Main Text

From Stellar Deliverable 5.1

1 Introduction

1.1 A shared vision of TEL

There is no one definition or comprehensive explanation of TEL, which can encompass all the myriad of uses, perspectives and visions of the stakeholders within the field. STELLAR is primarily a project about networking, and therefore its vision of TEL is designed to extend across a broad base of actors and create connections amongst them, rather than to promote a particular set of principles. In line with this, STELLAR focuses on TEL as a research question, and bases its common vision around a common belief that TEL is key to understanding the development and evolution of learning systems and their users. It frames the questions in terms of 3 Grand Challenges, which the consortium, and through its networking activities - its partners, have committed to investigate and promote usign the power of TEL. These 3 Grand Challenges are set out as follows:

1.1.1 Connecting learners

On the Web, we can see that self-directed, self-managed and self-maintained communities create successful new forms of collaboration. A wide range of tools is used by these communities for knowledge sharing and building, communication, collaboration and networking. Knowledge sharing and building is facilitated by open and closed forums, Wiki pages and personal or shared blogs. Multimedia material is shared using popular tools such as FlickR and YouTube. Communication takes place using forums, annotation, tagging, chat rooms, instant messaging and video conferences. Collaboration is facilitated by shared media repositories, version management systems and collaborative text editing systems such as Google Docs. Networking portals, such as FaceBook and LinkedIn, allow professionals to find, contact and keep in touch with like-minded.

In a Web 2.0 world new communities bring together self-directed, self-managed and self-maintained users and, thereby, create successful new forms of collaboration. These new communities are typically open to all learners at any point in their life of learning. Within successful communities, inherent incentive mechanisms to motivate and encourage participation exist. The heart of learning and knowledge consists of people. Replacing the current centralized, static technology-push models with new interactive models that reflect the continuous, social nature of learning requires a radical shift from a focus on knowing what to a focus on knowing how and knowing who.

Within this theme key research questions are: 1) what are key enabling and success factors for learner networks; 2) how can individuals be supported to move between networks and simultaneously participate in several networks; 3) how can learner networks profit from its members’ participation in and expertise derived from other networks.

1.1.2 Orchestrating learning

Situated, collaborative learning clearly demands a new approach to pedagogy, didactics and assessment. Collaborative competence for using, generating and exchanging knowledge in a peer-to-peer manner is increasingly becoming an integrated part of TEL environments. Different perspectives are to be considered. For example, from the pedagogical perspectives, concrete problems and possible solutions offered by teaching and learning situations mediated by the use of technology are to be considered. While, from the cognitive perspective, the focus should be on what the individual can learn under certain conditions and on the new skills needed. The necessity to personalise and analyse the new key abilities and skills required in the knowledge society has become a critical issue in education. The specific characteristics induced by new technologies in the teaching and learning of disciplinary content are also important issues to be studied. Within this theme key research questions include: 1) What is the role of the teacher/more knowledgeable other in orchestrating learning? 2) How can we design collaborative learning models with innovative technology in order to scaffold productive collaborative activities? 3) From the point of view of the learner what is the relationship between higher-order skills and learning of a particular knowledge domain?

1.1.3 Contextualizing virtual learning environments and instrumentalizing learning contexts

As learning has become an integrative part of our life, and as it takes place in different learner communities, the tools, resources and systems that are used need to be contextualized. Complementarily, the interplay between formal and informal learning in formal and informal contexts has to be instrumentalized through the use of physical artefacts, mobile devices and the configuration of physical and virtual space, in order to create learning opportunities beyond the traditional institutional boundaries. Technologies for learning must be designed for culturally mediated settings, which include the co-design of technology and pedagogy for situated learning, simulated environments and support for mobility. Traditional classroom learning is founded on an illusion of context stability, by setting up a fixed location with common resources, a single teacher, and an agreed curriculum, which allows a semblance of common ground. But if these are removed, a fundamental challenge is how to form islands of temporarily stable context to enable meaning making from the flow of everyday activity. Within this theme key research questions include: 1) How can new forms of contextualized learning enable novel experiences for learners and for development of human competences? 2) How to support the mobility of the learner in distributed and multi environment learning settings, like the transition between real and virtual contexts? 3) Which standards are needed to achieve interoperability and reusability of learning resources in this field? How to harmonize the existing learning standards?

