Building technology-literate organizations: making virtual a reality

This paper was delivered at the 'Developing skills for the new economy: international conference on technical and vocational education and training' held in Winnipeg, Canada in October 2002.

The keys to success in building a technology-literate organisation are threefold: engage faculty early, develop a cooperative network through technology-enhanced learning, and capitalise on early successes to advance institutional goals. This paper discusses how collaboration and partnerships are leveraged at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) to accelerate the pace of faculty development and the smooth integration of technology. It describes how an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach with internal and external partners is essential in realizing the vision of an organisation. The thrust of the paper is on how SIAST leveraged technology to accelerate the pace of faculty development and led to the early adoption of an expanded capability of delivering training that is learning centered, available anytime, accessible anywhere, and responsive to the needs of consumers. The paper chronicles the strategies and the results achieved in all phases of development. An examination of SIAST's development into a successful e-learning institution confirms the importance of developing a collaborative framework, creating a solid technological foundation, building upon a community of champions, and partnering with internal and external stakeholders. The approach serves as a blueprint for achieving a technology-literate organisation quickly with a modest investment in resources.

Selected papers from this conference are indexed from TD/TNC 79.403 to TD/TNC 79.423. Show less