UCT Educational Technology Policy Document

November 2003

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of this document is to make explicit UCT's position on educational technology within the institution.

The document also suggests how the principles expressed in these position statements may be put into practice.

1.2 Scope

The document refers to both staff (academic and PASS staff) and students in all UCT faculties and organisational structures.

1.3 Definitions

Educational technology - the knowledge domain that deals with the articulation of education and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) Educational technologies - those technologies (ICTs) that are used to support educational activities Online learning - learning that is supported by educational technologies, usually as part of a network, can be used in a variety of contexts including residential ICTs - Information and Communication Technologies, including a range of computer-based technologies, often in this context referring to networked computers. Most ICTs were not developed specifically for educational use. Flexible learning - learning which takes place at a range of different times and places, with increased flexibility and variety made possible by educational technologies (not the same as online learning)

1.4 Rationale

The reasons that UCT needs an educational technology policy with associated strategies, and needs to make explicit its support for the use of ICTs in teaching and learning in the institution, relate directly to the institutional mission, and to current strategies for achieving that mission. The main reasons are summarised here.

• UCT promises students a rich, world class learning experience. Educational technologies are an essential part of that experience, enriching and supporting the curriculum.
• UCT has an expressed commitment to a diverse student body, including students from academically disadvantaged backgrounds and students with different learning styles and needs. ICTs provide extra resources and strategies for addressing that diversity.
• UCT recognises that it has an obligation to respond to student needs and expectations, and simultaneously to narrow the digital divide. This means being able to respond to both the expectations of those students who have grown up digital as well as those who may be digitally illiterate.
• UCT is committed to professional staff development and to supporting staff transforming, improving and extending their practice (in general and in relation to new technologies).
• In order to maintain its position as a leading national higher education institution, UCT has not only to keep up with the competing institutions (most of which are actively pursuing the possibilities of educational technologies) but should also aim to lead the way in terms of innovation and effectiveness.
• While UCT remains committed to being a residential institution providing a high-contact experience, it recognises that specific course objectives require flexibility and that educational technologies can support flexible delivery. It also recognises pressures on existing space as well as uneven use of space, and acknowledges that ICTs can ease these pressures.

1.5 Links to other policies

This policy document must be read together with, and implemented in an integrated way with, associated policy and procedural initiatives including:

• staff development;
• research development
• curriculum development;
• human resources development;
• institutional strategy and planning processes;
• quality assurance policies and processes; and
• ICT policies, development and strategies.
• Relevant physical polices and procedures such as classroom services and production services

UCT's position regarding educational technology is contained in these seven points.

• 1. 1. UCT encourages and is committed to enabling the innovative and effective use of ICTs for teaching and learning in UCT courses and programmes.
• 2. 2. UCT believes that the use of ICTs for teaching and learning must be driven by sound pedagogical principles and the needs of the institution's students and staff, facilitated by technological advances.
• 3. 3. UCT supports an integrative approach to the use of ICTs
• 4. 4. UCT is committed to the provision of an appropriate ICT infrastructure and technical support to enable effective implementation of the intentions expressed in this document
• 5. 5. UCT expects priorities regarding educational technology to be determined at faculty level.
• 6. 6. UCT recognises and wishes to exploit the synergies between teaching-and-learning and research with regard to ICTs. As a research-led institution, UCT is also committed to ongoing research in the emerging field of educational technology.
• 7. 7. UCT acknowledges that the changing terrain requires increased flexibility of course provision, and that ICTs can be used to support this flexibility.

3.1 UCT encourages and is committed to enabling the innovative and effective use of ICTs for teaching and learning in UCT courses and programmes.

3.1.1 Categories of courses

Three categories describe the possible relationship of ICTs and UCT courses/ programmes:

• ICT-supplemented (The focus here is on supporting overall course management, and would generally involve course management, administration, information sharing and other organising activities.)
• ICT-curriculum integration (The focus here is on the curriculum. ICT activities directly relate to and support curricular objectives and teaching / learning activities.)
• ICT-based courses (These would be online courses which range to the extreme of little / no face to face contact. They are likely to support flexible learning.)

The decision regarding the kind of course and the category into which it falls should be made on the basis of the course objectives.

That said, UCT encourages all courses to be ICT-supplemented at the minimum, which means that the course should have at least:

• a course web site
• course outline available online
• course readings available online
• links to appropriate web sites

This is already happening to a significant extent. The development process should be scaled up to include all courses.

However, given its commitment to innovative teaching and learning, UCT particularly encourages ICT-curriculum integration, acknowledging that research indicates that the most effective use of educational technology is when it is inherently linked to the curriculum and part of the planning process. Thus the main emphasis should be on interesting and innovative use of curriculum- linked activities, enriched or made possible by technology.

The decision as to whether a course is to be ICT-based should be made on the basis of the course objectives. However, it is unlikely that the majority of courses will be virtual courses with little contact, given UCT's commitment to being a medium-sized, contact university.