1.2 The heritage of STELLAR

Since the STELLAR work is to some extent based on the work of KALEIDOSCOPE and PROLEARN, which both had user groups which will be mined, this section will explain the objectives and legacy of the two projects, and how they relate to the current objectives of WP5.

1.3 Purpose of this report

As a Network of Excellence, part of STELLAR's objectives is to reach out to stakeholders, so as to create an open and transparent long term collaboration which will lead to the project's success. It is clear that to embark upon such an initiative, the goals of this collaboration must be clarified, so as to help identify and target those interests that need to be represented in the collaboration processes. So as to address this need, this document aims to aid the STELLAR network in identifying:

the interests of all stakeholders who may affect or be affected by the project
opportunities and relationships that can be built upon during implementation
groups that should be encouraged to participate at different stages of the project
ways to reduce negative impacts on vulnerable and disadvantaged groups<ref name="ftn0">Adapted from:WWF. Stakeholder Analysis – Resources for Implementing the WWF Standards. October 2005. Last Accessed July 07/07/2009 from URL: https://intranet.panda.org/documents/folder/cfm?uFolderID=60976</ref>

Furthermore, the document aims to set the stage for continuous monitoring and evaluating the nature of collaboration within STELLAR, so as to allow for continuous and accurate updating of the hypotheses presented in this analysis. From a more practical sense, this deliverable leads directly into D5.2 - Report on Guidelines on engaging with stakeholder groups and monitoring tool/metrics for assessing stakeholder engagement, which will set forth an operational plan for specifying and engaging with the stakeholders within the framework provided by this analysis.

2 Who are the TEL Stakeholders?

2.1 Conceptualising the stakeholder

A slightly theoretical section, explaining the concept of stakeholders as compared to partners, clients, social partners etc.

2.2 Grouping stakeholders in TEL

This section will consider the merits of the consideration of the concept of stakeholders from different viewpoints, and the grouping of them on different axes. It will introduce the next 3 sections.

It is the premise of this project, that engaging with stakeholders within the discipline of TEL, serves not only a democratic imperative in terms of an individual's right to be involved in processes and decisions which have a bearing on one's life, but also serves a pragmatic necessity, in that for the field to grow to its full potential, the knowledge and expertise of stakeholders needs to be included within it, and the same stakeholders need to be engaged in developing, disseminating and exploiting that same body of knowledge of expertise which, they, as a collective, helped to create.

Broadly speaking, a stakeholder in TEL can be defined as any person who has a stake in TEL, and therefore, the task of creating a simple list of stakeholders without creating any distinction between them, is a relatively straightforward task. However, the nature of their stake in the discipline varies vastly in terms of their level of interest and involvement, the nature of such, the type of body they are (whether an individual, an expert organisation, a representative organisation etc.), and so on for a multitude of different variables.

To use a uniform approach to engage with such a diverse and non-homogeneous group would not lead to the desired level of engagement, thus leading to the conclusion that a typology, or grouping, of stakeholders is necessary to allow for different forms of engagement with different groups based on their nature and relations to the TEL discipline. Furthermore, a proper understanding of the groupings and of their requirements will allow the STELLAR consortium to diversify their product, and use a multiplicity of approaches to target these groups, each in the most appropriate way considering its circumstances.

Whichever categories are considered, their exists a danger of pigeon-holing a stakeholder by characterising them as a member of a particular group, when in fact they better fit in another group, or, as is often they case, they deserve to belong equally to one group as to another. To avoid these issues, this document presumes a categorisation based on 'tagging', whereby any stakeholder can be assigned to a multiplicity of groups, where, prima facie, there is a case for such multiple inclusion.

