Abstract:

A large number of upper education institutions offer E-Learning systems because it provides a new business opportunity as well as Longlife Learning schemes for people in need of distance education according with global demands. However, E-Learning programmes raise a challenge to onsite teaching, learning and evaluation processes and they must be adapted to the specific characteristics of the system and their users. They must take into account training to administrative assistants, but particularly, require the professionalization of teachers to transform them in to virtual advisors. Through this system, the responsible staff designs programmes previously structured, according with a new role for training individuals’ talent in order to the development of specific competences. The training of advisors involves shared responsibility and collaborative tasks with the academic body in order to develop team work approach. Likewise the advisors must be trained constantly so they develop some teaching competences common to E-Learning systems like academic ones, orientation, information and communication management, psycho-pedagogical, evaluative, researching and others abilities and attitudes. These competences are shared with the institutional vision, pay attention to technology innovations, strengthen collaborative networks and create new methodologies, among others.
Besides, the advisor must have a good knowledge of contents and strategies of their own subjects and a significant working experience. However some studies point out that specific conditions have to be created for the advisors, so that they can develop innovative competences because most of them come from onsite education. The advisors bring some onsite practices and they have a lot of problems to assume E-Learning principles, pedagogical strategies, design of e-activities and other necessary resources. (García Aretio, 2007; SINED, 2008; ANUIES, 2006; UNESCO, 2004, 2005; Castro & Gutiérrez, 2009). It’s possible to shift them to E-Learning but they may need some aid. The Universidad Popular Autonoma del Estado de Puebla, UPAEP, is concerned about these questions and their E-Learning system, “UPAEP Online”, has designed a training programmes to empower the advisors for professionalization in an innovate vision, creative, focused in the student, collaborative and according the education and social changes happening in Mexico.

Keywords:

training, advisor, onsite education, E-learning, competences.