The sum of experience and capabilities of individual members of an organization is an important factor that defines the experience and the capabilities of the organization, influencing directly its performance and efficiency (Grusky 1961; Shaw 1981). The degree of organizational learning defines the ability of the organization to transform the experience and the capabilities of individuals into...

This chapter examines the nature of change in Higher Education with respect to the introduction and growth of e-learning. While the ostensible aim is to use e-learning to improve the quality of the learning experience for students, the drivers of change are numerous, and learning quality ranks poorly in relation to most of them. Those of us working to improve student learning, and seeking to ex...

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A B S T R AC T Learning and understanding are often differentiated and distinguished from each other in people's experience and thinking, but they are necessarily related to each other. This relationship is visible in examples of how individuals express what they mean by learning. Starting from an observed similarity of expression, an idea is presented about how understanding may be appropriate...

A paradigm shift is taking hold in American higher education. In its briefest form, the paradigm that has governed our colleges is this: A college is an institution that exists to provide instruction. Subtly but profoundly we are shifting to a new paradigm: A college is an institution that exists to produce learning. This shift changes everything. It is both needed and wanted. (Barr and Tagg 19...

It is clear that the Internet and other global information infrastructures provide a major challenge to Higher Education. Questions such as: the extent to which education should become ‘virtual’, the actual cost and value of such innovation and to what degree such education suits its stakeholders (e.g. students) are now discussed the world over. These issues formed the focus for a conference he...

The philosophy of quality assurance (QA) and total quality management is derived from industrial and commercial practice. We propose the adoption of international standards ISO 9000 (used in industry and commerce) to higher educational institutions to assure and improve the quality, efficiency, and delivery of their programmes and services. This paper examines the scope and structure of a QA sy...