Critical Issues Affecting the Engagement by Staff in Professional Development for E-Learning: Findings from a Research Project within the Context of a National Tertiary Education Sector
This paper focuses on issues of engagement by staff in professional development related to the delivery of e-learning. The paper reports on findings drawn from a New Zealand research project which is producing a sector-wide framework for professional development in tertiary e-learning. The research findings indicate that staff engaged in e-learning in tertiary institutions is not making the most effective use of the professional development opportunities available to them; rather they seem to gain their knowledge and support from a variety of informal means. This is despite an emphasis on the provision of professional development opportunities by both Government Policies and Institutions themselves. The conclusion drawn from the findings is that institutional approaches to professional development for e-learning do not yet fully reflect the demands and constraints that working in a digital context impose.
[1] R. Donelly & K.O-Rourke. ÔÇÿWhat now? Evaluating elearning CPD
practice in Irish third-level education". In Journal for Further and
Higher Education, 31 (1), February, 2007, pp. 31 - 40. Downloaded
from EBSCOHost, February, 2008.
[2] Survey Monkey.com Retrieved from; http://www.surveymonkey.com/ ,
April, 2007.
[3] Ministry of Education. ICT Strategic Framework for Education 2006 -
2007. Wellington, Ministry of Education, 2006.
[4] Ministry of Education. Tertiary e-Learning Research Fund. Retrieved
29 January, 2008 from
http://cms.steo.govt.nz/eLearning/Projects/Tertiary+eLearning+Researc
h+Fund.htm
[5] Ministry of Education. Taking the Next Step: The Interim Tertiary e-
Learning Framework. Wellington, Ministry of Education, 2004
(URL: http://cms.steo.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/17D7A181-CD49-4D18-
B84E-EE0D57149BC5/0/InterimTertiaryeLearningFrameworkweb.pdf)
[6] B. Hegarty & M. Penman "Approaches and implications of eLearning
Adoption in Relation to Academic Staff Efficacy and Working
Practice": Final Report, 2005. Retrieved 29 January, 2008 from
http://cms.steo.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/8C221A73-CF28-4CC9-83E8-
B8FD7D9C1164/0/ALETfinalReport251006.pdf
[7] S. Marshall. "Determination of New Zealand Tertiary Institution ELearning
Capability: An Application of an E-Learning Maturity Model:
Report on the E-Learning Maturity Model Evaluation of the New
Zealand Tertiary Sector". Report to the New Zealand Ministry of
Education, 2005, 132pp.
Retrieved September 1, 2007, from
http://www.utdc.vuw.ac.nz/research/emm/documents/SectorReport.pdf
[8] A.Rothwell & J.Arnold. "How HR Professionals rate ÔÇÿcontinuing
professional development-." in Human Resource Management Journal
15 (3), 2005, pp.18 - 32.
[9] R. Zemsky & W. Massey. "Thwarted innovation: what happened to
elearning and why. West Chester, The Learning Alliance at the
University of Pennsylvania, 2004.
[10] T. Prebble, H. Hargraves, L. Leach, K. Naidoo, G. Suddaby and N.
Zepke. "Impact of Student Support Services and Academic
Development Programmes on Student Outcomes in Undergraduate
Tertiary Study: A Synthesis of the Research" Wellington, New
Zealand: Ministry of Education, 2004.
[11] S. Butterfield. (Ed) (2002). Highways and Pathways: The Report of the
E-Learning Advisory Group. URL:
http://cms.steo.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/3B455FA8-586B-447B-A239-
75C523841021/0/highwaysandpathways.pdf), retrieved January 20,
2008.
[12] M.Tolich & C.Davidson. "Starting Fieldwork: An introduction to
qualitative research in New Zealand". Auckland: Oxford University
press, 1999.
[13] R. Swartz & W.Bryan. "What is Professional development" in New
Directions for Student Services, 84, Winter, Jossey-Bass Publishers,
San Francisco, 1998.
[14] I.Cook & M.Crang. "Doing Ethnographies". Norwich: Environmental
Publications, 1995.
[15] A.Sayer. "Method in Social Science: A realist approach". 2nd edition.
London, New York: Routledge, 1992.
[16] A.Sayer. Method in Social Science: A realist approach. 1st Edition.
London: Hutchinson, 1984.
[17] R.Harre-. "Social Being". Oxford: Blackwell, 1979.
[18] C.Geertz. "The Interpretation of Cultures". New York: Basic Books,
1973.
