## 2 Research Question, Approach and Sources
### E-Learning at TU Graz Following the Model for E-Learning Readiness Assessment by [PERSON] (2013)  
In Austria, TU Graz has about 16,600 students and 2400 lecturers and researchers. The university was founded in 1811 and has 96 institutes which are classified in one of the seven faculties, namely architecture, civil engineering, computer science and biomedical engineering, electrical and information engineering, mathematics, physics and geodesy, mechanical engineering and economic science, and technical chemistry, chemical and process engineering and biotechnology [20]. TU Graz is--as are  
Figure 1: Experiences with e-learning in years per type of university in Austria. Source: Own diagram, using data by [PERSON] et al., 2016 [15], taken from p. 40, Figure 6.  
other Austrian universities--included in the top 1000 ranking of Times Higher Education (place 400-500) [21]. We will now give a status quo description of e-learning at the end of February 2020 at TU Graz, using the e-learning readiness assessment framework by [PERSON] [7]. Whereas [7] refers more or less to a special e-learning system, we use a broader description of the situation of TU Graz regarding e-learning. As described before, we tried to deliver \"objective\" data, but our own readiness, or \"shared values\" have not been evaluated in a study to date, so the objectivity of our description is potentially limited. The first category for readiness assessment is \"**strategy**\". For this, we cite official statements by the university concerning _vision, mission, goals and strategic plans_. First, TU Graz describes itself as a \"traditional university\" (English version), or \"as an avowed presence university\" (German version, own translation) which \"will not replace but enhance classroom teaching with digital media\" (English version of [22]). The vision of the department of Educational Technology is to sustainably enhance classroom teaching with modern media to improve communication by a centralized service. TU Graz shall represent a community of teachers and learners in tomorrow's information society. This vision is expressed by the guiding principle \"the Power of the People\", underpinned by the slogan \"We care about eEducation\" [21]. The strategy of the Educational Technology department is reviewed every three years and concerns nine fields of action, which are part of the department's mission statement [21]: \"Operation, maintenance and development of digital online platforms for teaching and learning and applications; design, production and deployment of digital resources for teaching and learning [amongst others e-books, streaming media]; support and consulting for planning and realisation of digital supporting measures in teaching; qualification measures and skills development; open access to education and knowledge [open educational resources]; organisational setting and incentive systems; Interuniversity co-operations and enhancement of (inter-)national exchange in the subject area e-learning; strengthening of lifelong learning and research and innovation\". In 2017, the university published internal Guidelines of the Rectorate and the Senate on: \"Virtual Teaching at TU Graz\" [23]. Within the summary, it highlights the now official \"three pillar model\" to anchor virtual teaching at TU Graz in the long term:  
* \"(1) The use of digital learning elements and formats is always possible as a didactic means of enriching classroom teaching. * (2) Virtual teaching as a didactic tool within the framework of lectures or the lecture section of a university can be freely implemented by the lecturer up to a threshold value of 20% of the semester hours to be held. * (3) In all other cases, the proportion of virtual teaching must be approved by the Study Commission Working Group and the Curricula Commission for Bachelor's, Master's and Diploma Studies or the Curricula Commission for Doctoral Studies and University Courses and anchored in the curriculum accordingly.\" (from the summary, own translation).