University Professor Cath Ellis is describing on her blog 10 commandments of eLearning, that she gathered through years of using blended learning. While you can find many similar basic principles online, this list is very interesting, because it comes from a teaching point of view of introduction of eLearning. The following ten principles can make a significant difference in whether the project of introducing eLearning in your organization will succeed.

Here is a summary of her ten commandments, for detailed information, visit her blog:

1. Put the pedagogy (not the technology) first (think what & how to teach and then search for right technology)

2. Be aware of workloads and work patterns (e-learning does not increase the load, but replacing, where it makes sense)

3. Balance risks with safety (some students may feel awkward, unfamiliar having to work on Internet)

5. Highlight the code of ethics (manage access to the online classroom and private data)

6. Model good practice (be the most active user in the online classroom)

7. Make expectations clear (students should be aware of what is required)

8. Establish patterns and stick to them (do not change what works, it seems the online classroom, materials, processes … perform only small, gradual changes - see point 3)

9. Keep spaces available for students to use and shape to their own needs (students should have in their online classroom playground, where you can experiment, cooperate, share the …)

10. Use/develop protocols (rules give pupils a sense of stability, security and trust).