REFLECTIONS ON SCREENAGERS, FACULTY DEVELOPMENT AND NET-SUPPORTED LEARNING

This paper outlines a strategy for a faculty development program with respect to netsupported
learning. Many universities and colleges are struggling with meeting the
demands of a rapidly changing world. Reflections in this paper are based on
experiences from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Attention has been given
to the intelligent use of technology as a means of meeting pressing challenges. What
does this mean? I ask a series of questions, the answers of which form the basis for a
faculty development program. What qualities and skills should our graduates have?
What consequences does this have for the way we approach teaching and learning?
And what role does technology play? In short, we must focus on faculty training
courses and the ensuing development cycles of trial, error, refinement and sharing.
Guiding principles for these activities should be:
1. It is about learning.
2. It is about easy access.
3. It is about emphasizing collaboration.
4. It is about support.