E-LEARNINGEducation in the new

millennium

THE FORCE E-learning is one of several ways in which technology is changing the face of education. Over the past 20 years, schools have transformed from building centered places where students learned basic skills, to undefined venues where students interact using multiple modalities. One of the most difficult challenges facing educational as an institution today is in trying to predict and prepare for the ways that teaching and learning will evolve over the next two decades.

SCENARIO: BRING 21ST CENTURY SKILLS TO OUR STUDENTS.

ELEMENTS1. Committee members vary

in their understanding of how technology fits in the classrooms.

The oversight board is wary of how this will impact the budget.

THE COMMITTEENancy SnyderBrooke YelletsTim PalacioDaniel J. O’Meara

ISSUE E learning is changing the face of

education.

From a building centered place where basic skills were taught to an undefined-anywhere/anytime venue where interaction is multi modal.

ANALYSIS Determine the extent of online learning

implementation Define what constitutes eLearning Who is doing the “teaching” Reasons why parents and school

districts are using technology to replace or supplement more traditional classrooms.

ISSUES Addressing out dated mental models

Educators work with limited resources

School districts rely on the input of innovators who are loosely connected

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Investment and funding

ISSUEImpact on Leaders

Contending with change

ANALYSIS

Fear of the

Unknown

•Communication •Readdress Mental Models•Trends

External

Factors

•Unions, Boards, State and Federal Agencies •Communication

ISSUEImpact on followers

In order to effectively manage an e-learning environment, educational leaders must be familiar with the latest in technological advances in the learning environment.

ANALYSISProfessional

Development•In order to effectively manage an e-learning environment leaders must offer professional development opportunities to the followers

Motivation •Find relevancy in the information and the followers will be motivated to adapt to new mental models

Integration of technology into the

learning environment

•Find ways to create a seamless transition from analog to digital

Communication

•On going interaction between leaders vision and followers in order to quickly and effectively adopt e-learning technology and incorporate into meaningful work

ISSUE Situational leadership

A disparity between how administrators see the use of tech and how the graduates of 2013 see and use technology. Universities focus more of providing repositories of information than in investing in more robust and engaging Web based learning resources.

1988 2013

ANALYSIS

• The graduating class of 2013 have always had the WWW at their disposal

ADOPT E-LEARNING

Schools need to create a shared vision whereby everyone in the community comes together to understand E-learning and its demands.

ISSUE Leaders need to manage the changing

role of education

Students

Education

Technology

The future is now

ANALYSISTeachers Mentors

Educational Institutions Integrated

Infrastructure Fit the need of the student

Leaders as change agents

SELF LEADERSHIP Rapid change requires leadership at all

levels. This includes self-leadership, the “process of influencing oneself”. Leading into an unknown future requires challenging your own assumptions about a current state and envisioning the future to create new mental models.

MONEY Funding issues continue to be a limiting factor in many schools. Although research over the past 20 years has predicted that technology will usher a transformation in education pedagogy, the revolution has not materialized. Technology initiators have been frustrated with aging or poor performing hardware, lack of professional development, and software that focuses on skill and drill (Staples, Pugach, & Himes, 2005).

Investing in e-learning opportunities is laden with challenges. The chief challenge is that of being able to convince stakeholders of the role that technology should play as pupils learn in the 21st century. For those involved in e-learning projects, investment in technology is paramount and must be a priority. In order to achieve the level of competency that is required in a knowledge based economy, educational institutions will need to budget not only for technological hardware but for professional development opportunities as well.

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Staples, A., Pugach, M., & Himes, D. (2005). Rethinking the Technology Integration Challenge: Cases from Three Urban Elementary Schools. Journal of research on Technology in Education , 37 (3), 285-312.