University of Kent e-Learning Strategy 2007

University of Kent e-Learning Strategy 2007



University of Kent e-Learning Strategy 2007




Page
Executive Summary................................................................................. 2

National Context ...................................................................................... 3
Why engage? ............................................................................................ 3
Why do we need a strategy?...................................................................... 4

Institutional Context ................................................................................ 6
Background ............................................................................................... 6
Vision and Guiding Principles .................................................................... 7
Aims .......................................................................................................... 7
Strategic Objectives ................................................................................... 8

Implementation Plan................................................................................ 9

Appendix 1 ............................................................................................... 12
Salmon’s e-learning and pedagogical innovation framework

Appendix 2 ............................................................................................... 13
University of Kent Operational Model

References ............................................................................................... 14




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University of Kent e-Learning Strategy 2007


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This e-learning strategy has been developed by the University e-learning strategy group and
is informed by the 2006 paper ‘Towards an e-learning strategy’ which provided clear guiding
principles that e-learning development should be owned by departments and academics.

The strategy begins by providing a national context which explores the rationale for
engaging with learning technologies, identifying the key drivers for change and potential
benefits of building e-learning capacity.

When considering the national context, various models were identified and reviewed.
The model found to be most consistent with the approach required at Kent was found to be
the ‘e-learning and pedagogical innovation framework’ developed by Salmon, and this is
proposed as a model for progressing e-learning development at the University of Kent.

The institutional context specific to Kent is then considered including the guiding principles of
the 2006 paper, recent research findings on successful implementation, the University’s
Institutional Plan and the specific requirements of the Learning, Teaching and Assessment
Strategy (2006-2009).

The vision is: “For technology to be used effectively, creatively and confidently for the
enhancement of the student learning experience”. In order to achieve this vision, eight
strategic objectives have been identified:

•
Develop capacity for provision of e-learning and related support
•
Support institutional strategies in learning and teaching, and inform e-learning
developments in departments
•
Promote creativity and innovation in learning and teaching
•
Support and promote use of technology in assessment
•
Support flexible delivery
•
Provide student support
•
Support monitoring, evaluation and quality assurance
•
Engage in research into learning technologies and/or their application in learning and
teaching

A detailed description of these objectives with their associated targets, timeframes and
operational responsibilities is presented in the Implementation Plan.

A key requirement will be the building of capacity for e-learning within the University. The
proposal for this is an operational model which includes a team of learning technologists to
provide direct support to departments, combined with the development of departmental
plans, central support of certain ‘core’ technologies and processes, and appropriate staff
development.
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University of Kent e-Learning Strategy 2007
NATIONAL CONTEXT

Why engage with learning technologies?
Technology is an external driver for change which permeates our lives, including the way we
work, study and research. E-learning, defined for the purposes of this document as ‘learning
facilitated and supported through the use of information and communication technologies1’ is
becoming increasingly important in all educational sectors, as governments and institutions
strive to take advantage of the benefits of technology.

The Department for Education and Skills2 takes a strategic approach to the future
development of ICT in all education sectors, with ideas of increasing motivation, improving
educational outcomes, ‘personalisation’ of choice and support, higher efficiency in
administration, developing assessment practices, furthering collaboration between
organisations – in fact, ‘transforming the experience of learning’. HEFCE3 published its
strategy for supporting e-learning with plans to work with partners and universities to ‘fully
embed e-learning in a sustainable way within the next 10 years’, and also includes aims for
a more student-focused, flexible system which supports lifelong learning.

Key drivers for change include increasing student expectation and engagement with
technology, responding to a larger and more diverse student body, providing more flexible
modes of study to allow for part-time working or even work-based learning and improving
opportunities for enhanced learning and teaching, efficiency and increased competition, both
local and global.

There are many reasons to increase our capacity to be able to take advantage of current
and emerging technologies.

