A study of the relationship between institutional policy organisational culture and e-learning use in four South African universities

This is the author's version of a work that was accepted for publication of the article: A study of the relationship between institutional policy, organisational culture and e-learning use in four South African universities. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Computers & Education, VOL5 3, 2009, DOI 10.1016/j.compedu.2009.01.006.This article investigates the relationship between policy (conceptualised as goals, values and resources), organisational culture and elearning use. Through both qualitative and quantitative research methods, we gathered data about staff and student perspectives from four diverse South African universities representing a selection of ICT in education policy types (Structured and Unstructured) and organisational cultural types of ""collegium, bureaucracy, corporate and enterprise"" (McNay 1995). While our findings show a clear relationship between policy and use of ICTs for teaching and learning, organisational culture is found crucial to policy mediation and the way that elearning use is embedded within the organisation. We conclude that although a Structured Corporate institutional type enables the attainment of a ""critical mass""within e-learning, Unstructured Collegium institutions are better at fostering innovation. Unstructured Bureaucratic institutions are the least enabling of either top-down or bottom-up elearning change

D4 Strategic Project:Developing Staff Digital Literacies.Internal Scoping Report

This report is the second stage of the 2014-2015 TALI Strategic Project exploring Developing Staff Digital Literacies. The first stage was the external scoping report which identified a range of approaches taken by other HEIs alongside guidance from sector bodies such as Jisc and the HEA. This report focusses on the University of Huddersfield context by outlining and critically analysing how the issue has developed at the University. The report is discussing the methodology, findings, conclusions and recommendations. The finding section starts by discussion of the local context at University of Huddersfield then is structured around same sections as were used in the external scoping report. The categories are curriculum design, academic champions, centralised staff development courses, localised staff development courses, accredited courses, informal approaches, on-demand resources, specific events, student champions and institutional strategies. Relevant past projects that have a digital literacy focus, are then identified. This has enabled comparison between the rest of the sector and the provision at University of Huddersfield and has enabled us to identify strengths and omissions. The report concludes by making recommendations, and in particular identifies how the D4 project might develop. This next stage of the project involves undertaking a intervention with colleagues who have not traditionally engaged in digital practices, to help them to developing their digital capability

Construction and Implementation of Institutional E-learning Development Framework in Continuing Higher Education

E-learning has become a popular teaching and learning mode in the education and training sectors in the digital age. Many studies have been done in the field of e-learning at course level. However, limited literature has been found about e-learning strategic development in continuing higher education sector at the institutional level. The purpose of this study was to explore the institutional development and implementation of e-learning, using the School of Professional and Continuing Education at the University of Hong Kong (HKU SPACE) as a case. In this paper, the comprehensive e-learning development framework at institutional level is proposed and seven dimensions under the framework are explored, including e-learning policy, e-learning organizational structure, e-learning systems, m-learning APP, e-learning courses, e-learning training and support, and e-learning evaluation. Based on the results of the case study, it is suggested that policy and organizational structure are essential to ensure the implementation of e-learning in self-financed continuing higher education institutions. The e-learning systems, m-learning applications, e-courses, training and support, and e-learning evaluation should be considered and integrated as a whole in order to maintain continuous development and enhancement in e-learning.It is hoped that the institutional e-learning development framework presented in this paper can provide a benchmark for continuing higher education institutions to make e-learning strategic planning

ICT access, use and perceptions : the current state of play among staff and students at South African universities of technology

Published ArticleThis paper reports on a mixed methods study that investigated access to, use, and perceptions of current and emerging technologies among Information Technology (IT) staff and students at universities of technology (UoTs) in South Africa. Fifty-eight IT staff and 410 IT students from 4 UoTs participated in the study. The primary research instrument was an online survey questionnaire, which was supplemented by semi-structured interviews with 31 of the study participants. Web investigations and conversations with IT support staff from UoTs also formed part of the mixed methods employed in the study. The findings of the online survey are analysed both from individual institutional perspectives and in aggregate form representative of the sector as a whole. Cross tabulations are used to analyse the data across institutions. The quantitative analysis reveals interesting trends and patterns in how students and staff are taking advantage of the potential held by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for teaching and learning and for use in their daily lives. The qualitative findings question the assumptions that have been made about a digital divide between digital native students and their digital immigrant lecturers, suggesting that we need to develop a more sophisticated understanding of the role that technologies play in the lives of both students and staff. Results indicate that while students are very enthusiastic about using various ICTs and Web 2.0 tools, most have still to be convinced about their use for formal academic functions. Academic staff, on the other hand, continues to be cautiously optimistic about the use of ICTs in teaching and still harbour a number of concerns

Progresser vers des politiques et des pratiques durables : un cadre à cinq niveaux pour un apprentissage en ligne durable

