Developing an
eLearning Strategy
at a Nigerian University
By
Jerome Terpase Dooga, Christopher Tony O.
Akinmade, and Patricia M. Lar
University of Jos
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Outline
Why an Institutional Strategy?
A Shot an an eLearning Strategy
Setting the Stage for a Stakeholder-grown
eLearning Strategy
Mobilization: The Politics Begins
Consultations: A Delicate Political Process
Outcomes/Lessons Learned
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Why an Institutional Strategy?
1.
An institutional eLearning Strategy provides a roadmap of action for
the institution. If provides a sense of focus and direction and spells
out clearly what needs to be done, who will do it, when it must be
done and why it needs to be done.
2.
ICT infrastructure requires major financial commitments and
investment.
3.
Such investment is best done through a well articulated institutional
policy and strategy.
4.
It fosters an appropriate allocation of resources, determines staffing
issues including the levels and amount of training that is required as
well as faculty roles as well as addressing sustainability issues.
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A Shot at an eLearning Strategy
In May, 2008, the Vice Chancellor set up a 13 man committee to
develop an eLearning Strategy. The Committee submitted its report in
September 2008. But the strategy could not be implemented for the
following reasons:

It did not actively involve strategic stakeholders, such as faculties and
departments and therefore was unknown to them.

It was viewed as an imposition from the top down

It failed to address key concerns of academic staff, such as
recognition/reward for engaging in eLearning.

It did not adequately address the issue of sustainability.
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Setting the Stage for a Stakeholder-grown eLearning Strategy
A planning
committee of 3
persons
was set up
to
coordinate
the entire
process
Obtained the
approval of the
Vice Chancellor
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Contracted
an external
consultant
as facilitator
Mobilization: The Politics Begins
In our context, the one who sends out the
invitations for this kind of meeting is
important.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic
sent out the memo
It also affects who will attend in person
and how the outcomes are received
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Consultations
There were separate meetings for each group
of stakeholders, namely:
University top Management
Deans of Academic Faculties
Heads of Academic Departments
The ICT Directorate and
Representatives of Students
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What Was Discussed
1.
2.
3.
Discussions framed
around 3 major dynamics
ICT to be structured to
support eLearning
An eLearnig Unit to be set
up under the oversight of
the Vice Chancellor
AGENDA
With Management

To obtain an understanding of the management control framework for eLearning project
implementation

To learn from select best practices and standards and inform the University’s vision,
mission and key strategic objectives as they relate to eLearning

To participate in collective strategic vision formulation for the eLearning project
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AGENDA (cont. . . .)
With all the other groups

To breakdown the agreed upon vision into strategic action plan items
that can be implemented by the department aligned to the overall vision

To carry out a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and
Threats) analysis on each department as part of current state
assessment understanding the current preparedness to implement an
elearning function

To carry out a gap analysis identifying requirements to meet the
strategic objectives and future state as defined

To develop a departmental plan of action and budget to achieve targets
within five (5) years
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Outcomes
The following were defined as strategic objectives of the plan:

Establishment of eLearning function: Establish an eLearning
Directorate, under the office of the Vice Chancellor (with a timeline
provided)

Online programs: To produce till completion at least 2 complete
programs per faculty which are available online with appropriate
interactivity, having been quality assured and in a state where they can
be offered as distance learning programs (with 3 years)

Accessibility and Flexibility: To provide relevant online presence
through good infrastructure, interactive content packaged in different
accessible form and a powerful web portal.

Relevance: To design market driven courses that meet the needs of
industry stakeholders by market analysis and frequently updated and
relevant content
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Outcomes (cont. . .)

Technology: To use technology and support services so that learners
will have high reliability services in terms of adequate bandwidth and
minimal downtimes with high response times

Human Resource Objective: To ensure that 450 lecturers across the
University have been trained on eLearning and content development
technologies for the next three (3) years. The human resource function
would also ensure that appropriate training has been offered to
technical back office staff and multimedia content designers.

For key strategic highlights and timescales, see Appendix in Dropbox
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Lessons Learned
Key Lessons include:
Developing a stakeholder-driven eLearning Strategy is a political process.
It’s main strength is that it ensures a buy-in by all and compliance in
implementation.
It eliminates, or at least reduces the risk of making false assumptions
about the needs, strengths, weaknesses and priorities of faculty,
students and other stakeholders.
It creates in participants a real sense of working together to achieve a
common goal.
Consultation helps to save cost by forging collaboration among units. It
also saves cost because it helps those with limited knowledge to be
educated and thus make more informed technology choices consistent
with contextual needs.
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Conclusion
An eLearning Strategy is one key way of committing
administration to support elearning. It defines a clear path
and focus for implementation and therefore makes strategic
planning easier. It can also be a basis for seeking further
grants.
Finally, for HEIs in Africa, like many parts of the world,
eLearning is still something on the fringes. The earlier a
strategy is developed, the easier it will be for elearning to
thrive. It will also prevent or at least reduce the needless
cost that could be expended.
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End
2008 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.