The reactor strategy in implementing e-education for the Northern Caribbean University, Jamaica

Abstract

E-education commonly defined as the “electronically enhanced” education, is introduced in many tertiary institutions around the world. The reasons for the implementation of this type of education are manifold. In the case of the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) in Mandeville, Jamaica, the main aim at adopting the e-learning approach seems to be the general improvement of its teaching methods. Moreover, one of the desired objectives of this University is to keep up-to-date in its academic field. The four months experience in the project called “Development and Expansion of E-Learning and E-Teaching Programs” at the Northern Caribbean University in Mandeville has allowed the author to describe the implementation of e-learning studies at NCU in this paper, using the example of the Department of English & Modern Languages. Regardless of the presentation of data on this case the author is going to consider the question about the strategy adopted by the NCU during the process of implementation that has been analyzed in terms of theory based on the strategic role of innovation, formulated by Miles and Snow (1978). By analyzing the concrete steps of implementation of e-learning at NCU and investigating what type of strategy developed by Miles and Snow (Prospector-Analyzer-Defender-Reactor) has been applied, the main consequences for the further development of the theory of the adaptation strategy for innovation can be identified.