. The Research Alliance draws together teachers and researchers from a wide variety of areas to bid for research funds, provide for publications and dissemination both internally and externally. Broad areas addressed are development of concepts, theories and rigorous and appropriate methodologies, identification, promotion and support of good practice and models of change related to human intervention and sustainability. In addition, focusing on e-learning is a key way of providing for multi and interdisciplinary research agendas through virtual research environments.

The Beyond Distance Research Alliance is now established, running a series of regular seminars, has its own web site as well as a Blackboard informational site and has had its first external funding research success.

We plan that the Beyond Distance Research Alliance will contribute to building what the Faculty of Science suggests: “… is that the University see itself as a community recognised (nationally and internationally) for contributions to research and/or teaching, the latter through action research publications based on innovative implementations (whatever the RAE status of these). (Minutes Faculty Board of 18.3.05).

EDSC is planning an increased range of processes and projects to underpin student online support and development associated with the e-learning strategy, and to reinforce the development of the ‘Leicester Online’ concept.

Projects and resources include:

1. A consistent and structured approach to websites for advice and guidance, further development planned for distance learners.

2. E-guidance, further development planned using a bespoke system.

3. The Leicester Employability Skills Award will make use of a Blackboard environment for student support.

Further developments planned shortly include:

· Pilot e-learning workshop for distance learners.

· An e-learning course ‘Starting Your PhD’ using Blackboard.

· Using Blackboard to support central face to face workshops.

· Personal Development Planning - e-learning to support the involvement of both students and staff.

· Pilot project on e-counselling.

· Collaboration with other departments to produce concept and scope for ‘Leicester Online’

· Investigating support and on line support modules for dyslexic students.

The e-learning strategy and aims fit directly with UoL QA processes and no additional attention need be given at this time. The recent QAA audit welcomed the strategic approach in UoL to e-learning. Quality will be judged in addition from the perspective of the student experience.

2.3.8 Student Perspective.

The strategy for e-learning is welcomed by all students, as it looks to greatly improve the quality of e-learning resources and provision throughout the University. Distance learners may benefit the most.

The SU view is that for campus-based courses, e-learning and VLEs should be utilized by the University appropriately, in the sense that they should support and enhance the overall learning experience, rather than simply replace existing core methods of learning and teaching.

The SU is interested in being involved in the ‘Leicester Online’ concept and investigating improved representation through the online world over the next years.

Students are expressing considerable interest in e-PDP facilities, and in student and collaborative e-work space, which can be investigated as part of technology developments in the Media Zoo.

Risks to the strategy include:

2.4.1 Research not Teaching.

The biggest challenge to the e-learning strategy is a focus in UoL on research more than innovations in teaching and the development of distance learning. The e-learning strategy seeks to support equal weighting and value to research and teaching in the University, and, over time to develop excellence in research into teaching. The strategy seeks to raise the value and reward of e-learning for all teaching and learning processes and to engage a much higher percentage of staff into research in e-learning. The strategy provides for a variety of support and development mechanisms and assurances of quality teaching, and plans some form of visible benefits for academics and others who engage.

2.4.3 Efficiency and Economies of Scale.

Missed business opportunities and unsuitable adaptation may occur due to lack of knowledge transfer. The development of DL provision should address business development, efficiency and effectiveness in systems. The Beyond Distance and Staff Development Centre approaches should provide appropriate and constant knowledge transfer. We need to review models of practice frequently.

2.4.4 Complexity and Delay in Decision-Making and Governance.

Appropriate use of committee structures and working groups without adding complexity.

Professor Gilly Salmon 8 th July 2005.

Appendix 1: Consultation pathways.

This paper has been in consultation since November 2004 through formal and informal processes. Many different individuals and groups are highly supportive and gave detailed feedback. The main adjustments based on extensive discussions were: the justification and need for strategic aim 1 (100% access for DLs), concerns of students that face to face elements of teaching may be reduced or inappropriately substituted for campus based students and the demands on staff for the development of e-learning understanding and support. All of these have been addressed in the appropriate location in this paper. There were several requests for detailed support to understand how pedagogies and technologies can be applied to specific disciplines and categories of learners. Strategic aims 4 to 9 address these requests, and Prof Salmon will also bring forward a series of working papers in support.

