Policy for the development
of E-Learning 2007 - 2010
This policy is also available in PDF format
Introduction
UWE's vision, values and aims for learning, teaching and assessment are stated in the Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy 2007 - 2010 (LTA Strategy). This strategy informs, and in turn is informed by, a number of other UWE policies and strategies, of which this e-learning policy is one. The LTA Strategy includes a number of aims and objectives which are particularly pertinent to the use of technology to enhance learning, including:
- To develop inclusive, flexible and accessible curricula, learning spaces and resources that enable personalised learning in campus, placement and work-based settings.
Specifically to:- Continue to work towards good and innovative practice in programme design, pedagogy and assessment in support of a flexible, inclusive and accessible curriculum;
- Review arrangements for learning and teaching support to ensure quality of opportunity for all students, including those with particular needs;
- Develop a range of approaches to learning and assessment that utilise high quality, flexible learning spaces, information resources, modes of delivery and technologies to meet the needs of a diverse student body and enable all students to progress on their learning journey
- Develop and promote employer partnerships and opportunities for work-based learning, placements and field work, “real-world” assignments and reciprocal CPD provision.
The use of technology to enhance learning has already been widely adopted at UWE and is increasingly becoming embedded in the way students learn. In the future it may not be necessary to have a separate e-learning policy, but at present there are still a number of issues that need specific consideration and planning, and which do warrant separate attention in an explicit policy. This policy aims to provide a structure to support the university's endeavour to ensure the highest standards of provision and support of technology to enhance learning.
Contexts
E-learning development in any organisation does not take place in isolation, but rather is part of a wider context of teaching and learning development. In particular, the development of e-learning at UWE is affected by both national and university contexts. Some of these contexts are social, some are technological and some are regulatory. Socio-technical contexts change rapidly and the increasing use of ICT in work and social life forms an important element of the expectation of students at UWE.
Governmental policies are also an important context, and these are briefly outlined and discussed below.
National
Both the Department for Education and Skills (DfES 2005) and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE 2005) have current vision and policy statements relating to technology enhanced learning, which are intended to support and guide the HE sector to embed these technologies in their teaching and learning activities.
The key HE issues that are covered in the DfES strategy “Harnessing Technology”, are to work towards the provision of integrated, personalised and collaborative systems and approaches to learning, together with support and training for practitioners and organisations.
The HEFCE e-learning strategy specifically states that HEFCE will:
- aim to support the HE sector as it moves towards embedding e-learning appropriately, using technology to transform higher education into a more student-focused and flexible system, as part of lifelong learning for all who can benefit;
- enable institutions to meet the needs of learners and their own aspirations for development;
- seek to support institutions in the strategic planning, change management and process development that are necessary to underpin their development and embedding of e-learning;
- aim to promote learning research, innovation and development that begin with a focus on student learning rather than on developments in technology per se, enabling students to learn through and be supported by technology;
- support lifelong learning by joining up its strategy with those of other sectors of education, enabling connections between academic learning and experiential learning in the workplace and other aspects of life.
University
This policy is intended to promote, facilitate and support the development of e-learning at UWE and to contribute to the university's overall vision; to be renowned for supporting students' learning across a spectrum of activity, offering them lifelong learning, progression pathways and truly excellent standards in learning and teaching which leads to high quality employment outcomes through the relevance and practicality of its curriculum (UWE Vision Statement 2007).
Guiding principles
The basic guiding principle of this policy is that it should be formulated from wide consultation and discussion amongst students, academic colleagues and professional services staff. E-learning is recognised as a developing field and all members of the university have a range of skills and understanding that combine to generate effective e-learning practice. The following detailed principles and aims have therefore been devised from the results of consultation and discussion across the university, synthesised with the national and university contexts referred to above.
Specific principles
- The development of e-learning will be directed by pedagogic considerations rather than by the availability of various technologies. The overriding aim is to enhance the student experience through the provision of effective, flexible and engaging learning opportunities that take account of ability, disability, accessibility and learning preferences.
