Once you have decided that there are good reasons for your organisation to incorporate e-learning into the curriculum, you and your staff need to decide exactly how you will use it. e-Learning can range from courses or modules taught and supported entirely online (no face-to-face contact between learners and their tutors), through to conventional face-to-face courses in which the internet is used to support students or provide access to resources and activities.

Moana (Niu Sila's Manager)...

We're not a distance learning provider, and I doubt we ever will be. So we want to use e-learning to enhance our face to face classes rather than replace them... I don't really like the term 'blended' but that's the way we're headed.

I believe our students will benefit - they'll be able to access materials whenever they like. At the moment we can't really provide much flexibility, and students who have jobs or major family responsibilities find this hard.

It won't be easy getting our staff and students up to speed with the technology, but I'm sure they'll benefit!

Phil (a tutor)...

At first I was worried - I thought we'd be teaching everything online! But after we talked it through at our meetings and decided to use a blended approach I felt a lot better about it.

I'm on a steep learning curve with this, but Manu has been great - he's had quite a bit of experience with teaching online. And I've agreed with Moana that my professional development for the year will be enrolling in an online course for teachers - it'll be good to have some experience of being an online student so I can see what it's like!

Joe (a student)...

I like the idea of a blended approach because I don't want to just be a distance learner - the face to face sessions with the teacher and the other students is great! I can see the benefits but I don't want lose any of the good things we have.

 Nina (another student)...

 Me too - I  really enjoy the face to face classes we have so I'd hate to just be sitting at a computer all day.