Transcript ITS Integration Project Presentation to IEM 19 March 2007

Strategic Questions for WSU Academics:
Implementation of Electronic Learning and
Teaching
Mabovula Nonceba Nolundi
Centre for Learning and Teaching Development
Walter Sisulu University
[email protected]
2-3 November 2010
Introduction
• What does e-Learning mean?
The notion of e-Learning means different things to
different people. For some it means primarily the delivery
of online courses whereas others define it more broadly
and also consider communication via e-mail and online
ways of collaborating and learning and teaching as eLearning. For the purpose of this paper, e-Learning is
defined as using computer technologies to achieve
learning related purposes.
Rationale for writing this paper
The rationale that underpins the paper is the effective
application, optimal utilisation of and maximum impact of
the Blackboard technology depend upon the amount of
debate focused on the integration and implementation of
the new electronic e-Learning system. This essential
debate is rather inadequate at the moment. This
absence of the expected healthy controversy essential
for incorporating the diverse views of all stakeholders
within WSU is the motivating factor that underscores the
presentation of this paper.
Research Question
• Key questions need to be posed more especially for
academics so as to determine their level of readiness.
The question driving this study is: are academics
sufficiently knowledgeable and politically astute to
participate and engage the appropriate pedagogical
methods crucial to meeting the demands of e-technology
at WSU?
Purpose
• The purpose of this paper is to present the successful integration of
e-Learning technological tool such as ‘Blackboard’ into curriculum
design at Walter Sisulu University.
• The establishment of the e-Learning technology offers superb
opportunities for improving the quality and accessibility of learning
and teaching at WSU.
• This high-tech facility becomes a key tool in the socialisation and
conscientisation of individuals as well as group on the e-Technology
in the university community.
• The paper argues that for facility to achieve its intended goals in
enhancing knowledge production – the core business of an
academic institution – many fundamental questions have to be
addressed.
WSU Students trained on Blackboard
• The training of students on Blackboard takes place in the CLTD
labs.
• The Education Technology and Innovation Unit (ETIU) invited
lecturers to send their students in manageable groups to the eLearning Centres for training on Blackboard.
• The students are trained by the ETIU team and Computer Skills
lecturers.
• This is mostly done during the period 13H00 – 14H00 when the
students are available (not in lectures or PAL sessions).
• The Extended Programme courses are offered in the CLTD labs
• The challenge encountered is that most of the first year students
and some pipeline students are computer illiterate.
. Extended Studies Academy (ESA) courses
using e-Learning
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The Life Skills, Computer Literacy and Academic Literacy lecturers have
uploaded learning materials onto Blackboard and their students are
interacting with their respective courses.
All the ESA courses have the evaluation tool loaded and the students have
been responding to the questionnaire (monitored by staff members).
The data from these questionnaires were analysed in the first week of
October.
The Writing and Reading Centre (WRC) has uploaded some material onto
Blackboard.
All WSU students have been loaded onto the WRC course as users. This
means that they can all interact with Writing and Reading material and with
the WRC Coordinators.
Staff members who have visited the Staff Development
Labs
• So far, we have 52 out of 202 lecturers (excluding FSET
e-Learning Team Leaders) who have been trained on
Blackboard came into for practice session and
consultation.
• A few lecturers use the Blackboard helpdesk option
while others use telephonic communication.
• Staff training workshops conducted by CLTD, Post
graduate Unit and Research Unit are mainly conducted
in the CLTD Staff Development Labs.
Strategic Questions directed to Academics
• The extent of the change anticipated as a result of the
new communication technologies suggests that it may
be pertinent to readdress many fundamental questions
that underlie the smooth and successful operation of the
Blackboard technology.
• Six key questions are identified. The first problem is:
What are the best ways to tackle questions outlined
below?
• The context of each question is described and further
associated relevant questions are also posed and
interrogated.
Role of Educators
It is clear that the role of educators have changed as a result of
increasingly sophisticated and widespread use of computermediated access to information, computer managed instruction and
greater ease of communication between students and lecturers.
• How has the role of educators changed as a consequence of
this electronic revolution?
• For what aspects of education is face-to-face contact between
student and lecturer essential or particularly desirable?
• What is the role of a lecturer in providing students with
competencies, facilities and motivation necessary for them to benefit
from the new range of learning opportunities?
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Knowledge Acquisition?
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How can the new communication technologies be used to facilitate
learning and knowledge acquisition?
Which media, including face-to-face teaching and print, are most
appropriate for meeting the needs and learning styles of individual
students? How can educationalists be helped to identify and evaluate
alternatives models to traditional modes of teaching learning?
What might be the influence of extensive use of electronically-mediated
learning on the development of person’s self perception, spiritually and
creativity? How can any perceived deficiencies be addressed?
• How can e-Learning technology be used in different
learning and teaching situations?
• What is the division of labour between the competency
and the requirements of lecturers as they prepare their
learning materials for students who use this technology?
• What initiatives can academics take to promote elearning and inclusion in their institution?
• What kind of support and guidance do academics offer?
• How does this differ from the traditional role of lecturing?
E-Assessment
In what ways might assessment methods be adopted in
recognition and support of new approaches to individual and
group learning?
• What new learning methods, teaching styles and forms of
assessment are now feasible as a result of developments in
electronic communications?
• Are there any negative effects on knowledge production due learner
interactions with the Blackboard technology, which leads to a
greater capacity to retrieve information?
Electronic Books and Data-Base
How do we know whether information one obtain from websites
of reputable universities likely to be reliable?
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Are students made aware of plagiarism when writing their
assignments and tasks using the Internet as their source of data?
• What new opportunities are opening up for students who cannot or
do not wish to be examined by Blackboard-based assessment
procedures?
Computer/Video Conferencing
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What are the implications of this new technology in classroom
practice?
Will this new technologies enable lecturers to adapt teaching more
sensitively to each student’s learning style, motivation, stage of
personal and intellectual development, and financial resources?
How should fears of students being made to fit standardised
teaching systems be addressed?
In what ways, and to what extent, should account be taken of the
learner’s age, gender, religion, nationality, language and culture?
How can we ensure educational objectives rather than technological
dictates dominate practice?
How, and by whom, should developments be planned, resourced,
implemented and evaluated?
Conclusion
A number of strategic questions have been posed in this
paper – questions that deal especially with how
academics will react to their classroom practice in this
era of e-technology. The questions posed above are an
idiosyncratic list reflecting my own interest, experience
and academic background. Whether or not these are the
right questions or not is not easy to determine. It is
possible that there here are many fundamental questions
which educationalists might address anew in the light of
the impact of new electronic technologies: questions that
workshop should generate and debate.
I THANK YOU