Learning in Further and Higher Education

Social Software in Academia

"Considerable buzz has appeared on the Internet over a group of new tools labeled social software. These tools can expand discussion beyond the classroom and provide new ways for students to collaborate and communicate within their class or around the world." Todd Bryant, Educause Quarterly, Vol 29 No 2

Added: 18 May 2006
Reviewer's Note:
Social software tools can support students and staff beyond the classroom

Coming of Age: an introduction to the new World Wide Web

"Featuring case studies and how-to articles by leading practitioners in the world of education" By Terry Friedman (Ed), ICT in Education

Added: 29 April 2006
Reviewer's Note:
Reviewer's Note 2 Mb, 20 chapters, 92 page PDF to download for free

Academic MP3s - is it time yet?

"Are campus educators and administrators prepared to make full use of the iPod's educational potential? Our intrepid reporter gets the inside story from faculty, students, and administrators at three schools on the vanguard." Mikael Blaisdell, Campus Technology

Added: 8 March 2006
Reviewer's Note:
A good look at the use of podcasting in higher education

Has elearning revolutionized education?

"Does eLearning have the ability to ease many of the pressures that educators are currently facing? As we entered into the 21st century, leaders in this field argued that eLearning could respond to accelerating global competition, increase the quality of learning experiences, remove situational barriers, and be more cost effective." Heather Kanuka, Embassy Report, 22 February 2006

Added: 22 February 2006
Reviewer's Note:
Conclusion: "while eLearning has not delivered on the promises made by technologists at the turn of the century, it does have great potential to widen access, cost effectively, under certain circumstances.

E-Learning - a financial and strategic objective

"Institutions can consider different options in shaping a long-term strategy for achieving acceptable financial returns from e-learning." Stephen R Ruth, Educause Quarterly, Vol 29, No 1, 2006

Added: 17 February 2006
Reviewer's Note:
Stephen's conclusion - "My suggestion is simply to look at the possibilities for changing the e-learning model to one potentially more profitable than the traditional, heavily subsidized model in place on many campuses today."

ICT and e-learning in Further Education

"This is the full report of the ICT and e-learning in Further Education survey 2005. This study is the sixth in a series that assesses progress in the provision of ICT within further education and sixth form colleges since 1999." Becta, September 2005

Added: 16 February 2006
Reviewer's Note:
It also forms part of the evidence base that will inform the development of the post-16 e-learning programme by examining the integration of this provision into the teaching and learning process

The future of course design and the National Center for Academic Transofrmation: An interview with Carol Twigg

"Carol A. Twigg, founder, president, and chief executive officer of the National Center for Academic Transformation (NCAT), is an internationally recognized expert in using information technology to transform teaching and learning in higher education." William H Graves and Carol A. Twigg, Innovate, Vol 2 Issue 3, February/March 2006

Added: 1 February 2006
Reviewer's Note:
The interview describes how course redesign can simultaneously reduce costs and improve the quality of education. Twigg outlines the main tenets of course redesign and gives us a glimpse into NCAT's ongoing projects and where they are headed next.

Reflecting the Future e-Content Development Evolution in Higher Education

"This presentation reflects the potential future e-content development and learning paradigm in higher education, exploring some interesting e-learning tools, content repositories, and models of e-Learning." Zaid Ali Alsagoff, UNITAR

Added: 11 January 2006
Reviewer's Note:
Presentation in Breeze format

Learning environment design for learners and teachers

"This paper proposes that for elearning to be taken up widely by teachers and learners, a broadly purposed or designed elearning environment of essential educational elements needs to be available. It suggests that the work of preparing online learning programs involves seven different elements which can be organised into seven distinct digital online services layers." Gerry White, education.au ltd, 17 November 2005

Added: 23 November 2005
Reviewer's Note:
An integrated suite of online services which includes seven digital layers for planning learning programs and caters for the four different types of users would seem to be most appropriate for elearning use."

Do You Want Ketchup With Your Degree, Or Can You Beat McEducation?

"The paper discusses 2 different approaches to remote education: development of standartized courses versus customized courses that set University / College apart from others. What strategy wins?" Dr. Alex Heiphetz, Delta L Printing

Added: 21 November 2005
Reviewer's Note:
Conclusion - Technology allows you to take competition out of realm of commoditization ("who can provide me with the cheapest degree") into the realm of value ("what education is most valuable for me"). Experience shows that this is not the field where McEducators want to compete."

ICT and e-learning in Further Education: the challenge of change

"This is the full report of the ICT and e-learning in Further Education survey 2005. This study is the sixth in a series that assesses progress in the provision of ICT within further education and sixth form colleges since 1999. It also forms part of the evidence base that will inform the development of the post-16 e-learning programme by examining the integration of this provision into the teaching and learning process." Steve Davis, November 2005, available from Ferl

Added: 15 November 2005
Reviewer's Note:
Available as PDF or Word document

The really really rough guide to e-learning benchmarking in Higher Education

"Here's a different type of Auricle post from my normal offering. As well as being a repository of information I've started to gather, the post is also a kind of thought lab I'm using to articulate and test out ideas, issues, and concerns related to benchmarking and e-learning." Derek Morrison, Auricle, Bath University,

Added: 21 October 2005
Reviewer's Note:
As Derek states: "The post is a work-in-progress and so is pretty unrefined, but it may still be of some use to others contemplating work in this area"

Brain-Based Learning: Possible Implications for Online Instruction

"As higher education institutions push for more online courses instructors are faced with issues and challenges related to teaching in the online learning environment. Regardless, of whether higher education's impetus is fueled by cost-saving measures, or the belief that online courses answer the challenge of rapid tuition increases or changing student body, one issue that continues to resurface, concerning online courses is to how best to deliver the information and facilitate learning for the student." Stephanie A. Clemons, International Journal of Insructional Technology and Distance Learning, September 2005

Added: 26 September 2005
Reviewer's Note:
Conclusion - "Online educators who seek to base practice on the sciences should assess recommendations stemming from these theories and ideas to determine if they can improve delivery and course content. Keeping cautionary advice in mind, brain-based learning makes some good sense

The myth about e-learning: "We don't need to worry about e-learning anymore"

"A few years ago, college and university presidents often remarked: "We're going to develop an e-learning program. The train is leaving the station. We've got to be on it." In those years of hype and hyperbole, many felt that millions of dollars could be made by putting courses online. Numerous grandiose claims and promises were made. Few were fulfilled. The dot-com era had a sobering end. Few of the "virtual universities" have survived, much less struck it rich. As a result, educators now often say there is no need to worry about e-learning anymore." Diana Oblinger and Brian Hawkins, Educause Review, Vol 40, No 4, (July/August 2005)

Added: 24 July 2005
Reviewer's Note:
Conclusion: "It's true: we no longer need to worry about the e-learning train leaving the station. But now is the time to worry about whether we are using the technology to improve quality, increase access, and enhance the flexibility of learning programs. Learning is the issue; "e" is simply a mechanism."

