Promotion of University-Wide e-learning as Part of Faculty
Development Activities
Masaki NAKAMICHI *1,3, Shinichi SATO＊2, Hiroshi NAKANO＊3,＊1 Ehime University, Japan＊2 Nihon Fukushi University, Japan＊3 Kumamoto University, Japan
Email: nakamichi.masaki.me@ehime-u.ac.jp

Katsuaki SUZUKI*3

ABSTRACTThis paper, through analysis and discussion based on questionnaires and interview surveys,
aims to examine the effects of promotion of university-wide e-learning as part of Faculty
Development (FD) activities. Specifically, it divides the process of e-learning promotion into
three (3) stages of “introduction,” “diffusion” and “establishment” and introduces unique efforts
at each stage. By discussing consciousness reform of faculty members observed in theirinterview responses and other materials as a result of abovementioned efforts, the study reports
on successful cases to show that the promotion of e-learning can serve as a factor to facilitate
FD activities.
Keyword : Higher education, e-learning, FD, ICT literacy, diffusion process

1. INTRODUCTION
In recent years, utilization of e-learning has attracted attention at higher education institutions
as a method to achieve learning effectiveness. Against this backdrop, introduction of e-learning
into higher education seems surely in progress. However, in many cases in reality, theintroduction is dependent on the personal efforts of faculty members or the promotion is nothing
more than mere unilateral attempts of universities (Yoshida et al, 2005). In addition, at thecurrent stage, multiple universities are undecided about the implementation of e-learning while
no precedent paper has been released that summed up the process of introduction, diffusion andestablishment regarding the measures to involve whole universities.
Under the current situation as such, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology mandated the improvement of contents and methods of courses at higher education
institutions, or, so-called FD activities in 2008. Therefore, the significance to introduce
successful cases of e-learning promotion is now regarded highly in relation to its effects
expected in the future including activation of FD activities. In this regard, this research, whichplaces an emphasis on the consciousness reform of faculty members, is sufficiently qualified asa study to present successful cases for universities examining promotion of e-learning in the
future.
The promotion of university-wide e-learning is defined as the university-wide diffusion of thefaculty’s activities to adopt learning methods utilizing Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) into their classes in order to improve their courses, or, in other words, theincrease of those faculty members who work on course development utilizing ICT. Therefore, elearning in this paper refers to, in a broad sense, the “learning process conducted with use of
information technology such as learning-support systems.” The university targeted in the
research invented the following three (3) steps of attempts as a model to promote understanding
and practice of e-learning as defined by this broad sense among faculty as well as for universitywide diffusion of e-learning:First Step: Facilitation of the faculty members’ participation in the development of the“Course Guidance Video on Demands (VODs)” to motivate them to adopt e-learning into theircourses;Second Step: Once the VODs served as a stepping stone to introduce e-learning into

