Abstract:

The use of online learning environments has become ubiquitous in universities today, with many institutions claiming additional support for student learning from these mediums. Nevertheless, many academic staff struggle to use these technologies to their full potential, eroding virtual support of student learning and diminishing the student experience.
This paper will consider a survey of 529 UK academics who answered questions on their pedagogical beliefs and online teaching practices. The analysis reveals that, whilst many lecturers claim to hold student-centred learning beliefs (Prosser and Trigwell, 1999), their actual practices when they teach online are significantly different. The study identifies the reasons for the gap between beliefs and practices, and the most significant barriers to effective online teaching practices. Whilst these barriers include an understanding of technologies, they are more fundamentally focussed on pedagogical understanding, identity and perceived priorities.

Keywords:

Pedagogical Development, University Teachers, Technology Use, Teachers' Beliefs and Practices.