Dissertation Defenses

Doctoral Dissertation Announcement

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Candidate: Anne-Marie Oulai

Degree of: Doctor of Philosophy

Department: Educational Leadership, Research, and Technology

Title: The Development and Application of a Checklist for Evaluating E-Learning in Organizations

Committee:
Dr. Gary Miron, Chair
Dr. Robert Leneway
Dr. Mike Tarn

Date: Thursday, May 21, 2009 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
3208 Sangren Hall

Abstract:
Recent advances and innovations in information technology (IT) have shifted learning methods from the face-to-face traditional classroom environment to an on-demand environment allowing learning to take place from a distance and at any time. Computer based e-learning are asynchronous communication providing flexibility to learners via web access. The e-learning market reached $50 billion in 2005 and is expected to grow to $100 billion by 2010. With all the expenditures on e-learning programs, it is necessary for evaluations to be conducted to determine effectiveness in the organization.
Evaluation is important for any organization because it supports the determination of the effectiveness of any program at any point, from needs assessment, to ongoing adjustments and program quality improvement. Evaluation can be conducted at the beginning of a program as a formative evaluation or at the end of a program as a summative evaluation.
The purpose of this study is to conduct a comprehensive review of existing methods/models used by organizations to evaluate e-learning and develop a framework based on the findings to enhance the process of e-learning evaluation in organizations.
The E-learning Evaluation Checklist (ELEC) addresses elements required for evaluation of e-learning in organizations. The study adds to the existing body of knowledge geared toward e-learning evaluation.
Three progressive data collection processes are used in this study: 1) an expert panel review, 2) a pilot study, and 3) a survey. Experts provide critical comments on the relevance and validity of the ELEC checklist. The revised ELEC checklist is then used to develop an evaluation plan of an asynchronous e-learning program. The ELEC checklist is further tested for effectiveness by asking members of six e-learning and evaluation listserv to review the checklist and complete an online survey. The expert panel review and pilot study are qualitative, and the survey is the quantitative analysis of the study.