University teacher roles and competencies in online learning environments: a theoretical analysis of teaching and learning practices

Abstract

The aim of this article is to clarify the university teacher roles and competencies in online learning environments, with a view to assisting in the design of professional development activities. This referential framework results from an extensive review of the literature and from analysing professional development designed in different European universities. It is worth mentioning that the definitions that will be produced do not refer to standards of teacher performance; on the contrary, we would like to emphasise the notion of socially situated competencies which are derived from the roles and tasks attributed to university teachers in online learning environments, without losing track of the dialectics and integrity of their exercise.

Keywords:

• higher education
• ICT
• online learning environment
• teacher competencies
• teacher role

Acknowledgments

Part of this work was supported by the European Commission E‐learning Programme. Project eLene‐TT (E‐Learning network for Teacher Training) 2005–2006 and eLene‐TLC: eLearning Network for the Development of a Teaching and Learning service Centre. The European Commission’s e‐learning programme (http://www.elene-tlc.net). Participant universities: Université Nancy 2 (France), Université Paris‐Dauphine (France), Politecnico di Milano – METID (Italy), University of Bremen‐ZMML (Germany), Helsinki University of Technology – FVU (Finland), University of Umeå (Sweden), Utrecht University – IVLOS (The Netherlands), Maria Curie Sklodowska University – PVU (Poland) and Open University of Catalonia – UOC (Spain).