As the objective of this categorisation/grouping activity is not identification of stakeholders, but rather better engagement with them, the groups have been created on the basis of an initial list of stakeholders, so that they may include all the various stakeholders, and reflect the realities of the composition of the groups. Based on this list, three grouping methodologies have been identified:

stakeholders by role: this grouping considers the stakeholders by their role in society/profession. Examples include teachers, students, researchers, salespersons etc
stakeholders by industry grouping: this groups stakeholders by their affiliations to groupings such as Education & Training sectors (and the various sub-sectors within it), industry, public research institutions etc.
stakeholders by interest: this categorisation groups the stakeholders according to their interest in the TEL discipline. Thus, categories could include stakeholders who work directly in/with the industry, stakeholders who are affected directly, or stakeholders which are affected indirectly.

The following sections will consider each of these groupings in detail, and attempt to elucidate the constitution of the various groupings and the consequences for their involvement in the field.

2.3 TEL Stakeholders by Role

This will consider stakeholders by their role/profession. Thus it will include teachers, students, researchers, administrators, tech-specialists, industry developers, industry sales etc

In organising stakeholders by role/profession, we are able to associate stakeholders with their primary identity, which in every case, does not associate them directly with TEL. Rather, as groups, they have the potential of being affected by TEL or helping to set the TEL agenda, as a consequence of their everyday activities within their respective roles. This said, due to specialisation within the groups, one tends to find that each group will contain a small percentage of TEL specialists who focus directly on TEL, and thus have a much more direct interaction with the discipline, often on behalf of the group (either through direct representation, or through their role as experts in the field).

Thus, it is possible to identify the following groups:

2.3.1 Students within Formal Education

Constitution: This group consists of students in any formal programme whether in compulsory education, VET or Higher Education. It also includes any adult learners in formal professional continuing professional development programmes.

Interaction with TEL: The most relevant feature of this group's characteristic feature is that it's members define themselves as learners. Thus, any change to the methods of learning, whether propagated by third parties, or by the students themselves, profoundly affect their day-to-day life. A significant percentage of the members of this group invest in learning so as to grow their knowledge and competences, in an effort to boost their value as human capital. Thus, changes brought about by TEL profoundly affect not only their daily life, but also their future prospects.

2.3.2 Lifelong Learners

Constitution: Effectively, lifelong learners comprise the entirety of humanity, insofar as every experience can also be a learning experience. So as to make some sense of the definition, we can define lifelong learners as any individuals who actively engage in learning through any form (thus distinguishing the category from incidental learning, where a lesson might be learnt from activities totally unrelated with learning)

Interaction with TEL: Since the learning in this group is totally self directed, it is hard to conceive TEL being imposed on its members. Thus, lifelong learners' relation to TEL is that of an opportunity – they see the development of TEL as a menu of options for their further development, which they may choose to use if it serves them.

2.3.3 Teachers

Constitution: This group is formed by any individual who directs another individual's learning process. Thus, it can comprise teachers, kindergarten assistants, lecturers, professors, trainers, parents, facilitators etc. whether in formal education or otherwise.

Interaction with TEL: For this group, TEL is a professional tool, which should aid them in the performance of their work. However, due to the facts that they are not the only source of learning for their subjects, and that, especially within the context of formal learning, they often teach within the framework of a larger plan (be it a professional development guide, a syllabus, or a harmonised curriculum such as ones that have undergone Tuning), TEL at times seizes the initiative from them, and transforms teaching and learning, require them to adapt to it, rather than vice-versa.

2.3.4 Researchers

Constitution: This comprises any individual who conducts research as a profession, whether within the context of a university, a public laboratory or a corporation. Of the various types of researchers, it is useful to note the education researcher as a group of significant interest to the STELLAR project.

Interaction with TEL: Research, by its very nature, involves a process of learning using the scientific method, of inquiry and testing. In this sense, the relationship of researchers with TEL is very similar to that of students and lifelong learners, in its role as an enhancer and a transformer of the learning process. Education researchers are particularly interested in the process of learning, and in techniques which affect the learning process. As arguably the most significant development in their field since the massification of education, TEL is a major (possibly the highest) priority for study within their discipline.

