ELUE e-Learning and University Education

1. ELUEe-Learning and University Education Report of the survey in French universities Representing the French team Pr Monique LINARD http://www.e-pathie.org

2. ELUE French report • Political iniative : French Ministry of National Education, Direction of Research and Conférence des Présidents d’Universités (CPU). • Project management : AMUE (Agency for the Mutualization of Universities). • Scientific investigation : e-pathie program, Maison des Sciences de l’Homme (MSH), Paris.

3. E-learning in a French universitycontext • A highly centralized, state-run organization • A widespread implication with ICT and e-learning issues • Still massively traditional ways of teaching and learning • Modes of interaction • Course supply • Teachers’ activities • Yet a much wider scope of pedagogical communication • E-learning teachers, mostly « traditional teachers who adapt »

4. Specific features of the French survey • Approach • Conducting the survey • Corpus, fairly representative of : • The geography • The typology of French universities • Data and statistical results • Reliability of responses to individual items

5. Specific features of the French survey Methodology : As with any type of investigation, context and mode of conception of data condition results and anwers to questions. • A concernfor identifying and integrating whenever possible : • Intercultural differences • National contexts • Methodological questions • A special interest for : • Relating the diversity • Probing the consistency

6. Universities e-learning policy • Reasons for universities to engage in e-learning • Development of local e-learning policy and initiatives • Participation in consortia Main findings

7. Universities e-learning policy • Institutional strategic plans and orientation texts • Teachers’ training plans and incentives • Support plans • E-learning structures and their duties

8. Universities e-learning policy • Investment in faculty and staff • Resources and funding • Effective research on ICT use

9. Universities e-learning policy E-learning programmes for students • Students’ activities • Technical supports • Other services • Course contents

10. Opinions and effective practice • Degree of acceptance by teachers and students • General obstacles to e-learning development. • Lack of support from other faculty members • Lack of technical competence • Lack of adequate facilities and relevant institutional investment

11. Opinions and effective practice • Difficulties with study course programmes : • Technical • Pedagogical and admininistrative • Predictions for the future of programmes • Risks of e-learning development

12. Conclusion A likely picture of e-learning development in French universities evidencing a number of facts and of recurrent issues : • Major changes in organizational and teaching learning culture • Real cost-effectiveness of e-learning development • Rapid evolution of student, faculty and staff new professional and personal skills • Differential impact, assets and risks of technology

13. Conclusion For universities, the technological response is still a privileged way to meet the pressure of socioeconomic and educational change. Tony Bates (2000) insists that this is not the best way to do so. Together with the issues reiewed above, his discussion provides a very appropriate frame of reference for the activities of future a European Observatory.

14. « Thus the use of technology is not just a technical issue. It raises fundamental questions about target groups, methods of teaching, priorities for funding, and above all the overall goals and purpose of a university or college ». • « Consequently, decisions about technology need to be embedded in and subordinated to educational goals ». • « At the same time, the educational goals themselves should take into account the new opportunities that these technologies present ». A. W. (Tony) Bates : Managing Technological Change, Strategies for College and University Leaders, Jossey Bass publishers. San Francisco, 2000. : « Confronting The Technology Challenge in Universities and Colleges », Chapter 1, p. 34.

15. Suggestions for a future e-learning European Laboratory Considering the findings of the ELUE survey, the French team suggests the creation of a coordinated European network of national observatories. Such network would provide an appropriate support to the international debate and collaborative work urgently needed in the field.

16. ELUEe-Learning and University Education Report of the survey in French universities Representingthe French team Pr Monique LINARD http://www.e-pathie.org

17. Distribution of French universities by large regions Distribution of the survey's respondents by large regions

18. A distribution of French universities according to scientific domains A distribution of the survey corpus according to scientific domains

19. A comparison between modalities of learning as described from actual data and as estimated by respondents Average number of study course by learning types

20. Teacher's activities and "e-learning"

21. Means of distance communication in a wider scope of pedagogical relationship

22. Typology of Instructors

23. Reasons for universities to engage in "e-learning"

24. Time periods during which policies for "e-learning" implementation were designed in institutions Authorities initiatinga policy for "e-learning" according to different modalities

25. Institutions taking part in every level of consortium

26. Presence of strategic plans and orientation documents

27. Existence of training plans, financial incentivesor advancement of teachers' careers Number of teachers concerned by training sessions

28. Existence of ICT support plans for teachers

29. Number of ICT structuresin institutions ICT structures duties in institutions

30. Budgets dedicated to "e-learning" Average annual financial resources in relation to the budget of the institutions

31. Different kinds of studies on ICT use in institutions Research in Education by disciplinary sectors

32. Learners’ activities in "e-learning" programmes

33. Technical tools used in "e-learning" programmes Other service supplies

34. e-learning degree of acceptance by teachers and students

35. Difficultieswhen starting a scheme or programme

36. Future + Doubts Future - Predictions relative to the future of programmes