courses, presenting ways to develop courses by utilizing Learning Management System (LMS)
functions (functions of LMS such as tests, BBS and questionnaires) and supporting practical useof them; andThird Step: Proposal of “blended instruction courses”—a teaching method which combines
various functions including LMS with conventional face-to-face courses—and support inpractical use of them while providing technical knowledge so that the faculty can adopt elearning into their coures in a continuous and developing manner.
This study targeted a private university with six departments of humanities, one
correspondence education department and four graduate school facilities where 175 faculty
members, 120 workers and approximately 13,000 students were enrolled (as of 2008).
At the targeted university, as a result of emphasizing the reform of faculty’s consciousness of
e-learning, I was able to clarify that the following three measures were effective and essential inpromoting e-learning during the First Step of facilitation of faculty’s participation in the VOD
development (Nakamichi et al., 2009):(1) Including for the development of the VODs, to arrange a sufficient development support
system for faculty’s course development utilizing ICT. The targeted university set up the“education design lab” in 2007 and assigned three full-time teachers to discuss and secure thequality of e-learning contents and one full-time worker who served as a project manager
supervising development and administration in coordination with people in charge ofeducational design at respective departments. In addition, it secured one full-time subordinate
worker engaged in copyright-related tasks and six subordinate staff members to assist thefaculty members. Other tasks such as editing of visual educational materials as the e-learning
contents were outsourced.
(2) To produce and present to the faculty members prototypes of course development utilizing
ICT skills and promote their understanding of additional utilization methods of e-learning.
Specifically, to prepare six types of prototypes based on four types—faculty members
with/without ICT skills and positive/negative about introducing e-learning—and the complex
types. In addition, to calculate the time and expenses used for meeting, filming, modificationand confirmation for creation of the prototypes so that the results can be presented as referencematerials for the faculty members who will examine course development in the future.
(3) To present incentives to faculty members to enhance motivations for introduction of elearning. For example, that e-learning helps to avoid mismatches in registrations, to reduceburdens of individualized consultations on selection of courses and to directly convey faculty’s
own thoughts and feelings toward their classes.
On the other hand, although these measures were effective in promoting e-learning, theireffects were yet to be fully produced and there remained tasks, especially, regarding theconsciousness reform of the faculty members. I mean, those faculty members existed whose
awareness of e-learning was merely limited to VODs or who were negative about e-learning due
to their reluctance for VODs. It was necessary to handle this problem in a prompt manner,considering that the definition of e-learning promotion was the university-wide increase of thefaculty members participating in the efforts.
Thus, in relation to this problem, with a goal of promoting further consciousness reform of
the faculty, I implemented attempts in the Second Step of diffusion of e-learning. First, I
anticipated that this problem could be solved by publicizing that e-learning had various ICT
utilization methods other than the development of VODs, and then, by providing
multidirectional support to facilitate the faculty members to adopt e-learning into their courses.
Moreover, based on the effective measures obtained from the previous outcomes of the study,
this time I prepared two devices and carried them out—production of the “collection of ICT
utilization examples” and implementation of questionnaires on the “standards of ICT utilization

capabilities.”
This paper, by introducing the abovementioned two (2) devices and examining their effects
based on a hearing survey targeting the faculty members, discusses the promotion of FD
activities through the diffusion process of e-learning.

2. Devices to Diffuse e-learning
2.1. Production and Distribution of the “Collection of ICT Utilization Examples”
There are a number of examples of course development based on the introduction of e-learning
other than VODs, such as cases utilizing various functions of learning-support systems (tests,
BBS, attachment of informative materials, discussions, questionnaires, etc.)
As the first “device,” for the purpose of publicizing among the faculty the methods of course
development utilizing ICT including abovementioned learning-support systems other thanVODs, I planned the production and distribution of the “collection of ICT utilization examples”
which introduced practical methods and effective examples of ICT utilization along with a video(VOD) which visually introduced their prototypes.
In order to summarize a number of examples in the process, we established the “ICT-utilizing
educational effort support system” (cf. Table 1) and supported cases of educational
development utilizing ICT conducted by the faculty members as well as utilization methods andconcepts proposed by students. We added students to the subjects of support in order tocomprehend actual utilization of e-learning by students by collecting utilization examples fromstudents who were using the educational contents which utilized e-learning presented by theuniversity and the faculty.
The actual cases adopted by this support system which started in 2007 are six (6) cases offaculty members in 2007, seven (7) cases of faculty members and nine (9) cases of students in
2008, and seven (7) cases of faculty members and 13 cases of students in 2009; the adopted
cases total 20 of faculty members and 22 of students (support for students started in 2008). The
ICT utilization examples collected by this system included studies on the educational method
utilizing learning support systems and Social Networking Services (SNSs) and an educational
development plan utilizing various media and websites as practical educational materials.
In addition to these examples of utilization, I produced the “collection of ICT utilization
examples” which covered information on various functions and usage of learning-support
systems, utilization examples and clues for utilization. Moreover, I also produced a “prototype
video (VOD)” to introduce practical examples in a comprehensible manner and distributed itwith the collection of examples.
Table 1: The contents of the ICT practical use educational measure support system

