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1. BRT Set-Up
This Business Roundtable (BRT) was organised by the MFG Medienentwicklung Baden-Wuerttemberg - Agency for Media | IT | HighTech in cooperation with the Fuehrungsakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, the Centre of Competence of Organizational- and Personal Development of the state. It brought together 10 experts from six different European countries to discuss public management and modernisation of the administration by means of improving and integrating e-learning structures in Europe. Supported by a pre-circulation of relevant written documents (questionnaires and thesis), the meeting ascertained the current state of affairs in each state in terms of e-content for e-learning in the public sector. It also collected the different challenges and demands which the experts are experiencing in their very practical day-to-day working life. On the basis of this, the roundtable participants formulated demands on the capacity of software for e-learning as well as on necessary infrastructures.
Participants:
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Dr. Gabriela Azevedo, Instituto Nacional de Administração ( INA), PT ( www.ina.pt)
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Anders Ekeland, Centre for Innovation Research ( STEP), Oslo, NO ( www.step.no/)
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Dr. Katalin Horváth, Budapest University of Economics and Public Administration ( BKAE), HUN( www.bkae.hu)
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Ken Ingram, Centre for Management and Policy Studies ( CMPS), UK ( www.cmps.gov.uk/)
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Wojciech Osinski, National School of Public Administration (KSAP), PL (www.ksap.gov.pl)
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Oliver Will, Führungsakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg (FA), DE (www.fuehrungsakademie.landbw.de)
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Jan Wozniakowski, National School of Public Administration (KSAP), PL (www.ksap.gov.pl)
Moderator:
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Dr. Andrea Buchholz, MFG Baden-Württemberg ( MFG), DE ( www.mfg.de)
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Dr. Guenter Clar, Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum ( SEZ), DE ( www.sez.de)
The roundtable discussion was held in English. It took place at the Fuehrungsakademie in Karlsruhe and lasted for four hours (2:00 pm – 6:00 pm). The session was arranged in that first a short presentation of each person with its institution and the relevant EU know-how was given. Then, a structured discussion took place along the four pre-established themes
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Motivation and culture;
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Standards and other determining factors;
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Organisational learning;
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Business models. In the following a summary of the discussion according to these themes will be given including recommendations to further EC Framework Programmes. A start will be made by looking more generally at the topic E-Learning in the Public Sector and its relevance for the European Commission.
2. Why E-Learning in the
Public Sector?
To start with, the term “e-learning” means
different things to different people. When the term was first popularised in
2001, it most often referred to “computer-based training” (CBT) delivered over
intranets and the Internet. “E-learning” replaced “web-based training”
(WBT), which vanished during the highflying dot.com days. However, the
constant was a reference to delivering courses online, intranets, or over the
web. By 2002, many of the industry’s experts were offering a more robust
definition of e-learning (“the use of technologies to create, distribute and
deliver valuable data, information, learning and knowledge to improve on-the-job
and organisational performance, and individual development”). Altogether, the
human factor, the importance of a learning community and the impact of an
organisational set-up all substantially shape and make up the e-learning event.
Consequently, nowadays e-learning is predominantly understood in a
“blended-learning”-way, combining aspects of online and face-to-face
instruction. This definition is what the experts of this BRT took at their
starting point, too.
Turning to the very setting, the public sector, it is obvious
to see how the public administration faces challenges linked to new information
and communication technologies (ICTs) and the knowledge-intensive
society, leading governments to rethink traditional administrative
structures and functions. To remain competitive, organisations need
to focus on ideas, information and skills renewal. Governments need to adapt
their technology, structures and processes to respond to multiple demands. This
has consequences far beyond governments' increasing use of ICT to deliver public
services: it affects the very role of each civil servant and the management of
knowledge by public sector institutions. These changes require a fundamental
shift in administrative culture and processes which surpasses simple
technological change. They affect the underlying training arrangements, which
shape the state's relationship with the citizen.
