Enhancing the quality of eLearning courses offered
by Universities will require the development of an eLearning culture
that systematically integrates technology into the learning process.
This integration should be characterized by the collaboration of
delivery partners, including technical support and administrative
staff, instructional design and facilitation teams, content experts,
and decision makers who determine resource allocation. To date,
the creation of online courses has been led by determined professors
willing to take risks and able to marshal resources.
Designing
and delivering quality eLearning comes at a cost: significant investments
of time and energy. This investment should be acknowledged and supported
by university administration. Quality eLearning also requires enormous
amounts of up front design time, which can be enhanced by the guidance
of a learning model. For example, the Demand-Driven Learning Model
(DDLM, MacDonald, Stodel, Farres, Breithaupt, & Gabriel, 2001)
guides both the design and evaluation of an eLearning experience,
by illustrating the dynamic intersections between five dimensions
of quality as well as between theory and best practices.
My vision for the future of eLearning involves participation from
administrative and eLearning support staff and university leaders
to: wrestle with how to create an eLearning culture within the university,
ensure an integrated network of delivery partners, and provide incentives
for professors to become enthusiastic about designing and delivering
quality eLearning courses and programs. Only then will we begin
to meet the unique needs and demands of a growing number of adult
learners.
