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Title:
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APPROACHES TO ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF E-LEARNING ON ATTAINMENT IN THE ENGLISH FURTHER EDUCATION SECTOR |
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Author(s):
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Rachel A. Harris , Alison Muirhead , John Hall |
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ISBN:
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972-98947-7-9 |
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Editors:
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Kinshuk, Demetrios Sampson and Pedro Isaías |
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Year:
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2004 |
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Edition:
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Single |
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Keywords:
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e-learning, attainment, further education, impact, frameworks. |
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Type:
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Full Paper |
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First Page:
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297 |
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Last Page:
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304 |
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Language:
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English |
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Cover:
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Full Contents:
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click to dowload 
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Paper Abstract:
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This paper reports on a scoping study funded by the Department for Education and Skills undertaken to investigate the feasibility and best approach to establishing and measuring the impact of e-learning on attainment in the Further Education (FE) sector in England. Interviews were undertaken with key stakeholders in the sector, including FE staff, educational agency representatives, and researchers with expertise in the key areas. These identified a number of complications for the study each of which are considered in turn, including the complexity of defining the key terms (e-learning and attainment) and of establishing a link indicating an impact of e-learning on attainment. A framework is proposed based on previous research, which identifies areas pertaining to elearning and attainment. Interviews revealed that a broad definition of e-learning is generally accepted in the FE sector but data sources and operational measures are lacking. Official definitions and measures of attainment are widely adopted, but as they fail to recognise achievements which are not qualification based, alternative definitions of attainment need to be considered. Identifying a distinctive contribution of elearning to attainment was seen as unrealistic, and it is suggested that further development of operational measures is required. |
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