S5.4.3

=Feedback collected regularly from staff regarding the effectiveness of the pedagogical support and training provided. =

Evidence
The e-learning environment presents many new and/or different teaching and learning challenges that can benefit from valid, reliable, and informative feedback from teachers. Laurillard (2002) recommends the establishment of a forum for teachers to “discuss their experience of learning technologies, and the academic issues surrounding the balance of learning methods”(p. 227).

Student perspectives are not the only ones necessary to assess. Usoro and Abid (2008) emphasize the importance of including academics and stakeholders views to ‘achieve a comprehensive measure of quality’ (p. 77-78).

According to Jamieson (2004) e-learning represents ‘the emergence of a significant online pedagogy [which] raises host of issues…concerning the complex and idiosyncratic nature of online learning’ (p. 22). A key issue is the erosion of ‘traditional teacher-centred pedagogy…as online environments provide learners with greater flexibility over when, where, how, and with whom they learn’ (p. 22). Jamieson discusses a flexible learning programme for academics, which includes a weekly discussion group and regular anonymous evaluation responses that demonstrate the variety and value of communities of learning practice.

Resources
Communities of practice are discussed by Gray (2004) who emphasises the benefits that the online environment offers for collegial information sharing. However she recommends that an accomplished moderator be employed to facilitate formal and informal discussion across e-learning’s technical, social, organisational, and pedagogical functions (p. 33).

Mansvelt et al. (2009) have found that professional development was believed to be important by the vast majority of teaching staff, but that low uptake rates suggested that it was not seen as intrinsic to their job. Informal e-learning professional development was seen as effective by staff, but this is not quality assured. New and/or reluctant e-learning users most often benefited from formal professional development courses. One great benefit of attending workshops and technical courses are the ongoing relationships formed with staff developers.

Fredericksen, Pickett, Shea, Pelz & Swan (2000) surveyed faculty and found that staff want support so that they are free to determine course design, development and pedagogy, rather than have it imposed by instructional designers. Staff also wanted opportunities for reflection, evaluation, revision, and participation in online discussions. They wanted access to experienced staff, networking, peer-support, training and transparent reliable technology.

http://cit.nus.edu.sg/ELWblog/2008/04/teaching_staff_feedback_summar.html