L7 2 5

=Staff are provided with assistance when engaged in e-learning design and (re)development. =

Evidence
See D1 for a fuller treatment of this practice

Support provided to teaching staff in effective learning design is vital if courses are to develop pedagogical approaches that reflect the state of current understanding, as opposed to traditional approaches (Ragan, 1999). This assistance should be formally scheduled.

Resources
Evidence of capability in this practice is seen in the availability of technical assistance and staff development for the full range of technologies that are provided as standard in the institution, along with expert assistance in the design of the pedagogical approaches for courses.

In a comprehensive report on improving teachers use of ICT, Scrimshaw (2004) refers to professional development approaches ‘fall[ing] along a spectrum from informal mutual support to the use of formal training courses’ (p. 21). He discusses several approaches and concludes that the question is ‘less which specific approach is best, but which combination of methods are needed to suit the level of progress staff individually and as a whole have already reached’ (p. 22).

A significant problem is the separation of technological from pedagogical assistance. ‘What is required is a commitment to organised quality processes that transcend curricular innovation, stress technology as an important tool for improvement, and do not assume things are going well, absent evidence to the contrary’ (Zemsky & Massy 2004, p. 57). Also needed is an integrated understanding of technology and pedagogy. This may require the use of specialist educational technologists, particularly those with subject-specific knowledge.