e learning in higher education analyzing critical factors

E-LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION

ANALYZING TWO CRITICAL FACTORS: ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY AND

TEACHERS' PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Neuza Pedro, IEULisbon

Profs. Neuza Pedro & João Filipe Matos

E-learning Lab of University of Lisbon

Team:

Architecture

Fine Arts

Dental Medicine

Human Kinetics

Medicine

Law

Pharmacy

Psychology

Sciences

Veterinary Medicine Education

Education

Geography and Spatial Planning

Social and Political Sciences

Social Sciences

Economics & Management

IST

Humanities

Agriculture

6 000 Academic Staff50 000 Students

WITH SO MANY FACULTIES, STUDENTS AND PROFESSORS A COMMON VISION OF THE

CONCEPT OF E-LEARNINGWAS REQUIRED

(A lot of misconceptions about e-learning can always be found!)

#00 E-LEARNING: THE (ULISBON) CONCEPT

conceptual continuum from Distance Education to multiple methods of F2F learning approaches were technological tools and online environments are used as mediators

E-LEARNING

F2F Distance

Asynchronous

Synchronous

e-Learning

F2F

IT for conventional teaching

Asynchronous

ICT for Active Learning

Synchronous

Distance

e-Learning

FOR PROMOTINGE-LEARNING IN HIGHEREDUCATION INSTITUTIONS2 CRITICAL FACTOR MUST BE ADDRESSED !

(HEI which are not Open Universities!)

#01 CRITICAL FACTOR:

ORGANIZATIONALSTRATEGY

Aim:

to identify and characterize the organizational critical success factors (CSFs) for the Implementation of E-learning in Higher Education institutions.

National study: Portugal

(Monteiro, 2016)

1st Phase: qualitative approach

A systematic literature review of 46 e-learning models = 11 selected

Eg. UNIQUe, eMM, ACODE e-Benchmarks, eQuality Learning Standards, …

Outcome: a list of 32 items/factors of the organizational dimension of e-learning.

2nd Phase: quantitative approach

Delphi panel formed by representatives of the Portuguese Public HEIs

2 groups:

Institutional Managers

e.g. Members of the Dean Executive Board; Heads of University e-Learning program

Operational Managers

e.g. e-Learning Office Coord.; Digital Learning or IT Support Services Managers


(Monteiro, 2016)


Table 1.Number of participants by institutional profile and type of institution.

n Institutional managers

(IM)

Operational officers (OM)

Polytechnic subsystem

University subsystem

Group of participants Round 1

45 29 16 26 19


34 25 9 21 13


24 20 4 16 8

(Monteiro, 2016)

(Pedro & Monteiro, 2017)

TOP 1O CRITICAL FACTORS

Definition of a clear institutional strategy for e-learning1st

2345

78

9

10

The guarantee of adequate IT infrastructures and e-Learning systems

Support for the development of e-learning initiatives

Allocation of resources for e-learning activities

E-Learning support Staff

Faculty's professional development and training initiatives

Leadership and institutional responsibility

Accreditation of e-courses and online learning programs

6

A clear governance policy for e-learning

Research and Innovation projects related to e-learning

Institutional strategy for e-learning: what does it mean ?

a) ensure the existence of an appropriate

institutional plan for e-learning and

that its implementation is properly led;

b) make certain that resource implications

of e-Learning are properly understood;

c) recognize that organizational culture

issues must be carefully considered;

d) take into consideration the issues

related to professors’ professional

development and other staff involved in

e-learning initiatives.

(McPherson, 2012)

Institutional strategy for e-learning: what does it mean ?


ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY

Why is it sodifficult?


Less than 30% of the institutional managers of e-

learning has any kind of training in this field

58%

A possible answer:

The problem might be that many of the decision makers of our Higher Education Institutions do not have

the knowledge and the experience that could make them able to create an organizational strategic plan for

E-learning


TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT

Staff development is a critical and imperative issue, but this aspect seems to be seen as an institutional responsibility more than an individual

responsibility.

In an online survey answers by North-American Professors, near 70% agreed that technology training was universities responsibility.

This (may) comes from the fact that most Universities set up new technological infrastructure and E-learning projects without any (or very

little) input collected from faculties (Georgina, & Olson, 2010).

Most Professors, Researchers,

Teaching Assistants don’t

have any training in 2 out of the 3 core domains of

Teaching Knowledge

Technical- Pedagogical Training

1

2

1

4

2

9

20

0 5 10 15 20 25

E-TUTORIA E MODERAÇÃO ONLINE

COLIBRI

RECURSOS EDUCATIVOS DIGITAIS

CONCEPÇÃO DE ESPAÇOS ONLINE

OUTROS MOODLE

MOODLE AVANÇADO

MOODLE INICIAL

39 Workshops

Technical- Pedagogical Training

E-learning Lab Ulisbon frequently develops Staff Development training (hands-on workshops) thataims to promote technical and pedagogical skills.

Ex. Create a Course on Moodle

The basic functionalities of Moodle activities and resources are explored but organized knowledge about Online Learning is presented.For example…

TeasersEg. Story, controversial questions

Objectives• …• …• …

Examples

Prerequisites

Contend aligned with objectives• …• …• …

Exercises QuizzesReflection

and application

toReal World Scenarios


TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT Is training really

relevant?

Analysis of the impact of Workshop attendance on the quality of professors’ LMS courses (intensity of use)

(Cabral, Gonçalves & Pedro, 2012)

Moodle courses classification

. No activity

. Low intensity

. High intensity

Professors’ attendance to workshops

. None

. 1

. 2

. 3 or more

Analysis of the impact of Workshop attendance on the quality of professors’ LMS courses (intensity of use)


Conclusions

● Professors and researchers tend to attend only 1 workshop

● Professors who haven’t attended any workshop have a high proportion of courses with ‘No activity’

● Faculties who participated in 3 or more workshops do present significant differences in the quality of use of the LMS in their online courses.



TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT Why is it so

difficult?

Limited amount of time available for teaching related activities

Lack of benefits from personal investment in professional training activities

Research vs TeachingReputation: ++

Funding: ++Reputation: --

Funding: 0

Managing R&D projects1st

2345

78

9

10

Publishing

Supervision (PhD, Masters, Undergraduates)

Teaching ????

Service and Administrative duties

Apply to R&D project calls, grants, etc.

…

6 Organize/Attend Scientific events

Managing R&D Lab and Teams At ULisbon an articlein published every 2

hours

Research vs Teaching

Considering this list of priorities, how can a professor find the

motivation to invest their time in attending workshops for improving their Digital skills and Pedagogical

competences ?

In summary:

Staff development initiatives are required but its quality(pedagogical and technical) its more important that its quantity and benefits should be provided to professors who attend it

The definition of an (clear and shared) organizational strategy for e-learning has proven to be a decisive success factor for the implementation and development of e-learning projects in HE

1.

2.

Many thanks!

[email protected]

/neuza-pedro-56062912

/profile/neuza_pedro

/npedro

lisboa.academia.edu/neuzapedro