Freedom and Empowerment: An Essay on the Next Step for Education and Technology

"Despite the relative stasis that we are currently experiencing in the development of online education ... I am convinced that dramatic changes will occur, sooner rather than later. Online instruction has grown about as much as it possibly can within current educational structures. We are at the point where something has to give: Either schools will stay the same and leave online efforts at a standstill, or our concept of school will change and allow online instruction to grow." James Shimabukuro, innovate, June/July 2005, Vol 1 Issue 5

Added: 6 June 2005
Reviewer's Note:
You will need to set up a (free) account to view this article

Software agents to assist in distance learning environments

"Software agents can act as teaching assistants for distance learning courses by monitoring and managing course activities." Sheung-On Choy, Sin-Chun Ng, and Yiu-Chung Tsang, Educause Quarterly, Vol 28, No 2, 2005

Added: 3 June 2005
Reviewer's Note:
The authors conclude: "We are convinced, however, that software agents offer good support of distance education. Still, the developer of a tool no doubt finds it helpful and easy to manage when others might not enjoy the same experiences, so we know the potential difficulties facing us in promoting the use of software agents in our university. The institution-wide adoption of software agents to assist distance learning teaching requires institutional policy to emerge during the evolution of this new technology"

HEFCE Strategy for e-learning

"This document sets out our strategy and implementation plan for supporting higher education institutions to develop and embed e-learning over the next 10 years. It reflects responses to the consultation on our draft strategy, and has been developed jointly with the Higher Education Academy and the Joint Information Systems Committee." HEFCE, March 3005

Added: 12 March 2005
Reviewer's Note:
Their goal is "goal is to help the sector use new technology as effectively as they can, so that it becomes a 'normal' or embedded part of their activities. That does not mean telling universities and colleges what their aims for e-learning should be, nor how they should go about reaching them. But it is about describing overall aspirations for how e-learning can transform learning and teaching, and about supporting institutions in setting their own visions and plans. "

Matrix for the Learning and Skills sector

"The matrix is an online tool, developed by NCSL and Becta, which facilitates self-evaluation and action planning. Use the matrix to review your current position against a set of levelled statements. There are exemplars available that place the statements into helpful scenarios and context. As you complete the matrix, an action plan, based on your results, is produced. This action plan contains helpful support and guidance, which you may wish to consider. Some matrices may have links to online resources, which open up a new window, allowing you to return quickly to the matrix."

Added: 28 January 2005
Reviewer's Note:
If you register, the matrix will automatically save your results, allowing you to come back to them in the future. You can also edit the action plan if you register.

The Buntine Oration: Learning networks

"This is Stephen Downes at his best - provocative, challenging, and enlightening. He leads us with passion and conviction into a future of education and the internet that is diametrically opposed to the approach taken by publishing companies. He raises serious questions about "member only" systems of learning. Stephen Downes' benchmark for open learning is Google speed, power, and selection criteria. Through the magic of the Internet, here is the entire 40 minutes of his presentation in Australia." International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, Vol 1, No 11, Nov 2004

Added: 28 November 2004
Reviewer's Note:
This is the text of the Buntine Oration, delivered by Stephen Downes to the Australian College of Educators (ACE) and the Australian Council of Educational Leaders (ACEL) conference in Perth, Australia, October 9, 2004.

Implementing elearning programmes for Higher Education: a review of the literature

"This paper is a consideration of the issues associated with the infrastructural aspects, pedagogic considerations and the need to associate the usefulness of technology to enhance the learning experience. This technological path will potentially enhance the learning process, not replace the lecturer or tutor." Kaye O'Neill, Gurmak SIngh and John O'Donaghue, Journal of Information Technology Education, Vol 3, 2004

Added: 27 November 2004
Reviewer's Note:
"Growth in eLearning is rapid as institutions race to compete for a share of the increased and changing demand for HE. Research suggests that universities failing to embrace technological progress made during the 1990s will be unable to meet the needs of knowledge based societies and as a result will not survive the change in the paradigm of education. However, the implementation of eLearning brings forth implications for all stakeholders in HE, and poses a number of risks which can not be overlooked."

Entering the Mainstream: The Quality and Extent of Online Education in the United States, 2003 and 2004

"This study represents the second annual study of the state of online education in U.S. Higher Education. This year's study, like last year's, is aimed at answering some of the fundamental questions about the nature and extent of online education. Supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and based on responses from over 1,100 colleges and universities, this year's study addresses the following key questions: Will online enrollments continue their rapid growth? Are students as satisfied with online courses as they are with face-to-face instruction? What role do schools see online learning playing in their long term strategy? What about the quality of online offerings, do schools continue to believe that it measures up?"

Added: 12 November 2004
Reviewer's Note:
The complete report is available as a free download in PDF format (27 pages, 695K)

What are the levels?

"What are the levels? forms part of the interactive version of the NLN Self-assessment Tool in Demonstrating Transformation. Based on a model produced by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a matrix from NCET, it will help you to determine the current level and type of e-learning in any curriculum area or across your organisation as a whole. Also use this in conjunction with the interactive version of the NLN Self-assessment Tool in Demonstrating Transformation to plan for future use of e-learning." FERL, 8 November 2004

Added: 11 November 2004
Reviewer's Note:
Document available in Word format

The real story behind the failure of the UK eUniversity

"The picture behind the public failure of UKeU is more complex, interesting, and salutary than many reports would suggest." Richard Garrett, Educause Querterlty, VOl 27 No 4, 2004

Added: 5 November 2004
Reviewer's Note:
Author's conclusion -"Participating institutions will have learned many valuable lessons from the UKeU experience, despite what many regard as a waste of money and resources."

The Academic Culture and the IT Culture: Their Effect on Teaching and Scholarship

"A year ago, my colleague Charles Grisham and I wrote an EDUCAUSE Review article entitled "Why IT Has Not Paid Off As We Hoped (Yet)." In short, we argued that information technology has not yet transformed higher education because the areas of teaching and scholarship, the "heart" of colleges and universities, have remained relatively untouched by the new technologies. In this article, I'd like to continue the discussion and also go further, exploring not only why these two areas continue to be, for the most part, resistant to the changes but also how technology can successfully address these core missions of higher education. "Edward L. Ayers, EDUCAUSE Review, vol. 39, no. 6 (November/ December 2004): 48-62.

Added: 1 November 2004
Reviewer's Note:
The author concludes "Information technology has not made the impact on higher education-or at least on the core missions of higher education-that it has made on many other aspects of society ... I think we're ready for the next stage: building tools that can be carried into the heart of the academic enterprise."

Tips and tricks for teaching online: How to teach like a pro!

