The role of academic management in implementing technology-enhanced learning in Higher Education

Abstract

This article addresses how technology-enhanced learning (TEL) is implemented in Higher Education institutions. The study is based on data collected from a nationwide survey and semi-structured interviews of academic managers. The findings suggest that: 1) members of the academic management staff have limited knowledge of institutional strategies; 2) there is a gap between what academic managers believe they do to support and implement TEL and what other academic staff perceive them to actually do; and 3) TEL is seldom discussed during performance assessment reviews. In addition, the study reveals that academic managers have different understandings of the use of educational technology. Those differences appear to be closely related to the individual managers’ assessment of the TEL’s role in supporting teaching.