Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Policy – Center for Teaching Excellence

1. PURPOSE

The Policy will guide all technology-enhanced learning (TEL) in the University to achieve university goals and especially the goal of providing engaging and rich learner-centered student and faculty experiences through the use of technologies that are flexible, responsive, efficient, and effective. The Policy will orient and direct all related University guidelines, processes, and infrastructure.

2. SCOPE

University Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) refers to the appropriate implementation of all technologies intentionally integrated within different modes of learning including face-to-face interactions, blended learning, online learning, and remote teaching. TEL tools and technologies will be used to carry out and innovate the processes of teaching and learning, making effective and efficient use of all resources whilst maintaining the quality standards the University is committed to.

3. POLICY STATEMENT

The University will provide students and academic staff with TEL resources that are learner-centered, provide an engaging and rich experience for both learners and academic staff and encourage the proper pursuit of higher
The University will implement an appropriate and sustainable institutional model for training, support, and development of TEL activities across all academic departments.
The University will adopt technologies that support models of learning best suited to particular and prevailing contexts and conditions, and these models may include facets of face-to-face, blended learning, or online modes.
The University, through the Centre for Teaching Excellence, will ensure staff obtain the necessary training for effective implementation of TEL activities.
In ordinary external and internal conditions, the University will promote a blended learning model in which connected technology enhances the student experience by complementing face-to-face interactions, thereby and by supporting flexible learning and different learning styles.
The Strathmore blended learning model will recognize the greater value of face-to-face interactions in creating genuine friendship and human relationships, and therefore programs in the blended learning mode will incorporate adequate time for face-to-face processes that allow quality individual and group face-to-face interactions.
The Strathmore blended learning model will recognize the ability of online tools to provide wider and more flexible learner access than the face-to-face mode, to provide more engaging learning activities, and to respect individual learning styles.
During periods or contexts when face-to-face interactions are not possible due to uncontrollable or unforeseen external and internal factors that render blended learning impossible, the University will adopt best practices of remote teaching and online learning by deploying appropriate TEL tools, guidelines, and processes.
The University will deploy technologies that enhance existing feedback mechanisms in order that students can be updated on their own learning progress and that teaching is informed by student feedback.
The University will promote the appropriate use of technologies for efficient and effective forms of both formative and summative assessments as well as

The University will encourage growth in interactive communities of learners and teachers using appropriate technologies.
The University will actively research appropriate technologies and develop in-house TEL tools that create innovative learning spaces that increase access, and facilitate flexible teaching and learning approaches for an increasingly diversified student population, in order to achieve the University’s mission within a rapidly changing technological environment.
The University will establish itself as a center of excellence for TEL consultancy, training, and community outreach, in order to influence society and family towards the positive use of the technologies within the wider area of personal learning, and growth development.

4. POLICY STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES

4.1. Minimum Requirements

All course Units at the University must have a presence on the official University eLearning site as the main platform from which students interact with core learning materials.
The structure of Course Units appearing on the University eLearning site will be based on the eLearning template issued to ensure minimum standards and to allow repurposing for blended learning as well as online learning and remote
All course units will deploy a ‘homeroom’ tool for easy communication to class groups and individual learners (such as a WhatsApp group).
All course units will deploy a suitable teleconferencing tool for delivery of live sessions across distances, as well as provide an archived record of past live sessions. The recording may be edited and repurposed for reuse in future TEL-related activities.
The suitability of a teleconferencing tool will be determined at the School level and taking into account advice from the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) and the Office of Faculty Affairs (OFA).
Subject to relevant external laws and university statutes, all TEL materials shall be presumed to be owned by the University and not the individual learners and staff.
External copyrighted material should be included in a reading list but not uploaded onto the university site unless relevant permission has been obtained or unless such permission is not required.
All TEL materials and tools will be deployed and used so as to be easily accessible to all learners and the quality of all documents and media must be ensured (for instance files and media should be in the most common formats and duplicated in other alternative formats for increased access).
The University, through the Centre for Teaching Excellence and the Office of Faculty Affairs, will provide an approved toolkit list and resource database available for lecturers and students, as well as a checklist procedure for evaluating new tools and external vendor-promoted technologies as well as those developed in-house.
The University will provide resources and build infrastructure to create the capacity needed for CTE and OFA to gradually but rapidly implement this.

