Nicholas Bowskill

Networked professional development: Issues and strategies in current practice

The Computer Based Collaborative Group Work (CBCGW) Project is an institutional Teaching and Learning Technology Programme (TLTP) Project based in the Department of Educational Studies. The Project aims to support those within and beyond institutional boundaries in the exploration and uptake of collaborative work in a networked environment. This paper reviews examples of current practices in online professional development from around the world and considers some of the issues for providers of academic support. This will in turn be used to contextualize the response to these needs being developed by the Project.

Managing institutional change for networked learning: a multi-stakeholder approach

This chapter describes a survey of the views held by university stakeholders as to the readiness of their university for implementing networked learning. Stakeholders included members of the university’s Networked Learning Strategy Group and further representatives from academic, management and support staff. A number of factors relevant to a discussion as to the readiness of an institution for implementing networked learning are identified. These factors include stakeholders’ understandings of networked learning, their opinions of the current situation at the university with regard to the implementation of networked learning, their visions for the development of networked learning, and enabling and constraining factors that affect the realizations of those visions. Stakeholders ’ individual views are presented along with an interpretation of the shared response by each group to each of the factors mentioned. An evaluation of the university’s current readiness for implementing networked learning is presented. It is considered that the university’s readiness to implement networked learning is at an early stage. Networked learning is practised within the university but conducted in the main by interested but isolated individuals with little central support. In conclusion it is suggested that if the university wishes to engage in the development of networked learning further emphasis needs to be placed on the internal infrastructure within the university that supports the delivery of networked learning and on collaboration with external agencies. Such external collaboration is considered to be not only national but also international.