ABSTRACT
Changes in technology coupled with radical alterations in higher education policy have contributed to a situation where more students are being taught,
while the expectations of those students regarding the use of technology within teaching has also increased. The nature of the student population is also changing, with increased diversity in cultural and educational backgrounds, age and levels of experience. At a time when new methods are also extending the reach of distance education, staff and management need to be able to rapidly increase their understanding of the application and use of technology. All of these pressures lead to demands for the development of sustainable and adaptable staff development resources. Yet, until recently the availability of shareable learning objects for staff development in the area of online learning and teaching had been fairly limited. This is partially because online tutoring is a complex and multi-faceted area (see the Appendix), and preparing staff to work online involves two major areas of change: a shift in the underlying pedagogical approach from teaching to learning; combined with the introduction of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies). Furthermore, knowledge and understanding is still emerging through the experience and research of practitioners.
