Review by: Schönwald, Ingrid (2004-07-14)

This study emerged from the notion that there is relatively little sharing of knowledge and experience among educational institutions regarding the implementation of technology-supported learning programs.

In order to identify practices of successful TML initiatives five case studies of technology-mediated learning (TML) in business and management education programs in the United States were conducted. A multistage selection process was used to identify the five research sites. The primary selection criteria for the case studies were their experience and active involvement in programmatic TML initiatives that were internally and externally perceived as successful in achieving the program goals. The institutions offering the five final programs were Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, Ohio University’s MBA Without Boundaries, UCLA’s Anderson Graduate School of Management, University of Phoenix Online Campus and Wake Forest University.

In the data collection process the study team visited each of the five universities in 1999 for a full day, they conducted 35 in-depth interviews with various key stakeholders such as the program or university administrators, faculty and students. The interview focus was on organizational practices (TML strategy, TML structure, adjustments in organizational culture); learning practices (TML models, student’s support and expectations); teaching practices (instructor incentive, support, and intellectual property issues); and approaches to assessment of TML outcomes. The subsequent data analysis was based on the site interviews and study team observations, the screening surveys, TML program documentation, and reports collected during the site visits. The dominant themes and practices in each of the five case studies were identified and explicated.

Three main lessons were identified: First, the amount of resources required to develop and implement effective initiatives was usually underestimated, sometimes by a factor of two or three. The second lesson from this study was that culture, not costs, was the biggest barrier to effective TML change. The third lesson was that most of the institutions, particularly the not-for-profit ones, conducted only informal and anecdotal assessments, but no systemic and longitudinal assessments of their TML initiatives. This third aspect is attributed to the current initial stage of growth, where many resources are being put into the initiatives to get them started and detailed assessments are not considered helpful. However, in a later development stage the formal assessment of the initiatives will become more relevant.

The main point of the paper is that the implementation of technology-mediated learning initiatives in educational institutions is an ongoing process. The lessons learned from the case studies can be useful for other institutions to consider in their implementation process and are intended to promote the candid share of experiences among institutions.