2.3.5 Education Professionals

Constitution: The term is here being used to describe groups of people who make their living off education (with the exception of teachers). They can be said to include publishers, suppliers of educational equipment, facility providers etc

Interaction with TEL: For traditional education suppliers, TEL presents competition, since it has led to their clients requiring investment from a completely new industry segment (ICT companies). Depending on their service, is either competition with their service (e.g. blackboard vs smartboard) or for the funding of the education providers / learners (investment per student is decreasing globally, therefore, per-student, they are competing for a share of very limited resources). For some companies this has led to competition with TEL, for others, it has meant adapting to include it. On the other hand, TEL has led to the creation of a whole new class of education professionals, in the forms of ICT professionals serving the demand for TEL.

2.3.6 Policymakers

Constitution: These are the groups of people who make decisions over the nature, methods or resources for and of learning for members of all the groups defined above. They can be university administrators, regional or national education authorities, European groupings (such as Bologna conference) , expert harmonisation panels (such as in Tuning) etc.

Interaction with TEL: This group holds the primary responsibility for determining the nature and extent of TEL adoption within the systems they are responsible for. While technology's role in society is constantly increasing, this effect does not extend to learning automatically. The policies enacted by this group have the power to greatly enhance or limit the role of TEL based on their perceptions of the discipline.

2.3.7 Knowledge Workers

Constitution: This group can be defined as compromising all workers for whom learning is actively considered to be a part of their daily work. While this usually takes place within an organisation that considers itself to be a learning organisation, it is possible that knowledge workers could exist independently of one.

Interaction with TEL: For a knowledge worker, learning leads to knowledge capital growth – increases in efficiency, cost cutting, improved competitiveness, higher value etc. In the competitive environment of the corporate world, a knowledge worker needs to learn better and faster than the competition, and where TEL assists this, is quickly adopted. Due to its potential to assist knowledge workers in this way, they are often at the forefront in finding innovative ways to adapt and improve the field to improve its benefits even further.

2.4 TEL Stakeholders by Industry Grouping

The advantage of grouping stakeholders by industry grouping is in the fact that in most cases, an individual's relationship with TEL will be determined by the nature of interaction their organisation has with the field, which in turn is conditioned by the overall status of TEL within the industry of which that organisation forms part. It also recognises that professional bodies which represent such industries can be valuable and important stakeholders in improving the usefulness of the TEL discipline as a whole.

Thus, in each of the groups below, the stakeholder group will always include the employees and management of the industry, the clients with which it relates on a daily basis, representatives of employees and of management, as well as industry groupings representing the industries as a whole.

Possibly in this typology, more than in others, the distinction between formal and non-formal/informal learning takes prominence. Thus, the key question here is whether, for example learning which takes place indirectly through the use of technology in the workplace can be considered technology enhanced learning. This in turn ties in with theories on the learning organisation, and the role technology can play within such a learning organisation for creating, retaining and transferring knowledge between persons and groups.

Within this type, it is possible to identify the following groups:

2.4.1 Education & Training Providers

Constitution: This group consists essentially of all formal education and training providers which form part of the official lifelong learning pathway within a country or region. Thus, it may include pre-primary, primary and secondary schools, VET and Higher Education institutions, continuing professional development providers etc.

Interaction with TEL: The E&T provision industry is effectively an industry which exists for the provision of learning opportunities. This makes the issue of TEL potentially central to their operations, depending on the adoption of technology within their teaching/learning philosophies, and, on the industry's conviction as to the usefulness of TEL in actually enhancing learning. As to this last point, the industry shows a large degree of variability, with the STELLAR network itself being an example of the leading edge of TEL adoption and promotion, but at the same time, with the other extreme being the total rejection of TEL by teachers or by students. The particular decentralised management structure of many educational institutions means that it is possible for the same institution to host diametrically opposed perceptions on the role of TEL in enhancing learning

2.4.2 Education & Training Suppliers

Constitution: The ecosystem of companies which exists around the Education & Training sector to supply it with services, particularly knowledge services (such as textbook suppliers etc.) make up the bulk of this group.

Interaction with TEL: Increased adoption of TEL has been extremely disruptive to this industry grouping as a whole. For the first part, it has increased the constitution of the group – by including technology suppliers (everything from hardware companies making smartboards to LMS designers) as part of the group. Furthermore, it has led and is leading to radical changes in the business models of nearly every supplier of knowledge supplies, be it journals, textbooks, tutorials, learning models etc. While the industry as a whole has to a large extent embraced TEL as an inevitable evolution – for members of the grouping, the ability to adapt to the change it has brought about is increasingly determining the future survival of the companies.

