Online university teachers’ professional development: An analysis of learning ecologies
Abstract
Teacher training and professional development are the pillars that underpin the quality of teaching in higher education. The pandemic has accelerated the momentum of online education and has highlighted the importance of training and updating for teachers in higher education. This paper presents a qualitative study to determine the mechanisms that are usually used by university teachers who teach online to update their skills. The research methodology was based on 12 in-depth interviews with six university teachers who teach online, and was structured around an analysis of their learning ecologies. The results indicate that online teachers who teach via the Internet tend to opt for self-directed learning formulas, prioritizing non-formal learning mechanisms, participation in peer-based teaching communities, and the use of digital resources available on the Internet. The concept of learning ecologies applied to professional development and updating for university teachers has proved to be a useful analytical mechanism.
Keywords
higher education, online teaching, learning ecologies, teachers’ professional developmentReferences
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