[1] R. Donelly & K.O-Rourke. ÔÇÿWhat now? Evaluating elearning CPD
practice in Irish third-level education". In Journal for Further and
Higher Education, 31 (1), February, 2007, pp. 31 - 40. Downloaded
from EBSCOHost, February, 2008.
[2] Survey Monkey.com Retrieved from; http://www.surveymonkey.com/ ,
April, 2007.
[3] Ministry of Education. ICT Strategic Framework for Education 2006 -
2007. Wellington, Ministry of Education, 2006.
[4] Ministry of Education. Tertiary e-Learning Research Fund. Retrieved
29 January, 2008 from
http://cms.steo.govt.nz/eLearning/Projects/Tertiary+eLearning+Researc
h+Fund.htm
[5] Ministry of Education. Taking the Next Step: The Interim Tertiary e-
Learning Framework. Wellington, Ministry of Education, 2004
(URL: http://cms.steo.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/17D7A181-CD49-4D18-
B84E-EE0D57149BC5/0/InterimTertiaryeLearningFrameworkweb.pdf)
[6] B. Hegarty & M. Penman "Approaches and implications of eLearning
Adoption in Relation to Academic Staff Efficacy and Working
Practice": Final Report, 2005. Retrieved 29 January, 2008 from
http://cms.steo.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/8C221A73-CF28-4CC9-83E8-
B8FD7D9C1164/0/ALETfinalReport251006.pdf
[7] S. Marshall. "Determination of New Zealand Tertiary Institution ELearning
Capability: An Application of an E-Learning Maturity Model:
Report on the E-Learning Maturity Model Evaluation of the New
Zealand Tertiary Sector". Report to the New Zealand Ministry of
Education, 2005, 132pp.
Retrieved September 1, 2007, from
http://www.utdc.vuw.ac.nz/research/emm/documents/SectorReport.pdf
[8] A.Rothwell & J.Arnold. "How HR Professionals rate ÔÇÿcontinuing
professional development-." in Human Resource Management Journal
15 (3), 2005, pp.18 - 32.
[9] R. Zemsky & W. Massey. "Thwarted innovation: what happened to
elearning and why. West Chester, The Learning Alliance at the
University of Pennsylvania, 2004.
[10] T. Prebble, H. Hargraves, L. Leach, K. Naidoo, G. Suddaby and N.
Zepke. "Impact of Student Support Services and Academic
Development Programmes on Student Outcomes in Undergraduate
Tertiary Study: A Synthesis of the Research" Wellington, New
Zealand: Ministry of Education, 2004.
[11] S. Butterfield. (Ed) (2002). Highways and Pathways: The Report of the
E-Learning Advisory Group. URL:
http://cms.steo.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/3B455FA8-586B-447B-A239-
75C523841021/0/highwaysandpathways.pdf), retrieved January 20,
2008.
[12] M.Tolich & C.Davidson. "Starting Fieldwork: An introduction to
qualitative research in New Zealand". Auckland: Oxford University
press, 1999.
[13] R. Swartz & W.Bryan. "What is Professional development" in New
Directions for Student Services, 84, Winter, Jossey-Bass Publishers,
San Francisco, 1998.
[14] I.Cook & M.Crang. "Doing Ethnographies". Norwich: Environmental
Publications, 1995.
[15] A.Sayer. "Method in Social Science: A realist approach". 2nd edition.
London, New York: Routledge, 1992.
[16] A.Sayer. Method in Social Science: A realist approach. 1st Edition.
London: Hutchinson, 1984.
[17] R.Harre-. "Social Being". Oxford: Blackwell, 1979.
[18] C.Geertz. "The Interpretation of Cultures". New York: Basic Books,
1973.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:58488", author = "J. Mansvelt and G. Suddaby and D. O'Hara", title = "Critical Issues Affecting the Engagement by Staff in Professional Development for E-Learning: Findings from a Research Project within the Context of a National Tertiary Education Sector", abstract = "This paper focuses on issues of engagement by staff in professional development related to the delivery of e-learning. The paper reports on findings drawn from a New Zealand research project which is producing a sector-wide framework for professional development in tertiary e-learning. The research findings indicate that staff engaged in e-learning in tertiary institutions is not making the most effective use of the professional development opportunities available to them; rather they seem to gain their knowledge and support from a variety of informal means. This is despite an emphasis on the provision of professional development opportunities by both Government Policies and Institutions themselves. The conclusion drawn from the findings is that institutional approaches to professional development for e-learning do not yet fully reflect the demands and constraints that working in a digital context impose.
", keywords = "Academic development, e-learning, engagement, professional development, tertiary education.", volume = "2", number = "2", pages = "106-11", }
