Stirling oct 97dp/rm p.1 E-learning and the eUniversity Professor Robin Mason Institute of Educational Technology The Open University Milton Keynes

Stirling oct 97dp/rm p.2 Why an e-University? P showcasing the best of UK higher education P attracting foreign students to study in the UK P impetus to UK HE to develop e- learning capability P secure a UK presence in the e- learning marketplace

Stirling oct 97dp/rm p.3 Pedagogical Assumptions P emphasis on high quality provision through quality assurance procedures P emphasis on supporting students through tutoring processes P national initiative with government sponsorship drawing on the best from across the HE sector

Stirling oct 97dp/rm p.4 Platform Requirements P student and tutor portal - containing generic preparatory materials P content development area - with multiple navigation routes for course presentation P library resources area - full text papers and links to other urls P communications area - using multiple modes P administrative functions - registration, queries, assessment

Stirling oct 97dp/rm p.5 Communication Modes P asynchronous threaded discussion P synchronous webcasts, chatting, ‘audiographics’ P comment facility on course content P

Stirling oct 97dp/rm p.6 Monitoring and Evaluation - Tutors P Monitoring and chasing functions: — Notice that assignments are ready/overdue for marking — Notification to tutors that particular students have not submitted assignments or logged on — Monitoring of tutor activity in the conferences P Facilities for tutors to check inputs of individual students

Stirling oct 97dp/rm p.7 Monitoring and Evaluation - Students P Questionnaire forms for surveys P Dynamic course calendar with reminders of assignment dates P Computer-generated user data P Easy feedback mechanisms for student comments on course content

Stirling oct 97dp/rm p.8 Institutional Research P understanding the impact of learning objects on learning outcomes P investigating cultural differences in using eU courses P relation between tutor support and retention P impact of different models of online courses

Stirling oct 97dp/rm p.9 Research on the Pedagogy of e- Learning P learning to e-learn skills P development of online community and connectivity P learning from the success of online games P impact of modularization of learning opportunities

Stirling oct 97dp/rm p.10 Research on the Technology of e- Learning P virtual presence and the use of existing bandwidth P methods for reducing communication overload P role of mobile devices in online courses P tracking devices for informal learning

Stirling oct 97dp/rm p.11 Research on Access and Development P methodologies and support functions most appropriate for disadvantaged learners P technologies for attracting and retaining students in remote areas P basic infrastructures needed to support web- based courses and psychological readiness for virtual learning P contribution of the eU to sustainable development

Stirling oct 97dp/rm p.12 Research on Organisational Learning P Meshing online courses with ongoing learning processes in organisations e.g. informal knowledge sharing, communities of practice, apprenticeship and on-the-job training P Effectiveness of conventional pedagogies in promoting knowledge sharing in the workplace - What are the potential roles of story and performance simulation?

Stirling oct 97dp/rm p.13 E-Learning Research Community P aim to raise the profile of e-learning research P pull-through of e-learning research into practice P contribute to a co-ordinated e-learning research agenda

Stirling oct 97dp/rm p.14