Project impact assessment of e-learning in the Extended Studies Academy

Presented by

Rose Masha: CLTDWalter Sisulu University

Extended Studies Academy• Unit goals, objectives and strategies, encompass

designing, developing and implementing an effective and efficient system-wide approach to student access and retention by assisting faculties and cooperating with related institutional units.

• The implementation of e-learning guided by the e-learning strategy 2009-2011/2012 within:

- Tracking & Monitoring section- Writing Centres- Lifeskills - Academic Literacy- Computer literacy- Extended Programmes

NUFFIC Project

• The main objectives of the Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher Education (NUFFIC) funded NPT Project centred around:

- curriculum innovation at WSU, with the Schools of Engineering and Information Technology as pilots- conducting institutional research in the form of throughput and

employer studies- the establishment and implementation of e-learning- Staff development for improvement of throughputs - the review and development of the institutional quality policy as

the main system and structure for managing throughputs Dwayi: 2011

Nuffic project terms of reference: ESA• In 2009, four ESA staff members visited the Netherlands.- become team leaders- develop e-learning materials informed by e-pedagogy

and assessment practices - to cascade (through training) the concept of e-learning

and e-assessment to colleagues in their respective sections.

- Make follow-ups on their sections’ e-implementation plans and write reports for submission to the ETIU and ESA

- Present at Grassroots events and e-learning conferences

WHAT IS A PROJECT?

• “An endevour in which human (or machine) material and financial resources are organized so as to undertake a unique scope of work of given specification, within constraints of costs and time, so as to deliver beneficial change by quantitative and qualitative objectives”, (Turner: 1996).

THE PROJECT LIFE CYCLE

Time

Resou

rces

0

Conceptualisation Design Implementation Closure

6

WHO ARE THE STAKEHOLDERS?

• Students• e-learning team

leaders & lecturers (ESA & Extended Programmes)

• Departments• CLTD• HEMIS• ICT• Funders

METHODOLOGY

• Primary data- Structured questionnaires sent to 4

e-learning team leaders and 32 active (and non active) lecturers

- Structured questionnaires to 289 students

- Interview with 2 HEMIS officers• Secondary data- Video clip of an e-learning class- E-learning team term reports

7 ROLES OF THE e- learning EDUCATOR

Learning area/subject/discipline specialist Leader, administrator

Interpreter and designer of e-learning programmes and materials

Competent e-Assessor Community, citizenship and pastoral role

E-Learning mediator Scholar, researcher and lifelong learner and manager

(Mc Grath: 2007)

FACEBOOK

Project Manage

r

Client

Project Team

Directly involved stakeholders

Supportive and non-supportive stakeholders

PROJECT ENVIRONMENT

External stakeholders

PROJECT STAKEHOLDER – SHOWS A RANGE OF PROJECT STAKEHOLDERS [BURKE, 2010]

SWOT ANALYSIS• Strengths- Unlimited Internet access - 1 on 1 consultations- Already existing e-learning labs and

assistants- Efficiency of ETIU in training

implementation and support• Opportunities- Utilization e-learning during class

disruptions- Facilitate lessons in different

campuses- Students having cellphones• Weaknesses- Unreliable network- Development of initial material- Insufficient lab space for big classes• Threats- Fear of computers- Unwillingness of lecturers to ditch

traditional practices- Lack of funding to sustain the project

Inte

rnal En

vir

on

men

t

Exte

rnal E

nviro

nm

en

t

Stakeholder Interest Priority of Interest

Impact of interest on

project

using electronic media to learn, independent learning

A, B,D, C

Inform Consult Partner Control

Conceptualization

Design

Implementation

Handover

Stakeholder Table

Influence / Importance

Matrix

ParticipationMatrix

Importance

Influence

A. Students

B. Lecturers

C. ICT, HEMIS

D. Project Team: CLTD

Throughput and retention, self-dev

IT support as part of dept strategies

Project success

1

1

2

1

+

++

+

ESA e-learning

implementation

Project’s alignment to objectives • Were the objectives of the

project achieved in ESA?• Yes (67 lecturers and 743

students) • and not completely- staff

do not use WiSeUp as much as they should:

- Infrastructure- Time to develop materials- Not competent enough to

use Respondus for e-assessment

- Attitude change

Need to polish-up existing skills

• Although 67 lecturers were trained, 53% never put these skills in practice fully, citing reasons around infrastructural issues… contradiction at times, especially with the BC staff members.

GAP BETWEEN STRATEGY AND EXECUTION

• The lack of integration between WiSeUp and ITS and HEMIS continue to pose structural challenges for effective management of the online learning management system and the optimal use of this system for such important activities as tracking and monitoring of student performance (Dwayi: 2011)

Conclusion: project phaseout• By definition, projects (and even life cycle

phase) have an end point. Closing out is a very important phase in the project life cycle, which should follow particular disciplines and procedures with the objective of:

• Effectively bringing the project to closure according to agreed-on contractual requirements.

• Analysing overall project performance with regard to financial data, objectives, and technical efforts.

• Identifying and pursuing follow-up or sustainability activities

Recommendations

• Continued Grassroots events• E-learning interest groups• Use of OpenCourseWare• Improvement of ICT support infrastructure• Establishment of common shared folder on WiSeUp• The appointment of e-Learning specialists for

Potsdam and Zamukulungisa sites• More lecturers to be trained in Respondus• Incorporating e-learning as part of curriculum

innovation

End of presentation

Thank you