4.2. TEL Best Practice

Before the beginning of a course unit, departments will ensure that a minimum TEL environment exists, with the necessary resources, tools, content, and course.
The necessary TEL tools must include relevant available sections of the eLearning site with at least minimum content, the homeroom, and the teleconferencing tool.
The minimum content must include the Course Outline, and the first week’s learner materials and instructions, all available at least one week before commencement. Subsequent content will be availed after each session and prior to a subsequent session in a manner that allows proper learner reviews and pre-session preparations.
The homeroom and other communication platforms used must be curated with clear rules of engagement and a suitable administrator to ensure it is a safe and appropriate learning environment.
Every University TEL space (including on external communication tools such as WhatsApp and Zoom) will be treated as Strathmore University learning space, available only to bona fide University learners, approved staff, and properly-invited guests; and where all existing rules apply, including punctuality, decency in language and dress-code.
TEL platforms, tools, and processes will ensure data handling and data management that respects human dignity, and individual privacy and adhere to external and internal statutes, data policies, and guidelines.
Teleconferencing sessions will ensure learner-centered activities and meet the standards and guidelines issued from time to time. Such guidelines will adhere to this Policy.
Strathmore University TEL processes will be characterized by a design of learning activities that are actively engaging, have real-world application, are task-driven, and promote interaction with peers, content, lecturer, industry, and the world.

4.3. Blended learning best practice

Learning activities in blended learning sessions will be selected and designed to ensure a mix of the best of face-to-face with the best of online
Courses delivered using blended learning mode will be redesigned to use modular learning artifacts.
Blended learning course design and implementation should meet minimum standards as per the blended learning guidelines issued from time to time. Such guidelines will adhere to this Policy.

4.4. Remote teaching and learning best practice

During times of remote teaching and learning, online sessions will follow the minimum standards as per the remote teaching and learning guidelines issued from time to time. Such guidelines will adhere to this Policy.
Remote teaching and learning will be implemented in times of sudden crisis, unstable contexts, and emergency circumstances that were unforeseen but during which University management determines that learning takes place.
Remote teaching and learning will involve the quick selection of online mediating TEL tools to transfer learning activities previously designed for a different learning context.
Schools and faculties may approve the deployment of minor instances of remote teaching for certain individual learners or groups of learners for limited periods within a course due to particular irregular circumstances for those individuals, so long as course outcomes and objectives are achievable.
Remote teaching and learning should be deployed only for the period until there has been sufficient time to allow proper redesign of course units to specify learning activities that fit the prevailing context.

4.5. Pure online learning best practice

Purely online teaching mode (without blending) will be used where the University determines that blended learning is not possible and where such mode is necessary for instance to promote admission to other university programs, to support executive education, industry, and community outreach, and where such courses support the university mission and vision.
Complete online standalone modules should be created as composites of unit artifacts that are reusable and can be repurposed for use in other modes of learning. Such artifacts will be cataloged, copyrighted, and placed in accessible databases for use in enriching TEL resources.
For purposes of creating TEL artifacts and online learning modules that can be licensed, availed, or sold to other players, the University may create a specialized production, development, and training unit under an academic department or the Office of Faculty Affairs.
Online learning will follow the minimum standards as per online learning guidelines issued from time to Such guidelines will adhere to this Policy.

4.6. Online assessment best practice

Technologies for online assessments should ensure both quality and integrity as per the standards and guidelines issued from time to Such guidelines will adhere to these existing assessment policies and rules.
Online assessment tools and platforms will take into account the circumstances and needs of learners, support alignment with expected outcomes, and as much as possible align with the particular environment of technologies used during the learning process, whether it was face-to-face, blended learning, or online learning.
The University will prioritize the development of in-house proctoring tools and an assessment platform but may adopt external tools and platforms as needed.
Where proctoring tools cannot ensure the integrity of the assessment (for instance due to lack of close supervision of candidates in high-stakes examinations), schools and departments will adopt quality open-book assessment methods that follow Online examination guidelines issued from time to time.
Online assessment tools, platforms, and online proctoring procedures will follow the minimum standards as per the University examinations policy, the online assessment policy, and guidelines issued from time to time. All technology-related guidelines for assessment will adhere to this Policy.

5. APPENDIX

5.1. Definitions:

5.1.1. Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) is the intentional integration of different modes of learning in both face-to-face and online learning environments. TEL approaches will vary according to the discipline, the year level, student characteristics and learning outcome (Edith Cowan University, 2020). TEL is aligning the teaching and learning processes by pairing them with appropriate technology tools to achieve pedagogical aims and maximise student outcomes and experiences.

5.1.2. Blended learning is generally the combination of face to face learning with online learning modes, but may also refer to synchronous and asynchronous learning modes, or traditional low-technology learning with technology-enhanced modes.

5.1.3. Online learning generally refers to all internet-mediated learning. In Strathmore the term is used to refer specifically to learning through complete cloud-based modules or programs with no elements of face-to-face interactions, allows for full asynchronous learning but may have some synchronously mediated sessions.

5.1.4. eLearning is used as a generic expression for all learning which is based on the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to support learning and