"This paper summarizes some of the best ideas and practices gathered from successful online instructors and recent literature. Suggestions include good online class design, syllabus development, and online class facilitation offering hints for success for both new and experienced online instructors." Kaye Shelton and George Saltsman, International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, October 2004

Added: 24 October 2004
Reviewer's Note:
"Effective online learning requires careful preparation, design, implementation, and follow-up. This article combines best practices from a variety of resources - research studies, publications, and discussions among online instructors. The analogy of a garden is used to reinforce practices that will ensure a successful "harvest!".

More Professors Teach by Using Other Colleges' Online Courses

"New efforts help institutions trade curricula, but some faculty members are wary." Dan Carnevale, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 15 October 2004

Added: 12 October 2004
Reviewer's Note:
A look at how US colleges are using each others courses.

Change Management

"The introduction of technology, increasing needs of society and the growth of 'global' organisations trading in goods, knowledge and expertise has increased the need for, and frequency of, change. Although the majority of people are resistant to change, more and more are finding themselves affected by it and having to come to terms with the issues and benefits it brings. Effective change management cannot therefore be underestimated and its implementation needs considerable thought and commitment by senior managers." Bill Lockitt, 3T Productions Ltd, available on FERL website

Added: 12 October 2004
Reviewer's Note:
This paper discusses some of the issues surrounding change management and highlights some simple techniques commonly used.

Personalisation in presentation services

"The report concludes that personalisation is effective and feasible in situations where data is controlled and where there is a clear rationale or business case. It identifies several impediments to using personalisation with uncontrolled data, including immature technology and lack of metadata." Nicky Ferguson, Neil Smith, and Seb Schmoller, Report commissioned for JISC, 4 August 2004

Added: 29 September 2004
Reviewer's Note:
"The report is aimed primarily at those involved in strategy and provision, including developers and implementers. It is not a survey of the latest breaking research in the area and is not aimed at active technical researchers developing new personalisation technologies. We have been concerned more with focussing on the potential for provision, development and application in the short to medium term."

Driving Higher Ed institutions to an enterprise approach

"For many institutions, linear expansion of e-learning-adding a program, a person, or a larger server to an existing model-cannot scale to meet current needs or future demands. Moving e-learning to an enterprise level requires institutions to re-think the way they currently support technology-enhanced instruction. Adopting an enterprise approach to e-learning results in systems and processes that are powerful, reliable, and, most of all, flexible enough to support all stakeholders and provide benefits across the institution." Barbara Ross, Learning Circuits, September 2004

Added: 27 September 2004
Reviewer's Note:
"Institutions must take decisive steps toward developing a successful enterprise strategy that responds to growing student demands and expectations, provides a high level of service and support for all users, and drives the continual improvement of the learning environment."

E-Learning Framework and Tools: Is it too late?late?late?late? The Director's cut

"This article provides a summary of the paper I presented at ALT-C 2004 on 15 September. The hyperlinks at the end of the article provide access to an extended version of the paper as well as the slides I used during my presentation." Derek Morrison, Auricle, 15 September 2004

Added: 27 September 2004
Reviewer's Note:
The paper is available either in Word or PDF format

Enabling distributed learning communities via emerging technologies - Part 1

"Emerging devices, tools, media and virtual environments offer opportunities for creating new types of learning communities for students and teachers. Examples of learning communities include a national mix of kids working together to create an online encyclopedia about Harry Potter's fictional world, or groups of mentor and novice teachers in Milwaukee sharing ideas about effective instruction." Chris Dede, THE Journal

Added: 15 September 2004
Reviewer's Note:
"Both opportunities and challenges arise in applying this model of learning communities to the instruction of students and to the preparation, induction and professional development of teachers."

ICT and e-learning in Further Education: embedded technology, evolving practice

"This is the full report of the 2004 ILT Survey. This study was carried out in January and February 2004 on behalf of the Learning and Skills Council. The survey seeks to assess progress in the provision of information and learning technology within the sector along with the extent to which this provision is integrated into the teaching and learning process." FERL, 25 August 2004

Added: 2 September 2004
Reviewer's Note:
Available as a Word document to view or download

Student Inductions: how ICT can help

"This article suggests ways in which ICT can help with student inductions and gives examples of how colleges are using technology to support the process." FERL, 25 August 2004

Added: 2 September 2004
Reviewer's Note:
"Providing student inductions online via an intranet or VLE means information and support is available whenever it is required and is available wherever students are studying."

Five principles for procuring an enterprise e-learning solution

"If your institution is thinking about moving to an enterprise e-learning solution, having a solid plan in place that sets priorities, establishes a realistic timeline, involves key constituents, and ensures necessary funding is critical to achieving success. Having worked with diverse institutions around the world in the selection and implementation of their enterprise e-learning solutions, WebCT has put together some basic guidelines and practical tips to help your institution identify and procure an enterprise e-learning solution that will meet your immediate and long-term needs." Karen Gage, VP Marketing, WebCT In Converge, June 2004

Added: 30 July 2004
Reviewer's Note:
5 principles are: Begin with a business case tied to your institution's mission; Secure funding early; Structure your selection process; Define explicit roles; Understand the roles of procurement and contracting

Thwarted Innovation: What happened to e-learning and why

"Thwarted Innovation is a major new study from the University of Pennsylvania in collaboration with the Thomson Corporation, which answers the question: "Why did the boom in e-learning go bust?" Researchers Robert Zemsky and William F. Massy used elearning Weatherstations at campuses across the country to decipher precisely what happened and why. In the end, they trumped three of elearning's most troubling assumptions.." Robert Zemsky and William F Massey, The Learning Alliance, June 20004

Added: 28 July 2004
Reviewer's Note:
Assumptions are: If we build it they will come - not so; The kids will take to e-learning like ducks to water - not quite and e-learning will force a change in the way we teach - not by a long shot.

Students surf to class but there's no online deluge

"Once expected to revolutionize higher education as the Internet transformed mass media, online education has disappointed its early enthusiasts but has found a valuable niche serving working adults, educators say." Lisa M Sodders, LA Daily News, 11 July 2004

Added: 12 July 2004
Reviewer's Note:
"Nearly a decade after the Internet became a household fixture, the University of California system does not offer a single online course for undergraduates during the regular school year."

Mixed skies ahead: what happened to e-learning and why?

"To the dismay of many, e-learning's reality never matched its promise-by a long shot. There has been no pedagogical revolution or financial windfall. ... There has been no real burgeoning of distance education-emerging successes have been limited and owe more to their past market triumphs than to new technologies. What happened to e-learning's potential? While all innovations make exaggerated claims, why was the forecast for e-learning so far off the mark?" Change, The Learning Alliance for Higher Education, March/April 2004

Added: 11 July 2004
Reviewer's Note:
This issue of The Landscape sets out to address this question, using research conducted to provide a practical way of estimating e-learning's current and future trajectory

Online course development: what does it cost?

