(e)Learning

The Tertiary e-Learning Research Fund (TeLRF) was established with a view to funding research into tertiary e-learning in New Zealand in order to provide a more comprehensive context and framework to inform strategic investment and decision making around e-learning for tertiary education organisations.
 

Existing reports from the TeLRF can be found below.

Research priorities are set annually based on consultation with stakeholder representatives.

The first round (2004-05) of funding focused on identifying observable trends and drivers of change that are likely to have a significant impact on the future of e-learning in New Zealand.

The second round (2005-06) focused on:

• the international context of e-learning
• the potential systems/models to support e-learning
• the profile of the e-learning student audience including the impact of any demographic changes

The third round (2006-07) focuses on:

• Articulation of a baseline for professional capability, and models to assist in achieving this baseline capability in TEOs
• Optimising  the value of e-learning in the workplace for building vocational capability/efficacy

The fourth round (2007-08) focuses on:

• Using e-learning to build workforce capability, and
• Developing digital information literacy of staff and students.

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2007/2008 Round

The Request for Proposals and subsequent assessment of the received applications for the 2007-2008 round for tertiary e-learning research is now complete.

The Ministry of Education would like to thank all applicants for the high standard of research proposals received.

Two projects have been selected for funding:

Waikato Institute of Technology (in collaboration with the Industry Training Federation and supported by the AgBiotech Innovators Academy)
Using e-learning to build workforce capability: A review of activities     

   
Otago Polytechnic (in collaboration with Otago and Massey Universities and the Manukau Institute of Technology) 
Developing digital information literacy of staff and students: An action research project

In a departure from previous rounds the Otago Polytechnic project will run over two financial years.

The research from this funding round will be completed by 30 March 2009, and the findings made available through the eLearn portal as soon as possible after that date (www.elearn.govt.nz).

Information regarding any future Ministry commissioned tertiary e-learning research will be given here as well as eLearn (www.elearn.govt.nz) website and the Government Electronic Tendering Site (www.gets.govt.nz).

2007/2008 Round - Completed research reports

The e-learning research undertaken by the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) in collaboration with the Industry Training Federation (ITF) and supported by the AgBiotech Innovators Academy referred to above has now been completed and is available through the link below.

Project
Using e-learning to build workforce capability: A review of activities

Project Manager/Lead Organisation(s)
Wintec and ITF
John Clayton
Email: john.clayton@wintec.ac.nz [no spam]

Project Summary
The project aims to:

• Identify and report on the ways in which ICT and e-learning is employed in work-based and work-placed learning both internationally and nationally.
• Describe the known impact of ICT and e-learning on building workforce capability globally and nationally.
• Assess the demand from employers, providers and learners for ICT and         e-learning in improving individual and organisational capability. 
• Demonstrate how, and in what ways, ICT and e-learning can aid particular industry sectors in building workforce capability.
• Examine and explore reasons why ICT and e-learning is not being used in particular industry sectors to support work-based and work-placed learning.
• Recommend further activities that could be taken to promote and embed the effective use of ICT and e-learning in work-based and work-placed e-learning. 

Project Report (PDF v1.6 1208kb) 

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2006/2007 round

The Ministry is pleased to announce the successful completion of the 2007 round research reports that were funded to help address the following knowledge needs:  What is the nature and extent of e-learning activity and capability in the Industry Training Organisation (ITO) sector?  What are the e-learning professional development requirements for TEO staff?  The details of the projects and reports designed to address these knowledge needs are:

Project
An investigation into current e-Learning activities in New Zealand Industry Training Organisations

Project Manager/Lead Organisation(s)
Electricity Supply Industry Training Organisation and the Waikato Institute of Technology
Doug Pouwhare
Email: dougp@esito.org.nz [no spam]

Project Summary
The project explored, identified, and described how;

• Information and communication technologies, software simulations and digital training packages are currently used within the industry training sector in New Zealand.
• Information and communication technologies, software simulations and digital training packages are currently used within the vocational sector globally.
• The industry training sector can be informed of, and implement efficiently, the most appropriate blend of e-learning activities for their individual organisation.

Project Report (PDF v1.4 1541kb)

Project Report (doc 2410kb)

Project

• Professional Development for Building e-Learning Capability in New Zealand
• Professional Development for e-Learning: adoption, implementation and improvement.

