campusreview . com . au policy & reform
Look before you leap
What one institution learnt from transitioning to online learning .
By Jason Whitfield and Greg Whateley
Virtually overnight , IT teams across the higher education sector leapt into action to transition lesson delivery from face-to-face to online in the face of COVID-19 restrictions .
As all Australian universities and institutions would know , online learning presents many challenges ( both personal and technical ). But with challenges come opportunities and important learnings for the future . Here is our IT team ’ s take on the experience at Universal Business School Sydney ( UBSS ).
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR It became apparent very quickly that the existing technology ( both software and hardware ) would need to be augmented to maintain high standards in a virtual learning environment .
Existing video conferencing platforms , for example , could have been used for online delivery ( and it was initially ). But it very quickly became apparent that it did not offer many of the required features essential to maintaining student engagement .
Thus , more capital was invested in a totally new software platform for online lesson delivery . The result ? A far more sophisticated and user-friendly experience , for teaching staff and students alike .
WORKING FROM HOME IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST SOLUTION
When lecturers deliver their content from home , almost all consistency is lost . Each lecturer has a different camera , different microphone , different lighting , and crucially – different internet connection .
For online learning , a reliable and highspeed internet connection is probably the most crucial component . We discovered early on that if lecturers deliver their lessons from home , it can be very difficult and time consuming to get support if things go wrong .
The shift from face-to-face to online lesson delivery has placed far more reliance on technology – and if it fails , there is no fall-back option for a remote workforce .
TRAINING , TRAINING AND MORE TRAINING
The sudden need to transition to online learning was a huge shock . None of the lecturers at our institution had “ signed up ” for online delivery . They were forced to adapt – and more importantly , they were forced to use technology in ways they had never used it before .
Even the Rolls Royce of IT systems means nothing if the people using them don ’ t know how to operate them . Thorough training was – and remains – essential .
Providing training to the students by publishing “ how to ” guides was also crucial , as well as demonstrating the technology to the management and marketing departments .
DON ’ T CHANGE TOO MUCH , TOO QUICKLY
When we made the decision to implement online learning , thoughts immediately turned to the various new technologies ( both hardware and software ) that would be required , and the initial mindset was to “ make as many changes as we can , as soon as we can ”.
What brought us back to reality , though , was the realisation that we would not be the ones using this new technology : it would be the lecturers ( and to a lesser degree , the students ). Therefore , we knew that changes had to be made in careful , calculated small steps .
Remember who your customers are ( and they aren ’ t always who you think they are !)
When we first started the journey towards online learning , we firmly believed that our number one priority was to take care of our customers – our students . However , we came to realise that from an IT perspective , our “ customer base ” is actually much broader . In fact , it comprises each and every person who uses any part of the IT infrastructure – that therefore includes all of our staff and students .
A customer needn ’ t necessarily be the one paying for your service – but they are the end user of that service , and it ’ s an important distinction to remember going forward .
YOU CAN ’ T MANAGE WHAT YOU DON ’ T MEASURE
We have always believed in the philosophy of continuous improvement for any ITrelated system , but with the transition to online learning , that belief is now more important than ever .
Having automated systems in place that check the various equipment used by lecturers ensures ongoing quality outcomes . If equipment failure does occur , corrective action can be taken immediately and problems quickly rectified .
REMEMBER THE BIG PICTURE As we are now more than a year on from the initial COVID lockdown , it is now abundantly clear that , to deliver online learning successfully , much more is needed than simply a laptop and a webcam . Given the extremely competitive market in which we operate , there is no room for poorly delivered , poor-quality online lectures that lack engagement . Our customers simply won ’ t tolerate it .
By taking a “ big-picture ” approach to the implementation of online learning , and considering not only the technology involved but also the user experience , this brave new world of virtual education can be a win-win for everyone involved . ■
Jason Whitfield is the manager , Training and Technical Services , Greg Whateley is deputy vice chancellor at GCA .
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