A guide for heads of department

This guide has been designed for heads of academic departments or staff operating at a similar level such as associate deans or deputy heads of department within the HE sector.

The aim of this guide is to provide you with information and guidance to enable you to:

• develop implement and co-ordinate departmental strategies to enable e-learning to be utilised effectively to support the teaching and learning agenda within the department and to support the department in attaining the institutional mission and strategies in relation to learning and teaching recruitment retention widening access and quality of provision;
• support the implementation of a departmental e-learning strategy through the development of a sound understanding of the issues underpinning the effective use of technologies including staff development quality assurance accessibility and equality issues and resources;
• make judgements about areas where the use of e-learning may be an appropriate tool or mechanism and be able to carry out cost-benefit analyses to ensure that departmental activity is targeted effectively in order to maximise the potential return on investment.