All three categories of courses will require different levels and kinds of support. While technical infrastructure and support should continue to be available through the existing IT structures, an inter-faculty unit should be put in place to provide and focus on pedagogical support, development and research. Based in CHED, and working closely with an appropriate faculty-wide Advisory Group, this unit should encourage and support the innovative and effective use of ICTs for educational purposes at UCT.

3.1.2 A range of educational approaches, technologies and learning environments

UCT is committed to supporting a range of teaching, learning and educational technology approaches. We believe that different levels, disciplines, courses and programmes have different requirements.

Similarly, we recognise that a wide range of technological solutions need to be available, so that educational needs, together with cost effectiveness, should remain at all times the key factors in decision-making. As with other ICT initiatives, the choice must take into account UCT's ability to support it.

This means making available (and keeping up to date) a "tool-kit" of simple, accessible educational technology solutions. While the commitment is always to effective educational innovation rather than technological "bells and whistles", it is acknowledged that complex and/or expensive solutions may also be appropriate in certain circumstances.

With regard to online learning environments, there should not be a single, required, instructional approach or technology. This means that the requirements of specific learning and teaching situations should drive the selection of appropriate technology.

UCT is committed to the development of a common framework based on open standards in order to support a range of educational solutions. Applications that conform to the framework's open standards will enable interoperability between applications. Thus in-house developed applications can co-exist with commercially available systems and with applications that are made available by the open source movement. Such a framework will allow UCT to exploit the strengths of a range of applications, in order to meet a multiplicity of educational needs.

3.1.3 Incentives and rewards for the innovative and effective use of ICTs

For educational technologies to be most effective, they should be fully integrated into existing courses. This means that educational technology projects must be driven by academics who understand curriculum and course objectives as well as the specifics of their own disciplinary content and requirements.

While there will always be enthusiasts and champions who innovate and spend extra time out of personal interest, if UCT is to encourage a more widespread take-up of educational technologies, then such efforts need to be recognised and rewarded. This may be achieved in one or more ways, including:

• the adjustment of performance assessment criteria to acknowledge and give credit for this kind of work;
• the adjustment of institutional criteria for promotion to include the recognition of this kind of work;
• institutional arrangements that make it possible for academics to be temporarily released from some regular duties if they wish to devote serious development time to the incorporation of online learning activities into their courses;
• ICT-curriculum activities should be a criterion for the Distinguished Teacher Award.

3.2 UCT believes that the use of ICTs for teaching and learning must be driven by sound pedagogical principles and the needs of the institution's students and staff, facilitated by technological advances.

3.2.1 A pedagogical focus and location

The implications of this policy statement are that the locus of educational technology initiatives at UCT should be an educational development location, rather than a technological one such as ICTS. A new Centre for Educational Technology at UCT would therefore be best located in the Centre for Higher Education Development, benefiting from the experiences, relationships and faculty partnerships which CHED specialises in. Educational technology initiatives should also be closely aligned with the development work undertaken by other units within CHED.

The Centre should work closely with a university-wide Advisory Group for Educational Technology to be formed by representatives from appropriate structures

3.2.2 Developing and supporting student learning

UCT is committed to the utilisation of ICTs to address students' needs. Given that UCT aims to reach and accommodate a diverse student body, a number of strategies will need to be utilised to address the needs of different groupings of students.

• Support and development are necessary for students who are techno-illiterate (operationally, culturally and critically).
• Educational technologies can be used to support the acquisition of academic and other relevant practices, and need to support student acquisition of and entry into specific disciplines.
• At the same time, a new generation of students are arriving at UCT having "grown up digitally" and it will be important to understand the impact of that on learning, thus informing the way academics teach.

3.2.3 Enabling and supporting staff development

UCT is committed to using new technologies to extend and enrich teaching approaches, and as a vehicle to improve and transform teaching practice.

• It will be important to exploit the possibilities of educational technologies to enrich academic teaching repertoires and enable a much wider range of learning styles and preferences.
• Educational technologies may play the role of change agents regarding professional teaching practice
• Different strategies and levels of engagement will be needed to ensure that this happens, ranging from consultation and information sharing to mentoring and collaboration

3.3 UCT supports an integrative approach to the use of ICTs

Educational technology cannot be treated as a stand-alone area of work. The development of appropriate literacies and skills in both students and staff cannot be acquired in isolation. Research indicates that technologies add the most value when their use is closely aligned with curriculum objectives and teaching/learning activities.

This means that in both policy and practice the work must be aligned with associated work as described above:

• staff development;
• research development
• curriculum development;
• human resources development ;
• institutional strategy and planning processes;
• quality assurance policies and processes;
• ICT policies, development and strategies.
• It is suggested that either existing structures are adjusted or new ones put in place to facilitate these relationships. These might include:
• An Advisory Group or Board for the new Centre for Educational Technology comprising representatives of associated areas of work
• a senior university committee on a par with the CWG or the UICTC to specifically address educational technology issues;
• ensuring that a representative from the Centre for Educational Technology sits on associated and relevant bodies such as the Curriculum Working Group, The University Technology Committee (UICTC), the Professional Development Working Group and so on.UCT supports an integrative approach to the use of ICTs.

