IO1. Toolkit on how to adopt a strategy for eLearning in HE

IO1. Toolkit on how to adopt a strategy for eLearning in HE

The aim of this output is to develop a toolkit which will support users on how to adopt a strategy for teaching online in Higher Education. During this output, partners will engage in a review of the current eLearning practices used to teach online in higher education courses of various disciplines, will develop tools to support educators in Higher Education, and will focus on the collection of best practices to identify certain approaches that proved useful as illustrated in related literature following the established recommendations. Therefore, the IO1 includes the design and development of a toolkit which will act as a powerful tool for academics, adult educators, and researchers which will support them to adopt a strategy and shift from traditional learning to eLearning.

The IO1 will consist of resources, research, pedagogical material, case studies, practical tips, and a collection of OERs activities that can be adapted and adopted to learn how to teach online in Higher Education. The objective of this output is the development of a practical and innovative toolkit that is expected to support HE instructors to develop, design and implement effective eLearning courses for teaching purposes.

The toolkit will contain the following sections:

1. Pedagogical Mapping: All partners will implement desk research on the state-of-the-art of eLearning in HE in partner countries and in the EU. Specifically, this task will shed light on how it is best to do pedagogical mapping to be able to teach online at that level. Most common and successful practices will be highlighted in this mapping.

2. ELearning readiness checklist for teaching online in Higher Education. This will be a practical checklist for users to use, adapted from the SELFIE tool, to support HE reflect and be prepared on what is needed to integrate and implement eLearning courses.

3. Evidence-based practices and practical tips: All partners will conduct focus groups and administer questionnaires in their own countries with a sample consisting of eLearning experts, higher education instructors and decision makers. Participants will be asked to identify good practices, tips and guidelines for teaching online in Higher Education. A total of 36 participants will be actively involved in the focus groups, while a total of 150 questionnaires will be administered in all partners' countries.

4. Author national reports and a cumulative report: Partners will author a national report on implementing eLearning courses in HE across various disciplines while the leading partner will author a cumulative report summarising the findings of all partners.

5. Create the e-toolkit for HE: The collection of 30 EU Best eLearning Practices including OERs learning activities and resources will provide an annotated list of tools with practical recommendations for the implementation of eLearning courses in higher education.

The results from this output will be collected and reported by partners. UNIC and UPIT will establish the Pedagogical framework, compile the findings in a transnational report and CARDET will design and develop the toolkit in an electronic format. The eLearning readiness checklist, and guidelines will accompany the toolkit so that users know how to implement best practices in their teaching based on the needs of their students. Selected parts of the toolkit will be translated in all partner languages to ensure its widespread and usability. P1 and P2 will be leading this activity while all partners will be involved in the development of the e-toolkit’s content and activities.

INNOVATION

The Toolkit will address the significant issues and topics of how to adopt eLearning in HE and is fully aligned with EU policies and HE needs. It will include an eLearning readiness checklist tool, which as of today has not been developed elsewhere.

IMPACT

Using the toolkit, HE will be able to improve and modernize their curricula and meet today’s needs that calls out for online learning and delivery of courses in universities. Successful use of the toolkit will allow not only HE faculty members and academics to acquire the necessary knowledge, tools, and resources but also adult educators, and trainers, thus multiplying the impact of the project. This will ensure that the toolkit will have a continued impact into the future.

TRANSFERABILITY

The Toolkit will initially be developed, reviewed and piloted in educational environments in all partner countries. At least ten members will pilot test parts of the toolkit and will report on a questionnaire on its usability and give feedback. Demonstrating the adaptability of the toolkit in this manner emphasizes the potential for further exploitation within the partner countries but also in countries beyond the initial partnership. It must be stressed that the issue that the toolkit addresses will remain a priority at the forefront of EU policy for the foreseeable future.

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Toolkit for integrating eLearning in Higher Education

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