**6. Supporting the Instructor**

Sun et al. (2007) suggest that instructors' attitude towards e-learning has a key influence on driving the success of any e-learning initiative. Lehner et al. (2003) argue that electronic education should not attempt to replace traditional education, but rather support both staff

Strategically Integrating Blended Learning to Deliver Lifelong Learning 139

It is incumbent on management in higher education to make a strategic decision on the role of technology in the delivery of learning. If the strategic decision is to embrace technology in the delivery of learning, then budgets need to be dedicated to resourcing appropriately the technological infrastructure, support and training mechanisms and appropriate rewards and

For staff new to this type of programme delivery, some training should be provided to guide instructors on how to manage a course and to create online content. Given that most institutions will start with a learning management system (LMS) as the fundamental hosting framework for the delivery of these types of programmes, sufficient training should also be

In deploying these types of programmes effectively there is a "hardware" perspective, i.e. technological component, that needs to be considered, and a "software" perspective, i.e. the various instructional roles and approaches, that the instructor must assume. Based on the literature review and the analysis of the programme in Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) in Ireland, strategically there are a number of key steps that should be considered in

<sup>1</sup>Recognise and reward staff Nature of rewards systems and provide

2 Selection of LMS Open solution versus vendor solution

6 Application Sharing Open source versus vendor solution

As funding mechanisms continue to change and rapid advances in information and communications technology (ICT) continue to transform the way education is delivered, developing a framework to deploy learning to address the diverse lifelong learning needs of professionals presents a challenge. Adopting ICT to support and facilitate the development of educational programmes is at various stages of the technological adoption cycle in higher education. It represents in many cases an unknown and as such carries significant risk in terms of costs if not deployed successfully. A review of the literature suggests that there is no unique formula to apply for the successful development and delivery of blended learning. For many institutions the new technologies that are available represent largely additional expenses that are difficult to quantify (Twigg, 2003). Coupled with this, the range of cost estimates that can be incurred in the development of e-learning vary, from small

With the growing acceptance of e-learning technologies and the increasing need of access to remote learning opportunities, administrators of higher-level institutions face; (i)

adequate technical and training support

Have appropriate support infrastructure to provide training and support to the group

**8. Challenges for educational management** 

recognition systems for staff involved in the delivery of programmes.

provided on the deploying of the features within these systems.

deploying initiatives of this type. These are outlined in table 3.

2 Presentation programme PowerPoint 4 Creating web-pages HTML Editor

Table 3. Steps to Enable Delivery of a Blended Learning Programme

financial resources required to huge financial commitment (Mayer, 2003).

5 Voice over IP solution Skype

<sup>3</sup>Ensure all staff are trained in using various features of the LMS

**Step Action Point Some Key Choices** 

and students through the provision of services that facilitate teaching, learning and education-related administrative tasks. The most important component in the deployment of a blended learning programme is to recognise the role of the instructor and the new roles and responsibilities that the instructor must take on.

However, integrating more sophisticated technologies requires a strategic decision, to train, support and adequately reward staff involved in such initiatives. For instructors, there is a significant adjustment required in their role. Berge (1998) and Vrasidas and Zembylas (2004) suggest that instructors are often asked to develop programmes using technology to support their deliver without the proper skill-sets or supports in place. Staff enablers as identified by this research include further up-skilling, support in the creation of web pages and support in the use of synchronous technologies such as voice over IP (VoIP) and web technologies. Greater flexibility, learning and integration of new technologies, and providing feedback in a more flexible manner are all roles that management in institutions must facilitate. In summary, if these challenges are addressed, synchronous communication technologies such as whiteboards or VoIP can play a key role in the successful deployment of programmes.

The instructor has a key role to play in the successful delivery of a blended learning programme. The instructor's engagement will be a key determinant of the success or otherwise of any blended learning initiative. For educational institutions, the challenge is in communicating effectively to the wider community the details and features of these types of programmes and ensuring the programme is effectively structured and delivered. Adams (2004) suggests that computer based learning has three elements; (i) hardware, (ii) software and (iii) 'underware' – the pedagogy that underpins the e-learning development. Tham and Werner (2005) would suggest that as educators there is a requirement for a variety of skills sets or "hats" including (i) a technological hat, (ii) a pedagogical hat and (iii) a social hat.
