Author: Cath Fenn, c.a.fenn@warwick.ac.uk
JISC e-Learning Activity Area: Learning Resources and Activities
Higher Education Academy Subject Centre: Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine
This case study illustrates...staff support, an effect on learning, an effect on student personal development, student satisfaction with e-learning, innovation in learning and teaching, an influence on educational research, staff satisfaction with e-learning, staff personal development, a positive effect on recruitment, a positive effect on retention, an influence on policy, use of resources, modifications to learning spaces, management of learning assets
Tangible Benefits
What tangible benefits did this e-learning approach produce?
Benefits to date can be measured by significant improvements amongst staff in:
- understanding
- enthusiasm for investigating e-resources
- ability to deliver e-learning
- wider participation in e-learning developments
- confidence in the use of e-tools
- networking.
For example the staff forum is increasingly being used as a space for collaborative activity.
During 2006-07 there were 70 recorded PG module occurrences for which template module sites were provided. An audit of these module sites attempted to quantify the level of development taking place. Warwick web resources auditcover v2.0
- 0 = nothing added to template (15)
- 1 - 6 = text files uploaded (15)
- 7 - 11 = some HTML content published (22)
- 12 - 19 = use of hyperlinks & online activities (18)
The results highlighted a couple of course teams with high staff participation rates and those with zero participation. These results directly correlate with participation (or lack of) in the emergent staff development activities.
Did implementation of this e-learning approach have any disadvantages or drawbacks?
Deliberately ambitious in bringing together all staff under one umbrella. Investment in time on the design, planning and facilitation of face-to-face sessions was considerable. Providing a good lunch as both incentive and reward for attendance also had cost implications.
Investment of resources required in maintaining parallel online support for face-to-face sessions and preparing supporting notes in hard copy for colleagues who find operating in an online environment more of a challenge. Developments here seem to be driving forwards local (Faculty) projects based on staff induction and staff development. We are seeking the embedding of the development of skills for e-learning into broader staff development activities.
How did this e-learning approach accord with or differ from any relevant departmental and/or institutional strategies?
Developing staff skills for embedding e-learning accords with both institutional and faculty strategies. The evidence produced to date for the strength of a team-based approach has led to continued support at faculty level.