- The university undertakes to support staff and students in the effective use of technology to enhance learning by investing in:
- effective staff development and support, including factoring e-learning activity into workload agreements
- the provision and maintenance of appropriate hardware and systems and
- appropriate organisation and infrastructure developments.
- The university is committed to providing lifelong opportunities for learning, and recognises that these opportunities require a blend of approaches to teaching and learning. The flexibility offered by the use of technology to enhance learning is recognised as a key element in these blended approaches, but the university also recognises that equality of access and parity of experience are at the heart of the provision of lifelong learning. Technology will therefore be used appropriately and thoughtfully to deliver and/or support learning, and to develop flexible study opportunities.
- The university recognises the importance of personalisation in enhancing the student experience, and, in particular, recognises the potential for e-learning technologies to facilitate personalisation. The university therefore expects staff and students to engage with e-learning technologies in appropriate ways.
- The university recognises that the developing use of technology to enhance learning has potential resource consequences, particularly in the areas of IT hardware and software, staff development and student support. Implementation of this policy will not necessarily require resources greater than our current yearly investments in these areas, but rather consolidates our intentions and aims regarding technology enhanced learning.
Aims and actions
AIM 1: To develop effective methods by which the use of technology can be embedded into the curriculum
Actions
1.1 Faculties and schools will provide written guidance for students on how technology will be used to support learning and, where relevant, deliver the curriculum in their subject domains. It is expected that faculties would make more general policy and statements and that schools, departments and course teams would be increasingly more specific regarding the rationale and processes.
1.2 The university will recognise and reward innovation in the use of e-learning technologies.
1.3 E-learning will be incorporated into quality assessment, monitoring and feedback activities.
AIM 2: To support and empower academic colleagues to take advantage of technology to stimulate and enhance the effectiveness of their teaching, and to recognise the contribution technology can make to successful learning outcomes
Actions
2.1 Workload assessments and negotiations will include e-learning activities, and reasonable time allowances will be given for e-learning development.
2.2 The university will continue to invest in staff development provision to support and enhance the opportunities for staff to develop their engagement with e-learning technologies.
2.3 Staff will be encouraged to widen their own understanding of teaching and learning practices in general, and to develop approaches that integrate the use of technology into more traditional forms of teaching and learning.
2.4 The E-learning Development Unit (ELDU) will continue to support staff in their adoption and development of e-learning technologies through the provision of training, workshops and events. The ELDU will also continue to lead and take part in innovative e-learning projects.
2.5 The university will support research and development activities that seek to further our knowledge and understanding of e-learning pedagogy, and work with other organisations, nationally and internationally, to develop and share best practice.
AIM 3: To ensure that the technical and organisational infrastructures support staff and students in their use of e-learning technologies.
Actions
3.1 The university will continue to provide and maintain hardware, software, systems and network infrastructures that enable effective use of e-learning technologies.
3.2 The university will continue to take account of staff and student feedback, including issues of accessibility and disability, in developing strategies for procuring, providing and maintaining hardware, software and systems relating to teaching and learning.
3.3 The university will continue to research and develop means for sharing learning materials amongst staff and students.
AIM 4: To ensure that e-learning is integrated into strategic planning processes at all levels of decision-making in the university
Actions
4.1 E-learning will be considered at course, department, school, faculty and university levels, within the framework of the LTA Strategy.
4.2 The University Management Group will actively seek advice and guidance on e-learning issues in order to incorporate these issues into wider university policy decisions.
References
- DfES 2005. Harnessing Technology - transforming learning and children's services. DfES, London
- HEFCE 2005. HEFCE e-learning strategy. Reference 2005/12. HEFCE, London
- UWE Vision Statement 2007 at http://www.uwe.ac.uk/vision/index.shtml. Accessed 2nd May 2007
