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This is the version of December 2008


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Critical Success Factors for Major E-Learning Initiatives

 

The following table has been derived from the latest version of the leading UK system for benchmarking e-learning, ELDDA,<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="">[1]</a> which is being and has been used by 24 higher education institutions in the UK over the last three years/ (The former name of ELDDA is Pick&Mix.<a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="">[2]</a> ) It incorporates the author’s earlier synthesis of Critical Success Factors based on his analysis of large e-university initiatives.<a href="#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title="">[3]</a>

 

Criteria in blue are recent additions to ELDAA, mainly focussing on employer issues.

 

Criteria in green are from the Critical Success Factors synthesis and recent consideration of other large initiatives.

 

Readers are invited to comment on the criteria and grades.

 

The CSF grade is defined as follows:

 

  1. Critical Success Factor
  2. Key Success Factor
  3. Irrelevant to success of major initiatives
  4. Counter-productive to success of major initiatives.

 

To avoid too much detail, only the potential grades of 1 have been included in this version.

 

The table of criteria

<thead> </thead>

No.

Criterion name

Code

Best practice statement

MIT90s category

OBHE category

CSF grade
(1-3)

1

Adoption

ADO

All taken it up except some laggards.

Individuals (Staff)

Delivery

 

2

VLE stage

VLE

One VLE.

Technology

Delivery

 

3

Tools

TLS

Institution-wide use of several tools.

Technology

Delivery

 

4

Usability

USA

All services usable, with internal evidence to back this up.

Technology

Delivery

1

5

Accessibility

ACC

All e-learning material and services are accessible, and key components validated by external agencies.

Technology

Delivery

 

6

e-Learning Strategy

ELS

Regularly updated e-Learning Strategy, integrated with Learning and Teaching Strategy and all related strategies (e.g. Distance Learning, if relevant).

Strategy

Strategy development

1

7

Decisions on Projects

DPR

Effective decision-making for e-learning across the whole institution, including variations when justified.

Processes

Management and leadership

1

8

Pedagogy

PED

Pedagogic guidelines for the whole institution and acted on.

Individuals (Staff)

Staff

 

9

Learning Material

LMA

Institution-wide standards for learning material, which are adhered to and embedded at an early stage, e.g. by style sheets.

Processes

Delivery

 

10

Training

TRG

All staff trained in VLE use, appropriate to job type - and retrained when needed.

Individuals (Staff)

Staff

1

11

Academic Workload

AWK

Work planning system which recognises the main differences that e-learning courses have from traditional.

Processes

Resources and value for money

1

12

Costs

CNL

Activity-Based Costing or a system with equivalent functionality being used to some extent in all departments.

Processes

Resources and value for money

1

13

Planning Annually

PLA

Integrated annual planning process for e-learning integrated with overall course planning.

Processes

Management and leadership

 

14

Evaluation

EVA

Regular evaluation of all courses using a variety of measurement techniques and involving outside agencies where appropriate.

Processes

Communication, evaluation and review

 

15

Organisation

ORG

Central unit has Director-level institution manager in charge and links to support teams in departments.

Organisation

Management and leadership

1

16

Technical Support to Staff

TSS

All staff engaged in the e-learning process have "nearby" fast-response tech support.

Individuals

Delivery

 

17

Quality Assurance

QAS

Conformance to external quality agency precepts and local guidelines for e-learning within an overarching methodology (EFQM, etc).

Processes

Communication, evaluation and review

1

18

Staff Recognition and Reward

SRR

All informally recognised e-learning experts have been explicitly recognised in a financial way.

Individuals (Staff) (NOT Technology)

Staff

1

19

Decisions on Programmes

DPG

Effective decision-making for e-learning across the whole institution, including variations when justified.

Processes

Management and leadership

1

20

Quality Enhancement

QEN

Total integration of "traditional" quality enhancement work with e-learning.

Processes

Communication, evaluation and review

 

21

Adoption by Staff of Enhanced Learning

AEL

All staff except laggards are delivering "enhanced learning" via appropriate use of e-learning and can evidence their claims.