DL & e-learning Sub Committees 22.2.05. & amp; 10.5.05.

Board of the Faculty of Education and Continuing Studies 23.2.05.

Board of Faculty of Social Sciences 2.3.05.

Board of Faculty of Law/ Department of Law 2.3.05 & Faculty Learning & Teaching Committee 4.5.05.

Board of Faculty of Medicine & Biological Sciences 18.5.05 & Faculty Learning and Teaching Committee - Faculty of Medicine & Biological Sciences 31.3.05.

University’s Learning & Teaching Committee meetings, 3.11.04, 3.3.05, 18.5.05.

Board of Faculty of Science 9.3.05 Faculty Learning & Teaching Board 18.3.05.

Board of Faculty of Arts 9.3.05 & further feedback paper received 18.5.05.

Consultation with Dr M Higgins of ULMC 20.4.05.

Consultations with VP Education Theresa Pollard and through her to student faculty reps, on 3 separate occasions. Thanks to Social Science Faculty Rep Parras Majithia for his written comments.

Appendix 2: Underlying Principles & Estratégias.

1. UoL Strategic Plan 2003-7, Strategic Vision point 1, p3:

The University will ensure that for all programmes of study both campus based and distance learning:

The curricula, teaching, learning and assessment methods take account of the learning needs of a diverse student body. Provide a supportive environment for students and foster their engagement with the learning process. The value that it places on teaching is recognized throughout the institution and that staff development and promotion policies are consistent with the learning and teaching strategy.

2. UoL Learning & Teaching Strategy . le. ac. uk/teaching/strategy. html.

The L & T Strategy currently includes guidelines for IT and information handling skills. These will need to be extended to include e-learning skills.

Campus & distance students: needs of diverse study body, campus & distance students: supportive environment and foster engagement with learning, recognition of value of teaching including staff development and promotion, business development, equivalence.

3 HEFCE E-learning Strategy Harnessing Technology: HEFCE published 9 th March 2005.

Emphasizes the need for HEIs to make independent progress within a supportive national framework, key change is institutional focus, scalability, innovation, embedding ICT as an element in all learning, online skills, all staff ICT trained, possibly accredited qualifications in future, key link with HE Academy, subject centres and CETLs.

Strands in HEFCE e-learning strategy.

Strand 1: pedagogy, curriculum design & desenvolvimento.

Strand 2: learning resources & networked learning.

Strand 3: student support, progression & collaboration.

Strand 4: strategic management, human resources & capacity development.

Strand 5: quality.

Strand 6: research & evaluation.

Strand 7: infrastructure & standards.

4. DFES dfes. gov. uk/publications/e-strategy/ published 15 th March 2005.

Unified strategy covering all sectors but emphasizing schools & FE, sustainability & reusability change processes, transitions across education, infrastructure to pedagogy, mainstreaming of e-learning, needs of economy & empregadores. Technology has been used in education for many years. It has not yet transformed teaching and learning, but it has made a major impact in many schools, colleges and universities. It has also made information more accessible and administration more efficient. We can achieve more Higher Education by ensuring that research in e-learning and the pedagogy of subject teaching is given full recognition, incorporating the use of online learning into new staff courses and other staff development programmes to encourage the wider use of ICT to promote individual learning.

5. QAA qaa. ac. uk/academicinfrastructure/codeOfPractice/fullintro. asp.

E-learning strategy embraces the key principles including a clear definition of responsibilities, consistent application of policies and practices that are underpinned by principles of fairness and equality of opportunity. The availability of clear and accessible information, the competence of staff, monitoring and review of policy, procedures and practices. UoL Code of Practice on DL (2004/5), CoP on Collaborative Provision 2004/05 and CoP on Practice on Programme Approval are all accommodated. We need to ensure that systems provision and continuity are assured.

Appendix 3: Brochure Text.

PREPARING TO STUDY AT A DISTANCE.

You will need to think about where and when you are going to study, and how regular study time will fit into your life. You need to prepare a place or places that will provide you with the most comfortable and convenient environment to study. This may be at home, at your place of work or in a study centre.

You will need to make sure that you effectively have regular access to the Internet as this will help you to benefit from of the resource and aspects of life at the University of Leicester. The University’s online environment will then be available to you, at any time, from anywhere to suit your busy lifestyle.

