Further
reading on:
Student-Centred
Learning Good
Practice and Planning Organisation,
Management & Change Checklists
for Planning Case
StudiesChoosing & Using Technologies in Education & Training
The organisation should ensure that adequate funding, suitably trained human resources, suitable facilities and accessible equipment are available. These are needed not only through the development and trial stages but for the lifetime of the fully implemented project.
| Further
reading on: |
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| Student-Centred
Learning |
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| Good
Practice and Planning |
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| Organisation,
Management & Change |
|
| Checklists
for Planning |
|
| Case
Studies |
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The organisation must ensure that the position in relation to financial resources for the initial development, trial and evaluation is clear at the beginning of the project. Either before the project or as part of its development, resources must be available to maintain the program throughout its projected lifespan, if a decision is made to continue from development to full implementation. In case a decision is made not to proceed to full implementation, it is necessary to consider what the implications will be for clients (including learners), for the organisation and for any funding bodies that may be involved.
Of all elements of an educational program, the human resources are the most critical. It is essential that sufficient human resources should be available for the acquisition or development of learning materials, the interaction with learners for teaching and support purposes, the accurate and timely implementation of administrative processes, the prompt provision of technical support when necessary, and any other assistance that learners may require. These are the services that are likely to make the difference between achievement and non-achievement of the learner's aims. All staff of the organisation may be involved: teaching, administrative, technical, library, student services, and management.
Innovative programs may call for new or updated skills on the part of staff involved, and so adequate professional development should be provided. Since the cost of professional development, and particularly the cost of staff time, can be high, economical and productive methods such as work-based action learning should be employed whenever possible. Again, all categories of staff may need professional development.
Innovative projects often rely on the initiative and enthusiasm of staff who volunteer for the task. These qualities are, of course, commendable and to be encouraged; but it is poor practice, and potentially exploitative, for an organisation to expect that innovative projects will be managed in the staff's spare time. It is not satisfactory to treat innovative projects simply as `add-ons' to existing workloads, and therefore tasks associated with the project must be recognised in the workloads of the staff involved.
Learners will need access to a place in which their learning can be pursued, whether this is on the campus of an educational organisation, at home, in the workplace or at a non-campus learning centre. The teaching organisation must ensure that learners are clear about their options in this matter. Where a non-campus learning centre is likely to be the location of choice, the organisation must make a considered decision whether it will negotiate arrangements on behalf of learners, or will give learners a guide to negotiating for themselves. Where the organisation itself operates learning centres, provision must be made for management, maintenance and security.
Equipment may include computer hardware and software (for course delivery and learning management), and equipment for practical work. Again, the organisation must decide, in the light of educational soundness, equity and practicality, to what extent it will provide equipment and to what extent learners must acquire their own. In the latter case, it will be necessary to provide guidance on requirements, minimum standards and support for procuring equipment. In either case, the question of costs to the organisation and to the individual is critical.
The organisation is responsible for ensuring that staff in all categories have access to adequate facilities and equipment to develop, operate and administer the program.
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