"Does it cost less to design and develop online teaching and learning today than it did a few years ago? Are the categories of cost different today from the past and from what the costs might be in the future? The costs of developing online programs are significant, yet there are few resources to help planners." Judith Boettcher, Syllabus Magazine, July 2004

Added: 2 July 2004
Reviewer's Note:
Here, Judith Boettcher proposes a few guidelines for predicting the costs involved in the design and development of online instruction.

GlobalEducator.com

"Building an extensive collection of peer-reviewed articles and resources for the new breed of Global Educator."

Added: 18 June 2004
Reviewer's Note:
The GlobalEducator vision is to create a community of practice for Global Education professionals.

Proceedings of the Networked Learning Conference 2004

"Networked Learning 2004 Conference Proceedings - a research based conference on networked learning in higher education and lifelong learning. Jointly organised by University of Sheffield and Lancaster University, 5-7 April 2004. Over 100 recent research papers on the theory and practice of networked learning available online."

Added: 9 June 2004
Reviewer's Note:
The Proceedings can also be purchased as a book or a CD-rom - further details on the web site.

When the cows come home: a proven path of professional development for faculty pursuing e-learning

"As higher education continues the rush to embrace technology-delivered learning opportunities, one imperative is to find ways to prepare faculty for what life will be like on the other side of the transformation. Independent of how great a teacher, scholar or researcher an individual may be, he or she needs to have accurate expectations of how roles change, a modicum of technological mastery, and a set of instructional strategies appropriate for the new domain. " Gary W Kidney, THE Journal, June 2004

Added: 8 June 2004
Reviewer's Note:
This article examines the professional development approach followed by the University of Houston System in preparing faculty for the e-learning transformation.

Moving from Face-to-face Tutorials to Synchronous Online Alternatives

Institutional decisions to change elements of instructional delivery from face-to-face modes to technically advanced solutions will necessarily be dogged by the realisation that mistakes can be costly, not only in terms of software and infrastructure, time and human resources, but more importantly in terms of learning outcomes and institutional reputation" Graeme Daniel, 16 May 2004

Added: 18 May 2004
Reviewer's Note:
This edition of WWWTools for Education presents a collection of resources which may be useful to anyone involved in such decision making processes.

Theory and Practice of Online Learning

"Theory and Practice of Online Learning, edited by Terry Anderson and Fathi Elloumi, is concerned with assisting providers of online education with useful tools to carry out the teaching and learning transactions online. It presents, in an easily readable form, the theory, administration, tools, and methods of designing and delivering learning online." Athabasca University, 2004

Added: 24 February 2004
Reviewer's Note:
Available to download as a PDF for free or to purchase from the website

Connectivity in education

"In this issue of WWWTools for Education we explore different sorts of connectivity, its importance in modern educational practice, problems and issues, current situations and future trends." Graeme Daniel, 10 February 2004, wwwtools for teachers

Added: 10 February 2004
Reviewer's Note:
Looks at different types of connectivity with particular emphasis on broadband

A prescriptive study of early trends in implementing e-learning in the UK Higher Education sector

"Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) are widely implemented in the UK Higher Education (HE) sector and many institutions are engaged in implementing e-learning. The drivers for this rapid technological change consist of a combination of persistent external pressures and the enticing prospect of improvements. This paper examines whether the benefits of e-learning have materialised and how this relates to organisational change, policies and strategies. Post-Fordist models of management and prescriptive approaches to implementing technological change provide the theoretical framework. This qualitative investigation focuses on the significance in the implementation process of institutional policies, staff incentives for development, quality control processes, inter-departmental collaboration, the need to re-evaluate teaching methodologies, and the importance of feedback mechanisms. " Nicos Souleles, Cumbria Institute of the Arts, Instructional Technology Forum, February 2004

Added: 31 January 2004
Reviewer's Note:
Quite a lot to digest in this paper and certainly worth a read

e-Learning SeriesSeriesSeriesSeries

"The Generic Centre e-learning guides are the first fully comprehensive guides on e-learning aimed at specific audiences within UK higher education. They address issues that are key to senior managers, teachers, support staff, learning technologists, heads of department and students, but the same message emerges from all: e-learning is learning, providing us with useful tools not only to deliver an enhanced learning and teaching experience, but also to push the boundaries of learning and teaching through creative use of technology." Higher Education Academy

Updated: 4 May 2004
Reviewer's Note:
A useful set of guides on e-learning for HE

What keeps universities from embracing e-learning?

"E-learning can potentially transform education at every level. It can make high-quality educational experiences available to those whose location, economic, and personal constraints have prevented them from pursuing their educational goals. These learners also represent a wider student market for universities and other education establishments. With all of these potential benefits, and a willing and interested market, why has e-learning made so little apparent progress in the education market?" Peter Cheese, Learning & Training Innovations Magazine, 5 November 2003

Added: 7 November 2003
Reviewer's Note:
A hard hitting look at why e-learning has not taken off in universities.

New models for online learning: improving learning and reducing costs

"Every college and university in the United States is discovering exciting new ways of using information technology to enhance the process of teaching and learning and to extend access to new populations of students. For most institutions, however, new technologies represent a black hole of additional expense ... By and large, colleges and universities have not yet begun to realize the promise of technology to improve the quality of student learning and reduce the costs to a minimum." Carol Twigg, Educause Review, September 2003

Added: 13 September 2003
Reviewer's Note:
"All five models treat the course not as a "one-off" but rather as a set of products and services that can be continuously worked on and improved.

Distance education leadership for the new century

"A new role for the professoriate in the new millennium has been recognized and encouraged, especially as technology-assisted instruction has proliferated and changed the way teachers and students interact, as well as the manner in which educational entities must now do business to meet the demands of a digitized society ... Schools and colleges in the new millennium need leaders who have reflected on their experiences and internalized understandings about their own capacity to lead. This should apply no less to those in leadership roles in distance education settings within those institutions. The intended purpose here is to better understand the role and impact of leadership in distance education settings, examine recent research and writing in this area, and identify research lacunae needing further investigation; offer insights and suggestions for "Best Practices" to those involved in, or aspiring to leadership roles; and generate increased interest in the study of distance education leadership." Michael F Beaudoin, University of New England

Added: 3 August 2003
Reviewer's Note:
Summary - "It is essential that veteran as well as emerging leaders be prepared for these new roles"

Carving your slice of the virtual education pie

"Thinking about going virtual? Better bone up on the for-profits to see what you're up against." Rebecca Sausner, University Business

Added: 25 July 2003
Reviewer's Note:
Includes some "tips for virtual success" including this one: "If you can't do it well, don't do it until you can."

