xchange for Pan-European Higher Education 
Best Practice Guidelines Questionnaire

 

 

UNIVERSAL links teachers, educators, and trainers to an e-learning market place and supports the exchange, distribution and management of the learning resources. This initiative is a research and development project partially financed by the European Commission’s IST programme. In order to identify the conditions which universities should develop to support an e-learning environment, we are conducting a survey. We would greatly appreciate it if you could take some time to complete this questionnaire. Your contribution will be very valuable in helping us to identify those factors which contribute to Best Practice.

We would be very happy to send you the results of this survey. If you are interested, please give us your personal information. Your answers will be processed anonymously and we promise that your personal data will not be communicated to anyone outside the UNIVERSAL consortium.

Please return this questionnaire to:

Katherine Maillet
INT
9, rue Charles Fourier
91011 – EVRY Cedex
France
Tel.: 33 1 60 76 46 18
Fax: 33 1 60 76 42 86
Katherine.Maillet@int-evry.fr

1 - Respondent personal information and profile
1.0. Name/Name of Institution:
 
1.1. Institution:
Country:
Address (Optional):                       
Email (Optional):                           
Telephone number (Optional):         
Fax number (Optional):                  
1.2. Position/Title:
 

1.3. Type of institution: 

University

College of further/higher education or equivalent (including open universities)

Public vocational education and training organisation

Industrial sector training organisation (organised by professional/trade association, trade union)

Voluntary or social organisation

Private training company/organisation

Organisation specialising in producing/providing training tools/content

Other Please specify:

1.4. Size of institution:
1.4.1. Number of employees (Faculty +Administrative personnel)

Less than 50

50 – 100

100 – 500

500 – 1000

Over 1000
1.4.2. Number of students enrolled in degree programmes

Less than 100

100 – 500

500 – 1000

1000 – 5000

5000 – 10000

10000 – 15000

15000 – 20000

Over 20000
1.5. Student / Faculty ratio: (Optional)
 

1.6. Type of programmes offered:

Undergraduate

Graduate

PhD

Post Graduate

Professional Seminars

Continuing Education / Promotional Training

E-learning programmes
1.7. Type of funding: Please indicate the principle source of funding your institution receives for financing educational programmes.

Public

Private

Student tuition

Continuing education / Promotional training

Other:
1.8. Approximate annual tuition fees for degree students:

 
1.9. Have you offered a distributed e-learning learning resource or course? Does your institution offer distributed e-learning learning resource and/or courses?

Yes

No (if NO, jump to question 1.12)
1.10.What is/are the mode(s) of the distributed e-learning resources you or your institution offer.

supplemental or adjunct (enhance classroom teaching);

mixed (most of the teaching occurs remotely, with occasional face to face meetings);

wholly remote.
1.11. Number of years your institution has in offering distributed e-learning resources:

 
1.12. Does your institution participate in an alliance of institutions with which you have already established procedures for exchanging students, faculty, and/or distributing e-learning resources.

Yes

No
Could you mention the name of this organisation? (Optional):

 
1.13. Could you please indicate the type of delivery systems you have available at your institution for e-learning.

 

 

2. Motivation

Based on your experience, please rate from 1 to 4 factors you feel motivated you and/or your institution to set-up a distributed e-learning environment or to offer distributed e-learning resources. Give a value of number 1 to indicate that the factor is essential, 2 that the factor is important, 3 that the factor is not important, 4 the factor does not apply to your experience. 

 

 

Essential

Important

Not
Important

Does not
apply

 

2.1

1

2

3

4

To improve the quality of teaching

2.2

1

2

3

4

To widen access to learning resources

2.3

1

2

3

4

To increase teaching/learning flexibility

2.4

1

2

3

4

To provide for efficient use of learning resources (reusability of learning resources)

2.5

1

2

3

4

To increase my institution’s visibility

2.6

1

2

3

4

To increase my personal professional visibility

2.7

1

2

3

4

To promote widespread collaboration to satisfy common needs

2.8

1

2

3

4

To bring additional revenues to the institution

2.9

1

2

3

4

To have access to substantial external funding to finance e-learning initiatives

2.10

1

2

3

4

To increase the money making potential for the institution and/or teacher

2.11

1

2

3

4

Because of reward incentives: career promotion

2.12

1

2

3

4

Because resources are available for putting courses on-line

2.13

1

2

3

4

Because of the value-add benefits (I/we can maximise on logistics support)

2.14

1

2

3

4

To reduce costs associated with providing courses to large numbers of students

2.15

1

2

3

4

Because it was a management decision to introduce e-learning on campus

2.16

1

2

3

4

Because facilities are available for authoring e-learning courses

2.17

1

2

3

4

Because there is personnel available for mediating e-learning courses

2.18

1

2

3

4

Because there is personnel available for administrating e-learning courses

2.19

1

2

3

4

Because there is a demand for corporate training

2.20

1

2

3

4

Because teacher training is made available

2.21

1

2

3

4

Because there is a high student demand

2.22

1

2

3

4

Because it seems that everyone is doing it

2.23

1

2

3

4

To foster research through the efficient and effective exchange of information

2.24

1

2

3

4

OTHER :

 

3. Facilitating Factors

Based on your experience, please rate from 1 to 4 the conditions at your institution which facilitated the creation of a distributed e-learning environment or to offer distributed e-learning resources. Give a value of number 1 to indicate that the factor is essential, 2 that the factor is important, 3 that the factor is not important, 4 the factor does not apply to your experience.

