Why Institutional Elearning Strategies Don't Work

Abstract

Most universities pursue strategies to enhance teaching and learning through technology. A wealth of experience exists to guide implementation, yet propagation of knowledge and effective educational designs is limited. The notion of centrally defined strategy and faculty trained en masse is a rationalist misconception leading to one conclusion: failure to realize the potential of elearning innovations. After observing this phenomenon for fifteen years, I designed a study to analyze why worthy initiatives stall. While my sample was small (n=30), I assumed, correctly, that common factors would emerge. Current literature identifies similar challenges: 'One off' funding combined with poor dissemination processes;The expectation that designers will also pursue dissemination and faculty development; Implicit pedagogical knowledge making it difficult for new users to grasp the finer points of educational design.