Boomers, Gen-Xers & Millenials: Understanding the New Students

"An essential component of facilitating learning is understanding learners. The learning styles, attitudes and approaches of high school students differ from those of eighteen - to twenty-two-year old college students. .. How well do college and univrsity faculty administrators and staff understand these differences? Diana Oblinger, EDUCAUSE Review, July 2003

Added: 11 July 2003
Reviewer's Note:
There is a "disconnect" between what students expect and what they get

Build and teach a successful online course

"Whether you're putting a new twist on your high school math class or developing the perfect training for time-pressed teachers, our experts' tips and techniques will help you get started." Alese Smith and Raymond Rose, techLearning, 15 April 2003

Added: 10 May 2003
Reviewer's Note:
A good summary of the key points to be considered when designing and delivering an online course.

Guidelines for converting existing courses into web-based

"The paper is divided into four parts. The first part makes an introduction to Distance Education (DE) and Web-Based Instruction (WBI) which combines features from both face-to-face classroom instruction and DE. The second part discusses current Instructional Design (ID) models for WBI. In the third part, findings from the literature on converting existing courses into Web-based format are discussed. This part includes information in the following categories: How to start the conversion to the WBI, student and instructor support, design issues, interaction among people, and assessment. In the last part, a model proposing an orderly process for converting courses into Web-Based format will be explained." Hakan Tuzun, (Indiana Universit), ERIC Clearning House on Information & Technology, 25 April 2003

Added: 26 April 2003
Reviewer's Note:
The nice part about this paper is the Proposed Design Model - it provides a model for an "orderly process for converting courses into web-based format".

Six factors to consider when planning online distance learning programs in Higher Education

"The Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW) have made the process of obtaining an education without regard to time or location easier for the student. At the same time, they have provided more challenges for the colleges providing this education. In online distance learning, not only does the instruction occur via a computer system, usually over the Internet, but other educational processes occur via the computer as well. These educational processes are student services, training, and support. The transition to online distance learning, primarily driven by social change, is creating a paradigm shift in the way colleges are viewing teaching and learning (Rogers, 2000). Administrators, faculty, staff, and students realize that in order to successfully implement ODL, their colleges will need to reassess their programs. These six areas are: vision and plans, curriculum, staff training and support, student services, student training and support, and copyright and intellectual property." Suzanne Levy, Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, Spring 2003

Added: 17 April 2003
Reviewer's Note:
"These six areas are: vision and plans, curriculum, staff training and support, student services, student training and support, and copyright and intellectual property."

Teaching in the wireless cloud

"Students with mobile devices are slowly redefining some fundamental campus rules." Bryan Alexander, The Feature, 7 April 2003

Added: 12 April 2003
Reviewer's Note:
"m-learning shifts the educational center of gravity towards students, raising fundamental and practical questions about learning for every instructor and campus."

Is there a future for online ed?

"Just a few years ago, almost every college and university announced that it was going online. But from Fathom and Harcourt Higher Education to Pensare, many noble experiments are finished, and some have asked, "Is anyone making money on online learning?" The implied answer is, "No," and yet, several organizations have demonstrated viability ..." Jack M Wilson, University Business, March003

Added: 3 April 2003
Reviewer's Note:
The conclusion: "The e-learning revolution is not over. It is just entering a more intelligent and less self-indulgent phase."

Five obstacles to technology integration in a liberal arts university

"By 2003 one would think that incorporating new technologies into undergraduate instruction and the regular use of computers in the classroom would be an accepted, widespread practice at a majority of U.S. higher education institutions. However, recent statistics show that this is not the case." Edwina Spodark, THE Journal, March 2003

Added: 22 March 2003
Reviewer's Note:
Identifies the 5 obstacles for integration: lack of vision, lack of leadership, lack of critical mass, lack of incentive and lack of staff participation

Chief Learning Officers for Universities

"Why would a university of all places need a chief learning officer? Isn't that like bringing coals to New Castle? Or disciples to MIT? Are not all or most professors CLOs? But looking more closely, and especially from the inside, there are at least three reasons and benefits." Irving H Buchen, Chief Learning Officer Magazine, January 2003

Added: 16 February 2003
Reviewer's Note:
This might put the cat among the pigeons in some places!

Putting a Faculty Face on Distance Education Programs

"Good distance learning programs can range from well-designed and well-written text to streaming video and accompanying media of various types. But media alone does not offer guidance and personal engagement. A blended or hybrid approach, using faculty facilitators or mentors, adds a human touch to distance learning." William H. Riffee, Syllabus, February 2003

Added: 10 February 2003
Reviewer's Note:
The value of a facilitator in a distance learning course

You've got gym: school offers PE classes online

"It's a self-contained punch line, much like ''jumbo shrimp'' or ``business ethics.' Online physical education. Yet 180 Broward and Miami-Dade county high-school students say they're working on their stamina, strength and flexibility through an Internet class proctored by the state. Besides taking a dozen written quizzes on fitness and nutrition, they submit logs that chronicle their running, stretching and weight lifting." Steve Harrison, The Miami Herald, 5 January 2003

Added: 7 January 2003
Reviewer's Note:
Just shows what can be taught online!

Campus computing looks ahead: tracking the digital puck

"The notion of the "digital puck" as a metaphor for information technology in higher education seems appropriate: Sometimes the puck moves very fast, sometimes slow, and its movement is often erratic. Moreover, there are lots of people and institutions that always seem to be chasing the puck-sometimes going to where the puck was, sometimes trying to anticipate where the puck is going."

Added: 19 December 2002
Reviewer's Note:
Summary - "Taken together, these data and other information from the 2002 Campus Computing Survey reflect a digital puck that is moving in many directions: toward a continuing campus concern for instruction and instructional infrastructure, a new focus on administrative systems, and real pressures on IT budgets."

Five Pillars of Quality Online Education

"A synthesis of research-based insights and comments gathered from papers presented at the recent Alfred P Sloan Foundation's Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C) workshop held in Lake George, NY on September 26-28 2002." By George Lorenzo and Jane Moore, November 2002

Added: 16 November 2002
Reviewer's Note:
An 8-page PDF

The Ethics and Equity of E-Learning in higher education

"Refereed papers arising from the E-Learning, ethics and equity conference, April 2001 held at the Sunshine Convention Centre, Victoria University Melbourne"

Added: 4 November 2002
Reviewer's Note:
An interesting collection of papers (amounting to 94 pages)

The Digital Disconnect

"The widening gap between Internet-savvy students and their schools"

Added: 17 August 2002
Reviewer's Note:
Students are more internet-savvy than their teachers!

A moving target: eLearning vendors take aim in a changing environment

"The online learning product landscape is changing. Products are morphing into new "shapes"; companies are acquiring their competitors to expand functionality; users are finding themselves looking at learning management systems (LMS) that are enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems that are application service providers (ASP) that are community portals... and so on. Faculty who simply want to put courses or course components online have to wade through a host of available choices."

