Central Queensland University's Course Management Systems: Accelerator or brake in engaging change?

Jeanne Mcconachie,David Jones,Jo Luck,Patrick Alan Danaher

doi:10.19173/irrodl.v6i1.219

Jeanne Mcconachie, David Jones + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v6i1.219

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Abstract

Central Queensland University (CQU) is a highly complex institution, combining campuses in Central Queensland and distance education programs for Australian domestic students with Australian metropolitan sites for international students and a number of overseas centres, also for international students. In common with many other universities, CQU has recently reviewed its course management systems (CMSs). In doing so, CQU has signalled its desired strategic position in managing its online learning provision for the foreseeable future. This paper analyzes that strategic position from the perspective of the effectiveness of CQU’s engagement with current drivers of change. Drawing on online survey results, the authors deploy Introna’s (1996) distinction between teleological and ateleological systems to interrogate CQU’s current position on CMSs – one of its most significant enterprises – for what it reveals about whether and how CQU’s CMSs should be considered an accelerator of, or a brake on, its effective engagement with those drivers of change. The authors contend that a more thorough adoption of an ateological systems approach is likely to enhance the CMS’s status as an accelerator in engaging with such drivers. Keywords: Australia, course management systems, enterprise systems, open and distance learning, teleological and ateleological systems

Highlights

To realize its goal of becoming acknowledged universally as a leader in flexible teaching and learning, Central Queensland University (CQU) is using different technologies as drivers of organizational change (Central Queensland University, 2003; see McConachie and Danaher; Cummings, Phillips, Tilbrook and Lowe; Nunan; Reid, this issue)
Over 50 percent of the respondents cared whether Blackboard were implemented within CQU, which demonstrates a level of ownership for whichever course management systems (CMSs) the university chooses as its driver of change
There are clearly differences among the responses received for the research project, we argue that there is evidence that much would be gained from CQU increasing the knowledge of its staff about whether, and how, the university proposes to use Blackboard as the CMS to drive organizational change that will enhance CQU’s reputation as a leader in flexible learning

Summary

Introduction

To realize its goal of becoming acknowledged universally as a leader in flexible teaching and learning, Central Queensland University (CQU) is using different technologies as drivers of organizational change (Central Queensland University, 2003; see McConachie and Danaher; Cummings, Phillips, Tilbrook and Lowe; Nunan; Reid, this issue). In common with many other Australian universities, CQU has implemented an enterprise resource system, PeopleSoft, to improve its administrative procedures. To improve its teaching and learning, the university has reviewed its course management systems (CMSs) (the terminology choice is explained later in the paper) and implemented Blackboard as an enterprise CMS. CMSs are defined as software packages that provide Web-based tools, services, and resources to support teaching and learning processes for both online and blended delivery. CQU is seeking to reduce the use of Webfuse (Jones and Gregor, 2004), a home-grown CMS. In attempting to use Blackboard as an enterprise system (see McConachie and Danaher; Smith, this issue), CQU has signaled its desired strategic position in centralizing and unifying the management of its open and distance learning provision for the foreseeable future

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