This paper addresses the issue of sustainability in online learning in higher education. It introduces and discusses a five-level framework for helping higher education institutions to make the transition from enterprise to sustainable policy and practice in online learning. In particular, it responds to evidence in the literature regarding the lack of sustainability in online learning in higher education. Influenced by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, this framework is characterized by three different clusters: basic needs, institutional motivation, and stakeholders’ motivations. It is presented hierarchically within five different levels. Examples are provided for each of the levels and suggestions are given to how institutions should respond to each level.Cet article traite de la question de la durabilité dans l’apprentissage en ligne pour l’éducation supérieure.Un cadre de travail à cinqniveauxy est introduit etfait l’objet d’une discussion. Ce cadre a pour but d’aider les établissements d’enseignement supérieur à faire la transition des initiatives complexes aux politiques et pratiques durables en matière d’apprentissage en ligne..Ce cadre répond notamment aux données probantes de la documentation concernant le manque de durabilité dans l’apprentissage en ligne pour l’éducation supérieure.Influencé par la hiérarchie des besoins de Maslow, le cadre se caractérise par trois grappes différentes: les besoins de base, la motivation de l’établissement et les motivations des intervenants.Il est présenté de façon hiérarchique, en cinq niveaux différents.Des exemples sont fournis pour chacun des niveaux, et des suggestions sont offertes sur la manière dont les établissements devraient réagir à chaque niveau.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Introducing a Sociomaterial Perspective to Investigate E-learning for Higher Educational Institutions in Developing Countries

E-learning projects in developing countries suffer enormous challenges because of various factors. Particularly, technologies that are designed and developed outside of a developing country context are causing significant problems when implemented in developing countries. So far e-learning studies in developing countries have examined utilization, acceptance, adoption, success and failure using the following factors: culture, human behaviour towards technology, and organizational influences. This paper reviews different theoretical perspectives used so far and determines that they are not capturing the complexity of the environment of e-learning implementations in developing countries. In particular, the inextricable entanglement of people, technology and the environment is under-appreciated. Furthermore, the complex design implications of that entanglement are not well managed. This paper explores the potentiality of ‘sociomateriality’ as a new lens to examine the uptake and design of the virtual learning environment in a developing country context. The framework proposed uses the concept of entanglement for examining technology uptake and the concept of sociomaterial imbrication to investigate the design considerations of the virtual learning environment. The proposed framework will be trialled in a forthcoming research project investigating virtual learning environment implementations in state-owned higher education institutions in a developing country

Understanding IT management in Higher Education

This is a full research paper prepared for submission to an international conference. It is not yet published elsewhere.A meeting of academics concluded that the management of IT resources in education is sub-optimal and under-researched. The extent of IT-related changes indicates a need for strategic management, proper attention to the expectations of stakeholders, and careful management of the implementation of new systems. Representative role players provided both open and structured input to a study that contrasted open coding of transcribed text and structured analysis of repertory grid data. The results of the open coding were limited but the repertory grid data provided useful insight into the management of information technology and information systems in higher education. The principal findings were that the management of the scope of information systems, services and projects must be managed well, and when coupled with risk management this provides the best possibility of successful working. The controlled management of cost, value, and innovation, are revealed to be distinct areas of strategic importance

Aspects to Be Considered when Implementing Technology Enhanced Learning Approaches. A Literature Review

The significance of approaches to technology-enhanced learning (TEL) has increased rapidly during the last few years. Nowadays in education different approaches such as game-based learning, web-based learning, video-based online courses, and many others are used on a daily basis. However, what defines the success of technology-enhanced learning approaches and how can such approaches be developed in a structured way? Furthermore, what different aspects have to be considered while doing so? To answer these questions, 4567 publications were analyzed in this present literature review in order to recognize the different aspects of implementing technology-enhanced learning approaches. Finally, 20 categories are defined in four main areas that summarize all the aspects in the field of technology-enhanced learning. Moreover, the study also reveals research areas that are important but hardly investigated in the observed journals of this study

Using Personal Mobile Devices to increase flexibility and equity in learning in resource constrained contexts.

This paper examines how in a resource constrained context, access to personal mobile devices for first year university students increases their flexibility of learning and creates a environment of greater inclusivity at University. In 2016, at the start of their first year 201 students in an extended degree program in the Humanities at the University of Cape Town were surveyed about their access to Personal Mobile Devices (PMDs). Based on need, 68 students were given an entry level tablet to use as their own for the duration of their studies.  As a consequence of establishing a learning context where students all had access to a PMD the lecturers could engage students in multimodal blended learning and teaching approach. This paper draws on data in the form of student surveys and focus groups and explores not only the challenges and opportunities for students in using PMDs for their learning both in and out of the classroom but the flexibility of learning enabled through PMDs. The study shows that creating an equitable context in terms of physical access to digital technology enables students’ learning but also presents some new challenges