Personalization and learning: innovative approaches to teaching for e-learning

• Main Authors: Ray Webster, Fay Sudweeks
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Associação Brasileira de Psicologia Escolar e Educacional
• Series: Psicologia Escolar e Educacional
• Subjects: Aprendizagem; Conhecimento; Tecnologia
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-85572007000300009&lng=en&tlng=en

This paper suggests that for academics to be good teachers, especially in the context of e-Learning, they need to understand learning. This is especially important with the associated changes in higher education as we move towards the knowledge society. E-Learning is embedded in learning and, without an understanding of what learning encompasses, it can be difficult for academics to develop into good teachers. It is suggested that, although this may appear to be a simple aim, it is not necessarily understood or applied by university academics in their teaching. One inference is that university teachers need to develop a theory of learning and teaching. Academics may have a 'philosophy of teaching', but in many cases even this may not be consciously held or successfully implemented. A program for promoting conceptual change in academics' approaches to teaching is outlined.