Objectenterprise

Teacher
Student（１） Education / study practice which took in blend study（２） Education / study practice which utilized a study supporting system and intramural（３） Education / study practice which utilized the SNS Internet（４） Others、Education / study practice which utilized ICT

Thecontents ofsupportOne affair：Up to 300,000 yen

One affair：Up to 30,000 yen

Candidate

A full-time teacher、Part-time-service
teacher、What the head of the othereducational design laboratory accepted

The undergraduate student・Graduate student

Adoption
number

About seven affairs

About ten affairs

2.2. Implementation of Workshops to Improve ICT Skills and Questionnaires on
the “Standards of ICT Utilization Capabilities”
As the second “device,” with a goal of promoting ICT utilization among the faculty members,I firstt convened workshopsw
annd training seessions for im
mprovement of ICT skillss respectivelly
targetting beginneers and advan
nced users inn 2008 and prrovided technnical knowleedge and learrning
suppoort for ICT skkills. Specifiically, we weere able to co
onduct trainin
ngs appropriiate to the neeedsof atttendants by offeringobeginners’ basic courses (for word-processsing and sprreadsheet
softwware) and advvanced users’ applicationn courses (forr SPSS analy
ytical softwarre) based on the
setupp of on-demaand trainings on word-proocessing/spreeadsheet softtware as welll as instructioontrainiings on preseentation softw
ware and leararning-supporrt systems.
In addition, in parallelpwithh the implem
mentation of workshops,
w
I formulated uunique “stanndardsof IC
CT utilizationn capabilities” to measuree the ICT app
plication abillities of the ffaculty and carriedout acctual researcch. For the “sstandards of IICT utilization capabilities” used herrein, I formullated
uniquue evaluationn standards in
ntended for uuniversity faculty membeers by referennce to the“Teaccher Checkliist for Teachiing Capabilitty Utilizing ICT”
I
which targetedtthe eexistingelemeentary schoools, junior and senior highh schools (MMinistry of Ed
ducation, Cul
ulture, Sports,
Sciennce and Techhnology in 20
007). As the ccompetency for universitty faculty meembers, I preepareda totaal of 20 questtions from th
he following five (5) cateegories presented by the ““Teacher
Checklist for Teacching Capabbility Utilizinng ICT”: (A) Capability to utilize ICT
T for preparationand eevaluation off research on educational materials/gu
uidance; (B) capability too instruct witth useof IC
CT during claasses; (C) cap
pability to guuide studentss in ICT utilizzation; (D) ccapability to give
instruuctions in infformation mooral; and (E)) capability too utilize ICT
T for school dduties. I
conduucted questioonnaire surveeys using thiis “standardss of ICT utilizzation capabbilities” twicee in2008 and 2009 annd obtained responsesrfroom 88 peoplee in 2008 andd 79 people iin 2009.
Thhe general treends indicated the improvvement of IC
CT skills of th
he whole facculty memberrs; therespoonses to18 ouut of 20 questions on diffferent ICT sk
kills showed high rates off them being“capaable” (cf.Figuure 2). Especcially, the ressponse rates of three questions on cappabilities to utilizeu“the IInternet and database,” “wword-processsing softwarre” and “spreeadsheet softtware” inpreparration of coururse materialss
indicated significaant rises. Althhough
I cannot assert the direct influeenceof the workshops aand training
sessionns implemennted in 2008 as thecausess for improveement in ICTTskills indicatediby these surveyyresultss, I cannot saay there is nooconnecction either, considering that
we sattisfied to the needs ofattendants by offerring courses
respecctively for zeero-level
beginnners and advaanced users whow
aspiredd for improvvement of theeir
existinng skills. Furrthermore, thhesimpleementation oof thesequestio
onnaires withth use of the“standdards of ICT utilization
capabiilities” itselff may haveenhancced the awarreness of elearninng (enlightennment effectss).
Figure2 : IC
CT practical use capabiliity results
On th
he other handd, only thequestioon whether oone is capablle ofo an investigation（Teaacher）
of
utilizinng “presentaation software” inprepaaration of couurse materialls has a loweer affirmativee response raate. I would llike to point out
the reeasons for this in the hearring results oof the faculty
y members described lateer in the papeer.