•
Increasing student expectations of technology.
•
Enhancing the student learning experience
•
Developing and enhancing the curricula
•
Providing a media rich learning and teaching environment with an increased range
and quality of teaching resources
•
Accessing the resources of an increasingly networked world
•
Developing more flexible and accessible ways of working
•
Providing provision over multiple campuses
•
Allowing different modes of delivery and extending access
•
Providing high quality provision for students with disability
•
Increasing support for student learning including choice of learning approach, help
with revision and retention.
•
Facilitating communication
•
Engaging with the wider world
•
Encouraging creativity

Many of these potential benefits to engaging with learning technologies for students, staff
and the University were recognised in the 2006 principles paper4 as being pertinent to Kent.
The list is not exhaustive; indeed as technology is constantly changing we can not predict

1 LTB 43/2004 and JISC e-learning pedagogy programme
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/elearning_pedagogy.aspx
2 DfES 2005 ‘Harnessing Technology’ http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/e-strategy/fore.shtml
3 HEFCE 2005/12 ‘HEFCE strategy for e-learning’ http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2005/05_12/


4See LTB 26/2006
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University of Kent e-Learning Strategy 2007
what tools will emerge or the uses creative people will find for them (see Becta5). We can
not know what the needs of our students or the University will be in 20 years’ time, or how
the curricula will need to develop to provide a ‘worthwhile student experience in a global
age6’, but building e-learning capacity increases the ability of an institution to respond to
change. Building capacity is therefore a key objective for many institutions

Change is occurring. Over 80 percent of HE Institutions now have a virtual learning
environment (VLE). Two recent QAA audits78 looked at institutions’ support for e-learning
and VLEs and found general recognition of their ‘central importance for the effective delivery
of e-learning’. The HE Academy is conducting a benchmarking exercise in response to
feedback from institutions about the need to understand more about their own, and the
sector's, progress in e-learning.

However, there is already clear evidence from the QAA, HEFCE and JISC9 that the
experience of institutions shows successful implementation of e-learning requires a strategic
approach to the development of institutional frameworks and policies. It also requires
change at all levels, and the LTSN considers this culture change to be the most difficult
aspect of implementation; one which requires leadership, institutional commitment and an e-
learning strategy.

Why do we need an e-learning strategy?
An e-learning strategy is needed to help focus resources including infrastructure, staff
development and support. There are many instances of good practice around the
University, but there is insufficient support available. The University needs to build capacity
and skills to be ready and able to respond quickly to, and benefit from, the fast moving
changes of an increasingly networked world.

Kent needs to position itself well. There are many different visions and models for e-learning
and its implementation, but each institution must devise its strategy to suit its own mission
and unique set of circumstances.

We are aware of the features of best practice and information from benchmarking exercises
is increasingly available. Indeed, recent research on the student experience of blended e-
learning10, gives five recommendations for implementation which we have included in our
own guiding principles (see below).

However, appropriately harnessing the potential of learning technologies requires a complex
strategic process. One model which addresses this complexity is the ‘e-learning and
pedagogical innovation framework’ created by Salmon11 at the University of Leicester. It
is a framework which helps to stimulate discussion and clarify the reason for choosing an e-
learning development at institutional, departmental and modular level that feeds back into
further developing e-learning strategy and providing appropriate resource; it could be used

5 Becta 2006 ‘Emerging Technologies for Learning’ www.becta.org.uk
6 Barnett & Coate 2005 ‘Engaging the Curriculum in Higher Education’ OUP
7 QAA (2006) ‘Outcomes from institutional audit: Institutions’ support for e-learning’.
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews/institutionalAudit/outcomes/eLearning.asp
8 QAA (2006) ‘Outcomes from institutional audit: Learning support resources, including virtual learning environments’.
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews/institutionalAudit/outcomes/LearningSupport.asp
9 JISC InfoNet 2006 ‘Implementing e-learning infokit’ http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/implementing-elearning
10 Sharpe, R., Benfield, G., Roberts, G. & Francis, R. 2006 ‘The undergraduate experience of blended e-learning: a review
of UK literature and practice.’ Higher Education Academy (www.heacademy.ac.uk/4884.htm ).
11 Salmon, Gilly. 2005 ‘Flying not flapping: a strategic framework for e-learning and pedagogical innovation in higher
education institutions.’ ALT-J, Research in Learning Technology Vol. 13, No. 3, September 2005, pp. 201-218

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University of Kent e-Learning Strategy 2007
to assist departments discuss the rationale for employing learning technologies and develop
e-learning plans.

