Strategies and Practices for Embedding eCDF Systems and Processes (SPEEKS)

What is the SPEEKS project about?

TEC has invested $28 million dollars through the eCapability Development Fund in a range of projects which deliver tools, systems and professional development to support elearning developments in the tertiary sector.
The SPEEKS project will make it easier to access the tools, systems and professional development from Rounds 1 and 2 of the eCDF projects and, potentially, those that will be delivered in Round 3.

A technology solution, Te Pane Takiao, to provide an overarching gateway to elearning resources and a repository for good practice in elearning – a ‘one stop elearning shop’. Resources provided through the ‘gateway’ will be searchable and easily browseable for users.
An important feature of the design of the gateway is the online collaborative tools to enable communities of practice to ‘grow’ around the project outputs.
To ensure sustainability, an appropriate long term ‘home’ for the site in the tertiary educational sector has to be found. At present, I am talking with Ako Aotearoa (National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence), about how the gateway could be linked into their technology plans.

Education managers, planners, teachers, support staff and administrators in universities, ITPs, wānanga, PTEs and ITOs are all targeted users of the gateway.

The provision of a ‘one stop elearning shop’ will deliver the following benefits:

• Information about elearning in the NZ context
• One place to access project outputs, people with expertise, NZ research, links to related sites, case studies, templates
• Processes and tools to support collaborative resource development
• Support for, and sharing of, good practice in the use of tools and resources
• Access to professional development in elearning designed for NZ tertiary educators by NZ tertiary educators
• Further development of resources as more and more educators reflect on, and develop, what works best in their institutions
• Reduction in the number of elearning resources that educators develop in isolation and which duplicate existing resources

The project began in July 2006 and the gateway will be ready for use after training has been offered in August 2007.

• Level of uptake -  reflected in the number of hits on the site and, more importantly, downloads and contributions
• The gateway is sustainable, user generated and maintained
• There are indications of community ownership and use and awareness of the gateway as first port of call for elearning information 
• Formal feedback processes indicate a high level of satisfaction.