Assessment of the Effectiveness of the CAD eLearning certificate

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Assessment of the Effectiveness of the CAD
eLearning certificate

• Daniela Giannini-Gachago, Ann Munene,
• Marilyn Lee, Spoon Mafote
• Centre for Academic Development,
• University of Botswana

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eLearning at UB

• Introduced in 2002
• Definition appropriate organisation of ICTs for
  advancing student-oriented, active, open and
  life-long teaching-learning processes
• Focus on blended learning approach
• Use of WebCT CE4.0 (upgrade to CE6.0 planned for
  July 2007)
• By May 2006 446 courses, 146 designers (18 of
  UB staff), 13000 students in last semester
• Lecturers are trained by eLearning support team

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UB eLearning community
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The CAD eLearning certificate

• Introduced in 2003
• To train academic staff embarking on eLearning
• Focus on technical and pedagogical skills
• 4 Areas eLearning, Information and Computer
  skills, Multimedia Production and WebCT
• Offered mainly as half day WS on monthly basis
• Completion by attendance and application
  (evidence of application in TL)
• By May 2006 208 WS, 680 participants, 66
  certificates

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(No Transcript)
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Awarding the certificate
Acting Director CAD Marilyn Lee awards
certificates during eLearning launch
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Purpose of study

• First evaluation of certificate in 2004
• Results 23 completed certificates, but only 7
  (30) had online courses
• Immediate action include evidence of application
  in completion requirements
• Request for a more detailed study to investigate
  usefulness and effectiveness of individual
  workshops and certificate in preparing lecturers
  for eLearning

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Literature review

• South Africa examples of innovative staff
  development in eLearning Durban Institute of
  Technology (Online Pioneers), University of Cape
  Town (multifaceted staff development programme),
  Tshwane University (Partners_at_Work)
• Common elements structured programme,
  combination of skill workshops with online
  learning, collaboration / development of COP,
  peer support and mentoring, research,
  accreditation / recognition of prior learning

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Research methodology

• Quantitative and qualitative
• Workshop evaluation questionnaire (771)
• eLearning certificate effectiveness questionnaire
  (82)
• SPSS v12.0 for quantitative data
• Content analysis for qualitative data (open ended
  questions) in questionnaires to confirm/explain
  findings of quantitative data

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Findings

1. What are the reasons staff attend the eLearning
   Certificate?
2. Do participants apply knowledge and skills of the
   eLearning Certificate workshops? If yes, which
   skills? If no, why not?
3. Is the way the Certificate is currently offered
   conducive to change lecturers way of teaching
   and learning to reach EduTechs goal to make
   Teaching and Learning more learner-centred,
   collaborative, active and lifelong?

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Q1 Reasons to attend workshops

• On average 1-4 workshops attended
• 15.9 of respondents completed the certificate
• Predominant reasons to attend
• Acquire technological skills (95.1)
• Use eLearning for teaching (87.7)
• Wish to obtain certificate (63.4)
• General interest (59.8)

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Q2 Application

• Top 5 workshops (only 1 eLearning related!)
• Principles of Course Design,
• MS PowerPoint,
• Introduction to eLearning
• Management Information Techniques
• Online Information Gathering
• Skills applied yes (74.4), mainly use of MS
  PowerPoint, search engines, information
  management
• Only 17.4 had put course online

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Q2 ctd.

• Reasons for not putting skills and knowledge in
  practice (23.2)
• Time constraints
• Preference for traditional teaching/learning
  methods
• Limited facilities at faculty level
• Limited accessibility to computers and the
  Internet for students

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Q3 Change of TL?

• Main reason for attending workshops is
  acquisition of technical skills
• Favorite workshop however is Course Design
  (focusing on innovative teaching and learning
  methods)
• But application mainly centers around technical
  skills (e.g. PowerPoint, Information Gathering
  and Management)

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Discussion

• Workshops successful, well attended and perceived
  as useful
• Big gap between attendance and application,
  especially where eLearning and the use of
  innovative teaching and learning methods are
  concerned
• But definition of eLearning at UB is very wide
  (encompasses all use of ICTs in TL)
• Therefore high demand for basic IT related topics
  understandable and part of EduTechs mandate
• But current format not conducive for eLearning
  application in stricter sense (development of
  online course in learner-centred way)

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Recommendations

• Phase out current certificate
• Move basic ICT skills workshops to IT Training
  Unit
• Redesign eLearning certificate
• Concentrate on eLearning core workshops
• Stricter structure (beginning and end, sequence
  of workshops)
• Provide combination of workshops and online
  course (experience as online learner)
• Parallel development of online course (immediate
  application)
• Promotion of Community of Practice (COP)
• Mentoring
• Biggest challenge loss of flexibility, but
  outweighed by impact of new certificate on
  participants teaching and learning

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Ref. Staff Development in SA

• Cox, G. Carr, T. (2006). A multi-faceted staff
  development approach to integrating technology
  into University courses. 1st International
  Conference on ICT for Development, Education and
  Training, UNCC, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Book of
  Abstracts, pp32-36. ICWE Berlin, Germany.
• Peté, M Fregona, C. (2004). Sustaining online
  learning during times of change through a
  multi-disciplinary community of practice.
  Conference proceeding of Ed Media 2001 World
  Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia
  Telecommunications. Association for the
  Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).
  Norfolk, VA USA. Retrieved 13th of June 2006 from
  http//emerge2004.net/connect/site/UploadWSC/emerg
  e2004/file73/PeteEdMedia2004.pdf
• Tshwane University (n.d.). Information about the
  Partners_at_Work Programme. Retrieved June 29, 2006,
  from http//www.tut.ac.za/tut_web/index.php?struc
  2914

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Contacts

• Daniela Giannini-Gachago, Manager, Educational
  Technology Unit, CAD, University of Botswana
  giannini_at_mopipi.ub.bw
• Ann Munene, Research Assistant, angima_at_yahoo.com
• Marilyn Lee, Associate Professor, Nursing, School
  of Nursing, Howard College Campus, University of
  KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa,
  Leem_at_ukzn.ac.za
• Spoon Mafote, Online Media Developer, Educational
  Technology Unit, CAD, University of Botswana,
  mafote_at_mopipi.ub.bw