Added 15 August 2002
Reviewer's Note:
A summary of common terms and some names of vendors (primarily in the academic e-learning space)

Point, click, think

"As Students Rely on the Internet for Research, Teachers Try to Warn of the Web's Snares" Laura Sessions Step, Washington Post, 19 July 2002

Added: 26 July 2002
Reviewer's Note:
Students and the new world of "Net thinking"

More than digital content: Long live your course

Jack Wilson "eflects on the nature of digital content in relation to the policies and practices that are still evolving within higher education". Syllabus Magazine, May 2002

Added: 11 May 2002
Reviewer's Note:
"Defining intellectual property rights and sorting out digital content management issues will undoubtedly be a long and tedious process, but attention to the underlying principles may help us through"

Nebraska researchers measure the extent of "link rot" in distance education

"Anyone who has surfed the Web knows the frustration caused by hyperlinks to Web pages that have moved or ceased to exist. For apparently the first time, two researchers at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln have measured the impact of this "link rot" on online education -- and it's not pretty." Vincent Kiernan, Chronicle of Higher Education, 10 April 2002

Added: 13 April 2002
Reviewer's Note:
You can view a summary of the research online

Hearts, minds and screens: taming the future

"We have reached a state of flux as the 21st Century gathers speed. Many futurists write about four key discontinuities that we will experience in this Century. They are time and space, mind and body, real and virtual and humans and technologies . Their influence on educational institutions is still incalculable but there is a serious shake-up going on!" Gilly Salmon, Open University, Keynote speech, EduCAT Summit: Innovation in e-Education, New Zealand, 3 April

Added: 1 April 2002
Reviewer's Note:
Gilly creates her own classification of learning scenarios: contenteous, instantia, nomadict and cafelattia

'Hybrid' Teaching Seeks to End the Divide Between Traditional and Online Instruction

"By blending approaches, colleges hope to save money and meet students' needs." Jeffrey R Young, Chronicle of Higher Education, March 2002

Added: 20 March 2002
Reviewer's Note:
A discussion on the value of hybrid/blended leaning

Evaluation of web-based flexible learning

"The focus of this report is on the nature of the uptake of web-based technologies and the quality of teaching and learning that is emerging. The report provides an overview of selected online vocational education and training delivery sites and explores a model for evaluating web-based flexible learning practices." Charlie McKavanagh, Clive Kanes, Fred Bevan, Allan Cunningham, Sarojni Choy, NCVER, 2002

Added:15 March 2002
Reviewer's Note:
Australian focus but results valid for all

Online teaching in an online world

"This report addresses the use of the Internet by postsecondary instructors. .. The objective of the report was to look at common obstacles, supports and experiences as well as the tools used among early adopters of the Web as a teaching resource." PuiblicationShare.com

Added: 15 March 2002
Reviewer's Note:
80 useful pages of information about what others are doing.

Improving learning and reducing costs: redesigning large-enrollment courses

"In higher education we traditionally have assumed that high quality means low student-faculty ratios and that large lecture/presentation techniques are the only low-cost alternatives available to us. New models are emerging, however, that show that it is possible to improve learning while simultaneously reducing the cost of instruction. We can indeed have our cake and eat it too." Carol Twigg. The Pew Learning and Technology Program 1999

Added: 23 February 2002
Reviewer's Note:
Another interesting monograph from the The Pew Learning and Technology Program - available both in HTML and PDF formats.

Rethinking learning in the digital age

"Mitchel Resnick of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab emphasizes the need for radically different learning systems that tap into the potential that computers, in particular, offer. Drawing upon his experiences with the Computer Clubhouse and other projects, Resnick shows how computer-enhanced learning can create meaningful change in the lives of children, and points to the importance of the underlying philosophy of learning as key to instituting reform." Centre for International Development, Harvard University

Added: 22 February 2002
Reviewer's Note:
Chapter 2 of The Global Information Technology Report 2001-2002: Readiness for the Networked World

Using technology to enhance the classroom environment

"Much is being written about the use of technology as a teaching and learning tool. However, much of the focus is on distance learning. This article deals with another aspect of this topic, namely, the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning in a classroom environment. While my experience stems from teaching mathematics at the undergraduate level, the approaches described can be utilized in the teaching of other subjects as well." Lawrence E Levine, THE Journal, January 2002

Added: 20 January 2002
Reviewer's Note:
How to integrate the technology in a classroom course

Innovations in online learning: moving beyond no significant difference

"During the early 1990s, many of those interested in the impact of information technology liked to talk about "paradigm shifts." Despite its attainment of cliché status, the concept of a paradigm shift is a powerful one. Most who were once skeptical of the impact of the Internet on the ways we do business in all facets of society now recognize that our paradigms are, in fact, shifting." Carol A Twigg, Pew Learning and Technology Program, Center for Academic Transformation, Rensselaer, 2001

Added: 7 January 2002
Reviewer's Note:
A very interesting report with some links to some innovative programs. Also available as a PDF file.

An introduction to learning technology within tertiary education in the UK

"This introduction to learning technology has been written primarily for new members of the Association for Learning Technology who are also new to the field. It attempts to reflect the diverse range of interests, specialities and disciplines that members of the Association have." Edited by Jane Searle and Merce Rius-Rius, 2002

Added: 3 January 2002
Reviewer's Note:
Sections include The Learning Technology Community, Learning Technology Tools, Key issues and developments in the learning technology field

New Tools for Teaching

"Kind readers who come to this site should be aware that it is a curio. It retains surprising value in some basic ways, but it is also a dinosaur in Internet time. It went on-line in November 1994, about a month after the first version of Netscape was released, and embodied both a vision and a pragmatics of using technology with teaching that seemed revolutionary and invigorating at the time." James O'Donnell. University of Pennsylvania. (1994, updated 1996 and 2001)

Updated 28 December 2001
Reviewer's Note:
One of the first resources that appeared on the web to advocate its use in teaching and learning, and stillvery popular.

Leading change: creating the future for education technology

"In response to the incremental pace of technological change in higher education, Dale Lick lays out a proposal for future leadership of change creation and education transformation." Syllabus Magazine, December 2001

Added: 21 December 2001
Reviewer's Note:
Article argues that we need to recognize that if higher education is to succeed and thrive, it must re-create itself appropriately, using new technologies.

Re-envisioning the PhD

"Coming together to re-envision the Ph.D. to meet the societal needs of the 21st century." University of Washington, Seattle, USA

Added: 20 December 2001
Reviewer's Note:
Project funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts

Reinventing undergraduate education

A blueprint for America's research universities. Produced by The Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University, June 2001

Added: 22 November 2001
Reviewer's Note:
An interesting document for all universities in all countries to view

Changing the interface of education with revolutionary learning technologies

"Technologies such as streaming video, virtual learning environments, and teleoperated experiments are entering the Web-based learning arena. Along with the development of a second-generation online education infrastructure, it will be necessary to consider changing the interface of education-reinventing pedagogy for the new interface, including multimedia and hypermedia enhancements, and creating the educational standards necessary for generalized deployment. Here, Nishikant Sonwalkar provides an overview of key issues that we hope will spark a discussion among the various stakeholders in the development of online learning systems."

