E-Learning & Distance Education in Higher Education: Organizational Implications Mark Bullen

Overview Distance education in conventional universities: a clash of cultures. Managerial vs. collegial culture. Creates organizational conflict. Emergence of e-learning increases the potential for conflict.

Distance education in conventional universities: a clash of cultures.

Managerial vs. collegial culture.

Creates organizational conflict.

Emergence of e-learning increases the potential for conflict.

Overview At risk: Quality and sustainability of e-learning. Social mandate of distance education.

At risk:

Quality and sustainability of e-learning.

Social mandate of distance education.

The E-learning Continuum

Three Types of E-learning E-learning as distance education. E-learning as electronically-mediated learning. E-learning as facilitated transactions software (Zemsky & Massy, 2004).

E-learning as distance education.

E-learning as electronically-mediated learning.

E-learning as facilitated transactions software (Zemsky & Massy, 2004).

Three Types of E-learning Focus of this discussion on e-learning as distance education. To a lesser extent: mixed mode e-learning.

Focus of this discussion on e-learning as distance education.

To a lesser extent: mixed mode e-learning.

Academic Cultures The collegial culture Autonomous faculty member. Measurable outcomes, accountability resisted. Academic freedom - guiding principle. Governance faculty-driven. Institutional change is slow.

The collegial culture

Autonomous faculty member.

Measurable outcomes, accountability resisted.

Academic freedom - guiding principle.

Governance faculty-driven.

Institutional change is slow.

Academic Cultures The managerial culture Work organized and directed toward specific goals. Evaluation and accountability highly valued. Fiscal responsibility, effective supervisory skills given high priority. Planning and management are key. (Bergquist, 1992)

The managerial culture

Work organized and directed toward specific goals.

Evaluation and accountability highly valued.

Fiscal responsibility, effective supervisory skills given high priority.

Planning and management are key.

(Bergquist, 1992)

The Problem Effective e-learning requires a managed approach. Collegial culture dominates in universities. Cultural clash. Academics: collegial E-learning: managerial Potential for conflict.

Effective e-learning requires a managed approach.

Collegial culture dominates in universities.

Cultural clash.

Academics: collegial

E-learning: managerial

Potential for conflict.

Issues Managing faculty Faculty come to e-learning from a collegial culture but are expected to work according to managerial norms. Faculty resist “management”. Academic freedom Fundamental principle of research universities. Increasingly, it is being invoked to argue against a managed approach to e-learning in which ownership of the materials created by a team of specialists resides with the institution.

Managing faculty

Faculty come to e-learning from a collegial culture but are expected to work according to managerial norms.

Faculty resist “management”.

Academic freedom

Fundamental principle of research universities.

Increasingly, it is being invoked to argue against a managed approach to e-learning in which ownership of the materials created by a team of specialists resides with the institution.

Outcomes Organizational restructuring Organizations will try to resolve the conflict. Restructuring in favor of the dominant culture. Loss of central support units. E-learning development devolved to Faculties.

Organizational restructuring

Organizations will try to resolve the conflict.

Restructuring in favor of the dominant culture.

Loss of central support units.

E-learning development devolved to Faculties.

Organizational Restructuring University of British Columbia example Organizational restructuring. Centralized distance education eliminated. Reveals the power of the collegial culture.

University of British Columbia example

Organizational restructuring.

Centralized distance education eliminated.

Reveals the power of the collegial culture.

Implications Quality and sustainability of e-learning at stake. Economies of scale more difficult in decentralized model. Critical mass of professionals is lost. Management needed for quality control. Social mandate of distance education at risk Conventional universities serve “traditional students”. DE units have tended to be advocates for the “non-traditional” learner.

Quality and sustainability of e-learning at stake.

Economies of scale more difficult in decentralized model.

Critical mass of professionals is lost.

Management needed for quality control.

Social mandate of distance education at risk

Conventional universities serve “traditional students”.

DE units have tended to be advocates for the “non-traditional” learner.

Solutions Centralized e-learning support units must be strongly integrated with academic departments Academic freedom issue cannot be ignored E-learning support departments must embrace change learn to adapt to the collegial culture without sacrificing benefits of the managed approach

Centralized e-learning support units must be strongly integrated with academic departments

Academic freedom issue cannot be ignored

E-learning support departments must embrace change

learn to adapt to the collegial culture without sacrificing benefits of the managed approach

For Further Information [email_address] http://www.bcit.ca/ltc http://homepage.mac.com/markbullen/bcit

[email_address]

http://www.bcit.ca/ltc

http://homepage.mac.com/markbullen/bcit