The provision of Technology Enhanced Learning by an institution (a medical, dental or veterinary school) will be influenced by a variety of factors, including:

• the cultural, geographic and social context 
• the availability of resources, including financial, technology and infrastructure (such as internet connectivity) 

The reviewers of applications for ASPIRE Recognition of Excellence in Technology Enhanced Learning will take due consideration of these factors when evaluating excellence. Excellence in TEL can be equally identified and recognised in institutions within both high and low resource settings. 

The effective provision of Technology Enhanced Learning by an institution is achieved when there is alignment between a variety of inter-related factors: 

Technologies 

A wide variety of technologies are used nd these will depend on the context and available resources. The range is from learning management / virtual learning environments to social media to MOOCs to Virtual Reality to Artificial Intelligence, and across a range of different platforms, including mobile devices and online. 

Settings 

Technology Enhanced Learning occurs in formal and informal settings, even within institutions, and can be across the continuum of medical, dental and veterinary education, from basic education to postgraduate education to continuing professional development. Examples of informal teaching and learning can include the use of social media. 

Application 

Purposes: Encompasses a variety of teaching and learning processes, including information provision, collaboration assessment, learning games, portfolios and data analytics of teaching and learning 

Alignment: Effective learning using technology requires the explicit and skilful alignment of context, learner needs, learning objectives and content, educational design and the technology. 

Institutions 

Effective Technology Enhanced Learning requires institutional strategies and policies, including the development of digital literacy for both faculty/teaching staff and students, with appropriate use of any available multi-disciplinary supportive expertise, such as learning technologists and computer scientists. 

Iterative Development for high quality Technology Enhanced Learning interventions 

The development, delivery, implementation and evaluation of Technology Enhanced Learning interventions require understanding of both the outcomes and the processes, including usability and context, and this requires iterative approaches for the development, delivery and implementation of Technology Enhanced Learning interventions. 

Criteria for determining excellence in Technology Enhanced Learning 

The criteria have been developed by members of the ASPIRE Recognition of Excellence in Technology Enhanced Learning panel and have been informed by their broad range of educational experiences and the domains within the Quality Assessment for E-learning: a Benchmarking Approach (Kear et al, 2016). The domains within this document cover the main domains identified in a review of similar benchmarking tools (Kear et al, 2014). 

The panel is aware of current trends and challenges in the wider use of Technology Enhanced Learning in Higher Education. The Horizon Reports – Higher Education by EDUCAUSE continue to highlight importance of developing digital literacy skills of both faculty /teaching staff and students, and also the development of faculty /teaching staff in the effective use of technology for the enhancement, 

The panel is also aware of the challenges for effective and sustainable implementation of Technology Enhanced Learning within low resource settings (Barteit et al, 2019, Daniela et al, 2018)

There are 4 criteria of excellence in Technology Enhanced Learning: 

Criterion 1. Strategic Management 

A high level view of how the institution plans its use of Technology Enhanced Learning, including strategies and policies. 

Criterion 2. Design, delivery, implementation and evaluation of Technology Enhanced Learning interventions 

How the technology is used to enhance education, including formal and informal settings. 

Criterion 3. Staff Support 

The support and training provided to faculty /teaching staff 

Criterion 4. Student Support 

The support, information and guidance provided to students 

References

Barteit, Sandra, et al. ‘E-Learning for Medical Education in Sub-Saharan Africa and Low-Resource Settings: Viewpoint’. Journal of Medical Internet Research, vol. 21, no. 1, Jan. 2019, p. e12449, https://doi.org/10.2196/12449.

Daniela, Linda, et al. ‘Sustainable Higher Education and Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL)’. Sustainability, vol. 10, no. 11, Oct. 2018, p. 3883, https://doi.org/10.3390/su10113883.

Kear, Karen, Keith Williams, et al. Excellence in E-Learning: A Quality Enhancement Approach. 2014, pp. 25–32, http://www.learning-innovations.eu/sites/learning-innovations.eu/files/2014/LINQ_2014_Proceedings_final.pdf.

Kear, Karen, Jon Rosewell, et al. Quality Assessment for E-Learning: A Benchmarking Approach (Third Edition). European Association of Distance Teaching Universities, 2016, http://e-xcellencelabel.eadtu.eu/tools/manual.