 

 

 Essential

 Important

Not
Important

Does not
apply

 

3.1

1

2

3

4

Student interest

3.2

1

2

3

4

Pedagogical support

3.3

1

2

3

4

Conviction that learning is more efficient outside the classroom

3.4

1

2

3

4

Desire to operate two learning environments types: face to face, distributed e-learning

3.5

1

2

3

4

Institutional support

3.6

1

2

3

4

ICT technical support

3.7

1

2

3

4

Rewards: tenure, royalties

3.8

1

2

3

4

Financial support

3.9

1

2

3

4

Clarity concerning Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

3.10

1

2

3

4

Familiarity with technology

3.11

1

2

3

4

Enabling infrastructure: computers, bandwidth

3.12

1

2

3

4

Pedagogical training for teachers

3.13

1

2

3

4

Standardised delivery platforms facilitating interoperability

3.14

1

2

3

4

Availability of scientific literature concerning the pertinence of e-learning

3.15

1

2

3

4

Management decision to introduce e-learning on campus

3.16

1

2

3

4

Facilities available for authoring e-learning courses

3.17

1

2

3

4

Personnel available for mediating e-learning courses

3.18

1

2

3

4

Personnel available for administrating e-learning courses

3.19

1

2

3

4

Secure environment for delivering the course

3.20

1

2

3

4

Possession of e-learning marketing know-how

3.21

1

2

3

4

Availability of a variety of delivery platforms (Interactive: IP (computer Mediated conferences, ISDN, Satellite; Passive: Satellite TV,
Cable TV, Internet Applications)

3.22

1

2

3

4

OTHER: 

 

 
 

4.      Hindering Factors

Based on your experience, please rate from 1 to 4 conditions at your institution which you feel hindered the creation of a distributed e-learning environment or to offer distributed e-learning resources. Give a value of number 1 to indicate that the factor is essential, 2 that the factor is important, 3 that the factor is not important, 4 the factor does not apply to your experience.

 

Essential

Important

Not
Important

Does not
apply

 

4.1

1

2

3

4

Lack of student interest

4.2

1

2

3

4

Lack of pedagogical support (tutoring is not available)

4.3

1

2

3

4

Lack of conviction that learning takes place outside the classroom

4.4

1

2

3

4

Concern about unsolicited peer criticism regarding content quality

4.5

1

2

3

4

Lack of faculty desire to operate a variety of learning environments: face to face, remote, synchronous, asynchronous

4.6

1

2

3

4

Student resistance

4.7

1

2

3

4

Teaching/administrative staff resistance

4.8

1

2

3

4

Failed prior attempts

4.9

1

2

3

4

Lack of rewards: tenure, financial, royalties

4.10

1

2

3

4

Lack of financial support

4.11

1

2

3

4

Lack of institutional support

4.12

1

2

3

4

Lack of technical support

4.13

1

2

3

4

Lack of clarity concerning Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

4.14

1

2

3

4

Lack of familiarity with technology

4.15

1

2

3

4

Lack of enabling infrastructure: computers, bandwidth

4.16

1

2

3

4

Lack of training

4.17

1

2

3

4

Lack of motivational legislation: requirement of on-site exams, qualification for tax rebates for professional seminars

4.18

1

2

3

4

Lack of mechanisms to authenticate the authoring of student’s work

4.19

1

2

3

4

Lack of standardised delivery platforms contributing to interoperability problems

4.20

1

2

3

4

Lack of research concerning the value of e-learning

4.21

1

2

3

4

Lack of a learning management system

4.22

1

2

3

4

Too many platforms to choose from

4.23

1

2

3

4

Lack of secure environment for delivering the course

4.24

1

2

3

4

Lack of clear guidelines/criteria for accrediting the out-sourced materials

4.25

1

2

3

4

Lack of an informed Ministry of Education or Government Board in the area of e-learning

4.26

1

2

3

4

OTHER:

 
 

5. Successful exploitation of an e-learning environment

Based on your experience, please rate from 1 to 4 conditions you feel constitute Best Practice for implementing and operating a distributed e-learning environment. Give a value of number 1 to indicate that the factor is essential, 2 that the factor is important, 3 that the factor is not important, 4 the factor does not apply to your experience.