Added 10 November 2001
Reviewer's Note:
Nishikan says "As our roles evolve from "sage on the stage" to "guide on the side," this shift will be evident in the modes of technology that support the educational interface"

2 scholars debate the future of online distance education

"Is online education a godsend to busy professionals who cannot otherwise take college courses, or is it a low-quality option that should be avoided? The Chronicle asked a distance-education administrator to face off with a prominent critic of educational technology to debate the question "What is the appropriate role of online education?"

Added: 10 November 2001
Reviewer's Note:
Listen to the full recording of the debate (30 minutes) or particular highlights

MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) Information Site

"At a press conference on April 4, 2001, MIT announced its commitment to make the materials from virtually all of its courses freely available on the World Wide Web for non-commercial use. This new initiative, called MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW), reflects MIT's institutional commitment to disseminate knowledge across the globe. We see OCW as providing a way to share our thinking about the content of a modern curriculum in all the areas in which MIT excels."

Added: 11 November 2001
Reviewer's Note:
This page provides updates on the progress of the OCW initiative

In defense of cheating

"No, I am not in favor of deception, trickery, fraud, or swindle. What I wish to change are the curriculum and examination practices of our school systems that insist on unaided work, arbitrary learning of irrelevant and uninteresting facts. I'd like to move them toward an emphasis on understanding, on knowing how to get to an answer rather than knowing the answer, and on cooperation rather than isolation. Cheating that involves deceit is, of course wrong, but we should examine the school practices that lead to cheating: change the practices, and the deceit will naturally diminish." Donald A Norman

Added: 23 October 2001
Reviewer's Note:
As we encourage collaborative working we must review our policies on copying and working together

On the edge with PDAs Internet2 and Robotics

"Higher Education is rapidly changing with wireless technology, digital imaging devices, and increased use of Web-based instruction for distance learning. A brief look beyond at some unusual technologies influencing how schools learn." John Fleischman, Converge Magazine, October 2001

Added: 4 October 2001
Reviewer's Note:
The future is now

Brave new world for Higher Education

"In April 2001, MIT president Charles M. Vest announced that the Institute would bring the "open-source" software sensibility to higher education and offer-for free!-its curricula and courseware to the world via the Web. This "OpenCourseWare" initiative represents a radically different approach to digitizing, marketing and globalizing education." Michael Shrage, Technology Review, October 2001

Added: 3 October 2001
Reviewer's Note:
More about the OpenCourseWare project

Wired colleges block in-class Net browsing

"Two colleges on the cutting edge of Internet technology are now pioneering solutions to a rapidly growing problem: students who pay more attention to their computers than to their professors." USA Today, 25 September 2001

Added: 28 September 2001
Reviewer's Note:
Do you always want your students to have free access to the Internet in a classroom?

Higher education in the digital age: planning for an uncertain future

"The nearly exponential growth of information, coupled with the ability to exchange it more rapidly among more people than ever before, is creating a new environment for education, in which the university may have to negotiate its standing as the de facto source of scholarly knowledge." Diane Harley, Syllabus Magazine, September 2001

Added: 24 September 2001
Reviewer's Note:
This article concludes: "Successful models will provide a flexible mixed or hybrid mode (varying proportions of online and face-to-face methods) for teaching and learning."

Internet and Education

"The Internet has become an increasingly important feature of the learning environment for teenagers. Research by the Pew Internet & American Life Project shows that teens use the Internet as an essential study aid outside the classroom and that the Internet increasingly has a place inside the classroom." Findings of the Pew Internet and American Life Project

Added: 20 September 2001
Reviewer's Note:
Available as a pdf file to download or can be read online

Taking classes to the masses

"Big-name universities like Columbia jumped into the online race fearing to be left behind; now many are slowing down." O'Shea, Washington Post, 16 September, 2001

Added: 17 September 2001
Reviewer's Note:
"Taking classes to the masses, apparently, is going to take a lot longer than anticipated"

Knowledge as commodity

"Current e-learning competition in higher education requires comprehensive planning that allows for flexibility, modularization, and opportunities to generate revenue as well as make a profit. This means that e-learning should be viewed as a business opportunity and venture, not just as an exercise in pedagogy. In this respect, e-learning becomes the e-commerce extension of an existing academic model." Evan T Robinson, e-learning magazine, September 2001

Added: 5 September 2001
Reviewer's Note:
This article concludes that it is not an argument about changing the "old ways" of higher education should be abandoned or changed but that "new ways" should be considered.

The revolution that wasn't

"New research shows how wild-eyed hopes for internet learning haven't quite lived up to their expectations" Joe Plomin, Guardian, 22 June 2001

Added: 22 August 2001
Reviewer's Note:
Re-examine how you are using the Internet in education

Degrees 'R' us

"No diploma, no problem. Online diploma mills will give "cum laude" parchments to anyone, giving new meaning to a BS." Arnie Cooper, Context Magazine

Added: 20 August 2001
Reviewer's Note:
Is online learning devaluing education?

Internet teaching and the administration of knowledge

"In keeping with the era, I track the shape of the argument around a critical vocabulary of five words. These terms push the keypads of the time: crisis, teaching, management, flexibility and literacy. The critical inflection of this discussion is not meant to discount or demean Internet-based education. Instead, I problematise and theorise the justifications of Web-inflected learning, suggesting that teachers may be major losers in the - cliched - virtual university" Tara Brabazon, first monday, June 2001

Added: 18 July 2001
Reviewer's Note:
a thought provoking article

The work of education in the age of the e-college

"This paper provides a broad overview of some models of online education that have been developed by commercial and academic institutions. It examines some of the rhetorical strategies that have been used to talk about online education by commercial groups, and discusses some of the hopes and fears that have been associated with online instruction by academics, administrators, and businesspeople." Chris Werry, first monday, May 2001

Added: 28 June 2001
Reviewer's Note:
quite a wide ranging look at the effect of commercialisation of education on education itself

The spirit of invention: Edging our way to 21st century teaching

"Here, Judith Boettcher takes a look at the dynamics of technological change in education and its meaning for the future of 21st century teaching." Syllabus Magazine, June 2001.

Added: June 2001
Reviewer's Note:

E-Learning crossfire

"Randy Accetta, Ph.D., of Magellan University, an Arizona online university, and Yoram Jerry Wind, Ph.D., of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, debate the pros and cons of university E-learning." Sandra Swanson, Information Week, February 2001

Added: June 2001
Reviewer's Note:

Virtual Training Suite

"The Virtual Training Suite is a set of online tutorials designed to help students, lecturers and researchers improve their Internet information skills. The tutorials offer self-directed learning, take around an hour each to complete, and include quizzes and interactive exercises to lighten the learning experience"

Added: May 2001
Reviewer's Note:

E-Learning: an introductory bibliographical guide

"If you are considering establishing an online philosophical or religious studies' related course, either now or in the future, then the suggested links presented here might inform your strategy." LTSN, Philosophical and Religious Studies Subject Centre

Added: April 2001
Reviewer's Note:

The power of the internet for learning: moving from promise to practice

Report of the Web-based Education Commission to the President and Congress of the United States. Pdf and text based files available. January 2001.