As mentioned above, the improving effects on the ICT skills of the whole faculty resulted
from the “devices” such as production and distribution of the collection of ICT utilization
examples, implementation of workshops and training sessions for improvement of ICT skills
and questionnaire surveys on ICT utilization capabilities. In addition, such “devices” increased
the number of those faculty members who showed interest in “blended instruction courses” orthe course development utilizing ICT, which corresponds to the Third Step of diffusion of elearning (Table 2). Support has been already provided to those faculty members who hoped todevelop their courses as “blended instruction courses” and this is also reflected in the sharp
increase in the number of contents actually prepared for the last a few years.
These increased attempts in “blended instruction courses” are deemed as the indication ofreform of the faculty members’ consciousness of e-learning. Thus, I conducted a hearing survey
targeting the faculty members in order to examine the effects more particularly.
Table2: The number of blended type contents work（Unit：Contents）

The number of work

2007
8

2008
16

2009
25

2010
69

2011
96

3. Examination of Effects
3.1. Consciousness Reform of the Faculty Observed in Hearing Results
In order to comprehend the reform of faculty’s consciousness of e-learning, I conducted ahearing survey. Hearings were conducted by the author by means of face-to-face interviews. The
targets were six young to highly-experienced faculty members from three departments who got
first involved in the production of contents for “blended instruction courses” in 2011.
Table3: The teacher for a hearing

No

Object

Age

A
B
C
D
E

Young faculty
Young faculty
Well-experienced faculty
Well-experienced faculty
Highly-experienced faculty

40s
40s
50s
50s
60s

Period ofservice～5 years～10 years～20 years～20 years～30 years

F

Highly-experienced faculty

60s～30 years

Affiliation faculty
Department of Social Welfare
Department of Economics
Department of Economics
Department of Social Welfare
Department of International
Welfare Development
Department of Social Welfare