Project Manager(s)/Lead Organisation(s)
Otago University

Professor Kerry Shephard, Dr Sarah Stein and Irene Harris
Email: kerry.shephard@stonebow.otago.ac.nz [no spam]; sarah.stein@otago.ac.nz [no spam]; iharris@business.otago.ac.nz [no spam]

Massey University, Canterbury University, Otago Polytechnic, The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand and the Southern Institute of Technology

Dr Juliana Mansvelt (Massey University)

Email: J.R.Mansvelt@massey.ac.nz [no spam]

Project Summary
Note that this was a collaborative project between Otago and Massey Universities to jointly develop a professional development framework for use by New Zealand Tertiary Education Organisation’s. 

Otago University’s contribution to this joint framework was to discover and report on the professional development processes, plans and frameworks that have been developed and are being utilised overseas to improve the e-learning capability of TEOs through professional development.

Alongside this development, the project used phenomenographic research to determine how NZ teachers and teaching-support staff conceptualise their role in relation to e-learning and their need for professional development.

Massey University's contribution to the joint framework was to:

• Bring together the recent literature relating to e-learning studies within the NZ tertiary setting;
• Establish an online survey to be administered to participants in three polytechnics and two universities to ascertain skills, and expectations of administrators, trainers, and teachers of appropriate levels and relevant forms of professional development; and
• Based on the analysis of the survey undertake semi-structured interviews with staff at participating institutions to further explore professional development requirements and professional development experiences, best practice, and future needs and produce a report on the findings of this and the survey.

Project title and Executive Summary (PDF v1.4 38kb)
Project title and Executive Summary (doc 47kb)

Project Report Part A (PDF v1.4 34kb)
Project Report Part A (doc 46kb)

Project Report Part B (PDF v1.4 453kb)

Project Report Part B (doc 558kb)

Project Report Part C (PDF v1.4 177kb)

Project Report Part C (doc 256kb)

Project Report Part D (PDF v1.4 87kb)

Project Report Part D (doc 221kb)

Project Report Part E (PDF v1.4 1224kb)

Project Report Part E (doc 1571kb)

Project Report Part F (PDF v1.4 34kb)

Project Report Part F (doc 68kb)

Project Report Part G (PDF v1.4 85kb)

Project Report Part G (doc 218kb)

The completed reports can also be accessed via the Quick links section on eLearn.

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2004/2005 Round

The e-learning research supported by this fund has now been completed and is available to be downloaded through the links below.

Project:
New Zealand Tertiary Institution e-Learning Capability: Informing and Guiding e-Learning Architectural Change and Development. 

Project Manager(s)/Lead Organisation(s):
Victoria University of Wellington and e-Learnz Inc.
Stephen Marshall
Email: stephen.marshall@vuw.ac.nz [no spam]

Project Summary:
This project builds on the TeLRF Round 1 Capability Determination project findings, by developing and testing self-assessment processes for evaluating e-learning capability and architecture.  It will provide evidence-based analysis at both the institutional and sector level that can inform the process of improving and developing e-learning architectures.  Its outcomes include an expansion of the maturity model validated in the Round 1 project; a system that supports self-analysis by institutions of their e-learning capability and architecture; detailed evaluations of process capability and architectures for participating institutions; and expanded summary of e-learning capability and architectures across all participant institutions (anonymously) for comparison to gain understanding of the ongoing impact of change and investment.
 
Executive summary (PDF 2531kb)

Project workbook (PDF 1011kb)

Report process descriptions (PDF 989kb)

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Project:
e-Learner Profiles: Identifying trends and diversity in student needs, orientations and aspirations

Project Manager(s)/Lead Organisation(s):
Massey University, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology; The Open Polytechnic; Otago Polytechnic
Lynn Hunt, Massey University
Email: l.m.hunt@massey.ac.nz [no spam]

Project Summary:
This constitutes a development of framework of the diverse e-learning profiles found throughout the tertiary sector, taking into account demographics, learning orientations (learning styles), readiness for e-learning, and experience of and attitudes to e-learning.  It will identify structural trends in the tertiary student body over the last three years and changes in the students themselves in terms of attitudes, approaches to study, needs and aspirations.
 