2.4.3 Research Institutions

Constitution: Mainly made up by public research centres and dedicated research companies, this can also include R&D departments of multinational corporations

Interaction with TEL: There are two types of interaction here which are of interest. Firstly, the section of the industry for which TEL is a subject of study. This group has a sustained and intense relationship with the field, and to a large extent, helps define it. The core group within the STELLAR network is composed of this type of stakeholder, and is thus of significant interest to the project.

For the rest of the industry, TEL has not revolutionised the industry in the sense that it has changed the nature of research itself. However, in many cases it has enhanced the ability of researchers to perform that research, and in a number of instances, created entirely new fields of research.

2.4.4 Knowledge Industries

Constitution: A knowledge industry can be defined as any industry which considers the creation, retention and transfer of knowledge to be a core element of its business model.

Interaction with TEL: Of the various industry groups above, knowledge industries have probably been the best adopters and promoters of TEL. Low bureaucracy (when compared to public institutions, means that the case that transforming a learning organisation into a technology-enhanced learning organisation brings about cost-savings, increases efficiency and growth, and creates value was made early on. For this reason, knowledge industry has often been at the forefront of developing and implementing TEL, although with a strong bias towards applied learning.

2.5 TEL Stakeholders by Interest

The grouping of stakeholders by interest is a relatively straightforward exercise, since the nature of their relationship to the field of TEL is the very criteria for the categorisation. Thus, one can identify three main categories under this field, namely:

TEL practitioners – those active specifically in developing, researching, promoting or implementing TEL.
Those working with TEL – any persons who are using TEL as part of their learning/teaching activities, as a significant part of their daily practice
Those affected by TEL – while they might not have a direct interaction with the field, persons in this group are affected by the developments in the field.

2.6 Minority Concerns in Stakeholder Analysis

The classification presented above takes for granted the main-streaming of various minority and special needs groups within the categories presented. However, in practice the actual practice can vary from anything from true main streaming to total exclusion. Thus, for example a TEL system that is not built with localisation in mind, or which does not have settings for special needs access, is by its very nature exclusive, and thus will limit the composition of the related stakeholder group. This has two consequences on the above analysis:

firstly, each of the categories above needs to be considered as an ideal-type main-streamed category which includes the various minority concerns, and therefore that any relationships with the groups should take them into account
secondly, because of the centrality of TEL to modern society, as well as due to the fact that the true inclusion practice with regards to TEL is far from the ideal-type, minority groups need to be considered as valid and important stakeholders at practically all levels within the TEL field

2.7 Maintaining a Stakeholder List

Due to its relationship with other plans within STELLAR, particularly D5.2, this analysis does not purport to provide a list of stakeholders. Rather, this list will be built up over the lifetime of the project, as the stakeholder club engages with the stakeholder community. However, based on the above classification, this analysis suggests that rather than trying to assign each stakeholder to solely one group, the project adopt a tagging approach, which assigns a stakeholder to different categories simultaneously based on their multiple identities when considered from different perspectives. Thus, a suggestion for such a grid would be as following:

Name of Stakeholder	Constitution	Classification by Role	Classification by Industry Grouping	Classification by Level of Interest	Other relevant identities

The aim of the grid is not to necessary map the entire area of activity of a particular stakeholder, but rather that area of activity with which the STELLAR network will interact. Thus, for example, if a collaboration with a particular university is purely at the level of researchers, and not with teaching staff or with administrators, then the Classification by Role would be tagged as 'researchers', and the classification by industry grouping, would be either both E&T and Research, or possibly purely Research Institutions. Where different types of collaboration exist with different departments of an institution, it is possible that these might be listed as separate stakeholders on the grid, depending on the particularities of the situation.

3 The reciprocal STELLAR - Stakeholder relationship

3.1 Why create a link?

Some justification for the NoE concept, use Sections 2 and 3 for justification of link.