Online you will be able to contact your lecturers and tutors and your fellow students and you will be able to access:

· departmental web sites, resources and informational services.

· resources from the e-library.

· information about future course choice.

· the Student Union services.

· study support and welfare services.

Your regular connection to the Internet can be by dial up or broadband access from your home, workplace or through a learning centre or Internet cafe. If you are travelling on business or privately, you will be able to connect with Leicester Online from anywhere with internet access and through any networked computer, simply by knowing your user name and password, which will be provided for you at the start of your programme. We suggest you aim to log on at least once a week during your studies to benefit the most.

Some programmes will require more frequent access, and a few may suggest that you will benefit from using broadband, so please check your course brochure if you have any concerns . Please e-mail **** if you have any questions.

Appendix 4 Business Plan and Budget: For Initial Implementation of the E-learning Strategy.

HEFCE has allocated one-off funding to all HEIs in the UK. The money is the residual of the failed UK E-university budget. UoL has been allocated Ј301K. Use has to be reported to HEFCE but is fairly unrestricted.

We anticipated this funding when we developed the UoL e-learning strategy, giving us a one-off chance to give implementation a boost.

HEFCE’s e-learning strategy was published on 9 th March and underpins UoL’s e-learning strategy.

Our intention is to deploy this one-off funding to enable effective implementation of the e-learning strategy, especially from perspective of:

Staffing Supportive resources Future positioning Attracting further funding.

Evaluation of the use of the funds will be based on the UoL e-learning strategy.

We are currently working on sustainability and embeddedness of resources for the future.

The University’s E-learning & Distance Learning Sub-committees supported the use of this budget during their meetings on 10 th May, with minor adjustments, which are reflected here. The budget was supported by the University’s Learning & Teaching Committee on 18 th May, and by VCAC on 23 rd May.

Role, Projects & Benefícios

UoL Strategic aim.

Evaluate, review, report on e-learning strategy implementation, support bidding for funds, write up, dissemination, publication of e-learning projects, environment scanning. Aim to enable Beyond Distance Research Alliance becomes self financing within 2 yrs.

continuity of funding provided by university.

Work with departments to develop effective e learning by transferring models & understandings, research and publish in area of e-learning and support others to do so, facilitate Carpe Diem processes.

A1-3 B 4-8 C 9-10 D 12-3 E 14-5.

Zoo keeper, demonstrator, search for new technologies, support on Blackboard & Breeze developments.

A1-3 B 4-8 C 9-10 D 12-3 E 14-5.

2 parts: study of opportunities for non-pay rewards, celebration, publicity, implementation from 2006.

B 4-8 C 9-10 E 14-5.

Training and development in online teaching & facilitating to all UoL and partner associate lecturers/consultants, i. e. directly supporting Departments in successful and effective online delivery.

2 conferences in 2005, July 6 th conference is internal delegates (apart from external speakers) only to launch e-learning strategy, 2 in 2006, costs are associated with speakers, technology & catering.

B 4-8 C 9-10 D 12-3 E 14-5.

Beyond Distance Research Alliance is attracting much interest and the potential is strong to find good partners for research bids. Occasional seminars enable community to meet, find shared interests and potential.

The need to focus on the use the VLEs could squash opportunities for the use of other low cost learning technologies. Projects in this field will include digital broadcasts, mobile technologies & online assessment.

A1-3 B 4-8 C 9-10 E 14-5.

EDSC wish to offer counselling online to DLs and campus based students. There’s a need to establish best practice from elsewhere and test viability.

Using Blackboard as a framework, offer the experience of studying at UoL to students including library & support services. Other agencies e. g. SU are interested in being involved. It will link with other DL and IT developments in the University. This project will work out a low cost, viable & effective way of enabling everyone to work together and present the support services online.

The media zoo will provide an effective environment for staff to experiment with new technologies for themselves and to evaluate packages & processes that may be relevant to their teaching or research & to explore applications from other departments in UoL that they may wish to transfer.

B 4-8 C 9-10 D 12-13 E 14-5.

To support demonstrations and collaboration.

B 4-8 C 9-10 D 12-13 E 14-5.

Direct time creation.