The eEurope 2005 Action Plan identifies a number of
key target areas in which services, applications and
content should be stimulated. The provision of modern online public services in
areas such as eGovernment, eHealth, and eLearning is a key element
in this strategy. Here, eEurope aims to build upon existing experiences by
identifying and exploiting good practices, and promoting them as
showcases.An optimisation of the e-learning structures and the integration of
communication networks in Europe (via particular interfaces) serves two
important goals of the European Commission: (1) the implementation of the
Lisbon strategy and (2) the modernisation of the European management to
become one of the most modern management in the world.
Modern public managementis an indispensable
prerequisite for running a political system and a prosperous economy.
However, public management is subject to fluctuations, which can only be dealt
with by lifelong learning – this is similarly true for the civil servants
and for the organisation itself. For this an appropriate infrastructure is
essential. An advantage of location which the European administrations currently
enjoy in the global market can just be sustained by these means. This is of
importance in particular in view of the European enlargement. Practically this
means to support cross-border arrangements for example in the area of
crime combat, environment protection, infrastructures, qualification of
particular e-content and connectable infrastructures of public management.
Although first experiences with e-learning of civil servants have been made in a
small selection of EU-countries, an evaluation of best-practices and a
dissemination of results is still lying ahead. Also, there are factors which
currently prevent best-practice examples to be taken up quickly. For the
European Commission, the discussion, analysis and decision-making on e-learning
in the public sector will help to have modern knowledge management structures
that make existing knowledge available and detectable.
3. Motivation and
Culture
3.1. Issues raised: Not new but valid than ever
Learners and trainers constitute together a learning community. The more
tutors are fit with computers and identify themselves with their role as enabler
and moderator of an e-learning environment, the more likely psychological
barriers on the learner side decrease. Recalling from own experiences the
experts highlight that so much motivation can be destroyed by unmotivated
facilitators which helps to keep the prejudice of "boring computer based
training" prevail. They agree to shift focus on train-the-trainer
approaches more strongly.
In order to overcome motivational aspects of e-learning in the public sector
the experts argued for a top-down approach: awareness needs to be raised
of the executives first. They will be the multipliers and help to encourage
their teams to make use of the e-learning on offer. However, they are often not
used to computers to start with. The roundtable participants support the design
of programmes for senior civil servants in order to raise the awareness for
using the e-learning and knowledge-management tools to modernise Europe’s
administrations.
A thorough evaluation of e-learning in the public sector is missing. A belief
that e-learning is not as effective as traditional learning prevails. The
experts identified this lack in evaluation studies as shaping the motivation of
learners and trainers alike.
On a broader scale, the roundtable pressed the point that the motivation
for training is not all about learning. Since we live in a “lecture society”
we tend to look at motivational issues mainly from a learner-teacher relation.
Unfortunately, we cannot refer back to a tradition which easily supports
self-determined, flexible lifelong-learning. The experts agreed that addressing
the mix of personal and online communication according to natural customs will
be the way ahead.
When discussing which barriers exist in making use of e-learning as a tool
for innovation and competitiveness of the public administration motivational
aspects like train-the-trainer, convincing potential learners by the
effectiveness of the e-learning offer, etc. were named. These aspects are far
from new and revolutionary. However, they still belong to the day-to-day work of
practitioners. Since they shape so fundamentally the trajectory of use or
non-use of e-learning approaches in the public administration they are all the
more worth exploring. There is thus the urgent need to pose the question why
these problems have not yet been overcome in the day-to-day work of
organisational- and personal development agencies in the public administration,
much in contrast to what is currently research done upon.
3.2 Recommendations: Targeting, comparing, awarding, competing
Public sector administrations in all member states still remain rather
hierarchical. Decisions are made in a top down process. This means, that the
most senior civil servant and the senior civil service in general have to be
convinced of the importance of e-learning. Keeping this in mind the EC should
launch a programme to especially target this group of senior civil
servants in order to facilitate a recognition and well-perception of
e-learning in the public administration.
