Enthusiastic Academic and Support Service Staff as an Agent for Change: A Case Study Based on a Project in African Higher Education Institutes

Abstract

The aim of this case study was to evaluate whether there had been educational changes and if so, in which phases of implementation and institutionalization in three African higher education institutions. The changes were evaluated from the point-of-view of trainees in the field of e-learning and library services during the project conducted in 2013-2015. Written texts and visual material were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The enthusiasm and mutual pedagogical understanding of the academic and support service staff were the key factors promoting the changes in the integration of e-learning and modern library services into everyday practices in these higher education institutions. The provision of suitable training and pedagogic skills to the academics and the support service staff made it possible dovetail these concepts to suit their home institution and provide them with a common language and value base that supported student learning.