Support to individual academics working on e-learning developments.

This funding will enable short term ‘buy out’ or additional support to academic or academic related staff to create time to work on e-learning developments in their department, or to run a specialised e-learning training event for a small group of staff. Criteria will be developed to support development against business objectives, especially the development of distance learning.

For so far unanticipated eventualities e. g. purchase of specialist software, essential travel for an individual to an e-learning event etc.

Total each year.

HEFCE e-learning strategy consultation, May 2004, which incorporated comments to DfES relevant to HE.

Online learning in Commonwealth Universities, 2004 Observatory survey, the.

Observatory on borderless higher education, international strategic information service October 2004.

When World Collide: changing cultures in 21 st Century education, HEFCE/JISC info net June 2004.

jisc. ac. uk/interview with Sir Howard Newby Winter 2005.

Bacsich, P. & Ash, C. Costing the Lifecycle of Networked Learning: Documenting the Costs from Conception to Evaluation , ALT-J 8, no. 1 (2000), 92-102.

Brindley, J. E., Walti, C & Zawackie-Richter, O. 2004 Learner Support in Open, Distance and Online Learning Environments, BIS Oldenburg.

Hamel, G and Valikangas, L 2003 The Quest for Resilience Harvard Business Review September pp 52-63.

Rumble, G., 1997, The Costs and Economics of Open and Distance Learning, London: Kogan Page.

Slater, J 2005 Hepi Report Summary 16: Spent force or revolution in progress ? ELearning after the eUniversity.

Survey by Sally Gatward in CLMS of Internet Access, Jan 05 .

Survey and Report on Internet Use in the Museum Studies Distance Learning Programme March 2005.

eLearning Strategy.

An eLearning Strategy for the University of Dundee.

(Version: January 2004)

1 Background.

E-learning may be defined as the use of new multimedia technologies and the internet to structure the delivery, and improve the quality, of learning and teaching.

If it is to be implemented successfully, E-learning must:

be based on reliable technology be oriented towards pedagogy promote individual development, including training for the professions meet accessibility requirements, for example as regards disability be a social process that stimulates remote access, collaboration and interaction across the community of users stimulate organisational change, and continuing professional development among staff.

2 The Current Position.

Not so very long ago, all academics required books, and some scientists required computers. The position has effectively reversed. Now everyone working in Higher Education uses the computer, and some academics require books. Moreover, the students now entering higher education will in many cases have been acquainted with computer-based learning since childhood. And following graduation, every student will enter a workplace that makes increasingly sophisticated and pervasive use of IT. If the University is to fulfil its mission of meeting the needs of society and the economy, its investment in IT must be student-centred, and must take student opinion regarding online learning into account. In one sense, E-learning is simply the expression in pedagogic terms of the shift to a computer-based workplace.

3 Change & Escolha.

Communication and Information Technology (C&IT) is marked by rapid change, and the necessity to make choices, some of which can be expensive. For example, one estimate puts the cost of developing pure E-learning materials at 7 to 10 times the cost of developing traditional courses. The dangers of developing on-line courses for a market that is unstable, or not proven to exist, are therefore obvious. Moreover, it is not yet certain in what ways technological change beyond the workstation or laptop computer will affect the learning environment. For example, no-one can yet say with precision what effect the coming proliferation of handheld and wearable devices will have. However, where reasonable assessments including pilot studies can be made with confidence, and where the development is of manifest practical use to identifiable groups of students, as for example with Wireless Technology, we must be ready to increase investment. C&IT can lead to efficiency gains, as electronic materials are easily updated and disseminated. Moreover, developments in Computer-Aided Assessment or facilities embedded in the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) to track student performance provide a service that could not be replicated without the technology.

4 A Campus-based Approach.

It follows that the University's strategy needs to be flexible, above all. Where opportunities occur to develop programmes for off-campus students, it needs to act rapidly but responsibly, only encouraging projects where the market has been tested and assessed in detail, and where a return on investment can be predicted with some confidence. E-learning developments are more likely to be campus-based, at least in the short to medium term. The Library, for example, is in process of evolution from a storehouse for books to a multi-purpose learning resource centre, with adaptable spaces to facilitate group work, and a central role for learning technology. More generally across the campus, developments will build on the success of the VLE at Dundee, and on the relative ease with which individual staff members can test new ideas on Blackboard, and respond to student demand. Distance learning and distributed learning projects that carry the Dundee badge will continue to be encouraged, but the embedding of E-learning in University culture goes deeper than that.

