Spheres of Influence: Ventures and Visions in Educational Development*

3-6 July, 2002
The University of Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia

Abstract

C&IT in learning and teaching: Developing the developers

Mary McCulloch, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Kathy Wiles, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Simon Heath, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland

In recent years education funding models have favoured short-term developments of staff development resources, materials and tools, particularly those relevant to staff developers concerned with the use of Communication and Information Technologies (C&IT) in learning and teaching. Many resources have been created, but few have been disseminated widely.

Staff developers in C&IT are pushed for time (detailed interviews with 82 staff developers told us that they lacked time, financial and people resources) and haven't got time to find out about resources and tools that meet their needs. They told us that there has been a lot of investment in C&IT infrastructure, but a lack of development within institutions for the implementation of these technologies in learning and teaching and a lack of recognition of the importance to the university of staff development for this implementation.

The NetCulture project, with team members distributed throughout Scottish higher education provided information about who was doing what in the staff development community, provided opportunities for staff developers to network and exchange ideas and disseminated resources and examples of practice in the delivery of staff development in C&IT.

By reflecting on the needs analysis and activities carried out by the NetCulture project seminar participants will learn about the key issues affecting staff developers in C&IT for learning and teaching in Scottish higher education, the rationale for the approach we took and the effectiveness of the approach. Through discussion with the participants we will determine how one might best develop the model of NetCulture, sharing practice, tools and resources to support and develop staff developers in C&IT for learning and teaching.

Key words:
Networking; shared resources; C&IT

Objectives, outcomes and activities:
that participants may know of, or want to be part of similar models in their own countries.

Mary McCulloch, Kathy Wiles and Simon Heath were Coordinator, Senior Coordinator and Project Director (respectively) of the NetCulture Project. NetCulture was a Scottish-funded project to enhance the capacity of the staff development services within Scottish higher education institutions in providing long-term support and development for their staff in the use of C&IT in learning and teaching.

Contact: Mary McCulloch, email: mary.mcculloch@ed.ac.uk