Project Report (PDF 933kb)

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Project:
Global picture, local lessons: e-learning policy and accessibility

Project Manager(s)/Lead Organisation(s):
Massey University
Bill Anderson
Email: w.g.anderson@massey.ac.nz [no spam]

Project Summary:
This is an examination of existing national/federal and state/provincial policy in the area of e-learning, a determination of the outcomes of the policy implementation, and a consideration of subsequent and proposed amendments and the reasons for those.  It will determine the nature of government-funded infrastructural arrangements for e-learning, focusing on the specific barriers and enablers faced by small and remote communities.  Both areas (policy and accessibility) will include Australia, Canada, the UK, EU states, federal and state policy in the USA, and the more developed Asian nations. It will also consider trans-national organisations as part of the context of policy formation, e.g. Commonwealth of Learning and UNESCO.
 
Project Report (PDF 3667kb)

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2003/2004 Round

The (e)learning research supported by this fund and completed to date is available to be downloaded through the links below.

Project:
Determination of New Zealand Tertiary Institution e-Learning Capability: An Application of an e-Learning Maturity Model.
 
Project Manager(s)/Lead Organisation(s):
Victoria University of Wellington and e-Learnz Inc.
Stephen Marshall
Email: stephen.marshall@vuw.ac.nz [no spam]

Project Summary:
This project engages in a detailed (e)learning capability determination exercise over a number of New Zealand TEOs. It assesses their current strategic and operational capability for delivering and maintaining (e)learning in an educationally effective but also organisationally effective manner.

Executive Summary (PDF 3874kb)
 
Project Report  
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Project:
An Investigation into Factors that Influence New Zealand Polytechnic/Institute of Technology Tutors’ Uptake of e-Learning, with Particular Reference to Early and Later Adopters and Resisters.
 
Project Manager(s)/Lead Organisation(s):
Waikato Institute of Technology
Dr David Mitchell & John Clayton, Waikato Institute of Technology
Email: dmitch@waikato.ac.nz [no spam]; ctjfc@wintec.ac.nz [no spam]

Project Summary:
This project investigates the factors that lead New Zealand polytechnic and institutes of technology tutors to adopt or resist the incorporation of (e)learning approaches into their teaching practices. It includes consideration of perspectives of both tutors and organisational management.
The study focuses on four main groups: early adopters, later adopters, intending adopters, and resisters.  The research utilises case studies, focus group interviews, and national surveys in order to establish the factors that facilitate or discourage tutors’ decisions to adopt (e)learning.

Executive Summary (PDF 108kb)
 
Final Report (PDF 1029kb)
 
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Project:
Measuring the worth of e-learner support systems: Developing a possible benchmarking method for evaluation effectiveness.
 
Project Manager(s)/Lead Organisation(s):
Aotearoa Tertiary Students’ Association
Jane Renwick, Stephen Owen
Email: research@atsa.org.nz [no spam]; janerenw@paradise.net.nz [no spam]

Project Summary:
This research tests a survey-based method for assessing learner perceptions of the effectiveness of (e)learning support systems. The study also surveys (e)learning professional staff’s (tutors and support personnel) beliefs about the effectiveness of those systems. The findings of the two surveys are tested for any correlation between the learners’ judgments and staff assessments.

Executive Summary (PDF 166kb)
 
Project Report (PDF 1152kb)
   
Appendices (PDF 866kb)

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Project:
Approaches and Implications of e-Learning Adoption on Academic Staff Efficacy and Working Practice: A Comparative Study.

Project Manager(s)/Lead Organisation(s):
Universal College of Learning and Otago Polytechnic
Maurice Moore (UCOL)
Email: m.moore@ucol.ac.nz [no spam]
Bronwyn Hegarty (Otago Polytechnic)
Email: bronwynh@tekotago.ac.nz

Project Summary:
This research project will examine the multiplicity of staff development (SD) being offered by a cross section of New Zealand tertiary institutions, in the polytechnic, university and college of education sectors, using case study research methodology.  Not only will the current status of staff development for (e)learning across the tertiary sector be examined, but also other factors impacting on staff experiences with (e)learning.
 
Final Report (PDF 1239kb)

Annotated Bibliography (PDF 512kb)