Benchmarking E-learning - EMM (e-learning Maturity Model)

EMM (e-learning Maturity Model)

The phrase "eMM" is the commonly used abbreviation for the longer phrase e-learning Maturity Model. The E-Learning Maturity Model (eMM) is a quality improvement framework based on the ideas of the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) and SPICE (Software Process Improvement and Capability dEtermination) methodologies. The underlying idea that guides the development of the eMM is that the ability of an institution to be effective in any particular area of work is dependent on their capability to engage in high quality processes that are reproducible and able to be extended and sustained as demand grows.

The eMM provides a set of thirty-five processes, divided into five process areas, that define a key aspect of the overall ability of institutions to perform well in the delivery of e-learning. Each process is selected on the basis of its necessity in the development and maintenance of capability in e-learning. All of the processes have been created after a rigorous and extensive programme of research, testing and feedback conducted internationally. Capability in each process is described by a set of practices organised by dimension.

The eMM supplements the CMM concept of maturity levels, which describe the evolution of the organisation as a whole, with dimensions. The five dimensions of the eMM are:

1. Delivery
2. Planning
3. Definition
4. Management
5. Optimisation

The key idea underlying the dimension concept is holistic capability. Rather than the eMM measuring progressive levels, it describes the capability of a process from these five synergistic perspectives. An organization that has developed capability on all dimensions for all processes will be more capable than one that has not. Capability at the higher dimensions that is not supported by capability at the lower dimensions will not deliver the desired outcomes; capability at the lower dimensions that is not supported by capability in the higher dimensions will be ad-hoc, unsustainable and unresponsive to changing organizational and learner needs.

Full details of eMM can be found at the master site http://www.utdc.vuw.ac.nz/research/emm/index.shtml. Updates and discussion appear on the eMM Blog

Version 2 of eMM has changed considerably from the Version 1 of 2003, as noted at http://www.utdc.vuw.ac.nz/research/emm/VersionTwo.shtml.

Note that the eMM and associated documentation is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 License.

The eMM is being trialled in the Higher Education Academy Benchmarking Pilot, by the University of Manchester. Additional projects applying the eMM are underway supported by the Scottish Funding Council in Scotland and ACODE in Australia. Development and application of the eMM in New Zealand was supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Education Tertiary E-Learning Research Fund.