E-Learning Advisory Group

Comments for Project 2 – Evaluate good practice in flexible teaching and learning

The place of e-learning has challenged the traditional roles of distance education teachers because it offers the chance for both synchronous and asynchronous interaction. No longer dependent on regular mail as the means of communication, the Internet can mean that institutions can stop focussing on a "delivery" mechanism and begin to explore teaching in a new and different environment. When examining good practice in flexible teaching and learning we now need to ask Where is the teaching? and evaluate some different aspects which will contribute to a successful e-learning experience.

Good teaching in tertiary education is good teaching regardless of the geographical location of teachers and their students. The addition of technology as the mode of interaction between the teacher and class has offered a number of challenges which are of concern to students, teaching staff and institutions. These include issues of good practice which they may not have had to address before when teaching was on campus or when utilising traditional distance education strategies.

A number of factors influence the teaching learning process when students and teachers are geographically separated. These were identified in a recent report was published in the United States by the Institute for Higher Education Policy and commissioned by the National Education Association and Blackboard Inc. titled Quality On The Line: Benchmarks for Success in Internet Based Distance Education, (IHEP, April 2000, pp 2-3) identified benchmarks they considered essential to ensuring excellence in Internet-based distance learning.

Institutional Support Benchmarks

• Documented technology plan that includes security measures, quality standards, and guarantees the integrity and validity of information
• Reliable technology delivery system is developed
• Centralised system that provides support for maintaining the distance education infrastructure

Course Development Benchmarks

• Guidelines outlining the standards for course development, design, and delivery are used in the development of all standards
• Learning outcomes determine the technology being used to deliver course content
• Courses are designed to engage students in higher-order thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation)
• All courses are clearly and consistently linked to Indiana's academic standards

Teaching/Learning Benchmarks

• Student interaction with faculty and with other students is an essential characteristic of all courses
• Feedback to student questions and assignments is constructive and timely
• Students are instructed in the proper methods of effective research, including assessment of the validity of resources, in all courses

Course Structure Benchmarks

• Before starting a course, all students are advised about the course to determine (1) if they possess the self-motivation and commitment to learn at a distance and (2) if they have access to the technology required to complete the course
• Students are provided with supplemental course information, including course objectives, course outline, concepts, and learning outcomes for each course summarized in a clearly written, straightforward statement
• Students have sufficient library resources - both on-line and building-based
• Learning outcomes determine the technology being used to deliver course content
• Faculty and students agree upon expectations regarding times for student assignment completion and faculty response

Student Support Benchmarks

• Students have access to all available information about the course, including prerequisites, fees, books, supply requirements, technical requirements, and required projects or labs
• Students are provided with hands-on training and information to aid them in securing materials through Inspire, other electronic databases, interlibrary loans, government archives, new services, and other sources
• Students have access to technical assistance and convenient access to technical support staff
• Questions directed to student service personnel and guidance counsellors are answered quickly and accurately, with a structured system in place to address student complaints

Faculty Support Benchmarks

• Technical assistance in course development is available to faculty
• Faculty members are provided support in the transition from classroom teaching to online instruction and are assessed throughout the transition
• Faculty training and assistance is on-going
• Faculty are provided with resources to deal with issues arising from student use of electronically-accessed data
• There is a central location where all online instructors can go and share information and experiences

Evaluation and Assessment Benchmarks

• All courses are clearly and consistently linked to Indiana's academic standards
• Intended learning outcomes are reviewed regularly to ensure clarity, utility, and appropriateness
• The educational effectiveness and the teaching and learning process for all online courses is assessed through an evaluation process, both formative and summative, that uses several methods and applies specific standards
• Guidelines outlining the standards for course development, design, and delivery are used in the development of all courses.
• Learning outcomes determine the technology being used to deliver course content
• Courses are designed to engage students in higher-order thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation)
• Data on enrolment, costs, and successful or innovative uses of technology are included to evaluate the effectiveness of all online courses

There are a wide range of approaches to e-learning both among and within different tertiary institutions in New Zealand. Some offer a mixed mode approach where there are some compulsory face-to-face classes and the remainder of interaction is online. Other classes are taught entirely online and the participants never physically meet.

The defining factors of e-learning difference include:

• The range and level of technology utilised providing both synchronous and asynchronous communication
• The role of the teacher in the e-learning class
• The level of teaching and interaction that takes place in this e-learning environment
• Is the class part of a wider e-learning degree programme or just one of a small selection?
• E-learning history and experience of the institution
• Status of e-learning within an institution
• Level of support and professional development for staff who are teaching in a way in which they may not have been taught