What Makes e-Learning Successful by Kaylin Bowers

Research Questions and Goals

kaylinbowers — 2015-07-06 05:13:12 UTC

What makes e-Learning successful? Based on a case study of programs within a higher educational institution on the UK, the author looks at what factors make e-learning successful. The author, Coverdale-Jones, gives background on how e-learning initiatives were implemented, steps taken to promote it's success, and defined what criteria were agreed upon to measure the level of success. Succes is defined by increased use and improved acceptance by faculty (Coverdale-Jones, 2012, p.120).

Paradigm

kaylinbowers — 2015-07-06 05:15:22 UTC

The paradigm that best fits this author's research is primarily that of a constructivist perspective. According to Lincoln, Yvonna, Lynham & Guba (2011), "The meaning-making activities themselves are of central interest to social constructionists and constructivists simply because it is the meaning-making, sense-making, attributional activities that shape action (or inaction)” (p.116). The key interest of the research done is based on the success of a program, which is more abstract and dependent on the compatibility of the users with the e-learning programs. However, I felt these activities were overly explained, and detract from the actual results of Coverdale-Jones's research.

Epistemology

kaylinbowers — 2015-07-06 05:19:08 UTC

There are a number of assumptions made in the research, and in how it is approached. First, the assumptions of the participants are considered in addition to those doing the research, and affect how the research is approached. Some of those assumptions, which frame Coverdale-Jones' research include:

- Technology is part of the globalized economy and therefore needs to be included in higher education.

- The social construction of learning validates the e-learning approach taken at this UK Institution, which is consistent with a constructivist paradigm. "The majority of university managers and academics are convinced of the validity of the e-learning approach based on the social construction of learning mooted by Lev Vygotsky (1978)..." (Coverdale-Jones, 2012, p.112).

- Students, especially younger ones, are considered "digital natives" and already know how to use technology for a variety of purposes (Coverdale-Jones, 2012, p.112).

Ontology

kaylinbowers — 2015-07-06 05:27:36 UTC

Technology is accepted as a necessity, especially in a global economy (p.111).

The study was very localized and dependent on individual perceptions of the program and its validity. Even though the successfulness of the program was measured based on increased use, there were many options available for faculty to utilize, which created even more localized realities for those participating in e-learning initiatives.

Methods

kaylinbowers — 2015-07-06 05:29:51 UTC

A more modern university in England was chosen for the case study. Audits of the units in two schools provided the basis for the case study. Measurability was based on increased access and improved acceptance. Although not much detail was given regarding the improved acceptance, by lack of negative response, acceptance was assumed.

Methodology

kaylinbowers — 2015-07-06 05:30:45 UTC

Although the aim of the programs are to help students learn, the research that was conducted mostly focuses on the faculty and their use and acceptance of e-learning, rather than the students' perspective on what was offered. If faculty are not using what is available in their courses, the success of such programs cannot be evaluated. Therefore the main focus of the research was not only localized to a specific case study, but had high faculty involvement. Because the research was based on the successfulness of these programs, a background had to be established on what the e-learning programs actually entailed and the steps the institution took in order to gain faculty support. Without this foundation or explaining aspects of e-learning that was adopted, the successfulness of the program loses its value. The program itself used a "push-pull" strategy in order to implement and encourage faculty to use the programs available, created new positions such as e-learning coordinators, looked at the departmental preferences to posting materials, and stages of how online activity was monitored in order to measure success (Coverdale-Jones, 2012). Understanding these aspects of the program and its implementation is important in identifying the factors that led to success.

References

kaylinbowers — 2015-07-06 09:29:10 UTC

Coverdale-Jones, Tricia. 2012. "Success Factors in the Implementation of eLearning in a UK Institution: The Case of One Faculty," in Rebecca Clothey, Stacy Austin-Li and John Weidman, Eds. Post-Secondary Education and Technology: A Global Perspective on Opportunities and Obstacles to Development. New York: Palgrave MacMillan.

Lincoln, Yvonna, Susan Lynham and Egon Guba. 2011. "Paradigmatic Controversies, Contradictions, and Emerging Confluences, Revisited," in Denzin and Lincoln, Eds. The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research. London: Sage

Morrison, M. (2007). What do we mean by educational research?’ In M. Coleman & A. Briggs, Eds. Research Methods in Educational Leadership and Management. London, England: Paul Chapman Publishing.

By Kaylin Bowes

kaylinbowers — 2015-07-06 09:39:04 UTC

EDGI 508 week 2 assignment