As online learning environments continue to evolve, both teachers and students need to adapt to make the most of opportunities afforded by these environments for teaching and learning. The focus of this paper is on the changing role undertaken by tutors in online learning environments. We present a brief review of the current perspectives on the roles and responsibilities suggested for the e-tutor for effective teaching, and then report on a study where roles of e-tutors in a large wholly online unit were examined. The study supports the view that although the role of the e-tutor is similar to that of the face to face tutor in some respects, there are sufficient differences to make e-tutoring challenging to those who have not undertaken such online activities previously. Ongoing professional development is required to meet the changing demands of the technological environment, as well as the changing needs of students. IntroductionOver the last two decades teaching in most Australian tertiary institutions has shifted from a purely face to face environment to one which is online or a blending of the two. Online environments continue to evolve as newer technologies make more sophisticated online delivery possible. Current online learning environments (OLEs) support interactivity, communication, participation and collaboration, as well as student engagement in authentic learning tasks.While these online environments continue to change, the desire to ensure effective student learning is taking place remains. Ramsden (1992) argues that effective teaching facilitates effective learning by students. Consequently the quality of the teaching is important in any learning environment to ensure that outcomes for students are optimal. Strategies for successful teaching require teachers to continually adapt to the learning environment within which they operate (Salmon, 2002). Wilson and Stacey (2004) and Dixon, Dixon and Axmann (2008), among others, suggest that the provision of professional development for academic staff is continually required as OLEs develop and change.The overall aim of this study was to identify characteristics of effective tutors in online learning environments. In this paper the roles of e-tutors as described in the literature were reviewed. These roles were then compared to those adopted by teaching staff in a large, wholly online unit at an Australian tertiary institution. The lessons learned from this study have highlighted implications for teaching practice in such online learning environments. Goold, Coldwell and Craig 705 BackgroundAccording to the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) the use of casual staff in the tertiary education sector in Australia is increasing. Over the period 1995 to 2005 casual staff increased by 54% while permanent staff increased by 23% (NTEU, 2007). NTEU suggests that the increasing use of casual staff to fulfil teaching commitments has resulted from the devolved budget models currently popular in tertiary institutions.The traditional learning environment in Austr...

The extensive introduction of online technologies to support teaching and learning is impacting how teachers teach and students learn. It is also affecting both teaching staff's and students' perceptions of what each others' roles are. The research reported here is part of a larger study that explored different aspects of teaching and learning in online environments. This study was undertaken within an Australian university and involved an institution-wide survey of students. The paper reports on students' perceptions of their roles as online learners and the expectations they have of online teachers. The outcomes of the research suggest that different cohorts of students have different expectations. These expectations are informed by their mode of study and also by their perceptions of how staff engage with online teaching. Recommendations include proactive management of student expectations by staff, as well as a commitment by staff to meet those expectations.

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The term 'culture' has been in common use for a long time. However there is no universally accepted definition and hence it is important to define clearly what culture means in a particular research context. The research reported here is part of a project undertaken at a large Australian university in late 2005. The overall aim of the project was to identify the characteristics of culture and cultural diversity, and to consider how these manifested themselves when teaching and learning in an online environment. This paper reports on particular outcomes from the second stage of the project. This involved conducting focus groups with experienced academics and educational developers of online units. The aim was to gain an understanding of culture and cultural difference in the online environment and to consider what strategies were effective in teaching a culturally diverse cohort of online students. The findings from the focus group sessions were benchmarked with other external faculty. The cultural factors of ethnicity and language, attitudes to educational learning, education and prior learning, learning styles and socio-economic background were well supported by the external faculty. However the factors of religion and gender were not supported. Practices for accommodating such cultural differences amongst students within the online class are presented. IntroductionThe first known definition of culture dates back to the 18th century when Sir Edward Burnett Tylor defined culture as 'that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society' (Tylor, 1871). However the term 'culture' has more than one definition and Williams (1983; p.87) goes so far as to suggest that culture 'is one of the two or three most complicated words in the English language'. The Oxford Online Reference Premium (2007) produces some 492 definitions of the term culture and these definitions include 'production of organisms', 'intellectual development and tastes', 'form or type of civilization' and the 'customs of a people'. Consequently Choi (1995) suggests that since there are various Goold, Craig and Coldwell 491definitions of culture and there is no clear consensus on its meaning, it is critical to define the use of the term in any given research area.The research reported here is the second stage of a three-part research project which was undertaken through a Strategic Teaching and Learning Grant at Deakin University in 2005. The overall aim of the project was to identify the characteristics of culture and cultural diversity (as perceived by staff and students at Deakin) and to discover how these characteristics manifest themselves when teaching and learning in an online environment. The first stage of the study involved a review of the literature. The second stage of the study was a series of focus groups of staff experienced with online course design, development, implementation and operation (teaching). The findings from these focus gro...

In 2005 an existing undergraduate course in project management was converted from face-to-face mode to wholly online mode. Wholly online mode means that there are no face-to-face classes at all, and all teaching and learning is facilitated through an online environment.Learning in Virtual Teams 478 enjoyed the experience of working collaboratively within a virtual team.The research has highlighted a number of areas where improvements can be made to the student experience of working in virtual teams. These improvements will be adopted in the development and delivery of the new course as part of the action research study.