Processes

Staff

 

22

Leadership in e-Learning

LEL

The capability of leaders to make decisions regarding e-learning is fully developed.

Individuals (Leaders)

Management and leadership

1

23

Teaching 2.0

T2O

The institution is fully comfortable using web 2.0 tools where appropriate.

Technology

Staff

 

24

Collaboration for e-Learning

CFE

The institution has a reasoned approach to collaboration at various levels to gain additional benefit from sharing e-learning material, methodologies and systems.

External environment

Partnership and collaboration

1

25

Brand Management

BMG

The institution has a reasoned approach to managing its brand

External environment

Management and leadership

1

26

USP Management

USP

The institution has a reasoned approach to managing its Unique Selling Propositions

External environment

Management and leadership

1

27

Time to Market

TTM

Time to market is low compared with comparators

External environment

Management and leadership

1

28

Cost of Sales

CSL

Cost of sales is low compared with comparators

External environment

Management and leadership

1

29

Management Style

HYB

The management style is a hybrid of academic and corporate, accepted by staff

Individuals (Leaders)

Management and leadership

1

30

Language Choice

LAC

The choice of languages for teaching is evidence-based not e.g. politically determined

External environment

Management and leadership

1

50

Learning Outcomes

LOU

Learning outcomes across all courses are provably unaffected by the extent to which e-learning is a component of each course.

Individuals (Students)

Delivery

 

51

Uniformity

UNI

Institution offers the same service level (pedagogic and administrative) to all students irrespective of mode or location of study (including DL and WBL).

Technology

Delivery

1

52

Ubiquity

UBI

Institution offers a pervasive seamless network/service to all its students, on- and off-campus and via wireless on campus also.

Technology

Delivery

 

53

Reliability

REL

0.999 (99.9% availability)

Technology

Delivery

1

54

Performance

PER

All e-learning systems operate in all uptime within documented and accepted response guidelines.

Technology

Delivery

 

55

Foresight

FOR

Both look-ahead and lab, working in concert; at least one of these should be a sector leader.

External environment

Management and leadership

1

56

Selling

SEL

Widespread skill in selling e-learning and the theory to support the skills.

Processes

Management and leadership

1

57

IPR

IPR

IPR embedded and enforced in staff, consultant and supplier contracts.

Processes

Management and leadership

 

58

Market Research

MRE

Market research done centrally and in or on behalf of all departments, and aware of e-learning aspects; updated annually or prior to major programme planning.

External environment

Communication, evaluation and review

1

59

Competitor Research

CRE

Competitor research done centrally and in or on behalf of all departments, and fully aware of e-learning aspects.

External environment

Communication, evaluation and review

1

60

Security

SEC

A system where security breaches are known not to occur yet which allows staff and students to carry out their authorised duties easily and efficiently.

Technology

Delivery

 

61

Pedagogy Research

PRC

The institution is fully aware of outcomes of research which will enhance the experience of its students by suitable use of e-learning.

 

Communication, evaluation and review

 

62

Integration

INT

Seamless integration with total uniformity of data formats, interface and response time.

Technology

Delivery

 

63

Leverage

LEV

Annual student surveys and focus groups are used to determine skill levels and this is taken into account for programme proposals and e-learning support.

Individuals (Students)

Students

 

64

Plagiarism Avoidance

PAV

Sustained universal campaign to brief students against plagiarism in the e-learning context and to set more suitable assignments.

Individuals (Students)

Students

 

65

Plagiarism Detection

PDT

All departments operate an electronic system for the detection of plagiarism and an associated human process to confirm diagnoses and take corrective action.

Individuals (Students)

Students

 

66

Physical

PHY

Integration of e-learning strategy, plans and decisions with the space management processes.

Strategy

Strategy development

 

67

Risks

RSK

Projects and programmes integrate pro-active risk management at all levels.

Processes

Management and leadership

 

68

Research Out

ROU

Essentially RAE 4*.

Individuals (Staff)

Staff

 

69

Research In

RIN

Programme offerings via e-learning as equally as informed by research as offerings of a more traditional nature.

External environment

Delivery

 

70

Widening Participation

WPR

Integration of e-learning strategy, plans and decisions with Widening Participation processes, within a framework of cost- and income-awareness.