So far there has been very little research done on the positive effects on
e-learning compared to traditional learning. The EC should support
comparative research in the European Union with particular focus on the
member states and on comparisons between the private and public sector.
E-learning so far has been understood and dealt with in the public sector as
well as everywhere else as a very much technical driven process. The EC should
encourage and support best practices which focus on the human side of the
learning process, both on learners and trainers.
Although there are significant differences concerning the current state of
e-learning structures and programmes within the member states, there is still in
all countries a prevailing scepticism in the field of e-learning and a lack of
e-learning tradition. The EC should use the chances of the enlargement to launch
a programme encouraging the use of blended learning approaches to foster a new
public sector learning community. Such a programme should be based on the idea
that public service gets innovated by using the diversity of public service
cultures as a competitive advantage.
4. Standards and other
Determining Factors
4.1 Issues raised: Technology and linguistics, didactics and co-operation
When discussing what the main requirements are for a European e-learning
environment in the public sector, the roundtable participants highlighted four
determining factors: Apart from the commonly named ones like technological and
linguistic, didactical and co-operational ones were mentioned in the
discussion.
On a technological level the experts pressed the need for solving security
problems, starting with the question of firewalls which so far have hindered a
mutual exchange and sharing of e-learning courses. The challenge is to protect
the appropriate basic rights, of security systems and data protection
alike. The roundtable suggests to focus stronger on previous standardisation
processes from which to learn. The group encourages the implementation of
Unicode in all programs, the creation of object-oriented reusable e-learning
programmes and the use of XML-formats. They warn against over-usage of multiple
choice. Also, a certain technical equipment (access to high-speed cable
networks by all civil servants) is prerequisite for an uptake of e-learning in
the public administration.
In order to establish a new European (multilevel) e-infrastructure for
supporting the modernisation of public administration public training
institutions and administrations should connect. Interfaces between
systemshave to be identified on the basis of which steps to overcome them
can be generated. These steps can also help to build-up a benchmarking of
best practice in Europe. More concrete, best practice should be shareable
online, i.e. in form of a forum for public training centres where they
can get a constant update of contents so that e-learning gains (and sustains)
credibility. Also, an inventory of the behaviour of teachers and learners
in the different countries of the EU could be set up. Cross-boarder training
should be initiated to exchange experiences and learn from each other. A mutual
referencing model of a public management can then be developed in such a way as
to present an internationally usable simulation.
A common agreement on course design is crucial for facilitating the
kind of interchange as suggested above. The instructional design process for
cross-border-training presents a particular challenge taking into account that
currently it is struggled with how to benefit from best-practices in a single
country. However, the need to share best practice on course design must not lead
to a restrictive approach. The design of any programme must be linked clearly to
outcomes needed by the organisation. The experts therefore understand that there
cannot be a 'one size fits all solution' but point to the need for a stronger
cooperation between course designers across borders.
Also, human language is a determining factor for a considerable success in
cross-border-training. A common language in terms of the subjects covered
and notions used is indispensable. For a co-operation across national borders
the language diversity even exceeds towards matters of translation. Here, the
development of supportive language programmes would be advisable.
4.2 Recommendations: Networking and
legislation
The experts identify very little exchange in the field of e-learning in the
public sector so far. The recommendation to the EC thus is to support a
network of public service training institutes in order to create a forum
of exchange on a regular basis. As a legally-driven system for the public
sector, training legislation is an important determining factor, which might be
a barrier for using e-learning as a tool. Therefore the EU should support
research on the impact of legislation on e-learning especially in the public
sector.
5. Organisational
Learning
5.1 Issues raised: Between
change and stability
Whereas the roundtable focused first on the individual learning
process, its motivational aspects and determining factors, the focus got widened
towards the question of how e-learning and new technologies can be used to
foster the modernisation of public administration.
