Diffusion of Innovations Approach to the Evaluation of Learning Management System Usage in an Open Distance Learning Institution

Mkhize, Peter L.; Mtsweni, Emmanuel Samuel; Buthelezi, Mokateko Portia

doi:10.19173/irrodl.v17i3.2191

Cited by 30 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…The longstanding and steady growth of LMS use in higher education has been well documented (Carmean & Haefner, 2003;Daniels, 2009;Harrington et al, 2006;Malikowski, 2010;Mkhize, Mtsweni, & Buthelezi, 2016;Mills, 2005; Vovides, Y., Sanchez-Alonso, S., Mitropoulou, V., & Nickmans, G.; . With learning management systems being present at 99% of higher education institutions, their use is now ubiquitous (Dahlstrom, Brooks, & Bischel, 2014;Green, 2013;Lang & Pirani, 2014).…”

Section: History Of Learning Management Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding Faculty Use of the Learning Management System

Rhode

Richter

Gowen

et al. 2017

OLJ

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The learning management system (LMS) has become a critical tool for nearly all institutions of higher education, and a driving force in online learning. According to a 2014 report by the Educause Center for Analysis and Research, 99% of higher education institutions have an LMS in place, and the LMS is used by 85% of faculty and 83% of students. This was not always the case, however. There was a time in the not-so-distant past when using an LMS was considered highly innovative. Understanding the growth and adoption of the LMS is a stepping stone to understanding how faculty may choose to adopt other technological and pedagogical innovations. This study was conducted at a large, research-intensive public university in the Midwest, which has used the same LMS for 15 years. From a small pilot, adoption has grown to nearly universal use. This study used system logs and database queries to examine how faculty used the LMS. The results identified the features that were used most frequently and how usage had changed over time. In addition, the study compared the usage data for face-to-face and online courses to determine if there are differences in LMS use due to course modality. Based on this, it is possible to better understand the role the LMS plays in higher education and online learning, to inform development of next generation learning systems or other innovative technologies.

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Section: History Of Learning Management Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding Faculty Use of the Learning Management System

Rhode

Richter

Gowen

et al. 2017

OLJ

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“…This study was conducted at the University of South Africa (Unisa), a mega distance higher education and the largest open distance e-learning institution in Africa (Mkhize, Mtsweni, & Buthelezi, 2016;Ramdass & Masithulela, 2016) and the longest standing dedicated distance education university in the world (Unisa, 2016). Apart from a strong research focus, the university, which employs 5000 staff, offers a variety of study choices to over 400,000 students.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Talent Management Implementation at an Open Distance E-Learning Higher Educational Institution: The Views of Senior Line Managers

Erasmus

Naidoo

Joubert

2017

IRRODL

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The war for talent remains a challenge that many organisations face but more so for distance education institutions to deliver on its mandate to provide effective online academic offerings. The question that remains is: How can intellectual capital be managed effectively in order to recruit and retain talent that is necessary for success? This study was conducted at a mega open and distance learning institution, and this institution has identified talent management as one of the key strategic initiatives to ensure institutional strategic goal attainment and adopted an inclusive/developable talent approach as its framework. The aim of this article is to report on the perceptions of senior line managers regarding their experience with implementing the talent management strategy in their operational areas at the institution. This study adopted a qualitative approach and purposive sampling was used to select interviewees. The population group included chairpersons of 26 talent committees who are senior line managers and 11 of them were interviewed. Participants were of the opinion that policies and strategies do not always support the implementation of talent management in their respective environments. The findings show that although the university embraces the inclusive/developable talent approach in its strategy, the impact thereof is inhibited by a lack of methodological implementation, a lack of integration of supporting Human Resources policies with talent management, and insular line manager discernment.

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“…Of particular note is the growing number of HEI that are making significant investments in the possible benefits that online teaching and learning strategies can afford them. This is evidenced in the ever-increasing student enrolments in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCS) (Mkhize, Mtsweni, & Buthelezi, 2016) and the increasing number of HEI continuing to invest in Learning Management Systems (LMS) (Allen & Seaman, 2013). However, with an increasing number of online course offerings and the associated increase of students opting into online courses (Gregory & Salmon, 2013;Margaryan, Bianco, & Littlejohn, 2015), there is a growing concern with regards to the pedagogical approaches associated with these online learning environments (Brown, Millichap, & Dehoney, 2015;Kirkwood & Price, 2014;Salmon, 2014).…”

Section: Background To the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Need to Focus on Digital Pedagogy for Online Learning

Haugsbakken¹,

Nykvist²,

Lysne³

2019

European Journal of Education

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As pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning continue to evolve to meet the needs of students in a rapidly changing, globalized world that is heavily influenced and reliant on digital technologies, it is anticipated that the learning environments in Higher Education will also be transformed. Consequently, this transformation of learning environments is often synonymous with the adoption of and continued focus on the potential benefits of online learning in the Higher Education sector. It is within this context that this paper reports on a small-scale case study in a large Nordic university where the learning management system, Blackboard was piloted and implemented using a top-down approach consisting of the comprehensive training of academic staff, students and support staff. The explorative approach used in this study identifies three common themes in the data as it follows a group of academic beta testers (N=23) who are involved in the initial phases of implementation. The study explores the educators’ primary use of Blackboard, whilst attempting to understand how academics perceive and interpret the role of online technologies to support effective pedagogical practices. Drawing on data from participant interviews, the study highlights the need for increased academic support for online learning design and a renewed focus on staff development of effective pedagogical practices

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Diffusion of Innovations Approach to the Evaluation of Learning Management System Usage in an Open Distance Learning Institution

Cited by 30 publications

References 24 publications

Understanding Faculty Use of the Learning Management System

Understanding Faculty Use of the Learning Management System

Talent Management Implementation at an Open Distance E-Learning Higher Educational Institution: The Views of Senior Line Managers

The Need to Focus on Digital Pedagogy for Online Learning

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