Abstract
Introducing technology in higher education raises questions about staff roles and the organisation of development practices. This article presents the findings from a case study that was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of introducing three centrally supported e-developers to work with academic teams to provide specialist support. The e-developer role is explained, and related to existing literature about learning technologists. The case illustrates how the e-developers worked collaboratively with academic staff and the perceptions of the academic staff, e-developers and educational technology leaders of the e-developer model used in a university in southwest London. The findings offer an opportunity to understand this kind of role, and the value of a model of staff development that does not involve taking academic staff out of the teaching area to become e-developers. The model supports ‘situative’ professional development, which helps promote technology integration into teaching and suggests that e-developers provided cost-effective mentorship which participants believed would have a positive impact on student learning. Keywords: blended learning; curriculum development; e-learning; learning resources; professional development; strategy; technology DOI: 10.1080/09687760802316307
Highlights
This article presents a case study that was undertaken to measure the effectiveness of introducing three centrally provided e-developers to support academic staff in developing blended learning.The aims of the research were to assess the effectiveness of the e-developer model employed in one university in terms of engagement of staff with blended learning and dissemination of good practice
The study was designed to examine how the e-developers worked collaboratively with academic staff, and the perceptions of the e-developer model held by academic staff, e-developers themselves and educational technology leaders in each faculty
The evaluation explored the views of the principal groups involved in the programme, namely: course teams, educational technology leaders, the e-developers and the strategic leads within the Academic Development Centre (ADC)
Summary
Introduction This article presents a case study that was undertaken to measure the effectiveness of introducing three centrally provided e-developers to support academic staff in developing blended learning. The aims of the research were to assess the effectiveness of the e-developer model employed in one university in terms of engagement of staff with blended learning and dissemination of good practice. An additional project aim was to assess the sustainability of the developments initiated by the e-developers in terms of their ongoing maintenance and development by the course teams they supported and worked alongside
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