Are We Expecting Online Tutors to Run Before They Can Walk?

Abstract

The Internet has had a considerable impact upon the way in which we teach and learn. The implementation of the new information and communication technologies represents a significant challenge for all educational institutions and teaching professionals. It is, therefore, unlikely that anyone would question the need for effective programmes of staff development and training to support this significant culture change. This paper presents a case study that describes the design and implementation of a tutor-training programme for a group of tutors who are to become involved in online teaching. It identifies some key findings that will inform our future staff development and training programmes for prospective online tutors. It also provides an analysis of the effectiveness of the individual components of the programme of training to which the tutors were exposed.