Our final module of the course – Leadership in eLearning Environments! Though many fields require you to manage a team including specialists whose skill set you do not have, it may be that leading teams that include eLearning components are some of the most extreme examples of that paradigm. The skills sets of eLearning teams are highly specialized and unique. Leading collaboratively results in asking the right questions to make sure that the best decisions can be made for your students.
Additionally, many times you will be called upon to translate the value and/or importance of eLearning modalities to others in your institution. This doesn’t mean you need to be an avid online fan. It does require that you are able to articulate both the advantages and challenges, and then advocate for first the student and then your team. Much of what you’ve been learning in this course has prepared you for having those conversations. Let’s learn a little more (from a hopefully humorous and engaging perspective) about how leading in eLearning (or including eLearning) is unique.
COURSE-LEVEL OBJECTIVE:
9) Articulate your leadership qualities that would position you and your team for success when leading units that include eLearning components.
- 9a). Identify the unique elements of quality leadership in eLearning environments.
- 9b).Describe the many roles of leaders in eLearning environments.
For this lesson, you will be completing the following activities:
- Watch the Introduction, Rules #1 – #4, and the Conclusion on the Zombie Theory of eLearning Leadership.
- Watch: Slideshare on Mission, Vision & Values Statements.
- Create: Your personal mission, vision, and values statement.
- Share: Links to your personal mission, vision and values statements, the final draft (for this class!) ePortfolio and your eLearning Glossary
For this final module, you do not need to add to your Reflection and Participation Journal! You’re doing enough this week!
Zombie Theory of eLearning
Leadership metaphors don’t typically start with the undead, however they should, because most of the time it’s utterly appropriate. It’s not necessarily important to actually be pursued by genuine zombies – being pursued by regular lobotomized people is sufficient for the metaphor to work.
In the immortal words of Ani DiFranco, however, “I’ve got better things to do than survive.” So let’s go ahead and explore how we can dramatically improve eLearning outcomes for our students through powerfully collaborative leadership – in other words, going beyond surviving to thriving and creating effective outcomes for our student.
Watch the below brief screencast on Part I of the Zombie Theory of eLearning Leadership. Looking for an accessible version? Find an accessible version of this presentation in the attached PDF with notes.
eLearning and the Innovation of the Academy 