Receptivity to the new is part of our brand, and our identity. Indeed, as regards E-learning, Dundee's current position in the Scottish HE sector is strong, and rising. Key to this is an understanding of E-learning as a co-ordinating force which, by integrating course documentation, assessment, timetables, news, feedback, learning resources, student support, records and learner-to-learner contact, helps to create a holistic student experience. The next steps that this document urges could only be undertaken from a firm base of widespread understanding and use across the University community. They have explicit support from senior management, the University Court, and link into a new strategy for Human Resources that will encourage staff to explore new methods of learning, teaching and assessment. These developments will further embed E-learning in the institution, and drive innovation. The guiding principle throughout will be that E-learning should always be driven by pedagogical or other considerations focussed on the student, and not by the technology alone.

5 The wider university context.

It is vital that E-learning initiatives within modules and programmes are subject to Quality Assurance, as appropriate, and that they fit departmental and faculty plans, as well as the university's wider agenda in learning and teaching. E-learning developments will enhance, and dovetail with, the objectives set out in the document The Vision: Towards 2007 and approved by Court. E-learning is a part of Objectives 1, 2, 9, 10 and 11, is itself the subject of 3 and 11, and has a potential role to play in Objectives 4, 5, 6 and 7. ( see Appendix 1) It is therefore a key factor in the unified nature of the University's Vision, and central to its competitive advantage. It bears increasingly on estates strategy, so as to ensure that the facilities and technology installed when upgrading or building accommodation for teaching, can be used to maximum effect. In short, E-learning is now to be viewed as a normal part of university teaching practice, complementing and enhancing traditional methods and resources.

6 Qualifications and Points of Transition.

Students will arrive with ever higher expectations of access to technology, and will graduate into a workplace with ever increasing demands for technology-related skills. The University must engage with these moments of transition when planning its IT training. We will continue to provide comprehensive and cost-effective induction in IT for new students. While IT training for students must be equally available across the campus, its emphases and nuances must meet particular needs, such as tuition in the use of software which it is known a student will encounter on entering his or her chosen profession. The Vision document commits us to graduating the most IT-literate students in Scotland, and it is important to refine the forms of discipline-specific training that students receive when they are about to leave, as well as when they have just entered, the University. Where appropriate, the question of benchmark standards in IT training and/ or testing will be met by the provision of training for the European Computer Driving Licence. (ECDL) As part of the University's emphasis on lifelong learning, the role of E-learning in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) will be enhanced on a discipline-specific basis, particularly in the vocational subjects such as Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Law and Accountancy. We will also explore the use of the VLE to support articulation between the University and institutions of further education with whom agreements exist.

7 The E-learning Steering Group.

In order that surveys, audits and so forth are useful, ensure the sharing of good practice on the ground and inform strategy at the highest level, it is imperative that a small group with high levels of experience and expertise takes E-learning as its focus. The E-learning Steering Group now oversees both policy formulation and implementation in the area of E-learning. It will share information from government, funding council and other sources, keep abreast of what our competitors are doing, and offer guidance and informed opinion, as required. Primarily, the group will seek to identify and offer support for the fast-tracking of sound, and in the broad sense, profitable, ventures in E-learning. In due course it will bring forward suggestions on such issues as staff development. It reports to Learning and Teaching Committee, and exchanges minutes with the Distance Learning and C&IT Committees.

To establish flexibility while maintaining institutional autonomy in E-learning developments, it has been concluded that the University should not enter into any exclusive agreements with outside providers. Rather, it should share the experience gained through such initiatives as IVIMEDS, IVINURS and the Thistle Project, plus the knowledge gained from dialogue with external agencies, so as to increase awareness of the different models that might inform a business plan for a new e-venture. For example, colleagues considering the development of new course materials in electronic format could consider creating those materials in-house, outsourcing the purely technical aspects of the process to a commercial firm, or engaging in regional or other collaboration. The E-learning Steering Group exists partly so as to advise on these kinds of choice, and disseminate any useful knowledge gained, across the University. To do this effectively, it is vital that departments bring their proposals to the E-Learning Steering Group first, so that standards are maintained across the University.

