/research/events/elearning/default.htm

originally: http://www.oclc.org/research/events/elearning/default.htm

OCLC Elearning Taskforce

In order to develop strategies that enhance the ability of libraries to serve the academic community in the elearning environment, OCLC has formed an academic Taskforce. Taskforce members have been selected from librarians, administrators, technologists and faculty members from OCLC member institutions across the country and the U.K., and from the full range of institution type: research and doctoral universities, four year liberal arts colleges as well as community colleges.

The Taskforce will assess the current state of elearning on college campuses and will develop service strategies that take full advantage of OCLC's full line of products and services as well as the historical pattern of cooperation among libraries. We plan for the group as a whole to produce, and for OCLC to publish, a white paper focusing on concrete strategies for libraries and for OCLC as a library cooperative.


Schedule

The Taskforce will meet five times in the next six months; the first meeting is scheduled for late March 2003. The white paper should be available in August 2003.


Methodology

The primary source of information for the taskforce's recommendation will come from data gathered by individual taskforce members on their home institutions, from members and member institutions strategic visions (taskforce members are thought leaders in the field) and through analysis and discussion.


Background

It has become increasingly clear that electronic learning environments create new and exciting opportunities for enhancing teaching and learning. Consequently, it has become as clear that libraries, as important components of the overall learning experience, must be positioned appropriately to take advantage of this new and developing milieu. The Taskforce will assist OCLC in defining strategies and services that both help libraries deliver services in this arena and help the academic community leverage library services within elearning. 

Please note that this particular effort is not aimed at developing elearning content nor is it aimed at using elearning technology to train librarians. Those efforts are being developed under other auspices.