About ELI

Learning is at the center of higher education. It is an essential part of the mission of all colleges and universities. The EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) is a community of higher education institutions and organizations committed to advancing learning through information technology (IT) innovation. ELI is a strategic initiative of EDUCAUSE. While EDUCAUSE serves those interested in advancing higher education through technology, ELI specifically explores innovative technologies and practices that advance learning. As these innovations mature, ELI works with the larger EDUCAUSE community to integrate them into the higher education mainstream.

ELI Mission and Strategic Focus

To achieve our mission of advancing learning through IT innovation, we have adopted a strategic focus on learners and successful learning. Why? Effectively using IT to improve learning requires a solid understanding of learners and how they learn. Based on our mission and focus, ELI explores three primary areas: Learners, Learning Principles and Practices, and Learning Technologies.

By understanding learners and learning principles--and how to use technology to appropriately support them—institutions can ensure successful learning. Our focus is not just on technology, but on the learning IT can enable. We stress the role of technology in service to learning.

Learners

Understanding learners is a prerequisite to successful learning. Learners bring unique learning styles, preconceptions, attitudes, and needs to the learning environment; they are individuals. Many have never known life without the Internet; others are nontraditional students who bring more experience—and more personal and family obligations—to the learning environment. Whatever their background, the use of IT should be predicated on and account for students' needs, expectations, and values rather than IT capabilities. The greater our understanding, the more likely we are to construct successful learning environments.

Learning Principles and Practices

Learning science research has identified a number of principles that can guide the selection of pedagogies and technologies to support successful learning. ELI emphasizes those principles, but goes a step further by linking them to practices that work. ELI bridges the gap between research and practice by providing the tools and techniques institutions need to advance learning.

Learning Technologies

Learning technologies range from the traditional to the emerging. ELI scans the horizon for innovative technologies that may have viable learning applications. However, we seek to use established technologies to improve learning outcomes. ELI goes beyond technology to consider its integration, support, and sustainability. We recognize that using learning technologies to educate learners, empower faculty, and enable staff is sometimes about innovation, but it is also about getting the job done.

ELI's Value Proposition

The EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative defines its value to its members and the larger EDUCAUSE community in terms of awareness, empowerment, and integration.

Awareness

ELI activities—including conferences, focus sessions, and webinars—generate greater awareness at all levels of an institution about learners and successful learning. ELI doesn't focus its efforts solely on technology professionals. We also work with institutional leaders, faculty members, librarians, and others committed to ensuring learners are successful.

Empowerment

Awareness alone isn't enough. Individuals throughout the institution must be empowered to use technologies and pedagogies to advance learning. ELI provides professional development, tools, and techniques that make it possible for institutions to move forward. And those opportunities come in a range of formats. We know that not everyone can travel to a conference, so we provide podcasts, webinars, publications, online focus sessions, videos and mobile tools so individuals can access resources when, where, and how they want.

Integration

No two institutions are alike. We recognize that we bring the greatest value to our members when they can adapt our resources and apply them to their unique circumstances. ELI encourages members to revise our tools, focus session materials, webinars, and just about anything else we offer, for their own use. Whether online or face-to-face, participation in ELI activities in local teams brings the greatest value, providing a shared understanding that can catalyze campus-wide change. In everything we do, we strive to provide resources and approaches members can customize to advance learning at their institutions.

Partnerships

Many of ELI's goals overlap with the interests of other organizations. Rather than duplicate efforts, ELI establishes partnerships that increase the ability of all parties to fulfill their missions and strategic objectives. ELI's current partners include:

• IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. The Instructional Management Systems (IMS) Global Learning Consortium developed from the work of NLII, ELI’s predecessor. IMS is an advocate for and leader in developing open specifications for interoperable learning technology.
• MERLOT. The Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching (MERLOT) is a free and open depository that provides higher education faculty and students with links to online learning materials that include annotations such as peer reviews and assignments.
• New Media Consortium. The New Media Consortium (NMC), comprised of nearly 200 colleges, universities, and museums around the world, is dedicated to the exploration and use of new media and new technologies in education. The NMC is a cosponsor with ELI of the Horizon Report, an annual review of emerging technologies likely to have a significant impact on higher education over the next one, three, and five years.

As we continue to pursue our strategic objectives, ELI will explore new partnerships and other relationships with organizations that share our interests and goals.

For more information or to join ELI, please call 303-449-4430 or e-mail info@educause.edu.