8 Staff Development.

If colleagues are to undertake new projects, particularly ones that utilise new skills, there are issues of career development, and reward. It is hoped that the University will be able to support a system of internal secondment, focussed on the Learning Enhancement Unit. This system will make full use of the skills that staff members may not have had time, need or opportunity to develop, but from which the University at large can benefit in its drive to be known as the foremost provider of E-learning in Scotland. It will build on the bespoke training sessions for departments that the LEU has already developed, and which will be refined further. The E-learning strategy does not imply that staff will be forced to adopt new practices against their will, or with inadequate training. As what was once esoteric becomes embedded, we suggest that those members of staff who cannot draw benefits and stimulus from the use of new learning technologies will be few indeed. The Learning Enhancement Unit explicitly takes the stance of offering to help colleagues, rather than forcing the pace of change against the grain of University culture. In fact, all the available statistics indicate strong staff support for the VLE and related developments. The University supports initiatives and creativity emerging from the ground up, rather than through top-down diktat.

9 An E-Strategy for Dundee.

This is not a strategy for all e-related activities, that would include e-commerce, e-procurement, and so on. However, the Vision document proposes 2007 as the next major milestone for the University's educational, estates and other strategies. Over the next three years, we should therefore make coherent and measurable progression in E-learning across the following areas:

eLearning Technology.

Monday, November 01, 2010.

Top 35 Articles on eLearning Strategy.

I’ve been recently working on lots of eLearning strategy consulting engagements and one of my colleagues asked me to provide a set of resources around this topic.  I went back and looked at what I had written before on eLearning Strategy and saw that I had said at the time:

I've spent several hours this morning trying to find good resources on eLearning Strategy development and particularly looking for examples to use in this post. I've really been striking out. I'm hoping that people will help out. 

This time I had better luck and also had great luck searching for elearning strategy articles on eLearning Learning under the topic pages: eLearning Strategies, Learning Strategies and Strategy.  Here’s some of what I found.  It’s still needs more, but represents a good starting point for review:

If you feel I’m missing good articles, please let me know.

4 comentários:

Obrigado. I could really use these tips. you're a gem!

Tony -- Thanks so much for linking to the aLearning blog and my article in Learning Solutions e-mag! In my consulting and as I communicate with readers of my book (aLearning: A Trail Guide to Association eLearning), I realize that too often the focus goes immediately to tactics ("Which LMS should we use?" "How should we integrate social learning?" etc.) rather than starting with a strategy. Once a good strategy has been formulated -- even if it changes later (which it probably will) -- the tactics become much much easier to handle.

Ellen - I've definitely found that most often we are focused on tactics. And that hurts when you try to answer the kinds of questions you just cited - Which LMS? Social Learning? - hard to answer these without knowing the broader strategy.

Thanks also Tony for too many links you have shared to your readers like me.

University College Cork.

Online Learning Strategy.

Save to Favourites.

Home Support Strategy for Online and Blended Learning.

Strategy for Online and Blended Learning.

UCC Online.

For a full list of the online and blended learning programmes available in University College Cork please visit ucc. ie/en/online.

An e-Learning Strategy.

. to promote Technology-Enabled-Learning in UCC.

This strategy document was drafted by the Academic Council e-Learning Subcommittee chaired by Dr Seamus O'Reilly. It was approved by Academic Council in June 2012 and subsequently by the University Management Team Operations.

The strategy is available to UCC staff and students for download and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader XI or an equivalent for optimal viewing.

Seamus O'Reilly introduces UCC's E-Learning Strategy.

Seamus O'Reilly, Chair of the Academic Council e-Learning Subcommittee introduced 'An e-Learning Strategy to Promote Technology Enabled Learning in UCC' to UCC staff members at a Support for Teaching and Learning Lunchtime Seminar on 30 October 2012 in Brookfield Health Sciences Complex, Room G.04.

A downloadable copy of Seamus O'Reilly's presentation in PDF format is available also An e-Learning Strategy to promote Technology-Enabled-Learning in UCC.

(Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader XI or an equivalent for optimal viewing)