%0 Conference Paper %1 McConnell-2008-ExaminingConceptionsE %A McConnell, David %A Banks, Sheena %A Bowskill, Nicholas %B Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Networked Learning %D 2008 %K E-Learning Conceptions phenomenography China Culture LearningCulture Interviews Lecture Beliefs %T Examining Conceptions of E-Learning in an Intercultural, Sino-UK, Context %X Over the past three years, the Centre for Studies in Advanced Learning Technologies, Lancaster University, and the School of Network Learning, Beijing Normal University, have been involved in the development of e-Learning courses and in carrying out research into e- Learning. During this collaboration, we became aware of cultural differences in our approaches to the design and implementation of e-Learning courses. This led us to consider the differences and similarities in our conceptions of e-Learning, and their effects on the design, development and implementation of e-Learning courses. A new comparative research project looking at UK and Chinese higher education teachers’ conceptions of e-Learning was set up. This paper reports on preliminary results of phenomenographic interviews with higher education teachers in China and the UK working in conventional, campus-based universities about e-learning and teaching. The interviews were analysed from a grounded theory perspective that resulted in preliminary sets of conceptual categories. Discussion of these categories is presented, illuminating the state of e-Learning in Chinese and UK higher education. We conclude that the dominance of traditional teaching methods in China is unlikely to present the conditions for mainstreaming e-Learning in the near future. The situation in the UK is more dynamic, with conceptions of e-learning being more sophisticated and well theorised, as well as the practice of e-learning being more widespread.

@inproceedings{McConnell-2008-ExaminingConceptionsE, abstract = {Over the past three years, the Centre for Studies in Advanced Learning Technologies, Lancaster University, and the School of Network Learning, Beijing Normal University, have been involved in the development of e-Learning courses and in carrying out research into e- Learning. During this collaboration, we became aware of cultural differences in our approaches to the design and implementation of e-Learning courses. This led us to consider the differences and similarities in our conceptions of e-Learning, and their effects on the design, development and implementation of e-Learning courses. A new comparative research project looking at UK and Chinese higher education teachers’ conceptions of e-Learning was set up. This paper reports on preliminary results of phenomenographic interviews with higher education teachers in China and the UK working in conventional, campus-based universities about e-learning and teaching. The interviews were analysed from a grounded theory perspective that resulted in preliminary sets of conceptual categories. Discussion of these categories is presented, illuminating the state of e-Learning in Chinese and UK higher education. We conclude that the dominance of traditional teaching methods in China is unlikely to present the conditions for mainstreaming e-Learning in the near future. The situation in the UK is more dynamic, with conceptions of e-learning being more sophisticated and well theorised, as well as the practice of e-learning being more widespread.}, added-at = {2013-01-16T18:24:26.000+0100}, author = {McConnell, David and Banks, Sheena and Bowskill, Nicholas}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/26ba7bf132f8d6e8b192dd7d37c26b079/pasmoi144}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Networked Learning}, file = {McConnell-2008-ExaminingConceptionsE.pdf:McConnell-2008-ExaminingConceptionsE.pdf:PDF}, groups = {public}, interhash = {23c37c7d0cdcc4af5411c337564ee947}, intrahash = {6ba7bf132f8d6e8b192dd7d37c26b079}, keywords = {E-Learning Conceptions phenomenography China Culture LearningCulture Interviews Lecture Beliefs}, references = {Banks, S, Lally,V. Liu, B. & McConnell, D. Intercultural e-learning: Reflections on Developing a Collaborative Approach to Pedagogy and Educational Technology in a Sino–UK Context. In Banks, S., Hodgson, V., Jones, C., Kemp, B., McConnell, D., & Smith, C. (Eds.) Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Networked Learning 2006. Lancaster: Lancaster University ISBN 1-86220-182-X. Available at:http://www.networkedlearningconference.org.uk/abstracts/pdfs/03Banks.pdf Charmaz, K. (2000). Grounded theory: objectivist and constructivist methods. In The Handbook of Qualitative Research. N. Denzin, and Lincoln, Y.S. (eds). Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage Pubs. Inc.: 509-535. Dahl, S. (undated) Intercultural Research: The Current State of Knowledge. London: Middlesex University Business School. Goodyear, P., Banks, S., Hodgson, V., & McConnell, D. (2004). Research on networked learning: an overview. Pp1-9 in Advances in Research on Networked Learning. In Advances in Research on Networked Learning P. Goodyear, Banks, S., Hodgson, V., & McConnell, D.(editors) London, Kluwer Academic Publishers. Gu, Y. (2006) An Ecological Model of e-Learning in Chinese Context-Critical reflections of 5 years’ practice of e-learning management in IBOE. Studies in Continuing Education, 28(2): 99-120 Marton, F., & Booth, S. (1997). Learning and awareness. Mahwah, N. J.: Lawrence Erlbaum and Associates. McConlogue, T. (2003). An Investigation into the Educational Beliefs and Knowledge of Distance Education Online Tutors. PhD thesis, University of Sheffield (supervised by D. McConnnell). McConnell, D. (2006). E-Learning groups and communities. SRHE/OU Press. McEwan, H. (1995) Narrative understanding in the study of teaching. In McEwan, H. and Egan, K. (eds) Narrative in Teaching, Learning and Research. New York: Teachers College Press pp166-183 Prosser, M., Trigwell, K. & Taylor, P. (1994). A phenomenographic study of academics' conceptions of science learning and teaching. Learning and Instruction, 4(3), 217-231. Roberts, G. (2001). Teachers’ Conception of, and Approaches to Technologies for Teaching and Learning. PhD thesis, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK. Tann, S. (1993) Eliciting student teachers’ personal theories. In Calderhead, J. and Gates, P. (eds) Conceptualizing Reflection in Teacher Development. London and Washington, D.C.: The Falmer Press. Pp53-69}, timestamp = {2013-01-16T18:24:26.000+0100}, title = {Examining Conceptions of E-Learning in an Intercultural, Sino-UK, Context}, username = {pasmoi144}, year = 2008 }