EJEL
Volume 7 Issue 2
June 2009
Special Issue ECEL 2008

Strategies for Embedding e-Learning in Traditional Universities: Drivers and Barriers

Kay MacKeogh and Seamus Fox
Dublin City University, Ireland

The paper examines e-learning strategies in higher education, locating the institutional context within the broader framework of national and international policy drivers which link e-learning with the achievement of strategic goals such as widening access to lifelong learning, and upskilling for the knowledge and information society. This paper addresses the question: how can e-learning contribute to the transformation of the traditional campus-based university? While e-learning is now extensively employed in traditional universities to improve the quality of learning for on-campus students, this has not translated into a significant increase in opportunities for lifelong learners in the workforce and those unable to attend on-campus. Indeed, the realisation of a vision of ubiquitous and lifelong access to higher education requires an e-learning strategy which aims to have a ‘transformative’ rather than just a ‘sustaining’ effect. In order words, rather than just facilitating universities to improve their teaching, e-learning should transform how, when, and whom, they teach. However, to achieve this transformation, universities will need to commit to equivalence of access for students, on and off-campus, as well as to removing the barriers to achieving this goal. A case study of e-learning strategy development provides some insights into the challenges of embedding e-learning in a traditional Irish university. In addition to external barriers, some internal barriers are identified, not least that posed by some academic staff attitudes and concerns. Many of the academic staff continue to prefer traditional lectures, and are sceptical about the potential for student learning in online settings. Extrinsic factors in terms of lack of time and support serve to decrease motivation to engage and there are fears of loss of academic control to central administration. It is clear that university e-learning strategies must address staff concerns through capacity building, awareness raising and the establishment of effective support structures for embedding e-learning.

Keywords: institutional strategies; embedding e-learning; academic preferences

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