O9.1.4

=E-learning strategies are formally endorsed by the institutional leadership. =

Evidence
Dondi et al. (2006) describe the importance of strategies and policies around quality in e-learning. They advise against imposing generic policies and emphasize the importance of dialogue between all stakeholders and a phased approach. They explain that although there are some objective components of quality, that actors from different perspectives will weight these components differently. Quality is to some degree in the eye of the beholder. It is important therefore for institutions to understand multiple perspectives.

Pawlowksi (2006) states that an organization’s long term objectives are contained in its vision, strategy and policy. If an organization is committed to quality development then this needs to be written into these statements. A process to improve the vision, strategies and policies needs to be established. This should involve all staff and the strategies and policies should explain what ‘quality of e-learning’ means. Quality development also needs to be a part of everyday operations and related to all activities.

Resources
Inglis (2007) has further found that there are 2 broad types of ways in which institutions are communicating e-learning strategy. The first is through discrete e-learning strategy documents and the second is embedding e-learning strategy in more general documents. Comparison of the documents at many universities showed that when e-learning strategies are embedded in general documents that the range of aspects of e-learning covered tends to be less. Inglis concludes that there is currently no consensus on what information these documents should contain or how they ought to be structured. However, he speculates that employing a standard approach will bring benefits to universities and groups of universities.