E‐learning developments and experiences

Abstract

Over the past five years, institutions of higher education in Australia and overseas have been investing increasingly larger sums of money in a range of e-learning initiatives. RMIT University, for example, has allocated AUS$50 million over the period 1999-2001 for aligning information technology to the needs of the core business of the university[1] and The University of Melbourne has allocated $12 million since 1997 for multimedia enhanced teaching and learning development[2]. This increased investment in e-learning initiatives appears to have occurred as a reaction to the view that higher education is in crisis. The crises centre around three issuesaccess to education, the cost of providing education, and dwindling public revenues (Daniel, 1997; Johnstone, 1992). Both authors believe that the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in teaching and learning will provide at least part of the solution to many of these issues. Daniel (1997, p. 14), for example, believes that ''technology provides the most fertile ground for growing these key ingredients of university renewal: lower costs and unique attractions''. Bates (1997) believes there are four reasons for using technology in higher education: (1) improving the quality of learning; (2) improving access to education and training; (3) reducing the costs of education; and (4) improving the cost-effectiveness of education. Green and Gilbert (1995) noted:. .. the stated hope is that computing and information technologies will yield new levels of institutional and instructional ''productivity''. The stated expectation is that the infusion or integration of new technologies into instruction will, at minimum maintain and ideally enhance student learning while significantly reducing instructional costs. The second catalyst for the interest in e-learning appears to be centred around concern that higher education might not be able to continue its monopoly on the delivery of education. One area of potential competition is alleged to come from internation institutions of higher education, and an article in The Australian on 22 November 2000 claimed that Australian

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