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eLearning and institutional development: Positioning the University of Vienna in the European Higher Education Area Arthur Mettinger Vice Rector Educational and International Affairs Major points PART ONE: Institutional perspectives – strategic aspects
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eLearning and institutional development: Positioning the University of Vienna in the European Higher Education AreaArthur MettingerVice Rector Educational and International Affairs
Major points PART ONE: Institutional perspectives – strategic aspects • The University of Vienna: a brief status quo • Institutional development: Changing framework conditions and windows of opportunity • Developing an institutional eLearning (Blended Learning) strategy
PART TWO: eLearning at the UoV – components, dimensions and implementation • The UoV „strategic box“ • Support structures and activities • Major challenges 2005 – 2007 • Achievements: Facts & figures
The UoV: a brief status quo • Founded in1365, research + education • 65.000 students, 7.000 staff • Annual budget 360.000.000 Euro • Degrees in „traditional“ system (Mag./Dr.) • Degrees in „Bologna“ system (Bakk./Mag./Dr./*PhD) • Legal basis for double degrees, joint degrees
Institutional development: Changing framework conditions • at the European/international levelemerging of EHEA, ERA, ECA- necessitates positioning of HEIs through adequate profiling - necessitates choices (cooperation and/or competition)
at the national level- University Act 2002: higher degree of institutional autonomy + accountability public funding on the basis of „performance agreements“ (as of 2007) additional funding by contracts + student fees- Implementation of Bologna → curricular reforms
at the institutional level:- higher degree of steering by leadership- internal „performance agreements“ as basis for allocation of funds- strategic development plans (research, education)- different strategies for research and education?→ development of new institutional culture
Institutional development: Windows of opportunity • Possibility to create a new teaching and learning culture:- student centred (student workload, learner autonomy, LLL,…)- learning outcome oriented- transparent- observing trans-national standards
Major dimensions for arriving at this new culture:- institutional agreement on basic parameters for curricula- development of (a set of) curricular models - integration of eLearning into curricula- didactic profiling
Developing an institutional eLearning strategy • must be part of general institutional strategy • eLearning must be seen as an investment into quality of educational process(es) • eLearning must come to be regarded as object of research and development • Organisational framework & administrative/technical processes must become congruent with demands of eLearning
Critical points in the development of an institutional eLearning strategy • Clear definition of goals:- flexibility, individualization of learning- strengthening of theory-based reflection- creation of standards & transparency- professionalisation of HE teachers- enhancing educational cooperation (Joint Degree programs, joint modules, shared content pools etc.)
Clear focus on specific areas:- introductory phase- „seminar stage“/ Master + Doctoral levels • Involvement of stakeholders • Cooperation of technology – administration - didactics – content development – curriculum development • Support structures • Financial stability
PART TWO: eLearning at the UoV – components, dimensions and implementation
Support structures and activities • Intensive collaboration between New Media Support unit (UoV Computing Center) andCentre for Teaching and Learning (Vice Rectorate Educational and Int‘l Affairs) • Virtual eLearning Center (http://elearningcenter.univie.ac.at) • Lectures, research network, UoV eLearning Conferences (2003, 2004)
Major challenges 2005 - 2007 • Encourage faculties to develop eLearning strategies • Intregration into curriculum development • Creating incentives for teachers + integration into personnel development • Further development of quality assurance + integration into overall QM of the UoV
Defining and implementing an appropriate content strategy • Integration of pioneers into eLearning research and further improvement of support • Integration of WebCT Vista and i3v • Austrian (FNM) & European networking: (SCIL, SVC, UNICA, …)
Achievements: Facts & figures • 22 eLearning projects (before implementation of WebCT in 2004) • MEDIDA-PRIX 2004 for www.pastperfect.at • Currently 152 WebCT Vista courses(2% of total UoV courses; taken by appr. 6.000 students; 10%)
Budget figures:total UoV investment 2004: 20 million €eLearning investment 2004: - 813.000 € support - 400.000 € projects6% of the UoV investment budget 2004