In the hearings, the author asked questions including “awareness of e-learning,” “impression ofparticipation in the VOD development,” “evaluation of ICT utilization,” “possibility of ICT
utilization for course development,” “evaluation of faculty support,” and “description of desired
support in the future.”
1.) As the impression of participation in the VOD development, some people expressed correctunderstanding and recognition of e-learning such as: “My first understanding of e-learning was
limited to classes utilizing VODs, but I came to understand that e-learning includes learningsupport systems and educational development utilizing ICT” (F) and; “Various questions andanxieties I first had about e-learning were resolved” (B).
Moreover, although all the interviewees answered that they wanted to utilize ICT for their
future course development, some faculty members still feel anxious and expressed comments
such as: “I myself cannot acquire the skills to create eye-friendly informative materials” (B) and;“I enjoy planning course development” but “I am not confident in learning the skills by myself”(F).
2.) Regarding the evaluation of course development utilizing ICT and the possibility of futurepractical use of it, many faculty members consider that it is necessary to understand both merits
and demerits in introducing e-learning and make creative distinctions in use of e-learning andface-to-face classes instead of merely utilizing it (C, E and D). As a merit, there was an opinion
such as: “e-learning secures the quality of classes. It helps to uniformize the quality of classes”(A). As the demerits, some pointed out problems attributable to students’ negligence in taking
notes, and thus, falling into passive learning: “Students do not prepare their own notebooks or
move their own hands. So, I doubt it is useful in helping memorization or to keep learned
information in mind” (C) and; “I think it will become important what we make (the students) tothink” (D). As countermeasures for these demerits, I believe introduction of successful casesand course consulting will be effective.
3.) Their hands-on experience of e-learning has naturally enhanced their evaluation andawareness of the support system. On the other hand, in examination of the future course
development, such opinions were expressed that require more specialized technical support andassistance to contrive course contents with the faculty members, both of which are expected toincrease more in the future accompanying the diffusion of e-learning. As concrete requests,
some required technical support by saying comments such as: “(Due to my insufficientcapabilities), I want a secondary system which I can fully utilize” (F); “I have a certain extent ofskills, but I need them to prepare a system which I can fully use with my existing skills” (D) and;
“Because it takes time for those faculty members who do not have ICT capabilities or
instructional designing abilities to improve courses” (C). Especially, many faculty members
point out lack of time (B, D, E and F) and consider: “While receiving technical support, faculty
members hope to plan the contents and development of classes themselves.”
Among opinions desiring the management of course contents, a high degree of expectations
toward support for course planning is observed during those periods without enoughaccumulation of class contents. This is expressed in the voices of young faculty members suchas: “I decided to utilize the learning-support system and VODs when I was introduced to themduring the orientation for new faculty members”; “It becomes possible to accumulate classcontents (by creating them under the support)” (A); and “The vision for course development
expands” (B). On the other hand, while some well-and highly-experienced faculty members
show their willingness to improve their courses by remarks such as “I want to structure mycourses by utilizing the most-advanced technology” (F), others say, “I don’t know what I can
ask for” (E). For these requests, we should aim to fulfill and reinforce the support system andconsider providing individual advice including class coordination while creating menus of
support contents and presenting models.
According to the above, all faculty members indicated their wills for some kind of course
development, and therefore, enough effects were recognize in the “devices” which aimed for
publicity of course development methods utilizing ICT other than VODs and promotion ofparticipation in the attempts. However, as a future challenge, we can point out a demand forsupport in a wider range. Furthermore, support by specialists such as instruction designers, whocover (or substitute for) lack of skills on the side of faculty members, is also demanded.
Although the support system related to technical aspects has been already constructed so far, ahigher degree of support is inevitable when faculty members spontaneously attempt to handle
the next stage. It will be necessary to examine countermeasures for the new challenges
mentioned here and proceed with fulfillment and reinforcement of support systems by assigning,for example, instruction designers while organizing continuous and developmental training
sessions.

