The Integrative Use of IT in Teaching and Learning: An Evaluation Exercise Using Projective Techniques

SUMMARY

Evaluation of activities and operations within higher education is now routine. The very standardization of this requirement necessitates the search for different approaches to avoid the routineness of the process resulting in reduced effectiveness of the evaluation exercise. With this in mind the project team of one of the Teaching and Learning Technology Programme (TLTP) projects used projective techniques, in the form of bubble pictures, to evaluate a series of regional workshops, aimed to disseminate some of the results of the project and to provide an opportunity to relate the findings to their own institution. The flexibility and novelty of the bubble pictures resulted in the collection of valuable information about the effectiveness of the workshops. Information was also gathered about the range of issues, from resource implications, the need for an IT strategy to commitment from senior management, concerning the workshop participants in integrating IT into teaching and learning. The projective techniques approach showed itself to be a valid and robust method of evaluation when dealing with a diverse group of people and it provided them with a means to explore ideas and reflect on practice in general as well as relating their thoughts back to the context of their own institution.