Reflections - elearning professionals defined

Sources

Lisewski, Bernard and Joyce, Paul (n.d.) ‘Examining the five-stage e-moderating model:
Designed and emergent practice in the learning technology profession’, [online] Available from: http://learn.open.ac.uk/mod/resourcepage/view.php?id=90970&direct=1 (Accessed 24 November 2008).

Oliver, Martin (2002) ‘What do Learning Technologists do?’, Innovations in Education and Teaching International , 30(4), pp. 245-252.

Refinement of my earlier definition based on readings of Oliver and Lisweski

earlier definition of an elearning practitioner

An elearning professional is one who consistently engages in reflective practice, and consistently seeks engagement with other elearning practitioners to test and refine one's understanding of good practice, constantly internalizes, constructs and applies these ideas to improvve the quality of their elearning efforts - specifically in one's ability to address the needs of the students one seeks to serve.

the refined definition of an elearning practitioner / professional

An elearning professional is one who consistently engages in reflective practice. This involves using models, templates, learning theories, etc. that have been presented by others in the field but resisting the temptation to immediately accept them .. Instead, they should be judiciously used to "guide" teaching practices.

As an elearning professional, one should be prepared to contest and challenge current practices ... especially as to how useful they are in one's local context. By doing so, one contributes to the development/refinement of a body of knowledge and expertise that informs their professional practice and that of others.

As an elearning professional, one should recognize the unique nature of the postion. Such a role grants them a high degree of autonomy (i.e. entering into a discreet client / consultant relationship).. but equally important is to understand how the role typically does not grant them authority to direct others as to what should be done. Yet concurrently, they are often expected to be positive agents for change in the institution.

With such an understanding, an elearning professional is ensuring that they are putting forward their best efforts to realize "quality elearning " that addresses the needs of their sponsoring institution's students.