Created as a four quadrant matrix, the framework stresses that there must be a clear
objective to employing a technology, (see Appendix 1 for potential application at Kent). The
objective may be pedagogical, i.e. allowing different approaches to learning and teaching,
adding to the quality of resources or delivery or engaging in collaborative projects at a
distance; it may be achieving institutional aims such as increasing international student
recruitment, providing all students with parity of access to online module information or
promoting increased flexible delivery; it may be aiding a department to develop new modules
to reach a new student group, deliver new programmes or aim to improve student retention;
or the objective may even be to test the technology itself, to investigate the affordances of
technology and to evaluate the educational potential. According to Salmon, e-learning
should be used to ‘target areas where it will make a difference. Using the framework can
help focus on objectives and the shape of future provision.

The importance of considering the role of technology, pedagogy and objectives when
evaluating future (or current) e-learning developments requires engagement in, and
ownership of, the process by departments and academics. Successful development and
implementation needs appropriate resources and a departmental plan for how those
resources will best be used.

In order to facilitate this engagement at Kent, support will be provided for discussing and
developing departmental approaches, including the effective use of a range of learning
technologies and staff development needs, through Faculty Learning Technologists. In
addition to institutional and departmental plans there must be a reliable infrastructure. The
University will provide and fully support certain ‘core technologies’ and processes, such as
VLE administration and staff training. It will also assist departments to consider piloting
‘peripheral technologies’ i.e. those not centrally provided which a department wishes to trial,
e.g. podcasting.

The University approach is to base provision on a well chosen set of technologies that are
integrated and supported in order to provide a sufficiently stable platform to allow sustained
learning and teaching activity to take place. As new technologies emerge these will be
evaluated by IS and UELT, and if adopted by departments, rolled out, often through the use
of pilot programmes followed by planned wholesale migration where required. The
consistency and quality of the user experience needs to be maintained at a high level, partly
through the integration and support of chosen technologies. In order to ensure maximum
integration is achieved and departmental and student use appropriately supported, it is
important to avoid duplication of technologies; supporting one VLE and integrating it to SDS,
services such as Turnitin, the Student portal and the Single sign-on system is sustainable.

Any model for e-learning implementation must deal with the subject of change. Here, change
is seen as mainly moderate and incremental: involving engagement with management,
academics, and support staff; steadily enhancing existing practice by providing support for
the use of core technologies, carefully piloting new technologies and investing in personal
and departmental development. This model of change is very different from a large scale,
centralised approach, although there will be areas where this centralisation of vision and
services will be needed, for example, with the provision of core technologies, policies and
services.

The framework is an appropriate model for Kent because it is not linear. It does not see the
use of technology as necessarily proceeding along a continuum (e.g. from face to face to
online, or for e-learning to be used in a blanket fashion) but rather that its implementation
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University of Kent e-Learning Strategy 2007
should be strategically selected, within a specific context, in order to achieve a particular
goal.

The framework does not prescribe any particular pedagogical approach or assume
acceptance of any particular learning theory. It accepts that technology, institutional,
departmental and modular goals, pedagogic approaches and external factors are constantly
changing, and seeks to engage the ideas of people most closely involved with the changes
to offer solutions.
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University of Kent e-Learning Strategy 2007


INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT

Background
The University has previously produced two draft e-learning strategies for consultation at
Faculty and Departmental level (2002 and 2004)12. In response to the latter, the Learning
and Teaching Board requested that the management processes for e-learning be clarified
(i.e. roles of the centre vs. departments) and that a coherent cost-benefit analysis be
undertaken to address the potential benefits and resource requirements of effectively
supporting further e-learning developments. At this time, the University supported WebCT
but take up by academics was still extremely limited. However in 2005/6, in response to an
active staff development programme, there was a 10 fold increase in WebCT usage and
increased demand for further e-learning developments.

In 2006, the next iteration ‘Towards an e-learning strategy’13 was produced, discussed at the
QME network and then approved by the Learning and Teaching Board. This was not a
strategy per se but a ‘principles’ paper, giving a framework for a broad vision for the
development of e-learning at Kent. The flavour of this document was that e-learning should
primarily be about learning and that ‘ownership’ and the steer for development should be led
by academics and departments, with support from learning technologists and a centrally
supported infrastructure.

This e-learning strategy is cognisant of those guiding principles. It supports the University
Institutional Plan, particularly with regard to quality of student learning experience, flexible
delivery and parity of student experience. It also articulates with the Learning Teaching and
Assessment Strategy 2006-09 in enabling the provision of accessible, flexible and diverse
learning opportunities, and is designed to meet objective 6.1.4:

‘Develop an e-learning strategy to enhance the range of pedagogic uses of e-learning
by staff and students and to support the delivery of blended and flexible learning … including
assessment (CAA)’,

and to support other strategic outcomes associated with student support, staff development,
QA/QE and work with HE/FE partners.