Here the discussion showed that what should be the main focus to concentrate
on when using e-learning and knowledge management for organisational learning is
an optimal mix of change and stability. For this, the relation
between re-organisation and learning has to be debated. Beyond doubt, it is
important to ensure that the different learning styles are catered for. This can
be achieved i.e. by linking with blended learning and making sure that the
e-learning on offer fits the purpose. If managed adequately e-learning
can be used for on-demand training – a suitable approach to do the twist between
change and stability. Overall, programs are needed which help to develop
knowledge management tools to improve the modernisation of the public
administration. 5.2 Recommendations: Towards a competitive European
public sector
Organisational learning is generally considered as one of the
key elements for competitive organisations both in the public and the private
sector. The cultural circumstances - including the learning cultures - might
differ in various countries. The EC should support the production of a
learning landscape of Europe in the public sector as a basis for
organisational learning initiatives.
The boundaries between learning, e-learning and daily work are
becoming less and less important which means e-learning and knowledge management
will play an important role for the modernisation of the public services in
Europe. The EC should thus support joint initiatives of public service
institutes within the member states to help to create more competitive
European administrations.Concerning the efforts made by the EU and the
OECD to encourage the modernisation of the public administration e-learning can
play an important role. Therefore the EC should support initiatives bringing
together public service training institutions and public service departments
as well as senior civil service officials from different countries to foster
best practice examples.
6.
Business Models
6.1 Issues raised: Cross-national and
cross-sector co-operations
Altogether, the possibility to reduce costs by
cross-national e-learning co-operations has been rated positively in the
expert group. When cooperating with other training institutions the development
costs can be shared. However, this is not simply a matter of once starting such
a co-operation but of making it a lasting one. Here they recommend to look for
stable, long-term projects.
As an innovative business models for the public sector the
group rates highly public-private partnerships. They encourage to
handle in a professional way spin-offs (private-public
partnerships, mixed R&D consortia). Also, open-source development
networks for e-learning software should get supported. The expert group
points out that when sharing development costs with private companies the
challenge is to arrange intellectual property rights in a sophisticated
manner.
Another idea raised has been to establish a European
agency which would specialise in the production of e-contents for a European
public administration. This would allow for a centralised model solving some of
the firewall/security problems and sustainability of co-operations. Such an
agency could not only provide e-contents for learners but also provide an
international (online-) school for tutors, implementing the train-the-trainer
approach from Section 3.1. 6.2 Recommendations: Bringing
together private and public
The start-up costs of e-learning are very high and are
therefore a significant obstacle to overcome. A possible answer to this might be
the creation of new business models. The EC should support the development of
innovative business models which brings together public administrations, private
companies and internet experts to create new co-operations and opportunities
between the public and private sector as well as non-profit-sector institutions
across the Europe.
7. Summary
Rationale: The notion of the knowledge-intensive society leads governments to rethink traditional administrative structures and functions. An optimisation of the e-learning structures serves the modernisation of the European management to become one of the most modern management in the world.
In summary, the EC should support the following:
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comparative research in the European Union with particular focus on the member states and on comparisons between the private and public sector;
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best practices which focus on the human side of the learning process, both on learners and trainers;
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a network of public service training institutes in order to create a forum of exchange on a regular basis;
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train-the-trainer approaches since much motivation on the part of the learner can be destroyed by poorly-prepared facilitators;
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a programme to especially target the group of senior civil servants in order to facilitate a recognition and well-perception of e-learning in the public administration;
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research on the impact of legislation on e-learning especially in the public sector;
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the production of a learning landscape of Europe in the public sector as a basis for organisational learning initiatives;
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joint initiatives of public service institutes within the member states to help to create more competitive European administrations;
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initiatives bringing together public service training institutions and public service departments as well as senior civil service officials from different countries to foster best practice examples;
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the development of innovative business models which brings together public administrations, private companies and internet experts to create new co-operations and opportunities between the public and private sector as well as non-profit-sector institutions across the Europe.
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