3.2 Levels of Involvement

The involvement levels from the programme of work.

Nature of relationship	Indicator of evidence	Aims	Actions	Outputs / evidence
Strategic (e.g. International)	Evidence of sustained activity (e.g. shared projects; student work; contracts etc) with more than 1 STELLAR partner or whole grouping	Maintain a high-level pattern of partnership. Links at senior levels of the organisation	Co-creation stage: generation of intellectual property together e.g. shared reports NPD (new product development/ service propositions) presentations at STELLAR events staff and student exchanges etc. TEL articulation and valorisation activities at European level	* Increased rate of knowledge exchange activities across territories e.g. staff / data transfer Increase in sharing of assets and access to early stage to IP Strategic initiatives e.g. Contributions to Standards development/ platform enhancements etc Networking at top level and engagement in STELLAR Strategic Advisory Panel etc. Involvement in Grand Challenges, joint ‘White Papers’ to shape TEL industry etc.
Collaborative (e.g. National/ international)	Evidence of sustained activity (e.g. shared projects; student work; contracts etc) with 1 STELLAR partner (perhaps can only operate at the national level if SME etc.)	Seek to deepen relationship: with corporate/ large organisations: seek opportunities to widen influence to other countries where STELLAR and organisation are co-present with SMEs: look for opportunities to either foster new activities or deepen current ones.	Stage for ensuring deeper forms of engagement through: Highlighting needs of TEL users Networking and access to other STELLAR facilities	* Increased use of STELLAR provided facilities e.g. partner search / links to particular areas of expertise (like a brokerage) Reduce reported failure of innovation through closer cooperation and working e.g. by knowing what won’t work etc. Take-up and success rate of targeted initiatives/ activities focused on identified needs e.g. development, innovation, production, research and analysis. Increase in reported knowledge exchange activities e.g. new projects; joint activities etc.
Occasional (e.g. Regional/ national)	At least one recent example of activity with a STELLAR partner (e.g. project)	Build confidence in value and use of TEL research and deepen relationships Showcase other examples of TEL research proven benefits	* Present and explore options for engaging more with TEL research community Provide networking opportunities and events designed to link TEL researchers and stakeholders in adjacent locations/ cognate interests	* % conversion rate of stakeholders from “Early Stage” category and now have moved into some form of joint activity with TEL research community Repeat visits to STELLAR events/ contact networks . Reported sharing of STELLAR podcasts, ‘blind date’ meetings etc with other colleagues/ organisations (‘word of mouth’ measure)
Early stage (e.g. Regional/ national)	Some form of contact exists (often on a personal / individual level) but has not matured into actual activity	Establish contact with senior decision-makers in organisations (if not already) Demonstrate the benefits of TEL research capacity for their markets/ services etc Build confidence in their use of TEL research	* Seek to build knowledge and awareness of STELLAR capacity and benefits of research for TEL related businesses etc. Promotion of demonstration projects as way to understand better needs of stakeholder	* Requests and adoption rates for STELLAR events/ publications/ reports by organisations (akin to above) Improved visibility of European TEL by enlarged mapping of STELLAR new points of contact Number of requests to answer/ investigate particular TEL issues
Emerging (e.g. Inter-regional)	No formal contact exists. Likely to be SMEs. Focus of work is in TEL related areas but little evidence of cooperation with research sector	Raise awareness of role of TEL research in generating better products/ services Raise interest in knowledge exchange activities with TEL researchers Reduce barriers for this group	* STELLAR members to identify potential TEL related organisations in national locations Target communications to establish contact networks Invite to join in STELLAR related activities held jointly with Associations e.g. networking/ preview events, conference showcases/ workshops etc	* % increase of STELLAR partner networks Mapping of sectors into which STELLAR now has contacts e.g. telecoms, new media, creative industries, training organisations etc. Enhanced understanding of barriers for involvement of TEL SMEs in research-informed developments Extended network of presence for STELLAR (network of networks model)

3.3 Operationalising a link with stakeholders

Explains the link with D5.2

4 Conclusion: Objectives for stakeholder involvement

Summarises the report in terms of a set of objectives for WP5 to serve as a basis for further deliverables.

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