Virtual Learning Network

Focus

Establish staff appointment procedures. Identify and appoint staff to key positions.

Explanation

The identification of people to different LCO staffing roles is needed for the successful implementation of elearning programmes. Key staff roles within an LCO that directly support online learning will be eTeachers, school co-ordinators, mentor teachers, and learning and technical support. The appointment of a co-ordinator across the LCO is important for the overall coordination of online learning and also for the support of the LCO administration and governance. Some LCO split this role into an eDean who has oversight of online learning only, and an ePrincipal who leads all other activities of the LCO. The various roles should be seen as interdependent and forming part of a team, within a school and across the LCO. Some schools may combine these roles in various ways depending on the availability and experience of their staff.

Staff appointment procedures should ensure that staff are actively involved in the process and that roles and responsibilities don’t fall on people within schools by a process of default. For example, eteachers should be appointed according to the identified need for particular learning opportunities that they are qualified to provide and not solely because they are have expertise in elearning technologies. Or, the position of elearning coordinator doesn’t fall by default on the person in the school who previously was in charge of liaison with the Correspondence School. Staff who are engaged in these roles need to be given enough time, resources, support and recognition for their work. LCO protocols for staffing need to be developed collectively and with reference to national practice and in the case of Secondary teachers, PPTA recommendations. This covers aspects such as online time (synchronous and asynchronous), class sizes, professional development needs.

Action

• Investigate current practice for staffing provisions for online learning relevant to the type of classes that will be offered in the LCO.
• Decide on a staffing protocol that is fair and acceptable to all schools and potential eteachers
• Identify different roles in the LCO that need to be covered.
• Develop job descriptions for various roles.
• Establish conditions of employment for staff who will take on these roles (eg time allowance).
• Set procedure for appointment of staff to key positions.
• Establish an induction programme for new staff.
• Schedule regular LCO ‘staff meetings’.