Strategy

Strategy development

 

71

Disadvantaged

DSA

Full integration of e-learning strategy, plans and decisions with support for disadvantaged students (other than disabled - see 05 - and WP - see 70).

Strategy

Strategy development

 

72

Personalisation

PRS

An approach to personalisation in e-learning which balances pedagogy, access and government desires within an agenda of cost-effectiveness, quality assurance and the grounded research literature.

Individuals (Students)

Students

 

73

Eco-Sustainability

ESU

A culture where sustainability is built into decision-making and operation of large e-learning projects.

Processes

Strategy development

 

79

Collaboration Roles

COL

The roles and responsibilities of each collaborative partner are clearly defined and the procedures always followed.

External environment

Partnership and collaboration

1

80

Computer Based Assessment

CBA

A systematic managed process is in place of using CBA across the institution in ways appropriate to each programme.

Technology

Students

 

81

Computer Managed Assessment

CMA

A systematic managed process is in place of using Computer Managed Assessment and feedback of assignments (including dissertations) across the institution in ways appropriate to each programme.

Technology

Delivery

 

82

Dissemination Internal

DIN

A systematic managed process of internal dissemination of good practice is in place.

Processes

Communication, evaluation and review

1

83

Staff Experience

SEP

All courses using significant e-learning measure the staff experience aspects of this.

Individuals (Staff)

Staff

 

84

Staff Satisfaction

SST

Annual Staff Satisfaction survey which explicitly addresses the main e-learning issues of relevance to staff (e.g. support, workload)

Individuals (Staff)

Staff

 

85

Employer Engagement

EEN

A managed approach to involvement of employers of students in creating or updating WBL courses to include appropriate amounts of e-learning.

Processes

Management and leadership

 

86

Employer Experience

EEP

All WBL courses using significant e-learning measure the employer experience aspects of this.

Processes

Management and leadership

 

87

Employer Satisfaction

EST

Annual Employer Satisfaction survey which explicitly addresses the main e-learning issues of relevance to employers of students on WBL courses.

Individuals (Students)

Management and leadership

 

89

Employability

EMP

The institution takes care to ensure that e-learning is used in a reasoned way to enhance the employability of students including in their own businesses.

Individuals (Students)

Delivery

 

90

Student Engagement in Design

SED

A managed approach to involvement of students in updating the design of e-learning courses across many courses.

Individuals (Students)

Students

 

91

Student Understanding of System

SUS

Students have good understanding of the rules governing assignment submission, feedback, plagiarism, costs, attendance, etc and always act on them.

Individuals (Students)

Students

1

92

Student Help Desk

SHD

Help Desk is deemed as best practice.

Individuals (Students)

Delivery

1

93

Student Experience

SXP

All courses using significant e-learning measure the student experience aspects of this.

Individuals (Students)

Students

 

94

Student Satisfaction

SAT

Annual Student Satisfaction survey which explicitly addresses the main e-learning issues of relevance to students.

Individuals (Students)

Students

 

95

e-Portfolios

EPO

Use of e-portfolios in all departments.

Processes

Students

 

96

Learning Objects

LOB

An approach to use of learning objects which balances pedagogy and technology within an agenda of cost-effectiveness, quality assurance and the grounded research literature.

Technology

Delivery

 

97

Open Educational Resources

OER

The institution has a reasoned approach to the use of OER and is using them across the institution.

Technology

Delivery

 

98

Benchmarking

BMK

The institution has recently benchmarked its e-learning and is working through the implications of the results.

Processes

Management and leadership

 

99

Organisational Learning

OLG

Institution is a learning organisation on all core aspects of e-learning.

Processes

Staff

 

 



<a href="#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title="">[3]</a> Lessons to be learned from the failure of the UK e-University, ODLAA, 2005, <a href="http://www.unisa.edu.au/odlaaconference/PDFs/32%20odlaa2005%20-%20bacsich.pdf">http://www.unisa.edu.au/odlaaconference/PDFs/32%20odlaa2005%20-%20bacsich.pdf</a>.

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