12 See LTB 61/2002 and LTB 43/2004
13 See LTB 26/2006
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University of Kent e-Learning Strategy 2007


Vision and Guiding Principles
Following from these underpinning foundations, and the points raised in the previous
sections, there has developed the following e-learning vision, aims and objectives, and
accompanying implementation plan.


The vision for Kent is for technology to be used effectively, creatively and confidently
for the enhancement of the student learning experience.



Guiding Principles
•
Encourage ownership by academics and departments
•
Support developments related to the LTA strategy
•
Employ specific rationales for use according to the institutional, departmental or course
needs
•
Use technologies appropriately, with an understanding of pedagogical and quality issues
•
Provide for student support in developments and consider issues of parity
•
Evaluate and engage in dissemination to provide feedback and inform policy.

Aims
Following these guiding principles, and responding to previous consultations involving e-
learning strategies at Kent, we have developed an enabling organisational structure (see
Appendix 2) to support the development of e-learning at Kent and enhance the range of
pedagogic uses of e-learning by staff and students. This structure consists of an e-learning
committee, UELT Learning Technologist, Faculty Learning Technologists, and departmental
e-learning contacts.

The University will also:
•
provide and fully support a range of core technologies, and assist with evaluating
peripheral technologies
•
provide information and support to academic departments to help them decide on,
implement and evaluate their e-learning developments, including the appropriate use of
educational technologies, instructional / learning design, quality considerations and staff
development needs
•
provide appropriate staff development

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University of Kent e-Learning Strategy 2007



Strategic Objectives

The following 8 strategic objectives meet the requirements of the Institutional Plan and the
LTA strategy are based on best practice across the sector in the UK. They build on the
strengths of Salmon’s innovative and successful framework for the implementation of e-
learning in Higher Education and draw on the structure and support services outlined above
in consultation and in partnership with academic departments. When adopted at University,
faculty and departmental level, they will provide a robust basis for implementation of the
University’s e-learning strategy over the next crucial three years.




Strategic Objectives

1. Develop capacity for provision of e-learning and related support

2. Support institutional strategies in learning and teaching, and inform e-learning
developments in departments

3. Promote creativity and innovation in learning and teaching

4. Support and promote use of technology in assessment

5. Support flexible delivery

6. Provide student support

7. Support monitoring, evaluation and quality assurance

8. Engage in research into learning technologies and/or their application in
learning and teaching



Further details of each objective follow in the Implementation Plan.


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University of Kent e-Learning Strategy 2007
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Strategic Aim:
To enable technology to be used effectively, creatively and confidently for the
enhancement of the student learning experience

Operational
Strategic Objectives Targets
Timeframe Responsibility
1. Develop capacity
1.1 Recruit and induct 3 Faculty Learning
Sept 07
UELT
for provision of e-
Technologists (FLTs)
learning and related
support
1.2 Develop the role of the recently appointed
Sept 07
UELT
UELT learning technologist
1.3 Establish an e-learning committee to discuss
Oct 07
UELT
operational and strategic issues on a termly
basis
1.4 Interface with Information Services (IS) with
Ongoing
UELT, IS, FLTs
regard to
•
provision of core technologies (VLE
administration and technical issues)
•
piloting and further implementation of
peripheral technologies, including Turnitin,
classroom technologies and software
1.5 Provide staff development for core and
Ongoing
IS, UELT, FLTs
peripheral technologies
2. Support
2.1 Assist departments to incorporate e-learning
Feb 08
FLTs,
institutional strategies
implementation into departmental plans and
Departments
in learning and
annual monitoring reports
teaching, and to
inform e-learning
2.2 Centrally provide a VLE module complete with
Sept 07
IS
developments in
basic administrative information from SDS and
departments
the Programme Handbook for each taught
module
2.3 Re-develop the e-learning website to
Dec 07
UELT
disseminate best practice, case studies and
& ongoing
other relevant information (e.g. national
initiatives, key documents, guidelines etc)
2.4 Create networks for discussion, support and
Dec 07
UELT, FLTs,
sharing best practice
& ongoing
Departments,
Academics
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