What do university teachers think eLearning is good for in their teaching?

Abstract

Although numerous studies have been conducted on conceptions of teaching, research extending this investigation into conceptions of teaching using eLearning is rare. This study employed a phenomenographic approach to investigate what university teachers think eLearning is good for in their teaching. Four qualitatively different ways of conceiving of eLearning were discovered: (a) to provide information to students; (b) for occasional communication among unit participants; (c) to engage students in online discussions; and (d) to support knowledge‐building tasks. Four dimensions of variation provided a more detailed picture. These were: role of teacher, role of students, unit participants' interaction and perception of embeddedness with face‐to‐face component. Results are situated in line with those from previous research and indicate an emerging consensus of findings. Academic developers may benefit from these outcomes by using them in designing eLearning support programs. Further studies confirming or challenging previous findings, as well as associating conceptions of eLearning and teaching, are proposed.