3.2. Discussions over the Effects of the Devices
In this research, some “devices” are embedded at each stage of e-learning promotion. For
instance, I proactively contrived some devices so that the faculty members would participate inthe preparation of the VODs, and their effects were observed in the aspect of consciousness
reform of the faculty as was seen in that the faculty members themselves reviewed the courses
during the preparation process. I described in detail the effects on the conscious reform brought
about at this introduction stage in my previous study (Nakamichi et al., 2009).
These kinds of “devices” were also prepared in the efforts at the diffusion stage treated thistime.
(1) Production and Distribution of the Collection of Practical Examples as Part of the ICTUtilizing Educational Effort Support System
By producing and distributing the “collection of ICT utilization examples,” I introduced
various utilization methods of ICT-based learning-support systems other than the developmentof VOD educational materials including small testing, the BBS function and the provision of
discussion opportunities so that those faulty members who had considered e-learning as mere
VODs would acknowledge e-learning by a broad definition as described at the beginning of thepaper. In addition, support for the improvement of the courses of the faculty members andfurther encouragement of the betterment of their consciousness consequently expanded the elearning utilization possibilities in their own classes, and this served as a cause to increase thosefaculty members who became interested in new ways of ICT development.
(2) Implementation of Workshops and Training Seminars and Questionnaires on ICT
Utilization Capabilities
The possibility was pointed out that thanks to the implementation of the questionnaire surveys
to measure ICT utilization capabilities in addition to the offer of practical support on technicalaspects such as for improvement of ICT skills, the faculty members themselves, as the targets ofthe surveys, came to be aware of the possibilities of e-learning utilization, or especially, ICT
utilization in their courses. For the university-wide promotion of e-learning, it becomessignificant to bring about the enlightenment effects, or, how to bring about a higher level ofawareness to the faculty members. Thus, as was revealed in the hearing results, what is neededin the next step is the management ability of the staff members involved in the support system
for the faculty members.
(3) Support for Course Preparation of the Faculty Members Who Hoped “Blended Instruction
Courses”
The number of those faculty members increased who spontaneously hoped to approach“blended instruction courses” and asked for support for that purpose. This is indicated in theincrease of the number of the contents actually created as well as the number of the participating
faculty members. In addition to these movements, I would like to add that I also observed aslight increase in the number of those faculty members who hoped to receive class consultation
to review their own teaching methods.
Based on the analyses as above, in universities’ promotion of e-learning, it can be said that
attempts similar to the case examples treated in this paper are effective for the consciousness
reform of the faculty members such as preparation of the “Course Guidance Video on Demands(VODs),” issuance of a collection of examples and questionnaire surveys based on the“standards of ICT utilization capabilities.” It will be necessary to modify the “devices” inaccordance with the cultural characteristics, spread of e-learning, and the establishment statusesof developmental support systems of respective universities. On the side of the faculty members,
they are deemed to have introduced e-learning as long as they implemented any of the “devices”
at the introduction/diffusion stages and they do not have to participate in all attempts. The
importance lies in the “devices” to promote the introduction and diffusion of e-learning and the
support systems by the staff members; the key to make the efforts successful is the preparationof “devices” aimed to “bring about a higher level of awareness to the faculty members regarding
the diversity and convenience of e-learning” and the establishment of highly specialized
supportive sections which can manage not only technical aspects but also the courses

themselves.

4. Concluding Remarks and the Future Development
This paper introduced the “devices” implemented at the targeted university at the diffusion
stage of e-learning promotion which made e-learning promotion successful. Their effects are
expressed in the reform of the faculty members’ consciousness of ICT utilization, or for
example, in the increase of the number of those who are interested in “blended instruction
courses” as well as the large amount of requests for professional support observed in the hearing
responses. Thus, we can say that they surely established awareness of the support system for elearning utilization among the faculty members. As the author has so far clarified in his research
reports, the consciousness reform of the faculty is essential to this diffusion of e-learning andthe practical research conducted this time suggested that the efforts for diffusion were also
effective as a means of activation of FD activities.
As for the future development, it is necessary to expand the support system for courses
utilizing e-learning in the form of course consultation and proposals of course strategies
emphasizing the quality assurance of the course contents. At the same time, it is also important
to continue hearing surveys targeting the faculty members and use the results as objective
validation materials.
Moreover, it is assumed that instead of leaving the planning and administration of courses toindividual faculty members, it will be further required after this point to promote cooperation incourse preparation based on ideas and models for course development and strategies provided
by teams and projects supportive to the faculty members who contrive the courses. The hearing
results also clarified that while the faculty members possessed the sufficient expertise on the
educational contents, they felt anxious about not having skills and techniques to plan andadministrate courses. It is necessary to expedite the coordination or reinforcement of such asystem where one united team consisting of a faculty member, professional technicians andinstructional designers (IDer) handle the planning of a course as a team project. In addition, thenext challenge is to construct a more versatile model through repeated experimental practices
and verifications in other universities.

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Conditions of a success． Tokyo Denki University Press， Tokyo
Nakamichi， M., Saito， M., Matsuba， R., Ekawa， Y., Ohmori,F, & Suzuki， K，(2009). A Faculty Development with Making Course Guidance Videos for University-wide e-learning
Development.， Proceedings of the 33(Suppl)
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Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
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The standard of a

http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/zyouhou/1296901.htm（2012.06.29）