3.4 UCT is committed to the provision of an appropriate ICT infrastructure and technical support to enable effective implementation of the intentions expressed in this document

An appropriate infrastructure is a necessary (but insufficient) requirement for the successful integration of ICTs into courses and programme curricula. We note that the institutional ICT strategy has to date taken the needs of educational technology into account, and are committed to this situation continuing in future.

3.5 UCT expects priorities regarding educational technology to be determined at faculty level

While a Centre for Educational Technology will play a key role in terms of expertise and excellence, faculty level groupings are to be encouraged, working with and connected to existing pedagogical groupings (particularly faculty-based groups).

At the same time, should the senior leadership of the institution wish to prioritise the use of ICTs in a particular area, it can do so by taking such prioritised projects through the usual channels, and by earmarking funding for them. The Advisory Group may similarly motivate to the senior leadership of the university which technologies may be of strategic importance and thus nominate them for prioritisation.

3.6 UCT recognises and wishes to exploit the synergies between teaching-and-learning and research with regard to ICTs. As a research-led institution, UCT is also committed to ongoing research in the emerging field of educational technology.

3.6.1 Integration of teaching and learning with research

In recognition of the close relationship of teaching and learning to research, educational technology activities should be closely linked to the development and support of research activities. This means:

• a decision to support the use of educational technologies at both undergraduate and post-graduate levels, on the assumption that the former tends to focus on enabling teaching and learning and the latter more on enabling student research abilities;
• negotiating an ICT infrastructure that supports teaching, learning and research equally;
• a special relationship with the library, and with information literacy activities;
• support for collaborative working and research.

3.6.2 Researching the field of educational technology

A commitment to educational technology in UCT courses means a commitment to research in this area. This is because:

• this is an emerging area where it is essential both to understand and to contribute to the issues (including quality, equity, effectiveness etc) especially given that the international literature tends to be so far removed from the specific local context and conditions;
• in order for best practice to be shared, academics and their educational technology partners need to be informed by and involved in a wider and deeper understanding of the issues;
• given the shortage of skilled people working in this area, UCT will need incentives to encourage the best to work in the institution in this area, and such people inevitably wish to be researching their practice.
• In addition:
• Staff working in this area should also teach, contribute to and convene appropriate courses.
• Where development and research projects result in software products, consultation regarding delivery at use at UCT will be necessary.

3.7 UCT acknowledges that the changing terrain requires increased flexibility of course provision, and that ICTs can be used to support this flexibility.

As noted, flexible learning is not the same as online learning, although there are areas of overlap. However educational technologies can play an important role in increasingly flexible or distributed delivery, opening access and reaching nontraditional learners in diverse ways. This will mean the Centre for Educational Technology will have a close link with the Centre for Open Learning.

4.1 Appropriate Structures

In order for the principles and positions explained in this policy document to be put into practice, UCT will need appropriate structures to facilitate and enable the innovative and effective use of educational technologies in UCT courses and programmes.

4.1.1 An Educational Technology Advisory Group

An Educational Technology Advisory Group should be formed from relevant stakeholders. These are likely to include Faculty representatives from: every faculty, the proposed Research Technology Group, CHED units, ICTS as well as departments with whom the Centre will have a special relationship.

This Group will develop clear terms of reference on the understanding that it exists to facilitate dialogue between the Centre and the faculties/structures in order to ensure that Faculty needs are met, as well as to advise and support a new Centre.

4.1.2 An inter-faculty educational technology unit based in CHED

This unit, provisionally to be called the Centre for Educational Technology, should establish a reputation for excellent development and research work. The Unit is therefore likely to work in four inter-related areas:

• curriculum development (educational processes and discipline specific)
• staff development (using different models of engagement)
• learning tools, environments and multimedia development
• research facilitation and development

This unit should not be responsible for physical resourcing including the teaching/learning labs. It will be important to ensure that such functions are adequately catered for elsewhere.

4.2 Policy work

4.2.1 Integration with existing policies

Given the stated intention to link technology to related areas of work, it will be necessary to ensure that educational technology issues and interests are represented in and are a part of existing and emerging institutional policies including those relating to:

• staff development;
• research development;
• quality assurance;
• human resources.

4.2.2 New institutional policies

At the same time, UCT will need new policies in areas that did not exist before. In particular it will be essential to develop a policy on digital intellectual property rights in order to ensure that UCT's interests are protected.

Current policies (such as those relating to teaching materials and to patents) apply neither to emerging digital content being generated in various ways, nor to dissemination. Areas requiring clarity include copyright, right to publish, right of use and the right to commercialise. The yet-to-be-determined institutional position on the use of Open Source software, will also impact on the Centre's work.