Added: February 2001
Reviewer's Note:

Book of Talent

The Book consists of 4 chapters: Booklets 1&2: Changing your Institution; Booklets 3&4: Learning and Teaching on the Web. Also available in pdf format

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Creating powerful online courses using multiple instructional strategies

"Instructional strategies are tools available to educators for designing and facilitate learning." Tina Joy Pitt and Anne Clark, University of Colorado-Denver. (1997) Teaching in the Community Colleges Online Conference.

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Digital Diploma Mills: The automation of Higher Education

"This paper argues that the trend towards automation of higher education as implemented in North American universities today is a battle between students and professors on one side, and university administrations and companies with "educational products" to sell on the other." (1998) David F. Noble in First Monday.

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Education with New Technologies: Networked Learning Community

Designed to help educators develop, enact and assess effective ways of using new technologies. Harvard University

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

E-Learning: Education Business Transform Schooling

"Commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education following the Forum on Technology in Education: Envisioning the Future, the purpose of this paper is to provide an introduction to "e-learning" and explore the unique role played by the new breed of entrepreneurial Internet businesses making this kind of education possible. In so doing, the paper suggests that the private sector can play an important and valuable role in bringing new levels of innovation, as well as significant capital resources, to the education community" Eduventures.com

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Some principles of educational reconstruction

"In the UK, in 1999 something is about to happen that seemed impossible 25 years ago. We are about to enter the next century with the same basic learning system with which we entered this century." Professor Roland Meighan, 21st Century Learning Initiative

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Effective Use of the Web for Education: Design Principles& Pedagogy

"This workshop explores the Web as used in education, with the goal of identifying elements and contexts that promote its effective use." (1998) Rick Ells, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:
Anything produced by Rick Ells is well worth reading. Last modified: 1998

Embracing web learning: faculty guide for moving courses to the web

A web-based presentation from CREN by Judith V Boettcher, June 1999.

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Emerging technologies and Distributed Learning in Higher Education

"This chapter depicts visions of how sophisticated information technologies may influence the nature of higher education over the next couple decades." Chris Dede, George Mason University, 2000. In D. Hanna (Ed.), Higher Education in an Era of Digital Competition: Choices and Challenges. New York: Atwood.

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Experiences and best practice in the use of learning technology: A personal view

"Alan Sangster has been using LT in his teaching for many years and in this chapter he presents his views on the practical issues that arise from its use and how LT might best be used within the curriculum." (1997) One of a series of Publications from the LTDI (Learning Technology Dissemination Initiative) based at Herriot Watt University.

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Extending the classroom walls electronically

"This chapter isn't about increased productivity, or the fears that we will all be replaced by machines, or any of the Really Big Issues, but about how electronic communication has the potential to help us extend and enhance the conversation that goes on within the classroom." (1997) Tom Creed, St John's University.

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Models of online courses

"The mystification surrounding the term "online course" arises because it is used indiscriminately to apply to nearly any course which makes even a passing use of the Internet, as well as to those where every aspect of the course is only accessible electronically. Of course categories are invidious to many who immediately cite applications which do not fit easily into the framework. Nevertheless, I think it is useful to begin to define the online educational world if only for others to redefine for themselves." Robin Mason. Institute of Educational Technology, Open University. ALN Magazine Volume 2, Issue 2 - October 1998.

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Net Learning: Strategies for On-Campus and Off-Campus Network-enabled learning

"This paper examines the field of Asynchronous Learning Networks (ALN), also known as Net-learning or anywhere-anytime learning. Commencing with definitions, examples of current practice and an accounting of types of schools and faculty that are engaged in ALN, the essay then examines the role of faculty in an ALN-world and considers which strategies are suitable for different types of institutions." John R. Bourne, Vanderbilt University. The ALN Web Group.JALN Volume 2, Issue 2 - September 98

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Online Teaching: Tools and Products

"The aim of this report is simple. In an age where the use of Computers and Information Technology is almost regarded as essential to every daily activity, academics are coming under increasing pressure ... to adapt their teaching to accommodate the new technologies. This report focuses on a single, but arguably the most important area - the Internet. We will look at the various ways the Internet is being used for teaching, and at projects under development at the moment." Stuart D. Lee, Susan Armitage, Paul Groves, and Chris Stephens, Report commissioned by the JISC Technology Applications Programme, 1999

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Profiles in Using the Web for College Courses

"All or nothing or something in between." (1997) Elizabeth Boling, Indiana University.

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Students as Designers and Teachers of their courses via computer- mediated communication

"Typically the professor's responsibility is to design, develop, research, and teach courses. However, in computer-mediated communication (CMC) learning environments, the focus tends to change. In courses offered via CMC, the role of the professor tends to shift from that of the sole dispenser of information to that of a facilitator and resource for learning activities." Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, Houston Texas, 13 February 1999.

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Teaching and Learning Styles that Facilitate Online Learning: Pedagogical issues emerging from this project

"About 80 VET practitioners have had input into this project. Sources of data collection have included an online survey, three Webforums and more detailed interviews with identified leaders in the field." Dept of Education, Training and Employment. (1998)

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Teaching in the switched on classroom: an introduction to electronic education and hypercourseware

"This book is about the technological revolution in our classrooms and beyond. It is not just about computers and applications, but about the whole new environment. You will find out about why the electronic revolution is both compelling and inevitable; how to structure education in the new media; what is involved in electronic interactivity between students, teachers, and material; and how to make it happen!" Kent L Norman, Department of Psychology and the Human/Computer Interaction Laboratory, University of Maryland. 1997

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

The social dimension of asynchronous learning networks

"This paper argues that the social dimension is important to effectiveness of Asynchronous Learning Networks (ALNs) and needs to be taken into account in the design of courses." Rupert Wegerif, The Open University. JALN Volume 2, Issue 1 - March 98

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Using the web for interactive teaching and learning

"This whitepaper is aimed at conveying to educators the issues surrounding the uses of technology for improving learning outcomes. The paper reviews key trends in learning theories, research on learning styles and usages of computer aided instruction, and guidance on best practices for online and distance learning implementations." (1999) Macromedia

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:
This is a zip file to download

Ways to incorporate the Web into your teaching

Online Notes for HTML for this Instructional Technology course. (1998). Innovative Technologies Collaborative, University of Tennessee.

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

Webagogy

"Webagogy is the art, craft, and science of using networked technologies, including the World Wide Web and email, to support teaching and learning." Produced by Rick Ells at Washington University, Seattle, Washington, USA.

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:
Anything produced by Rick Ells is well worth reading.