5.1. Pedagogical factors of e-learning
  Essential Important Not
Important 		Does not
apply 		 

5.1.1

1

2

3

4

Adaptation of content for on-line pedagogy: clear statement of learning objectives, content broken down into digestible units, timing for courses, key words

5.1.2

1

2

3

4

Course design adapted to address different learning styles: visual, auditory, tactile, kinaesthetic / reflector, activist, theorist, pragmatist

5.1.3

1

2

3

4

Clarity and articulation of presentation

5.1.4

1

2

3

4

Human interaction (Asynchronous and/or synchronous interaction between student and teacher)

5.1.5

1

2

3

4

Guidelines to students about how to use on-line materials and study autonomously

5.1.6

1

2

3

4

Courses designed to build on prior knowledge

5.1.7

1

2

3

4

Student self-evaluation mechanisms

5.1.8

1

2

3

4

Continuous assessment mechanisms

5.1.9

1

2

3

4

Final assessment mechanism

5.1.10

1

2

3

4

Availability of support for students following courses: tutors, technicians, equipment, institutional provision of help desk services, even on weekends when students may consume learning resources

5.1.11

1

2

3

4

Faculty attention to student motivation and engagement

5.1.12

1

2

3

4

Tutor reactivity, implication, and encouragement in the learner’s learning process

5.1.13

1

2

3

4

Faculty attention to building a community of learners

5.1.14

1

2

3

4

Instructions to faculty users for on-line material and how to administrate the course

5.1.15

1

2

3

4

Advice to students about e-learning

5.1.16

1

2

3

4

Faculty selected on professional expertise, on-line teachers should be selected on the basis of communications skills

5.1.17

1

2

3

4

Tutor to student timely response

5.1.18

1

2

3

4

Support for a hybrid mode of learning: on-campus, face-to-face as well as computer-mediated e-learning

5.1.19

1

2

3

4

Compatibility of outsourced online materials with those offered in the local institution

5.1.20

1

2

3

4

Coherence of outsourced online materials with the mission and standards of the local institution

5.2. Technical support and/or expertise in the development of the course
  Essential Important Not
Important 		Does not
apply 		 

5.2.1

1

2

3

4

Availability of mature technological platforms for course delivery

5.2.2

1

2

3

4

Institutional provision of support material to guide teachers who want to put courses on-line

5.2.3

1

2

3

4

Institutional guidance to teachers about what platform to use

5.2.4

1

2

3

4

Access to a team of professionals skilled in mediating learning recourses locally or an institutional policy for outsourcing this task

5.2.5

1

2

3

4

Establishment of a Public (HEI) / private (industrial sector) partnership to facilitate the creation of an e-learning environment

5.3. Quality control of learning outcomes
  Essential Important Not
Important 		Does not
apply 		 

5.3.1

1

2

3

4

Feedback about e-learning to the administration

5.3.2

1

2

3

4

Regulations for distance learning

5.3.3

1

2

3

4

Resource evaluated by peers

5.3.4

1

2

3

4

Institutionalised internal peer review process of evaluating learning resources

5.3.5

1

2

3

4

Institutional policy for maintaining and updating content

5.3.6

1

2

3

4

Institutional policies for accrediting learning resources

5.4. Administrative and technical support, management, and promotion of the course

  Essential Important Not
Important 		Does not
apply 		 

5.4.1

1

2

3

4

Clear institutional policy concerning Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

5.4.2

1

2

3

4

Incorporation of a Learning Management System into the e-learning environment (administration, grading)

5.4.3

1

2

3

4

Institutional technology support for students and faculty

5.4.4

1

2

3

4

Provision of an on-line library to indicate techniques for putting courses on-line and guidelines for teachers who want to put courses on-line

5.4.5

1

2

3

4

Content security and protection

5.4.6

1

2

3

4

Cost analysis made

5.4.7

1

2

3

4

Successful integration of learning management systems into the local organisation

5.4.8

1

2

3

4

Institutional policy for charging a course

5.4.9

1

2

3

4

Institutional policies for acquiring content from outside the institution

5.4.10

1

2

3

4

Easy, secure and efficient online payment arrangement

5.5. Incentives and rewards for faculty
  Essential Important Not
Important 		Does not
apply 		 

5.5.1

1

2

3

4

Institutional policy concerning rewards to teachers: financial or otherwise

5.5.2

1

2

3

4

Autonomy for putting courses on-line

5.5.3

1

2

3

4

Tutorials for teachers concerning the mediation and delivery of courses for an e-learning environment

5.6. Top management commitment to e-learning

  Essential Important Not
Important 		Does not
apply 		 

5.6.1

1

2

3

4

Commitment of top-management to e-learning

5.6.2

1

2

3

4

Institutional policies concerning e-learning, platform selection, creation of a uniform course development system with a common look and feel, approved by faculty

5.6.3

1

2

3

4

Institutional approval of e-learning resources

5.6.4

1

2

3

4

Institutional desire to orchestrate the production of e-learning courses by a team bringing together different skills

5.6.5

1

2

3

4

 
6. Please make any additional statements you may have concerning critical factors for successfully implementing and managing a distributed e-learning environment.

 
7. What is the most important advice would you give to others, institutions or professors, who are interested in putting learning resources on-line or creating an e-learning environment.