Who killed e-learning?
Prof Johannes Cronje
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
+27 82 558 5311
”Who killed Cock Robin?” "I," said the
Sparrow, "With my bow and arrow, I
killed Cock Robin."

Romizowski identifies 4 approaches to
studying success or failure of
technological innovation in education
and training:




E (Technological)
Learning
Management
Needs
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
“Who saw him die?” "I," said the Fly, "With my
little eye, I saw him die."
During 1998 –2002
During 2000 -2003
Harcourt Higher Education was
launched as a college in 2000
and confidently predicted
“50,000 to 100,000 enrolments
within five years.”
Harcourt closed down after
enrolling 32 students in 2001
UNext created Cardean
University with Columbia,
London School of Economics,
Carnegie Mellon, Stanford and
Chicago Universities.
Cardean laid off over half of its
work force due to
“restructuring”
Temple University formed
Virtual Temple
The Temple University closed
Virtual Temple.
Source: Cardinali, 2004, cited by Le Roux, 2006
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
“Who saw him die?” "I," said the Fly,
"With my little eye, I saw him die."




In 2000 Higher Education Funding Council for
England, launched UK e-Universities Worldwide
(UKeU) - government budget of over £60M.
It was forecast that 75,000 students would be
enrolled by 2005 in UKeU alone.
By November 2003 UkeU had spent some £50M but
signed up a mere 900 students.
In Spring 2004, amid great embarrassment, UKeU
was wound up. In a fire-sale, not a single serious bid
was received for the VLE engine. (Le Roux, 2006)
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
“Who caught his blood?” "I," said the
Fish, "With my little dish, I caught his
blood."

E - Over-emphasis of technology as “life
blood” of e-learning (Clark 2002):




Design the E-Learning Product. LMS
platform; Content Delivery System (CDS) &
content as HTML, Multimedia & simulation
Build the infrastructure integrate with inhouse technical people.
Create comprehensive student support
Sell it!!!
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
Problems with overemphasis of E


Concentrate on Tech – not my problem
Lack of integration and coherence
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
“Who'll make the shroud?” "I," said the
Beetle, "With my thread and needle, I'll
make the shroud."

Khan’s
(1997)
framework for e-learning
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
“Who'll dig his grave?” "I," said the Owl,
"With my pick and shovel, I'll dig his
grave."

Learning






(Greenagel, 2002)
“Presentation” models – push technology – ppt
and pdf
Too much text
Granular; “puerile”; “CBT”
Flawed ROI models. Keeping costs low leads to
poor programmes and low retention rate
SCORM
Lack of individualisation
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
“Who'll be the parson?” "I," said the
Rook, "With my little book, I'll be the
parson."

Management





Lack of ongoing support
No clear e-learning strategy that integrates
learning and business needs
No maintenance of commitment
No formative evaluation
Focus on project deliverables and
technology rather than people growth
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
“Who'll be the clerk?” "I," said the Lark,
"If it's not in the dark, I'll be the clerk."


Needs (McGraw, 2001)
Business-based approaches




Business strategy and architecture
Delivery, presentation and management
Learning strategies (Content & presentation)
Learner identities, needs and issues
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
“Who'll carry the link?” "I," said the
Linnet, "I'll fetch it in a minute, I'll carry
the link."

INTERNET madness

New training technology has not delivered the
goods in the past. Audio cassettes never had a
great market. Video-based training did not set the
world on fire. And programmed instruction
became the pet rock of the training world….In the
New Economy, today’s jewels become tomorrow’s
jetsam. But e-learning can endure. The Internet
makes the difference…. (Broadbent, 2001)
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
“Who'll be chief mourner?” "I," said the
Dove, "I mourn for my love, I'll be chief
mourner."

NOBODY
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
“Who'll carry the coffin?” "I," said the
Kite, "If it's not through the night, I'll
carry the coffin."



Vastly increased teacher workload, and very
little increased learner workload
Strong competition for “easy options”
“the death of open education is here. It does
not matter whether you are close by or on
the other side of the world. Your competitors
are cherry-picking easy-to-deliver, highdemand and lower-cost courses” (Zastrocky, 2000).
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
“Who'll bear the pall? "We," said the
Wren, "Both the cock and the hen, we'll
bear the pall."

ADDIE






Analysis
Design
Development
Implementation
Evaluation
Balanced Scorecard




Financial
Business processes
Learning & growth
Customer
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
The training cycle
Evaluation
Development and
Implementation
Analysis
Design
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
The balanced scorecard
Financial
Customer
Vision
and
strategy
Internal
perspectives
Learning and
growth
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
“Who'll sing a psalm?” "I," said the Thrush, "As
she sat on a bush, I'll sing a psalm.“
- The learning scorecard
Financial (ROI)
Evaluation
Analysis
Vision
and
strategy
Customer
Development and
Implementation
Learning and
growth
Internal
perspectives
Design
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
“Who'll toll the bell?” "I," said the bull,
"Because I can pull, I'll toll the bell."



a systematic design approach/model led to
more effective and consistent courses and
programs (Kessels, 1997)
ensure that all who are involved in the project
are appropriately oriented, trained,
motivated, and managed to ensure full
cooperation at all times
“A successful project is just 20% technique
and 80% tactics.” (Romizowski, 2004)
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
All the birds of the air fell a-sighing and asobbing, When they heard the bell toll for
poor Cock Robin.

Moore’s law
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
References










Broadbent, B. (2001). How to fail at e-learning. E-learning magazine; http://www.elearninghub.com/articles/ How_to_fail_elearning.html
Cardinali, F. (2004) Publishing for Mass Individualization: Research Oxymoron or Market Reality? Emerging
Trends, Models and Case Studies. Conference paper at the European Association of Distance Teaching
Universities in Heerlen, The Netherlands, 21 –23 October 2004.
Clarke, D. J. (2002). E-learning: Big bang or steady evolution? Learning Technologies;
http://www.logilent.com/company/ bigbang.pdf
Greenagel, F. L. (2002). The illusion of e-learning: Why we are missing out on the promise of technology.
Phoenix: League for Innovation in the Community College, white papers;
http://www.league.org/publication/whitepapers/ 0802.html
Kessels, J., & Plomp, T. (1997). The importance of relational aspects in the systems approach. In C. Dills &
A. J. Romiszowski (Eds.), Instructional development paradigms. Englewood Cliffs: Educational Technology
Publications.
Le Roux, I. (2006) E-Learning: Thwarted or Adopted Innovation? Lecture presented to the MUTI society,
University of Pretoria, 21 July
Khan, B. H. (Ed.). (1997). Web-based instruction. Englewood Cliffs: Educational Technology Publications.
McGraw, K. L. (2001). E-learning strategy equals infrastructure. Learning Circuits, ASTD; http://www.
learningcircuits.org/2001/jun2001/mcgraw.html
Romizovski, A. (2004). How’s the E-learning Baby? Factors Leading to Success or Failure of an Educational
Technology InnovationEducational Technology, 44(1) 5-27
Zastrocky, M. (2000). Address to the UCISA 2000 Conference, Glasgow, UK.
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html