Executive Summary

Background
You have reached the webpage for discussion of the Executive Summary of the DCU eLearning Strategy Staff Consultation Document. Below is an introduction to the Executive Summary and (at the bottom of this page) a link to the complete Executive Summary (in pdf format) which includes the summaries of each of the chapters. You are invited to make any comment you have on the Executive Summary by clicking on post a comment below.

Introdcution to Executive Summary
For over twenty five years, DCU has been a leader in terms of distance education and eLearning provision in Ireland. However, the time is now ripe for the university to devise a formal eLearning strategy with the aim of ensuring that DCU maintains its lead position. In November 2007, DCU Executive appointed a two-person team with a brief to investigate elements of an eLearning strategy for DCU. Kay Mac Keogh and Seamus Fox were seconded from Oscail (National Distance Education Centre) to the Deputy President’s office to work on the strategy. DCU Executive considered earlier drafts of this report on 1^st July 2008 and 2^nd September 2008 and recommended that the report should be circulated to colleagues throughout the University for information purposes and to foster a better understanding of the potential of eLearning in DCU. Specifically, this report aims to contribute to the process, currently in train, of developing the new Learning Innovation Strategy 2009-2012.

The authors of the report welcome comments and feedback on this blog. (Alternatively, you can contact the authors at seamus.fox@dcu.ie and kay.mackeogh@dcu.ie) It is also envisaged that there will be a series of meetings/workshops during the first semester of the 2008-2009 academic year.

Structure of the Report

• Chapter 1 defines eLearning and introduces the brief of the eLearning Strategy Team.
• Chapter 2 outlines the policy environment for eLearning and discusses the policy drivers which are creating a demand at international, national and institutional levels to adopt eLearning strategies.
• Chapter 3 discusses the type of emerging innovative technologies which are creating the conditions for ubiquitous adoption of eLearning in higher education.
• Chapter 4 outlines the reasons leading to the adoption of eLearning by higher education institutions throughout the world.
• Chapter 5 discusses the development of institutional eLearning strategies and analyses a number of university eLearning strategies with the aim of informing DCU’s strategy.
• Chapter 6 focuses on the environment in DCU, identifying those strategic objectives which eLearning could fulfil. The chapter will also look at DCU’s competitors and potential collaborators in eLearning. The current status of eLearning provision in DCU will be outlined, and the potential for the further embedding of eLearning will be discussed.
• The final chapter reports on the extensive discussions carried out by the eLearning strategy team with individual members of DCU staff and reports on the results of a survey of academic staff opinions on eLearning developments in DCU.

Complete Executive Summary (in pdf format)