An introduction to the ACODE Benchmarks for technology enhanced learning (TEL):

Understanding their context for use.Associate Professor Michael Sankey

Vice-President ACODE

Tuesday February 7, 2017

www.acode.edu.au

Introduction• Benchmarking in one way institutions can

mediate a level of quality in their practice. • Higher-ed quality agencies in many jurisdictions are now

taking a keen interest in how institutions can provide a level of equivalence to their practice.

• The ACODE Benchmarks can be one in a suite of tools you can apply to facilitate a level of quality across 8 key areas of institutional practice.

• Some examples of how this tool has been used by more than 35 institutions from five countries over recent years.

• When we have an understanding of what this tool can offer, we will identify some significant others within your institution who can go on this important journey with you.

Who else do we have online

• Which institution are you from?

• Is this the first exposure to the Benchmarks?

• What are you hoping to get out of this?

Why• To understand where we need to go with TEL we need

to understand where we currently stand, compared to others who are doing similar things.

• An approach that has helped many institutions do this is the regular use of benchmarking.

• The ACODE TEL Benchmarks allows us to: – Self-assess our capacity in TEL– Share this with other like-minded

people/institutions– Incorporate this into ongoing QA/QI processes

So far• In June 2016 ACODE ran its second major

Benchmarking Summit in Canberra, using the ACODE TEL Benchmarks, with 27 institutions from 5 countries.

• Two years prior, in 2014, we ran our first event with 24 institutions from 5 countries. This was unprecedented in Australasian higher education.

• To participate each HEI had to first undertake a self -assessment of their capacity in TEL against a minimum of 2 Performance Indicators, and then be willing to share this with the other institutions involved, with many institutions doing far more.

ACODE

– disseminate and share knowledge and expertise;– support prof development & provide networking opportunities;– investigate, develop & evaluate new approaches;– advise and influence key bodies in higher education; and– promote best practice.

The Benchmarks• Originally developed

back in 2004• Used many times• In 2014 we shifted the

focus away from ‘eLearning’ to ‘Technology Enhanced Learning’ (TEL)

• Developed the self-assessment templates

• Provide guidelines for using the instrument

1. Institution-wide policy and governance for technology enhanced learning;

2. Planning for institution-wide quality improvement of technology enhanced learning;

3. Information technology systems, services and support for technology enhanced learning;

4. The application of technology enhanced learning services;5. Staff professional development for the effective use of technology

enhanced learning;6. Staff support for the use of technology enhanced learning;7. Student training for the effective use of technology enhanced

learning;8. Student support for the use of technology enhanced learning.

The 8 Benchmarks for TEL

Extension • We have also developed a methodology to provide

institutions with:1. a platform to self-access their standing against some/all

of the 8 benchmarks, and to stimulate meaningful conversations, at a local level, around how you are using technology to support your L&T.

2. an opportunity to share & learn from each other, based on their individual institutions responses (via an inter-institutional event every two years).

3. an enduring record of this via the newly developed online tool

This resulted in…

2014

But to get to this point…Managing the logistics

• We first had to do a self assessment

• Pull people together from different sections

• Agree on where we stood• Provide a rationale and

evidence as to why

Short activity: Benchmark 1Institution - wide policy and governance for technology enhanced learning• Performance indicator1. Institution strategic and operational plans support and promote the use of technology

enhanced learning.2. Specific plans relating to the use of technology enhanced learning are aligned with the

institution’s strategic directions and operational plans.3. Planning for the ongoing use of technology enhanced learning is aligned with the

institution’s budget process.4. Institution policies, procedures and guidelines provide a framework for how technology

enhanced learning should be used at both a course and program level.5. Policies, procedures and guidelines on the use of technology enhanced learning are well

communicated and integrated into processes and systems.6. The institution has established mechanisms for the governance of technology enhanced

learning that include representation from key stakeholders.7. Authority and responsibility for the operational management of the technologies used to

enhance learning and teaching are clearly articulated.8. The institution uses a clearly articulated policy framework and governance structure then

deciding on the adoption of new technologies.

Group consolidation

Submit this to the event

Split indicators

The online tool

Then we have the conversation

The beauty of the beast

• The beauty of benchmarking is not around which tool or set of standards you are using, it's about the dialogue that emerges and the sharing of practice that is the real winner for all concerned.

• It opens the door for further collaboration.• It serves as a mechanism to facilitate discussion at

senior leadership level.

Some basic stats

Of the total 50 participants, 47 participants completed the online evaluation survey.

http://www.acode.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=519

Conclusion• Many of the issues we face can be remediated

by simply taking the time to self-assess against a set of quality performance indicators.

• We then extend this by sharing our current practice with those in similar circumstances.

• This builds stronger ties and provides our institutions with the wherewithal to meet the unique challenges of building a strong digital future.

• The ACODE Benchmarks provide a catalyst to help make this happen

• We are not alone

www.acode.edu.au

This June

http://www.open.ac.uk/acode-uk/

http://www.open.ac.uk/acode-uk/